Candidates in Gazipur City Corporation election have started their campaign from today.
Awami League mayor candidate Jahangir Alam, his BNP opponent Hasan Uddin Sarkar and other councilor candidates started their activities from Monday morning as the bar to hold campaign has been withdrawn.
The Election Commission has fixed the polls date on Jun 26.
Gazipur City AL President Azmat Ullah Khan said, “Leaders and activists are united in line with the instruction from party chief Sheikh Hasina. We have only one objective and that is to ensure win for our candidate without considering who he is.”
Zahid Ahsan Rusel, a Gazipur lawmaker, said, “Voluntary participation of the activists shows that AL candidate is ahead of others. Continue this tempo and seek vote door-to-door.”
Mayor candidate Jahangir Alam pleaded to the activists, “Work for the party for the next couple of days and don’t stay at home to enjoy Eid holidays.”
BNP election coordinator Mazharul Islam said: those who don’t have police cases will be appointed as polling agents.
The party high command is in close touch with the leaders and activists and monitoring the election campaign, he added.
Polls in Khulna and Gazipur are not the same, said BNP Gazipur district general secretary Kazi Saiyedul Alam Babul.
He said, if there is an attempt to manipulate polls like what was done in Khulna, Gazipur people would resist it.
It is mentionable here the election was supposed to be held on May 15 but due to legal dispute, it has been shifted to June 26.
Seven candidates from Awami League, BNP and other parties are vying for mayor post while 256 will contest for 57 general councilor posts. In addition, for the 19 reserve seats 84 candidates will compete.
The city corporation has 1.13 million voters in 57 wards.
570 thousands male and 567 thousand female voters will have the opportunity to exercise their franchise in the election.
This is the second election after Gazipur City Corporation was established. In the first election in 2013, the total voter was 1.03 million.