Election <i>Fever</i>
Moulvibazar: BNP demands deployment of army
Moulvibazar BNP leaders yesterday demanded deployment of army in the town to ensure a free and fair election to the municipality scheduled for January 18.
They raised the demand at a press conference in the district town in the afternoon. Sylhet BNP leaders Ilias Ali, Begum Khaleda Rabbani and BNP mayoral candidate Md Fayzul Karim Mayun spoke, reports our correspondent.
They said the workers of two AL mayoral candidates are preventing BNP men from campaigning for their mayoral candidate Md Fayzul Karim Mayun in different areas of the municipality. "We demand deployment of army as AL men may snatch away the people's verdict through rigging in poling stations," the BNP leaders feared.
Two AL mayor candidates-- Md Nahid Ahmed and Saifur Rahman Babul--are in the mayoral race. Nahid Ahmed is backed by district AL General Secretary Nesar Ahmed and former lawmaker Azizur Rahman, while Saifur Rahman Babul by AL lawmaker Syed Mohsin Ali.
Local units of the 14-party alliance have extended support to Saifur Rahman Babul. Though Fayzul Karim Mayun is the only mayor candidate from BNP, it is reported that followers of Naser Rahman, former BNP lawmaker, is opposing him.
Kishoreganj: Councillor candidate beaten up
A councillor candidate was beaten up by unidentified criminals at Hossainpur upazila on Saturday night.
Locals said the criminals called Fazlul Huq Badal, 35, a councillor
candidate in ward number 5 of Hossainpur municipality of his house at Dekia village on Saturday night, reports our correspondent.
Locals found Badal lying on a field at the village in an unconscious state yesterday morning. He was first admitted to Hossainpur upazila health complex and then shifted to Kishoreganj Adhunik Sadar
Hospital in a critical condition.
Contacted, Mir Abdus Sattar, officer-in-charge of Hossainpur Police Station said they are trying to arrest the criminal who attacked Badal.
Munshiganj: 21 out of 28 polling centres 'risky’
As many as 12 mayor aspirants and 122 councillor candidates are contesting today's elections to two municipalities of the district.
Twenty-one out of 28 polling centres in the two municipalities-- Mirkadim and Munshiganj-- have been identified as vulnerable to violence, reports our correspondent.
In Munshiganj municipality, 15 out of 17 polling centres have been identified as risky. Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Azizul Alam said army personnel have been deployed in the municipality to hold a free, fair and peaceful election.
He said all security measures have been taken to ensure fair voting in Mirkadim municipality.
Police Superintendent Mohammad Shariful Islam said police, Rab and Ansars will remain at the risky centres during polling.