Voting begins in Sylhet, Rajshahi city polls
Voting in city corporation elections in Sylhet and Rajshahi began this morning using electronic voting machines (EVMs).
The voting started at 8:00am and will continue until 4:00pm without any break.
In Sylhet, a total of 4,87,753 voters are expected to cast vote. Of them, 2,54,360 are male, 2,33,387 are female, and 6 are transgender.
There are 190 polling stations at 42 wards in the city and 8 mayor candidates, 273 regular councillor candidates and 87 reserved women councillor candidates are contesting the polls.
Mayoral candidates are Md Anwaruzzaman Chowdhury of Awami League, Nazrul Islam Babul of Jatiya Party, Mahmudul Hasan of Islami Andolon Bangladesh (IAB) and Zahirul Alam of Zaker Party.
The IAB candidate boycotted the polls on June 13, a day after the party's mayoral candidate for Barishal City Corporation came under attack during polls.
The independent mayoral candidates are Mohammad Abdul Hanif Kutu, Salah Uddin Rimon, Mostaque Ahmad Rouf Mustafa and Md Shahjahan Miah.
Meanwhile, 132 polling centres out of 190 have been marked "important", an alternative term for "risky" and beefed-up security is ensured in these centres.
Besides police and ansar forces are present in the centres. Besides, 51 mobile teams of police, 15 striking teams and Rapid Action Battalions are performing security duties.
Also, Police's Critical Response Team (CRT) and Armoured Personnel Carrier have been kept ready for emergencies.
In addition, 14 judicial magistrates for the immediate trial of election-related violations, 42 executive magistrates and 10 magistrates leading 10 platoons of BGB are enforced in the city.
Moreover, the Election Commission has installed 1,747 closed circuit cameras in the polling centres to keep vigilance from the EC headquarters.
In Rajshahi, 148 out of 155 centres have been identified as "important" or "risky". Voting is being held through EVMs in 1,153 rooms of 155 polling stations in Rajshahi City Corporation. The number of voters is 3,51,982.
Although BNP did not take part in the election, 16 BNP members are contesting for the post of councillor in Rajshahi. Besides, nine candidates of Jamaat-e-Islami took part in the election.
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