Awami League's Dhaka North mayoral candidate Atiqul Islam and his main opponent BNP-backed mayoral runner Tabith Awal have cast their vote for Dhaka City Corporation polls in Dhaka.
Atiqul exercised his franchise at Nawab Habibullah Model School and College in Uttara Model Town area around 8 am on Saturday (Feb 1).
“I wanted to attend at the polling station in the early morning. I have cast the first vote [in the polling center]. I request all to come at polling centers early and cast votes,” Atiqul said before adding that he hoped for victory.
BNP-backed Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) mayoral runner Tabith Awal has cast his doubt on the city election saying it is not going to be fair.
He came up with the suspicion after casting his vote at the Manarat Dhaka International School centre in Gulshan-2 at 8:11am.
He said, "We are not conceding. We are holding strong mindset as it sourced from the people."
Tabith claimed they have information that their agents were barred to enter at Kalachandpur High School centre in Ward 18, Banani Model School centre in Ward 19, and a centre in Ward 36.
He, however, requested the law enforcers and the Election Commission to take steps on the matter.
The voting in the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) and Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) polls began around 8am and it will continue without any break until 4pm. This is the first ever EVM-only city polls being held in Bangladesh.
In the winter morning, men and women, meanwhile, started to join the queues inside the polling stations to cast their votes for electing two mayors for the two cities.
As many as 3,010,273 people will exercise their right of franchise at the DNCC, and 2,453,194 at the DSCC elections.
A total of 13 mayoral candidates are vying in the two Dhaka north and south city corporations while around 7,500 candidates are contesting for councillor posts in the two city corporations.
There are 1,318 polling centers in DNCC while 1,150 in DSCC.
Besides, voters in Dhaka north will also elect 54 ward councillors and 18 reserved women councillors. In Dhaka south, 73 ward councillors and 23 reserved women councillors will be elected.
