Zilla parishad polls: AL-backed candidates take 48

The ruling Awami League backed chairman candidates lost in the zilla parishad polls in 11 districts yesterday.

They failed to win despite the fact that majority of the electorates, elected representatives of local government bodies, are from the ruling party.

The Election Commission yesterday announced the unofficial results of 59 zilla parishad polls. The results include 34 posts of chairman. The rest of the 25 chairmen, all backed by the AL, were elected unopposed.

All members and reserved members of Bhola and Feni zilla parishads were also elected uncontested.

The AL-backed chairman candidates suffered defeats at the hands of their party rebels in nine districts -- Narsingdi, Sunamganj, Faridpur, Cox's Bazar, Jhenidah, Sherpur, Patuakhali, Chandpur, and Rangpur, report our district correspondents.

In Dinajpur and Panchagarh, the ruling party favourites lost to a candidate backed by the Jatiya Party and an independent.

About 60,866 elected representatives of local government bodies -- upazila parishad, union parishad, municipality and city corporation -- are the electorates in the zilla parishad polls.

A voter voted for a chairman, one member from each upazila and women members equivalent to one-third of the number of total members, including the chairman.

In total, AL favourites won chairman polls to 48 zilla parishads out of 59.

Meanwhile, Chief Election Commission Kazi Habibul Awal said they were satisfied with the election environment as "no irregularities and violence were reported".

"We didn't see anything [through CCTV cameras] also…. We are satisfied," he told reporters after monitoring voting from the CCTV monitoring cell at the Nirbachan Bhaban in the capital's Agargaon.

He said it was their responsibility to ensure the environment so that voters could cast their votes.

The CEC said they halted the Gaibandha-5 by-polls on Wednesday after seeing irregularities while monitoring the elections via CCTV cameras.

"We believe this had a positive impact on the [zilla parishad] elections."

BARISHAL INCIDENT

Barishal City Corporation Mayor Serniabat Sadiq Abdullah was involved in an incident with Barishal Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md Moniruzzaman at a polling centre yesterday.

A video shared by the mayor on Facebook showed that he with a group of public representatives tried to enter Barishal Zilla School polling centre and the UNO, who was carrying out duties as an executive magistrate, prevented him.

"Have I entered the polling centre yet? Why are you creating a scene? Am I a child who doesn't know the rules? Why are you talking like a stupid person?" the mayor asked Moniruzzaman.

Shocked at this, the UNO told the mayor that he didn't say anything to him.

Speaking to journalists later, the UNO said, "You have seen the video. The presiding officer of the polling station will be a better person to talk about the incident."

Presiding Officer Masum Billah said there was "a little misunderstanding" and he brought the situation under control.

On August 18 last year, Mayor Sadiq got into a heated argument with then Barishal Sadar UNO Munibur Rahman over removing banners. Gunshots were fired during the incident, and three cases were filed with the local police station over the matter.

NATORE MP ENTERS POLLING CENTRE

Shafiqul Islam Shimul, lawmaker from Natore-2 (Sadar, Naldanga), reportedly entered Dighapatia MK College polling centre during yesterday's elections, violating the electoral code of conduct.

He entered the centre around 11:15am and stayed there for a while.

"I visited the centre as a public representative. I didn't influence anything," Shimul told The Daily Star.

Natore Deputy Commissioner Shamim Ahmed, also the returning officer, said, "A lawmaker cannot do this in any way. We will take action after looking into the incident."

In the morning, Shimul's personal secretary Akramul Islam was also seen entering the same polling centre with a press card shortly after the voting started.

Asked about this, Akramul said he is the editor of local daily Sangbad Protikar.

In Moulvibazar, member candidates Ataur Rahman and Hasan Ahmed Javed bagged 80 votes each in the zilla parishad polls.

Now a lottery will be held at the returning officer's office to decide the winner, said Azedur Rahman, presiding officer of Hilalpur Government Primary School polling centre.

The EC in August announced the schedule for the elections to 61 district councils. Later, the court suspended elections to Chapainawabganj and Noakhali district councils.

This is the second time zilla parishad polls are being held in the country. The maiden elections took place on December 28, 2016.

AL-backed candidates became chairman in 46 districts and 21 of them were elected unopposed. AL leaders running as independents won in 11.