First city polls under new AL govt today

Mymensingh and Cumilla cities go to polls today to pick their mayors and councillors, just two months after the Awami League formed a new government.

As the ruling party is not officially participating in the elections, six of its leaders -- two in Cumilla and four in Mymensingh -- are running for mayor as independents. The BNP boycotted the polls and two of its expelled leaders are running for mayor in Cumilla.

There are over 5.66 lakh voters in the two cities where polling begins at 8:00am and closes at 4:00pm. Electronic Voting Machines will be used in both cities.

CUMILLA

The main competition is between Tahsin Bahar Suchona, daughter of AL lawmaker AKM Bahauddin Bahar, and Monirul Haque Sakku, an expelled BNP leader who was elected mayor twice before.

As several clashes took place in the run up to the polls, teams of police, Rab and the Border Guard Bangladesh were deployed.

Since Suchona's father Bahar is a four-time lawmaker who has substantial control over AL activists, 34 of the 36 councillors campaigned for her, locals said.

Cumilla city AL, of which Bahar is the president, has announced Suchona as the candidate of the AL even though the party is not in the election.

Bahar also joined his daughter's campaign trail violating the electoral code of conduct.

"For Bahar, the election is now a battle to protect his pride. If his daughter does not win, Bahar may become less powerful," said Anisur Rahman, a trader in the Kandirpar area.

Party insiders say there is also an "anti-Bahar group" in local AL.

On the other hand, Sakku, who won the city corporation election in 2012 and 2017, was expelled from the BNP in 2022 for taking part in the city polls. He lost that election to AL's Arfanul Haque Rifat only by 343 votes. Another expelled BNP leader Nizamuddin Kaiser got around 30,000 votes.

In recent days, many BNP leaders and activists were seen campaigning for Sakku in defiance of their party order.

MYMENSINGH

The main contest is between Ekramul Haque Titu, the current mayor, and Sadequl Hoque Khan Milky Tazu, an adviser of the district AL.

Of the five mayoral candidates, four are from the AL and  one from the Jatiya Party.

After the city corporation was established in 2018, Titu became its first mayor, facing no competition whatsoever.

Party insiders say Titu has a greater chance of winning because he is popular. Besides, the other contestants hardly ever talk about civic amenity issues.

His main rival Sadequl has the support of lawmaker Mohit Ur Rahman Shanto.

To reduce traffic congestion, the city corporation colour-coded over 30,000 battery-run rickshaws and allowed them to operate on alternate days.

At least 15 rickshaw pullers said this made the mayor unpopular among them.

Nazrul Islam Chunnu, convenor of civil society forum Jana Uddyog Mymensingh, said none of the candidates were proposing a realistic plan to widen the roads and recover the grabbed water bodies.

Contacted, Sadequl said, "The city has had unplanned growth. It is a city of garbage, waterlogged neighbourhoods, and polluted air. I believe the city dwellers will vote for change."

Titu said, "We took on many projects which are unfinished. I need votes to finish my unfinished work."