Boat floats to victory in Barishal, Khulna city polls

The ruling Awami League swept both Barishal and Khulna mayoral polls, fighting against weak contestants in the absence of BNP amid the lowest voter participation since 2008. 

In the race for Barishal City Corporation recording 51.46% voter turnout, AL candidate Abul Khair Abdullah secured 87,808 votes. His closest rival, Syed Muhammad Faizul Karim of Islami Andolan Bangladesh, bagged 33,828 votes.

In the Khulna City Corporation polls that saw 47.88% voter turnout, AL's Talukder Abdul Khaleque got 1,54,825 lakh votes, while the nearest contender Maulana Abdul Awal of Islami Andolan received 60,064 votes.

Infographic: TBS

Islami Andolan rejected the results of both the elections alleging irregularities and also announced a boycott of the Rajshahi and Sylhet city polls slated for 21 June. It further called for a nationwide protest on Friday.

The announcements came after a clash between supporters of mayoral candidates backed by the AL and Islami Andolan left several persons, including Faizul Karim, injured. The clash was over entering a polling centre in Barishal city in the morning. 

Election Commissioner Md Ahsan Habib Khan termed the incident "a sudden and isolated incident". 

"Stern punishment must be ensured for the offenders. We have already instructed the officials concerned," he warned. Otherwise, the voting was going on peacefully, he said. 

The election commissioner last week pledged polls in the two cities would be even better than the Gazipur election held on 25 May.

And on Monday, he said all kinds of measures had been taken to make Khulna and Barishal polls free, fair and impartial. 

But several candidates, including those backed by the Jatiya Party and independents, alleged that the environment was not conducive for a fair election.

"Activists of the Chhatra League and Jubo League are obstructing the voters and their target is a low voter turnout," said Jatiya Party (Ershad)-backed mayoral candidate Iqbal Hossain Taposh in Barishal.

Voters were also being discouraged and intimidated outside the polling centres, he added.

Independent candidate Kamrul Islam Rupon, who cast his vote at Alekanda Govt Primary School centre, alleged that his agents were barred from entering polling stations and some were forced to leave the centres.

In the previous three elections in Barisal, voter turnout was significantly higher, reaching 81.99% in 2008, 72.1% in 2013, and 55% in 2018. 

Similarly, in Khulna, the turnout was 77.80% in 2008, 68.70% in 2013, and approximately 62% in 2018.

On the difference between this election and previous ones, Amir Hossain, around 70, a resident of ward-18 of Khulna city, said this year's election lacked the festivity which marked the others.

"I saw many processions and the interest of locals earlier. But this time, the enthusiasm had evaporated," he added, "My family is not interested in voting. But I came early in the morning."

The use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) resulted in slow voting in both cities. The mayoral candidate from Islami Andolan in Khulna city even submitted a complaint regarding the EVMs. 

Like the previous election, the EC has monitored the polls of these two cities through around 3400 CCTV cameras from the Agargaon election building in the capital since morning.

In Barishal, seven candidates competed for the mayoral post, while 116 candidates contested for councillor positions, including 42 women candidates for reserved wards. 

In Khulna, five mayoral candidates were in the race, along with 136 candidates for councillor and 39 women candidates for reserved wards.

The ruling party didn't faced its archrival BNP for the first time in the history of the two city corporation elections, making it appear less competitive.    

BNP's message was loud and clear when it expelled 19 leaders in Barishal and 9 leaders in Khulna from the party for life for contesting in the city polls or supporting the contestants.

Besides, the 11 leaders in Khulna have been sent show-cause letters. They might be expelled if they failed to send replies or if the central BNP is not satisfied with the reply.

BNP representatives also reportedly went door to door, urging citizens not to cast their votes as the party maintains its stance of rejecting any polls under the current government.