DHAKA CITY POLLS Commissioner for keeping MPs off campaign

Candidates for Dhaka north and south city elections will start electioneering from today as the returning officers concerned will allocate electoral symbols among them on the day.

A day before staring polls campaign, election commissioner Mahbub Talukder sent an ‘unofficial note’ to the Chief Election Commissioner and returning officers of Dhaka north and south city elections saying that the level playing field for the candidates would not be ensured if lawmakers participate in the electioneering.

He said that he noticed that a good number of lawmakers are participating electioneering in favour of their mayoral candidates even the City Corporation (Electoral Code) Rules 2016 does not allow the MPs to join such campaign.

He urged the CEC and returning officers to take immediate steps on it. Otherwise, the neutrality of the Election Commission will be questioned, he said.

Besides, 111 councillors and 12 reserved seat councillor for women candidates of Dhaka north city polls withdrew their nomination papers as Thursday was the last date of withdrawing nomination paper, said returning officer for DNCC polls Abul Kashem.

Now six mayor candidates, 251 councillor candidates, and 77 councillor candidates for reserved seats are contesting in the DNCC polls, he said.

At least 125 councillor candidates and 20 councillor candidates for reserved seat for women of Dhaka South City polls also withdrew their nomination papers, said DSCC polls returning officer Abdul Baten.

Now seven mayor candidates, 355 councillor candidates, and 82 councillor candidates for reserved seats are contesting the polls, he said.

After announcement of the polls schedule, a group of AL lawmakers started campaigning in favour of their party nominated mayoral candidates breaching the electoral code of conduct.

Awami League has assigned its advisory council members and MPs Amir Hossain Amu and Tofail Ahmed to coordinate its city election activities. The polls to the Dhaka north and south cities are scheduled to be held on January 30.

In the Dhaka north city polls, Awami League’s Atiqul Islam, Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s Tabith Awal, Islami Andolan Bangladesh’s Sheikh Md Fazle Bari Masud, Communist Party of Bangladesh’s Ahammad Sajedul Huq Rubel, National People’s Party’s Anisur Rahman Dewan and Progressive Democratic Party’s Shahin Khan are contesting for the mayoral post.

In the Dhaka south city polls, AL’s Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, BNP’s Ishraque Hossain, Bangladesh Congress’s M Aktar Uzzaman Ayatulla, Islami Andolan Bangladesh’s M Abdur Rahman, Jatiya Party’s Muhammad Saifuddin, NPP’s M Baharane Sultan Bahar and Gono Front’s Abdus Samad Sujon are contesting for the mayoral post.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net