- Khairuzzaman Liton elected in Rajshahi
- Anwaruzzaman wins mayoral race in Sylhet
The ruling Awami League nominated candidates have won the mayoral elections in Sylhet and Rajshahi city corporations. Awami League's party symbol boat won an easy victory in these two city elections. Awami League's Anwaruzzaman Chowdhury has been elected as the new city mayor of Sylhet by a margin of more than half a million votes. He received 1 lakh 18 thousand 700. His nearest rival Jatiya Party's Nazrul Islam Babul got 51,200 votes. AHM Khairuzzaman Liton has won the mayoral race of Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) for the second consecutive time. He was re-elected city mayor with 159,797 votes.
There was chaos in the elections in Sylhet and Rajshahi city corporations. Voter turnout was very low. There was no sign of much competition for mayor in the two cities. There was no strong opponent in front of the ruling Awami League candidate in the election field. The field was apparently largely empty in front of the ruling party's mayoral candidates as BNP-Jamaat boycotted the polls. On June 12, Islami Andolan Bangladesh central nayeb-e-Ameer handed over the awami league's attack on the mayoral candidate and the CEC's objectionable remarks in barishal city elections, the party announced to boycott the elections to Sylhet and Rajshahi city corporations.
There has also been a ruckus among the voter turnout in the elections of the ruling party and the alliance. However, the councillor candidates retained some of the vote share. In the meantime, there have been incidents of chase, clash and vandalism of the election camp between two councilor candidates in Rajshahi City Corporation election. Some people on both sides were injured. Besides, the house of Sylhet City Corporation councillor Rezwan Ahmed, who was elected for the fourth consecutive term, was attacked. However, the Election Commission denied any wrongdoing. They believe 40 percent of the vote was cast.
Voting began simultaneously in the two cities at 8 am on Wednesday. Voters cast their votes through electronic voting machines (EVMs) till 4 pm. The Election Commission (EC) directly monitored the election through CCTV cameras from the election office in Agargaon in the capital. A woman has been sentenced to three days in jail for going to a secret polling room multiple times in Rajshahi after watching CCTV cameras from Dhaka. Election Commissioners Brigadier General Md Ahsan Habib Khan (retd), Begum Rasheda Sultana and Md. Alamgir monitored the polls from the control room of the election building.
Awami League mayoral candidate in Sylhet Md. Anwaruzzaman Chowdhury. He cast his vote at Pathantula Shahjalal Jamia Islamia Kamil Madrasa centre in the city with his wife Holly Chowdhury at 8:15am. Later, Anwaruzzaman Chowdhury said, "The people of the city voted in a festive mood. Everyone can easily vote through EVMs. On the absence of agents of the rival candidate in different constituencies, he said, "This is the problem of the candidate. If they can't provide agents, if they don't have people, there's nothing we can do. We didn't stop anyone. ’
Jatiya Party mayoral candidate in Sylhet Nazrul Islam Babul has alleged that voters and agents were threatened at different polling stations. He made the allegation while casting his vote at Anand Niketan polling station in the city at 9.30 am. Describing the election as a blueprint vote, Babul said, "The Awami League candidate is showing muscle power. Voters and agents are being threatened at various polling stations. Agents are not allowed to enter the centre. The Election Commission and the administration are all in the pockets of Awami league candidates. There was a problem with EVMs in the first hour. But it was fixed later. ’
AHM Khairuzzaman Liton, mayoral candidate of Boat symbol, casts his vote in Rajshahi at 9:15am. He cast his vote at Rajshahi Satellite Town High School in the suburbs of Ward No. 14 of the city. Expressing optimism about the victory, he said, "Jamaat-BNP have voters. Candidates and supporters can't say which way they'll vote. But I hope they will also vote in the boat for the sake of development. ’
Jatiya Party mayoral candidate Saiful Islam Swapan has expressed dissatisfaction over the pace of voting in the first two hours of voting in Rajshahi. "No more than 18 people can vote every hour. If this continues, only 144 people will be able to vote in eight hours in a room. This is increasing the suffering of the voters. ’
50pc vote is good enough. It will encourage National elections:CEC
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal has claimed that voting in Rajshahi and Sylhet City Corporation elections was completed in a free, fair, and joyful environment.
He said, `We have been monitoring the election throughout the day. There was some disruption due to heavy rain for half an hour. However, the voting did not stop. Naturally, the election took place.' He said these things to the journalists after the Rajshahi and Sylhet City Corporation elections at the Agargaon election building yesterday.
CEC Kazi Habibul Awal said, "We feel satisfied because no untoward incident happened. Voters exercised free suffrage. Voting was not obstructed anywhere. We have been watching through the media. The media also did not report any untoward incident. We think this election was good overall. He also said, "Rajshahi had an estimated 52 to 55 percent voter turnout. I have come to know about 46 percent attendance in Sylhet. There may be some variation.
Regarding the overall assessment, the CEC said, "The overall assessment is that the five elections have gone well which will encourage national elections and encourage voters. Voters will be eager to go to polling stations.''
He said, "We will not say anything for sure. The thing is going towards development, a positive mindset can be created among all the politicians, candidates, and voters. Encourage voting and acceptance. In response to a question, CEC said, "100% votes were never confirmed. Nowhere in the world do 100% votes count. 50 percent vote is good enough. 60 to 70 percent is excellent. We will try to ensure that.
Boat victory in Sylhet, new city mayor Anwaruzzaman:
Awami League's Anwaruzzaman Chowdhury was elected as the new city mayor of Sylhet by a margin of more than half a million votes. Sylhet City Corporation's returning officer privately declared him the winner on yesterday night. Anwaruzzaman Chowdhury of the boat symbol got 1 lakh 18 thousand 700 votes. His closest competitor Nazrul Islam Babul of Jatiya Party's plow symbol got 51 thousand 200 votes.
In Sylhet City, 8 candidates are contesting for the post of mayor, 273 candidates for 42 general ward councilor posts, and 86 candidates for 12 reserved ward councilor posts.
Rajshahi's city mayor Liton again: AHM Khairuzzaman Liton, the candidate of the boat symbol, has won the post of mayor for the second time in a row in the Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) elections. He was re-elected city father by getting 1 lakh 59 thousand 797 votes. Awami League president council member AHM Khairuzzaman Liton was elected mayor in the third round. Before that, he was elected as the mayor of Rajshahi City Corporation in 2008 and 2018. Returning officer Md. Delwar Hossain announced the result of the RCC election privately at Rajshahi District Shilpakala Academy last night.
JH
