Annisul, Khokan, Nasir declared winners

Some 41.27 per cent of voters in Dhaka and some 47.89 per cent voters in Chittagong reportedly exercised their franchise in Tuesday’s civic polls marred by widespread rigging and boycott by several opposition party-backed candidates.
The Election Commission’s statistics show that 37.3 per cent votes were cast in the Dhaka north city corporation polls, 48.57 per cent in Dhaka south and 47.89 in Chittagong city polls.
The statistics also show that all other mayoral aspirants, except the two top candidates in each of the three city polls, got only a handful of votes which led to the confiscation of their security deposits.
Ruling Awami League-backed Annisul Huq has won the Dhaka north city corporation polls, Sayeed Khokon won the Dhaka south city corporation polls and AJM Nasir Uddin won the Chittagong city corporation polls.
Annisul polled a total of 4,60,117, defeating his nearest contestant Bangladesh Nationalist Party-backed Tabith Awal, who boycotted the election halfway through the polling. Tabith got 3,25,080 votes.
According to the commission’s statistics, a total of 8,74,581 voters, that made up 37.3 per cent of total 23,44,900 voters, exercised their franchise. But, as much as 33,581 votes were cancelled as they were not cast properly.
Charmonai pir’s Islami Andolan Bangladesh backed candidate Sheikh Mohammad Fazle Bari Maswood was ranked third in the mayoral race bagging 18,050 votes.
Among other prominent mayoral candidates, Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh’s Mahi B Chowdhury got 13,407, Gana Sanghati Andolan’s Zonayed Abdur Rahim Saki got 7,370 votes, Kazi Md Shahidullah got 2,968, Jatiya Party’s Bahauddin Ahmed got 2,950, Communist Party of Bangladesh’s Abdullah Al Kafee got 2,475 votes.
The security deposit of all other mayoral candidates, except Annis and Tabith, stood confiscated as none of them secured one-eighth of the total votes cast.
In Dhaka south, AL’s Sayeed Khokon bagged a total of 5,35,296 votes while his nearest rival BNP backed Mirza Abbas, who also had boycotted the polling, got 2,94,291 votes.
According to the commission’s statistics, some 48.57 per cent or 9,35,484 voters out of total 18,70,778 voters exercised their franchise. But, as much as 40,130 votes were cancelled as they were not cast properly.
Charmonai pir’s Islami Andolan Bangladesh-backed candidate Abdur Rahman ranked third in the mayoral race bagging 14,784 votes.
Jatiya Party’s Saifuddin Ahmed got 4,519 votes, Abu Naser Muhammad Masud Hossain got 2,197 votes, Rezaul Karim Chowdhury 2,173, Shahin Khan got 2,074, former AL lawmaker Golam Maula Rony got 1,887 and Socialist Party of Bangladesh’s Bazlur Rashid Firoz got 1,029.
The security deposit of all other mayoral candidates, except Khokon and Abbas, stood confiscated as none of them secured one-eighth of the total vote cast.
Besides BNP-backed candidates, Islami Andolan-backed candidates in Dhaka north and south had also boycotted the election halfway claiming that their polling agents were driven out by ruling party men.
Returning officers of the respective elections in the early hours on Wednesday declared Annis and Khokon elected.
In the last election to undivided Dhaka city corporation election in 2002, some 34.39 per cent voters exercised their franchise. The then opposition, Awami League, had boycotted the civic polls at that time.
In Chittagong, AL’s AJM Nasir Uddin polled 4,75,361 votes and his nearest rival Bangladesh Nationalist Party-backed M Manjur Alam, who had also boycotted the polling, bagged 3,04,837 votes.
Election’s commission’s statistics show some 47.89 per cent or 8,68,663 out of 18,13,600 voters cast their votes. But as much as 47,292 ballots were declared illegal due to flaws.
Among others, Islamic Front’s MA Matin got the third highest votes at 11,655, Islami Andolan Bangladesh’s Wayez Hossain Bhuiyan got 9,668 votes and Saifuddin Ahmed got 2,661 votes.
Except Nasir and Manjur, the security deposit of all other candidates was confiscated.