Dhaka city polls campaign kicks off tomorrow

The election buzz for Dhaka North City Corporation and Dhaka South City Corporation will kick off tomorrow after the returning officers allot their electoral symbol in the morning.

Election Commission today, on the last date for withdrawal of candidacy, said that 753 candidates -- 13 for mayor and 740 for councillor positions -- will run in the elections.

Of the 13 mayor hopefuls, six will join the battle of ballots in DNCC and the rest in DSCC on January 30.

In DSCC, a total of 125 ward councillor aspirants and 20 reserved women councillor hopefuls withdrew their candidacy in the DSCC on the last day of withdrawal of candidacy, according to the office of returning officer.

Now seven mayoral candidates, 335 ward councillor aspirants and 82 reserved women councillor candidates are vying in the election.

Mayoral candidates are AL’s Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, BNP’s Ishraque Hossain, JP’s Mohammad Saifuddin, Islami Andolan Bangladesh’s Abdur Rahman, Bangladesh Congress’ Md Akhtaruzzaman, National People’s Party’s Bahrane Sultan Bahar and Gonofront’s Abdus Samad.

In DNCC, 111 ward councillor aspirants and 12 reserved women councillor aspirants withdrew their candidacy. Now six mayoral candidates, 248 ward councillor aspirants and 75 reserved women councillor candidates are vying in the election.

Mayoral candidates are AL’s Atiqul Islam, BNP’s Tabith Awal, Communist Party of Bangladesh’s (CPB) Sajedul Huq Rubel, Islami Andolan Bangladesh’s Sheikh Md Fazle Bari Masud, Progressive Democratic Party’s Shahin Khan and National Peoples Party’s Anisur Rahman Dewan.

The candidates will be able to start their campaigns immediately after the poll symbols are allotted this morning, Election Commissioner Rafiqul Islam told The Daily Star.

He called upon all candidates to maintain the electoral code of conduct and uphold the democratic practice during the campaign.

Candidates’ campaign schedules

All the candidates are expected to join the symbol allocation programme at returning offices in the morning.

AL mayor candidate for DNCC Atiqul Islam will start his campaign by exchanging views with journalists at his election office in Uttara area after Juma prayers.

BNP candidate Tabith Awal will also start his electioneering from Uttara after Jumma prayers while CPB candidate Sajedul Huq Rubel will kick off his campaign from Martyred Intellectuals' Memorial in Mirpur. 

Meanwhile, AL mayor hopeful for DSCC Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh will begin his campaign from Demra area in the morning, while BNP candidate Ishraque Hossain will start his campaign after attending Juma prayers at Baitul Mukarram Mosque.