Candidates begin campaigning

Mayoral and councilor hopefuls of Barisal City Corporation have started unofficial election campaign even before their electoral symbols have been allocated, but election fever is yet to grip voters.

District, city and ward-level units of Awami League are holding meetings almost every day on behalf of Serniabat Sadiq Abdullah, the AL mayoral hopeful.

Abdullah's main rival, BNP-nominated mayoral candidate Mojibor Rahman Sarwar is not sitting idle either, visiting different places everyday to woo voters.

Four other mayoral candidates -- Manisha Chakrabarty of Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal, Iqbal Hossain Taposh of Jatiya Party, AKM Mahabub Alom of Khelafat Majlish and Mawlana Obaydur Rahaman Mahabub of Islami Andolon Bangladesh -- are also trying to convince voters, calling upon them to bring change in the mayoral post apart from AL and BNP.

In the last three city corporation elections, BNP-backed candidates Mojibor Rahman Sarwar won in 2003, while Ahasan Habib Kamal won in 2013. AL-backed candidate Shawkat Hossain Hiron won in 2008 mayoral election.

BNP this time has kept its faith in Sarwar, while AL has put faith in one of their young leaders to win the battle.

AL-nominated candidate Serniabat Sadiq Abdullah has so far succeeded to unite all grassroots level AL activists in favour of him, as his father, lawmaker Abul Hasanat Abdullah is guiding him, AL insiders said. Hasant is also supervising all election-related activities of his son.

BCC has an area of 58 square kilometers, with a total of 2,42,166 voters, some 30,909 more than the previous election. According to the schedule, the BCC election will be held on July 30.