Awami League's M Rezaul Karim Chowdhury has been elected mayor of Chattogram City Corporation CCC. In his response after being elected, Rezaul Karim promised to perform his duties honestly.
The returning officer Hasanuzzaman declared Rezaul the winner in the control room set up at the gymnasium of Chattogram MA Aziz Stadium on Wednesday night based on the results obtained from 733 centers.
Awami League's boat symbol candidate Rezaul Karim Chowdhury won the mayoral election in Chattogram City Corporation by a margin of more than three lakh votes and he got 3 lakh 69 thousand 264 votes in Wednesday’s election. Rezaul's main rival, BNP's candidate for the symbol of Paddy Shafe. Shahadat Hossain received 52,429 votes.
After counting the vote of all centers Mohammad Hasanuzzaman Returning Officer of CCC election 2020 declared M Rezaul Karim Chowdhury the winner of the mayoral post at the Election.
Besides the main mayoral post, the ruling Awami League men and women were also elected in all 41 ward councilors and 14 reserved women councilor posts. But in seven wards, the rival BNP party men won by defeating AL nominated councilor candidates.
Meanwhile, victory is being celebrated at the residence premises of Rezaul Karim in Bahaddar Hat area of the city since Thursday morning. Hundreds of leaders, supporters, and locals congratulated the newly elected mayor of the port city with flowers. Senior Awami League leaders including former mayor AJM Nasir Uddin came to greet the new custodian of the city.
At 11:30 pm, independent war veteran freedom fighter Rezaul Karim Chowdhury came in front of the media to respond to his victory.
He said that the city authorities will manage according to the needs of the people, the opinion of the civil society and experts.
“I will do what will be better for the citizens here,” said Rezaul Karim adding, “With united efforts of all of us Chattogram will be a better livable and modern city.”
Mentioning that he never tried to earn any money illegally in the past, he also promised not to get involved in any kind of unjust and immoral financial deals in the future.
He said, “I myself do not support violence; I do not indulge into violence. People want to live in peace. So, I will take a hard line on terrorism and drug abuse. I will sit with law enforcement officers. I will tell them that the people of Chattogram want to be safe.”
On Wednesday election out of 735 polling stations, results were declared for 733, with 22 percent voting.
Though, some incidents happened in Election Day including one person died and many injured, the situation in the city is calm on Thursday. Border Guard Bangladesh BGB, elite force Rapid Action Battalion RAB was patrolling in the streets.
Meanwhile, the main rival mayoral candidates from BNP Dr Shahdat Hossain told reporters, “The government agencies and Awame League party men have done everything for the victory of their candidates including mayoral candidates seeking boat symbol.”
Indicating only the 22 percent voter turnout, Shahadat said that if all could cast their votes surely BNP would have won.
