Khulna city residents have started to cast their franchise to choose their city fathers amid trading of barbs by Awami League and BNP candidates.

The voting started 8 in the morning amid heightened security.

Awami League’s Talukder Abdul Khalek; BNP’s Nazrul Islam Manju; Islami Andolon Bangladesh’s Muzzammil Haque, Communist Party of Bangladesh’s Mizanur Rahman Babu and Jatiya party’s SM Shafiqur Rahman are vying for the post of mayor.

As many as 148 candidates are contesting for councilors in 31 wards of the city corporation while another 35 have vied for 10 reserved women councilor.

The number of voters in the city corporation stands at 493,093, who are expected to cast their franchises at 1,561 booths in 289 polling stations.

Heightened security

Law enforcement agencies, including police, BGB, RAB, Ansar-VDP will remain engaged in maintaining law and order in Khulna until May 16.

Out of the 289 polling stations, additional security measures have been taken in 234 as the administration has identified them as risky.

At least 22 security personnel will be deployed at each centre.

Executive magistrates have been performing their duties since the polling schedule was declared. The EC has deployed 49 executive magistrates and 10 judicial magistrates on the day of vote.

A 32-strong team of election commission officials led by its joint secretary will observe the election.

Stake is too high

All eyes are set on the local government polls as political commentators have said it will be a glimpse of the political atmosphere for the upcoming general election.

Both AL and BNP have complained against the election commission for not getting equal opportunities.

The Awami League has question the role of the returning officer as well as appointment of presiding officers.

It has also complained that central leaders of BNP are participating in the election campaign while they are not being allowed to bring their own central leaders.

The BNP, on the other hand, has said the police are ‘harassing and arresting’ is their supporters.

“The voting will be held in a peaceful and festive manner,” AL candidate Talukder Abdul Khalek told a media briefing on Monday.

He, however, claimed that the BNP was hatching conspiracy against the election.

BNP’s mayor aspirant Nazrul Islam Manju blamed the government of ‘election engineering’.

“Efforts are underway to stuff boxes with ballots under police’s supervision,” he said.

“All possible measures and preparations have been taken to ensure a successful election,” Election Commission Secretary Helaluddin Ahmed told Bangla Tribune.

Electronic voting in two centres

As part of its trial run, the Election Commission will use EVMs in two centres. The Sonapota Govt Primary School centre on Sher-e-Bangla Road and PTI Jashimuddin Hostel centre at Khan Jahan Ali Road have been nominated for the piloting of EVMs

Khulna had its last City Corporation election on Jun 15, 2013.