Maiden M’singh city polls today

The first election to the Mymensingh City Corporation (MCC) will be held today with a total of 2,96,938 voters expected to exercise their voting rights.

All the voters will exercise their franchise through electronic voting machines (EVMs) in the polls, to be held from 8am to 4pm without any break at 127 polling centers under 33 wards.

“We have taken all-out preparations to hold a peaceful election. Defying inclement weather, election materials have been sent to polling centres,” Returning Officer and Regional Election Officer Md Alimuzzaman told the news agency.

Awami League mayoral candidate Ekramul Haque Titu has already been elected mayor unopposed. Some 242 candidates will vie for councillor posts in 33 wards while 70 candidates will contest for councillor posts reserved for women.

He said 10 Ansar members and three policemen will be deployed in each polling centre while 22 platoon of Border Guard Bangladesh, 33 mobile teams of Rapid Action Battalion, 33 mobile teams of police and 11 striking forces will be deployed to avert any untoward incident.

Besides, one executive magistrate and three additional executive magistrates will discharge duties in each ward. Sixteen judicial magistrates will also perform their duties.

With AL candidate Ekramul already been elected uncontested in the maiden MCC election, the polls have lost its appeal.

His only rival, Jatiya Party candidate Jahangir Ahmed, quit the race on April 17, the last date for withdrawing candidacy.

Ekramul, the incumbent administrator of MCC, is also the vice president of Mymensingh AL. He was also the former mayor of the now defunct Mymensingh municipality.