DHAKA, CHITTAGONG CITY POLLS, Cities await high-voltage polls Campaigns end, all set for vote tomorrow.

Electioneering for the polls to the three city corporations in Dhaka and Chittagong ended midnight past Sunday amid heightening tension as several mayoral and councillor candidates came under attacks again on Sunday. The three city corporations—Dhaka North and Dhaka South cities and Chittagong—will go to polls tomorrow (Tuesday). Though the election to the local government bodies is non-partisan in its nature, the three civic polls have taken the centre stage of the country’s politics as the rival political camps are apparently hell-bent on winning the elections. Both prime minister Sheikh Hasina, also the Awami League president, and Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson Khaleda Zia spoke to the media on the eve of the much-touted elections.

Though the ruling party-backed candidates raised no questions about the election atmosphere, the AL-led alliance feared that BNP might carry out acts of sabotage to taint the polls while the opposition- supported candidates doubted whether the city elections would be held in a free, fair and neutral manner, given the way their workers were being ‘arrested, harassed and attacked’. Besides, candidates, the frontrunners in particular, on the last day of campaigning broke out in a sweat crisscrossing their election areas to reach out to as many voters as possible to make a final appeal to their voters and well-wishers. They travelled through the city’s main streets in motorcades and with loudhailers in breach of the electoral code of conduct, though it gave the capital a festive look. Candidates also used short-message-service of mobile phone and social media to seek votes.

Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh-backed mayoral candidate Mahi B Chowdhury and his wife Ashfaq Lopa suffered injuries when unidentified miscreants attacked them on their campaign trail in the early hours on Sunday. A group of Jubo League activists wearing badges printed with Table Clock, the polls symbol of Annisul Huq, Awami League’s mayoral favourite for Dhaka North city, attacked DCC North mayoral candidate Abdullah Al Kafee of CPB on his campaign trail in the Kalyanpur slum area on Sunday, leaving at least 10 injured, including Kafi’s chief election agent Sajedul Haque Rubel. In Chittagong, the BNP-backed mayoral hopeful Manjur Alam came under attack on his campaign trail, which left 10 of his workers injured. He, however, escaped unhurt. Besides, several councillor candidates came under attacks on Saturday night in Dhaka.

Casting doubt over a free, fair and neutral election, the BNP-backed candidates alleged that neither the government nor the Election commission were sincere about holding fair election. They, however, urged the voters to go to the polling stations braving all odds to make a silent revolution on April 28. Annisul Huq, a frontrunner for Dhaka North city mayor, launched his last day’s election campaign with a huge motorcade from Mohakhali bus terminal in breach of the electoral code of conduct. At least 13 vehicles joined the motorcade. Annisul carried out electioneering with police protection. His supporters were also seen bringing out processions in different areas of the capital although the electoral code of conduct prohibited any types of procession during the city polls. Annisul Huq on Saturday had criticised BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia for violating the electoral code of conduct. Sayeed Khokon, the AL-backed mayoral candidate for Dhaka South city, launched his electioneering with a motorcade in the city’s Jatrabari area. Talking to newsmen there, he said many allegations were levelled at him by his rival camp but he did not make a single allegation against his rival candidate. ‘I have shown tolerance and kept patience.

I will run the city corporation with patience and tolerance if I am elected the mayor,’ said the AL-backed mayoral candidate. Khokon also said he would accept whatever the outcome of the elections. Voicing doubt whether the polls would free, fair and neutral, the BNP-backed mayoral hopeful for Dhaka North city, Tabith Awal said it was the Election Commission which would have to decide whether it wanted a free, fair and neutral election. He alleged that the government was ‘vitiating the atmosphere’ ahead of the polls by arresting and harassing his workers. Afroza Abbas, who was campaigning for her husband, Mirza Abbas, the BNP-backed mayoral candidate for Dhaka South city, said that the government, ‘being afraid of our popularity, is  trying to frighten us so that we boycott the polls.

But it is not possible.’ She said they were not satisfied with the election atmosphere. ‘They [men of the ruling party-backed candidate] have tried to obstruct us at every step. Awami League terrorists, backed by the administration, tried to obstruct us during every campaign. But the people are with us and that is why we hope to see a silent revolution on April 28.’ Ganasanghati Andolan’s mayoral candidate for Dhaka North city, Zonayed Abdur Rahim Saki said he was seeking vote for bringing about a ‘change’. ‘We have assured the voters of a change and the people have faith in us and that is why they are working with us.’ A delegation of the AL-led alliance met the chief election commissioner, Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad, on the day and warned him of Khaleda Zia’s plot to carry out sabotage. ‘We think, Khaleda Zia is trying to vitiate the situation. Holding a free and fair election is very difficult given the trend of her political programmes.

We have come here to warn the commission of it,’ Fazle Hossain Badsha, a member of the delegation, told newsmen after the meeting. The delegation thanked the commission for sending a letter to Khaleda Zia accusing her of ‘instigating hatred and chaos’. A BNP delegation submitted a letter to the commission asking it to withdraw election observer passes for a little known organisation called ‘Manabadhikar O Samaj Unnayan Sangstha’. The BNP alleged that the commission had issued as much as 500 poll observer passes for this single organisation. ‘These poll observes will give the election a clean chit,’ BNP assistant office secretary Asadul Karim Shahin told reporters after submitting the letter. The government on Sunday announced a public holiday for Tuesday (April 28) for government, non-government, semi-government and private organisations in Dhaka North and South city corporation areas and Chittagong city corporation on the occasion of the mayoral polls. But there will be no holiday for the teachers and employees concerned if there are any public examinations in the three city corporation areas on the polling day, said a circular issued by the public administration ministry.

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