KCC polls: Electioneering starts as symbols allotted

Immediately after receiving poll symbols on Friday, the mayoral and councillor candidates started electioneering in the Khulna City Corporation elections, slated for 12 June.

All four mayoral candidates competing in this election got their respective party's poll symbols. The returning officer allocated symbols among them in the morning.

Awami League mayoral candidate Talukdar Abdul Khaleque received the "boat" symbol and started campaigning.

While electioneering, he said, "We will accept people's mandate as we accepted poll results in Gazipur. Earlier, I was defeated in 2013 when the Awami League government was in power, I accepted and worked for the city's development. After the completion of TK1400 crore development work, Khulna will be a developed city."

Md Shafiqul Islam, the mayoral candidate of Jatiya Party, received the party's "plough" symbol.

He, also the district Jatiya Party President, said, "Previously, in all the elections from Union Parishad to Jatiya Sangsad, citizens were deprived of their right to vote. Their voting rights should be returned."

"I will not be able to vote if I go to the polling station - the fear which has been created among the people must be upturned," he added.

Islami Andolan Bangladesh's Md Abdul Awal is contesting in the elections for the post of mayor.

After receiving the party's symbol "hand fan", he said, "From now on we will be able to do mass contact openly with the people. We are seeking the voters' mandate. If elected, we will build it as a modern and pollution-free city."

Zaker Party mayoral candidate SM Sabbir Hossain received the "rose" symbol from the returning officer.

He said, "So far the election environment is good. There is a lot of enthusiasm among the voters. If the situation is like this, voting will hopefully be done in a fair manner."

Moreover, in 31 wards of the city corporation, 136 candidates are contesting for the post of general councillor, while 39 are for the post of 10 reserved ward councillors. After receiving the symbol, they also started campaigning.

According to the returning officer's office, there will be 289 centres in the election. Of those, 161 were identified as risky. Extra security will be arranged at vulnerable centres. 3,567 police, 300 armed police, and 4,657 Ansar members will be deployed in the city. Some 16 check posts were installed in the city. Khulna Metropolitan Police is set to open a control room. Besides, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and RAB members will perform duties on Election Day.

KCC election returning officer Md Alauddin said, "Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) will be used in the voting. CCTV cameras will be installed in front of 289 centres and 1,732 polling booths to ensure a fair election."

A total of 535,529 voters--266,696 female and 268,833 male -- are likely to exercise their right to vote in the elections.