ZCZC
BSS-01
CITY-POLLS-BEGIN
Polls in 3 cities start amid festive mood
DHAKA, July 30, 2018 (BSS) – Balloting in the city corporations of
Rajshahi, Barishal and Sylhet began at 8 am today amid tight security and a
festive mood.
Election Commission sources said the polling started on schedule at all
the centers of the three cities simultaneously. The voting will continue till
4pm without any break.
A total of 138 polling stations with 1,026 booths have been set up for
casting votes in Rajshahi, while a total of 123 polling stations with 750
booths in Barishal and 134 voting stations with 926 booths in Sylhet.
The sources said there are 3,18,138 voters in Rajshahi City Corporation.
Among them, 1,56,085 are male and 1,62,053 female.
Barishal city has a total of 2,42,666 voters — 1,21,436 male and 1,20,739
female. In Sylhet City Corporation, there are 3,21,732 voters. Of them,
1,7144 are male and 1,50288 female.
In Rajshahi City Corporation, four candidates are vying for the mayoral
post. They are Awami League-backed AHM Khairuzzaman Litan (Boat), BNP-backed
Mosaddek Hossain (Sheaf of Paddy), Islami Andolan Bangladesh-backed Md
Shafiqul Islam (Hand Fan) and independent candidate Md Murad Morshed
(Elephant).
In Barishal City Corporation, six candidates are contesting for the
mayoral post. They are AL-backed candidate Sadek Abdullha (Boat), BNP-backed
Md Majibur Rahman Sarwar (Sheaf of Paddy), Islami Andolan Bangladesh-backed
Obaidur Rahman (Hand Fan), Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) candidate Abul
Kalam Azad (Sickle), Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal candidate Manisha
Chakrabarty (Ladder) and Jatiya Party candidate Md Iqbal Hossain (Plough).
In Sylhet City Corporation, seven candidates are in the race for the
mayoral post. The candidates are AL-backed Badar Uddin Ahmed Kamran (Boat),
BNP-backed Ariful Haque Chowdhury (Sheaf of Paddy), Islami Andolan
Bangladesh-backed Dr Md Moazzem Hossain Khan (Hand Fan), Bangladesh
Samajtantrik Dal candidate Md Abu Jafar (Ladder) and independent candidates
Ahasan Mahbub Jobayer (Table Watch), Md Ahasanul Haque Taher (Deer) and Md
Badruzzaman Selim (Bus.
A total of 530 councilors are in the election fray in the three cities.
Syed Amirul Islam is the returning officer at Rajshahi City Corporation
while Mujibur Rahman and Md Alimuzzaman have been employed as returning
officers in Barishal and Sylhet respectably.
With the start of the balloting, the voters were seen rushing to the
respective polling stations to exercise their right to franchise.
Talking to BSS, a good number of voters expressed their satisfaction over
the peaceful polling environment in the three cities.
BSS/Asg/PSB/BR/0840 hrs