Campaign picks up momentum
With campaigns for Dhaka city corporation elections going into full throttle, citizens are beginning to feel the heat as mayoral candidates’ campaigns are parading the streets.
As BNP-nominated DNCC mayoral candidate Tabith Awal’s campaign brought predicaments to commuters yesterday, Awami League-backed candidate Atiqul Islam’s campaign was seen violating polls conduct.
While following Tabith’s campaign, several hundred BNP activists were seen following the candidate in Tejkunipara and Karwan Bazar areas. Students and their guardians from schools and colleges in the vicinity were at times stuck behind the campaign crowd.
After offering prayers at Ziaur Rahman’s grave in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Tabith and his followers started their campaign from Tejkunipara at 11am and went through Tejturi Bazar, Karwan Bazar, Tejgaon, Begunbari and Niketan.
During the campaign, rickshaws and cars got stuck in front of the Holy Rosary Church in Tejkunipara. Besides, pedestrians could not move in front of Holy Cross School and College road for about 20 minutes.
Women and children expressed their annoyance over the crowded campaign, as they were standing on the narrow footpath surrounded by the activists who passed them by.
“We have no complaint about their vote campaign, but why would the candidates be accompanied by so many people, and create a jam-packed situation,” said Kasfia Ahmed, who was moving with her one-year-old child amid the crowd.
When asked about the inconvenience caused, Tabith said, “The roads are narrow due to poor planning of the authorities concerned, but we are trying not to create discomfort for the people.”
Meanwhile, DNCC Mayoral Candidate Atiqul Islam’s posters were seen pasted on the walls at Tejturi Bazar and Saat Rasta intersection in Tejgaon area on behalf of one Borhan Uddin, an activist of Jubo League’s Abu Dhabi unit.
Clauses of the electoral code of conduct prohibits any third party to campaign on behalf of a candidate, sticking posters on walls, and using pictures of party leaders except its chief and the candidate. However, the posters show the pictures of Borhan, Atiqul Islam and Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader.
Contacted over phone, Atiqul Islam said, “I did not tell anyone to do that. If someone did that, it is not right. We all should abide by the rules. People will not appreciate the matter. I also do not welcome such approach by the activist. I would like to tell them [activists] that none should not put posters randomly.”
Contacted about the matter, returning officer for DNCC polls Abul Kashem said, “We did not know about the matter. It is clearly a violation of the electoral code. Some over-enthusiastic activists could have done that. We will look into the matter tomorrow.” Atiqul Islam campaigned in Khilgaon, Badda and Rampura areas yesterday.
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