District council polls: People seems indifferent

Only the elected representatives of different local government bodies will vote for a chairman, 15 general members and five women members in reserved seats in each district council, according to the District Council (Amendment) Act, 2016. The whole district has been divoided into 15 wards. There will be one chairman, 15 general members and five researved seats for women in the district council. There are 1,605 voters and they are—a chaiman and two vice chaimen from each of 12 upazilas of Bogra, a mayor, ward councilors and three female members of researved seats from each of 12 municipailties and chairman and vice chairmen from 108 unions. Three candidates for the post of chairman, 53 general member candidates and 14 female candidates for five researved seats filed nomination papers on December 1, according to the district election office. Though only the elected representatives are the voters, the candidates are not sitting idle. They are trying their best to convince the voters to cast votes for them. Even, allegations of purchasing votes and arranging feast have been raised against some candidates. Mahfujar Rahman Bablu, former joint secretary of Shajahanpur upazila Awami League, alleged that his competitor Asadur Rahman Dulu arranged a feast for more than three hundred voters on Majhira High School premises on December 22. The voters were offered money, alleged Bablu. A complaint was filed to the returning officer in this regard, he said.