The upcoming Gazipur City Corporation election has sent both the ruling Awami League and the main opposition BNP into a frenzy.
For the AL, it is time to catch up after losing the recently held four city corporation elections, and for the BNP, it is a challenge to retain its newly-attained glory.
Following a defeat by big margins in all the four city corporation polls, the ruling party leaders are now busy campaigning for their chosen mayoral candidate, if only to save face through at least one win.
Through winning the Gazipur City Corporation (GCC) election, the AL hopes to convey a message to the country that the incumbent government is still popular.
The party leaders consider the Gazipur polls, which have been scheduled for July 6, to be a crucial opporunity for the AL to reclaim their position.
However, the BNP intends to retain its momentum and mount pressure on the government to approve the restoration of a caretaker government system to oversee the next general elections.
In a meeting on Thursday evening with AL lawmakers of the Dhaka city unit, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina directed them to join the GCC election campaign.
“I do not want to see any sad face after the Gazipur election,” the PM said.
AL presidium member, Obaidul Quader, said the Gazipur City Corporation election was a challenge for the party. “Following a series of debacles in the four city corporation elections, the AL won’t be able to take a hammering in the ensuing battle,” he said, adding that the party is united to achieve victory.
Minister Quader said if AL activists work together for Mayoral candidate Ajmatullah, only then will a win be possible.
On the other hand, BNP senior leaders said if a free and fair election is held, people will vote for the BNP.
The party high command asked senior leaders to take part in the GCC campaign to ensure victory for the BNP-backed mayoral candidate, MA Mannan.
“We have participated in the campaign as a part of our movement. The government has lost public support in the four city polls and this election will be no different for the government. If free and fair polls are held, BNP-backed candidate will win,” said Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, acting secretary general of the party.
He said: “The government is trying heart and soul to save its image through wining the polls at any cost.”
The acting secretary general of BNP, Fakhrul, said the rebel AL candidate Jahangir Alam was forced to withdraw his candidature, proving that the AL wanted to stay in power by all means.
AL presidium member Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim said although Gazipur City Corporation election is a local body election, the party has taken it seriously.
“We are hopeful that the 14-party alliance-backed candidate would emerge victorious in the election,” said Selim.
Sheikh Selim alleged that in the last four city corporation elections, a vested quarter was spreading religious propaganda against the AL.
“This time, I think the Election Commission will take action against the propaganda as it is a clear violation of the electoral code of conduct,” the AL leader said.
MK Anwar, BNP standing committee member, said they are confident about their candidate’s victory and the government conspiracy to rig vote won’t bring any good result.
“People will resist any sort of irregularities as they are very frustrated and annoyed at the government’s misrule and misdeeds.”
He said that the AL could use law enforcers to work in their favour for vote rigging, but the media won’t let them do so, and ultimately it would boomerang.
The Gazipur City Corporation is the second largest city corporation in the country with an area of almost 330sq-km.
As many as 1,026,964 voters – 499,181 male and 527,783 female – will be able to exercise their right to elect their city mayor as well as 57 councillors and 19 reserved (women) councillors.
