KHULNA, May 14, 2018 (BSS) – The 5th Khulna City Corporation (KCC) election will be held tomorrow (May 15).
The month-long hectic campaign of mayoral aspirants and councilor’s contenders was ended last mid night.
The Khulna Returning Officer’s office and law enforcers’ agency have already completed all preparations. Ballot boxes and ballot papers were sent the respective polling centres by Monday, said Khulna Returning officer M Younus Ali.
Awami League-backed candidate Talukder Abdul Khaleque (Boat Symbol) and BNP-backed candidate Nazrul Islam Manju (Paddy-Beard) are the main contenders for the KCC polls while the remained candidates, Islami Andolon-backed Mowlana Muzammel Haque, JP-backed Shafiqur Rahman Mushfiq and CPB-backed Mizanur Rahman Babu may achieved the third, fourth and fifth position.
According to local election commission office, the number of voters in KCC is now 4, 93,093. Of the total voters, 2, 44,107 are female and 2, 48,986 are male.
There are 148 general councilor aspirants are racing against 31 wards while 39 women are contesting against 10 female reserved seats.
The number of polling centres is 289 and of them, 234 are either very important or vulnerable, says Sonali Sen, additional deputy commissioner of KMP.
Khulna Returning Officer M Younus Ali said, EC of Khulna has already selected 289 presiding officers, 1561 assistant presiding officers and 3122 polling officers.
Over 10,000 law enforcers including about 16 platoons BGB, 32 sector party and 10 striking force team of RAB, one mobile force in each ward, one striking force in each three wards and one RAB team in each two wards would deployed on the day of polling, the returning officer said.
Additional deputy commissioner of KMP Sonali Sen said a control room has been opened at the KMP headquarters to work round the clock. Around 7 check posts have been set up at various entrances of the city.
Meanwhile, hundreds of local and foreign observers are also ready to oversee the poll process. The movement of all vehicles including Mahendra (baby-taxi), battery run easy bike, jeep, pick-up, microbus, bus and private car has been stopped from May 13 mid-night to may 15 mid-night and motor cycle except the vehicles which are used for the election purpose, said a press release issued by KMP.
Carrying of all kinds of licensed fire arms and explosive materials has also been prohibited in the city area.