Poll symbols allocated

The Election Commission yesterday handed election symbols to eight candidates running for the Chittagong City Corporation election slated for June 17.
Returning Officer (RO) Jesmin Tuli gave out the symbols to the candidates at Muslim Institute Hall in the port city in the morning.
Awami League backed candidate ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury has been allocated “ship” as electoral symbol while BNP-supported candidate Manjur Alam Manju “pineapple”.
Among other candidates, Solaiman Alam Sheith of Jatiya Party (Ershad) got “television” and Md Rafiqul Islam of Islamic Andolon “locker”.
Among the independent candidates Jane Alam got “inkpot-pen”, Md Ibrahim “motorcycle”, Syed Sajjad Zoha “spectacles” and Professor Mozammel Hossain Bhuiyan “helicopter” as symbols for the CCC polls.
All the candidates, except Manjur, were present on the occasion.
The RO also allocated symbols to 59 women candidates competing for 14 female councillor (reserved) seats and 251 male candidates for 41-ward councillor.
The allocation began with the mayoral candidates in the morning with 20 symbols for them, 18 for women and 30 for ward councillors, said Assistant Returning Officer Farhad Hossain.
After allocation of election symbols all the candidates including two major contenders--Mohiuddin Chowdhury and Manjur Alam Manju--landed on the campaign trail.
After acquiring election symbol Mohiuddin went to North Halishahar of the city to offer fateha at the graveyard of former AL leader MA Aziz. He also addressed a street rally in the area urging the party leaders and activists to carry out an organised electioneering by going door to door of the people.
Mohiuddin also went to see the anti-British revolutionary Binod Bihari Chowdhury Tuesday night to seek support.
On the other hand, after the election symbol was fixed, Manjur ran his election campaign seeking votes at Agrabad, Pathantuli, West Madarbair, Halishahar and Choumahoni areas from morning to noon.
Sources said the electioneering for BNP-backed candidate is gearing up as the leaders and activists of Chittagong city BNP have undertaken a genuine election drive.