The elections to the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) and the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) were overwhelmingly held peacefully on Saturday. As per the latest information received from the Election Commission (EC), Awami League-backed candidates Sheikh Fazle Nur Taposh and Atiqul Islam were expected to be elected as the mayors of DSCC and DNCC respectively, as both of them got the highest numbers of votes compared to all other candidates.
A total of 13 candidates contested the two mayoral posts. Of them, seven candidates contested for the DSCC mayoral post and six others for the DNCC mayoral post. Apart from Fazle Nur Taposh of Awami League, other contestants for the DSCC mayoral posts were Ishraque Hossain of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Mohammad Saifuddin Ahmed Milon of Jatiya Party, Abdur Rahman of Islami Andolan, Bahrane Sultan Bahar of National People’s Party (NPP), Akteruzzaman alias Ayatullah of Bangladesh Congress and Abdus Samad Sujan of Gano Front.
On the other hand, apart from Awami League backed candidate Atiqul Islam, other DNCC mayoral candidates were Tabith Awal from BNP, Ahmmed Sahedul Huq Rubel from Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), Sheikh Fazle Bari Masud from Islami Andolan, Anisur Rahman Dewan from National People’s Party (NPP) and Shahin Khan from PDP.
City voters cast their votes in peaceful and festive manners from 8:00am to till 4:00pm without any break. For the first times, hundred percent voting was held through the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). There were huge enthusiasm among the voters.
Apart from the regular forces from police, huge number of additional personnel from the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), Ansar, Village Defense Party (VDP) were deployed to avoid any untoward situation. According to the Election Commission (EC) officials, there were a total of 54,63,467 voters in both the DSCC and DNCC areas. Of them, there were 24,53,194 voters in DSCC area and the rest 30,10,273 voters in DNCC area.
When Bangladesh Post’s correspondents visited different polling centres in DSCC and DNCC area, found voters waiting in lines to cast their votes through EVM method. But the voter turnout was very thin. Reporters covering the elections to the DSCC and DNCC also found there was no polling agent of Bangladesh Nationalist Party in most centres.
Despite allegations of widespread rigging and disruptions, the Election Commission and ruling Awami League expressing satisfaction over friendly atmosphere said the polls were free, fair and peaceful. However, Bangladesh Nationalist Party alleged that a massive vote rigging took places in all most all poling centres.
Apart from these, many voters alleged that they failed to enter the centres after being barred allegedly by police and pro-government activists vented their frustration on journalists. Apart from the two mayoral posts, elections were also held in a total of 172 Ward Councillor posts. Of them, elections were held in 75 Wards for General councillors and 25 women councilors in DSCC and 54 general Ward Councillors and 18 women councillors in DNCC.
According to the EC, a total of 758 candidates contested for two Mayoral, 129 general Ward Councillor posts and 43 reserved seats for women. There are 1,150 voting centres in DSCC and 1,318 voting centres in DNCC area. The EC officials said, a total of 34,869 EVMs were be used for the elections in two city corporations. Of them, 15,692 EVMs were used for the DSCC and 13,176 for the DNCC. Around 5,000 personnel from the armed forces remained present at the vote centres for technical assistances to the voters and poling and presiding officers.
According to sources, a total of 1,013 local observers and 74 election observers from abroad visited various polling centre. Of them, 27 from USA, 12 from UK, five from European Union, six from Netherlands, six from Switzerland, five from Japan, four from Norway, two from Australia, four from Canada and three from Denmark. On the occasion of the DCC polls, yesterday was a government holyday in capital Dhaka.
