Boycotts, irregularities mar 3 city polls

Incidents of violence, widespread allegations of irregularities and boycotting have stained the city corporation elections to Rajshahi, Sylhet and Barisal.

Voting began from 8:00am and continued till 4:00pm and followed through to counting. Preliminary reports of some sporadic events of voting suspension were filed from all the cities.

The biggest news was the election boycott spree in Barisal, where mayor runners of prime opposition BNP, Communist Party of Bangladesh and Islamists withdrew. At least two other mayor candidates wanted a halt to the elections.

Voters are seen waiting in queue to cast their votes in the Rajshahi City Corporation elections. The photo was taken at the Seroil Colony Govt Primary School polling centre in the city on Monday, July 30, 2018. Photo: Anwar Ali Himu

In Rajshahi, the BNP candidate kept from casting his own vote in frustration over the voting process. Mosaddek Hossain Bulbul specifically said his "vote did not matter in jeopardised democracy."

Sylhet was where most of the incidents of violence were reported. An executive magistrate was hurt when he was passing through a fight between two councilor candidates. There have been multiple reports of clashes.

However, primarily ruling Awami League brushed away all the allegations and claimed the voting was underway in a festive mood and that BNP was out to mar the elections.

In Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC), four candidates are contesting for the mayoral post. They are: ruling Awami League-nominated AHM KhairuzzamanLiton (Boat), BNP-nominated Mohammad Mosaddek Hossain Bulbul (Sheaf of Paddy), IslamiAndolan Bangladesh candidate Md Shafiqul Islam (Hand Fan) and independent candidate Md Murad Morshed (Elephant).

Ariful Haque Chowdhury, BNP mayoral candidate in Sylhet City Corporation elections, shows V-sign after casting his vote at Raynagar Govt Primary School polling centre in the city on Monday, July 30, 2018. Photo: Dwoha Chowdhury

In Barisal City Corporation (BCC), six candidates are competing polls for the mayoral post. They are: AL candidate SerniyabatSadekAbdullha (Boat), BNP-nominated Md Majibur Rahman Sarwar (Sheaf of Paddy), IslamiAndolan candidate 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 (SCC), seven candidates are contesting for the mayoral post. The candidates are: AL-nominated Badar Uddin Ahmed Kamran (Boat), BNP-candidate Ariful Haque Chowdhury (Sheaf of Paddy), IslamiAndolan 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).