With the countdown to vote drawing to a close, the candidates in Khulna City Corporation elections are forging ahead with last minute campaigning without wasting any time.
Five mayoral candidates, namely Awami League nominated Talukder Abdul Khaleque, BNP’s candidate Nazrul Islam Monju, Jatiya Party’s Shafiqur Rahman Musfiq, Communist Party of Bangladesh’s (CPB) Mizanur Rahman Babu and Islami Andolon Bangladesh’s candidate Mawlana Muzzammil Haque, and 148 councillor candidates and 38 women reserved seat councillor candidates were seen making rounds in the city on Sunday.
The campaign will end at Sunday midnight. The voting is scheduled to start at 8am and continue until 4pm on Tuesday.
The Election Commission would distribute the ballot papers and boxes at the polling centres from Monday noon, said Returning Officer Yunus Ali.
He said a 29-member team of the commission were already in Khulna and they would observe the whole election process.
Central leaders of Awami League, BNP, Jatiya Party, CPB and other parties along with leaders from Khulna district and adjacent areas took part in the campaign on Sunday and urged voters to vote for their candidates.
Awami League’s Khaleque started his last day of campaigning around 7am from Daulatpur, but was hindered due to rain.
He, however, resumed campaigning around 9am when the rain abated.
The ruling party’s executive member and chief election campaign coordinator SM Kamal claimed that his party has given utmost importance to the Khulna city polls.
He said: “The victory of our candidate in this election will have an impact on the upcoming national polls. It will also prove that people are satisfied with Awami League-led government and they will re-elect Awami League in the next parliamentary election for the third time in a row.”
Kamal urged people to cast their vote for boat symbol, for continuation of development, and peace.
BNP candidate Monju started his campaign around 10am from Rupsha Bridge area and visited every ward of Rupsha upazila.
BNP mayoral candidate Nazrul Islam Monju for Khulna City Corporation polls embraces a voter during campaigning on Sunday, May 13, 2018 Mehedi Hasan |Dhaka Tribune
Shamsuddin Didar, a member of the BNP chairperson’s media wing, and Shamimur Rahman Shamim, assistant office secretary of the party, took part in the campaign with Monju.
They urged the city dwellers to cast their vote for sheaf of paddy symbol.
The BNP leaders, however, expressed doubt whether the Khulna city polls would ultimately be a free and fair one.
According to the Election Commission, a total of 493,107 voters – 248,986 men and 244,527 women – will cast ballots under 31 wards at 1,561 polling booths of 289 centres in Khulna city on Tuesday.
During the 2013 city polls, the number of voters was 440,566.
BGB on the streets
According to the commission, members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) have already been deployed in the city to prevent any untoward situation.
Other law enforcement agencies, including police, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Ansar and VDP will also be deployed from Sunday night, and will be on duty until Wednesday.
Besides, 49 executive magistrates and 10 judicial magistrates will be on duty over these four days.
Border Guard Bangladesh is deployed in Khulna ahead of the city corporation polls Mehedi Hasan |Dhaka Tribune
The returning officer said 22-24 law enforcers would be on duty at each polling centre.
A total of 10 troops of police, Armed Police Battalion, and Ansar will be deployed in Khulna as striking forces, where 31 teams of RAB and 16 platoons of BGB will be in the field from Sunday to Wednesday.
Besides, three to four platoons of BGB will remain on call as reserve force.
Khaleque’s supporters violate polls code
Meanwhile, Awami League candidate Khaleque’s supporters violated the electoral code of conduct by bringing out a procession to garner support in the city Sunday evening.
Hundreds of supporters carrying boats, posters and placards brought out the procession from the Dak Bungalow Intersection around 5pm. The procession ended at Moilapota area around 30 minutes later.
However, Returning Officer Yunus declined to comment on the reported code of conduct violation by Khaleque’s supporters.
