Voting in the high-voltage Gazipur City Corporation (GCC) election is going on peacefully today (Saturday) with a high turnout of voters, especially women.
Returning Officer Matiar Rahman told journalists that 50 percent votes were cast till 2 pm.
While visiting some polling centers, UNB correspondents found the voters standing in long queues to elect their first city mayor.
Tajuddin Taju, joint secretary of Gazipur poura unit BNP, alleged that vote casting was slow.
About the allegation, presiding officer of BARI High School polling centre KM Azharul Islam said the voting process in female booths a bit slow as women take time to understand the voting process.
Hasan Uddin Sarker, the chief agent of MA Mannan, told journalists at 2 pm that no major anomaly or untoward incident took place, except some stray incidents in a few poling stations.
Earlier, after casting their votes, the two main contenders for the mayoral post — ruling Awami League led 14-party supported candidate Ajmat Ullah and BNP led 18–party supported candidate MA Mannan — expressed their strong hope to win the maiden polls in the country’s largest city corporation.
Gazipur City Corporation was formed on January 7 while the schedule for the polls declared on May 22 last.
Ajmat Ullah cast his vote at Little Flower School near Tangi Bazar at about 8:45 am while MA Mannan at Shalna Islamia Fazil Madrasah around 9:25 am.
Later, talking to reporters, Ajmat Ullah said the voting is going on peacefully and sated that he is 100 percent confident of his success. “Whatever is the result, I’ll accept it,” he said.
MA Mannan said he would win the election with a big margin if it ends peacefully, but he is doubtful about fair election because of the controversial role of some influential government men.
Mannan also alleged that the law enforcers conducted separate raids on the houses of his supporters on Friday night and harassed them. “They also arrested his three supporters from Board Bazar area at night,” he added.
Earlier, the voting began in 392 polling stations across Gazipur City Corporation (GCC) at 8 am today (Saturday) amid tight security arrangements. It will continue till 4pm without any break.
A scuffle took place between the supporters of Ajmat and Hannan at Government Girl’s College polling center at 11 am. Later, police brought the situation under control.
Kazi Shakir Shithil, a polling agent of Ajmat, was dismissed while he was persuading voters to cast their votes for Ajmat at the city’s Ashraf Textile Mills centre in Tongi ward No.57.
Seven mayoral candidates — 14-party-supported Ajmat Ullah Khan, 18-party-blessed MA Mannan, Mezbah Uddin Sarker, Aman Ullah, Rina Sultana, Jahangir Alam and Nazim Uddin Ahmed — are vying for the mayoral post.
Later Jahangir stayed off the election race and extended support to Ajmat.
The real battle of ballot is expected to be between Ajmat Ullah Khan and MA Mannan as they are enjoying the blessings of the two main political alliances.
A total of 466 candidates are contesting the polls for the posts of councillor in addition to 126 councillor posts reserved for women.
A total of 1,026,964 voters — 499,181 men and 527,783 women — are expected to exercise their franchise to elect the city’s first mayor as well as 57 councillors and 19 women councillors (reserved).
The EC earlier declared 235 of the centres as vulnerable and took special security measures for those.
Some 12,000 members of different law enforcement agencies have been deployed in the election areas to ensure free and fair balloting.
Apart from police, 19 teams of the Striking Force each with an executive magistrate, 28 teams of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) and 12 platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) have been deployed in the election areas.
There are 57 police teams in 57 wards in addition to 10 judicial magistrates to take action in case of violation of the election code of conduct.
Earlier, on Thursday, Returning Officer Matiar Rahman ruled out the possibility of any violence in the election, saying the polls will be held in a free and fair manner.
Meanwhile, Rab members detained 13 people — one police constable and 12 Mannan supporters — from the Majlishpur
Source: UNBConnect