Voters in the country’s northern districts are worried about whether they can exercise their voting rights during tomorrow’s municipal elections, with many fearing that there could be a recurrence of what had happened in the 10th general elections in 2014.
They say they are eager to go to polling stations to cast their votes but a sense of apprehension prevails in the air.
“I want to vote but no one knows what will be the situation on the day of voting,” a vendor who sells betel leaves in Badarganj municipality area of Rangpur said.
Six candidates are running for the post of mayor in the municipality, but locals said the toughest contest would be between Awami League-backed Uttam Kumar Saha and Azizul Haque, an independent candidate.
There are four candidates in Panchagarh municipality’s mayoral race, but BNP-backed Towhidur Rahman’s win against his rival, Awami League-backed Zakia Khatun, has been heavily forecast.
“If the situation is peaceful I will go to cast my vote but I doubt it,” said Monir Hossain, 35, a resident of Panchagarh municipal area.
Gaibandha municipality has three mayor candidates – independent candidate Shamsul Alam, Awami League-backed Shah Masud Jahangir Kabir and Shahiduzzaman Shahid, who has been fielded by the BNP.
In Gobindaganj municipality of Gaibanda, the mayoral fight will be between Awami League-backed Ataur Rahman Sarker and BNP-backed Faruq Ahmed.
In Joypurhat municipality, the mayoral contest will be between Awami League-backed Mostafizur Rahaman and independent Jamaat-e-Islami candidate Hasibul Alam, 38.
