Gazipur City Polls: AL, BNP step up campaign

Ignoring heavy showers, mayoral candidates of the Awami League and the BNP yesterday campaigned to woo voters in Gazipur City Corporation polls scheduled to be held on June 26.

The candidates exchanged Eid greetings with the voters and sought their blessings as well as votes during their respective campaigns in different parts of the city.

The festival mood of Eid has still been prevailing in the city corporation areas as labourers of the industries have yet to join the work.

AL mayoral candidate Jahangir Alam yesterday campaigned in Kashimpur, Square Gate, Turag and some other areas ignoring the heavy shower.

During his campaign, Jahangir urged the voters to cast their votes for development saying no development took place in Gazipur in last five years.

The candidate added he has his trust on the voters and expressed the hope that people would vote for him.

On the other side, BNP nominated candidate Hasan Uddin Sarker campaigned in Gaca union and alleged that the government was demoralising the party leaders and activists through arrest and intimidation.

He urged his party leaders and activists to engage in election campaigns ignoring all sorts of fear and intimidation. Senior BNP leaders accompanied him during the electioneering.

Azmal Hossain, a businessman of Shilmun area of Tongi, said the way the candidates were reaching the voters ignoring the inclement weather, if they worked sincerely like that after the vote, the scenario of Gazipur would surely be changed.

After 42 days of suspension, the formal campaign for the GCC election resumed on Monday.

As the Eid festivity was about to end, the whole city assumed a new festive look as it has been decorated with posters, banners and festoons of different candidates.

The five other mayoral candidates, councillor candidates and women candidates for the reserved seats also conducted their campaigns ignoring the bad weather yesterday.

The other mayoral candidates are Md Ruhul Amin of Communist Party of Bangladesh, Md Jalal Uddin of Bangladesh Islami Front, Fazlul Haque Minar of Islami Oikya Jote, Md Nasir Uddin of Islami Andolan Bangladesh and independent candidate Farid Ahmed.

Around 11 lakh voters are expected to cast their votes to elect the mayor, 57 general ward councillors and 19 women councillors for the reserved seats.