Dhaka, July 10 – The Election Commission on Tuesday distributed symbols among the candidates of Rajshahi, Barishal and Sylhet city corporation elections slated for July 30. The candidates also started formal campaigning after they were given election symbols on the last day to withdraw nomination papers.
In Rajshahi, a total of 217 candidates have remained in the race of the upcoming election to Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC).
Of them, five are mayoral candidates, 160 councillor candidates (general) and 52 are women councillor candidates (reserved seats).
Election officials published the list of the candidates after Jatiya Party nominated mayor candidate Washiur Rahman Dolon and eight others for general councillor post withdrew their nomination papers yesterday, the last day of withdrawing candidature.
Assistant Returning Officer Atiar Rahman said nomination forms of 226 candidates, including six for mayoral post, were declared valid.
The mayoral candidates are: AHM Khairuzzaman Liton (Awami League), Musaddique Hossain Bulbul (BNP), Habibur Rahman (Bangladesh Jatiya Party), Shafiqul Islam (Islami Andolan Bangladesh) and Advocate Murad Murshed (Independent).
Atiar Rahman said there are 3,18,138 voters including 1,62,053 female voters who will exercise their right of franchise at 138 centres to elect one mayor, 30 general councillors and 10 women councillors in reserved seats in the upcoming election.
Awami League nominated mayoral candidate AHM Khairuzzaman Liton started the formal campaign by holding a press conference at the Awami League Rajshahi city unit office. He also unveiled his 14-point election manifesto for the city’s development.
Meanwhile, after completing prayers at the Hazrat Shah Mukhdum (R.) Mazar, BNP mayoral candidate Mosaddek Hossain Bulbul officially started asking for votes on the sheaf of paddy symbol.
On behalf of AHM Khairuzzaman Liton, Dablu Sarker, Secretary of Awami League Rajshahi city unit received the boat symbol at around 11:00 am on Tuesday from the Election Commission.
After receiving the symbol he leaders and activists of Awami League distributing leaflets and hanging posters, festoon and banner of the various areas of the city.
Liton, however, also exchanged greetings with the citizens of Rajshahi. He paid his respects to his father one of the national leaders Shahid AHM Kamaruzzaman’s grave.
A leader of the 20-party alliance, Mosaddek Hossain Bulbul received his symbol, the sheaf of paddy, and officially started campaigning.
On Tuesday, he visited the shrine of Hazrat Shah Mukhdum (R.). After receiving his symbol, he along with other activists and supporters of the party held prayers.
Afterwards, he asked for votes by distributing leaflets. BNP Chairperson’s Advisor Mizanur Rahman Minu, the 20-party alliance members and leaders were present.
RCC Election Returning Officer Amirul Islam said that the candidates received their symbols on Tuesday morning.
Awami League nominated candidate AHM Khairuzzaman Liton was given the boat symbol, BNP nominated candidate Mosaddek Hossain Bulbul received the sheaf of paddy symbol, Bangladesh Jatiya Party nominated Habibur Rahman received the Jackfruit symbol, Islami Andolan Bangladesh nominated candidate Shariful Islam received the hand fan symbol and Independent candidate Murad Murshed received the Elephant symbol.”
“We are working to provide women councillors and general councillors with symbols”, Islam said.
The returning officer of Barishal City Corporation election distributed 135 election symbols among the candidates including six for one mayor post, 94 for 30 general ward commissioner posts and 35 for reserved female seats. Candidates and their representatives were present during the distribution of election symbols.
Symbols of six valid mayor candidates of BCC were ‘Paddy sheaf’ for Mojibor Rahman Sarwar, president of city BNP and 20 parties supported mayor candidate, ‘Boat’ for Serniabat Sadik Abdullah, joint secretary of city AL and 14-party alliance nominated candidate and ‘Plough’ for Iqbal Hosen Tapos, JP nominated candidates, ‘Sickle’ for CBP candidate Abul Kalam Azad, ‘Ladder’ for BSD candidate Dr Monisha Chakrabarti and ‘Hand fan’ for Islami Shasontantra Andolan nominated mayor candidate.
Four councillor candidates — three in general seats and one in the reserved seat — were, meanwhile, elected uncontested in the Barishal city where 19 candidates — 17 male and two female candidates – withdrew their candidature yesterday.
Mujibur Rahman, returning officer of BCC election, said AKM Mahbub Alam, a mayoral candidate, seventeen general ward councillor candidates and two reserved female ward councillor candidates applied for withdrawal of their submitted nomination papers.
Mayor candidate AKM Mahbub showed personal causes for his nomination withdrawal. After the withdrawal of his nomination papers number of mayor candidates reached to six, he added.
Besides, 17 general and two for reserved female ward councillors also withdrew their nomination papers.
So the number of general ward councillor candidates reached to 94 for 30 wards and female reserved ward councillor candidates to 35 for 10 reserved wards for females.
Among them, councillor candidate Liakat Hossain Labu of general ward-15, Mosharraf Ali Khan Badshah of the general ward- 16. Gazi Naimul Hasan Litu of general ward-19 and reserved female councillor Ayesha Tawhida Luna of ward-4 (general ward 10, 11, 12) were elected uncontested.
The male three councillor candidates were nominated by AL and rest one female was BNP candidate.
According to the announced schedule of BCC election scrutiny of submitted nomination papers done on 1st and 2nd July, appeal against the decision of EC held on 3rd to 5th and verdict against appeal on 6th to 8th July, withdrawal of nomination paper held on 9th July.
UNB reports from Sylhet: The mayoral and councillor candidates in Sylhet City Corporation elections officially launched campaigns after being allocated symbols by the returning officer on Tuesday.
Election Commissioner Md Alimuzzaman officially distributed electoral symbols among seven mayoral aspirants, 127 councillor candidates and 62 women aspirants at its office around 10 am.
As usual, BNP-backed candidate Ariful Haque Chowdhury was given ‘Sheaf of paddy’ while Awami League nominated mayoral candidate Badar Uddin Kamran got ‘Boat’ symbol.
Besides, Advocate Ehsanul Mahbub Zubair, an individual candidate got ‘Wall Clock’ while BNP’s rebel candidate Badruzzaman Selim got ‘Bus’, Islami Andolan Bangladesh-backed candidate Prof Dr Moazzem got ‘Hand fan’, Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) backed candidate Abu Zafar got ‘ladder’ and individual candidate Ehsanul Haq Taher got ‘Deer’ symbol.
After getting the electoral symbol, Badar Uddin Kamran offered prayers at Hazrat Shahjalal (R) shrine and started the campaign by distributing his leaflets.
Besides, Ariful Haque Chowdhury also offered prayer at the shrine and exchanges greetings with people.
