Apart from rumours of the BNP-backed mayoral candidate MA Mannan’s withdrawal from the polls, allegations and counter-allegations, and chase-counter chase among the supporters of the two major camps, the much-hyped Gazipur City Corporation elections on Saturday took place peacefully.
After the election, Returning Officer Matiar Rahman expressed his satisfaction at holding free and fair elections.
“The elections were held in a free and fair manner, with no big unwanted situation taking place. The Election Commission (EC) is happy with the overall polling environment,” he said.
Earlier in the morning, the Awami League-led grand alliance-backed candidate Azmat Ullah Khan expressed his satisfaction with regard to the voting environment. On the other hand, BNP-led 18-party backed candidate MA Mannan had raised several allegations of conspiracies without mentioning any specific allegations.
AL-backed candidate, Azmat Ullah Khan, expressed optimism over his victory in the GCC elections.
While talking to the media after casting his vote at the Little Flower School centre in Tongi at 8:50am, he said: “People are casting their votes with great enthusiasm. Polling is being held in a fair manner.”
The AL-backed mayoral candidate claimed that he is ready to accept whatever the people’s decision might be.
On the other hand, BNP-backed candidate Abdul Mannan expressed apprehension over vote rigging in the elections. He was talking to journalists after casting his vote at the Salna Islamia Fazil Madrasa polling centre at 9:30am.
“Polling is going on in a fair manner since morning. But, I still have fears of rigging,” he said.
Mannan, however, expressed confidence of being elected to serve the city as its mayor if the election is held in a free and fair manner.
Meanwhile, AL’s rebel candidate, Jahangir Alam, who later withdrew his candidature, cast his vote at around 11am at Kanaiya government primary school in Gazipur Sadar upazila.
Since morning, voters thronged at different polling centres with huge enthusiasm to exercise their franchise.
The presence of voters was higher in remote areas than urban areas. Visiting Nawjor Government Primary School, long queues of the voters were seen.
Moniruzzaman, returning officer at the Nawjor polling centre, said, “Polls taking place in a festive atmosphere and the vote casting rate is good.”
A voter named Bithi Rani Saha at Joydebpur Government Girls School, said, “I am feeling good after casting my vote.”
However, both Mannan's and Azmat’s camps spread rumours which misled some of the voters and marred the occasion.
“There is no problem while voting. The rigging might take place during the counting,” Akbar Ali, a supporter of Mannan, told the Dhaka Tribune.
Some activists from Mannan’s camp alleged, while talking to the Dhaka Tribune, that Azmat’s supporters staged showdown at every polling centre, but the law enforcing agencies did not take any initiatives in this regard.
Azmat’s supporters rejected the allegations saying BNP’s character is to raise allegations, and claiming that voting is going on peacefully in a credible manner.
After visiting different polling centres, it was observed that supporters of Azmat brought out small processions in the nearby area, while some small processions in favour of Mannan were also seen.
Supporters of Azamat and Mannan locked in a clash in front of Rani Bilash Moni girls’ school. However, the law enforcers brought the situation under control.
Hasan Uddin Sarker, the chief agent of MA Mannan, told journalists at 2pm that no major anomaly or untoward incident took place except some stray incidents at a few polling stations.
A scuffle took place between the supporters of Azmat and Mannan at the Government Girl’s College polling centre at 11am.
Later, police brought the situation under control.
Kazi Shakir Shithil, a polling agent of Azmat, was dismissed while trying to persuade voters to cast their votes for Azmat at the city’s Ashraf Textile Mills centre in Tongi ward No - 57.
