Kamran claims dev of Tk 500cr in last tenure

Outgoing mayor and Awami League-backed candidate Badar Uddin Ahmed Kamran yesterday said he had kept the city corporation above political influence in his tenure.
There had been no corruption in the tendering processes during his five year of mayorship when Tk 500 crore worth of development projects were implemented, he claimed at rallies in the Sadhurbazar and Khozarkhola areas.
Highlighting some underdeveloped areas, the opposition-backed mayoral runner Ariful Haque Chowdhury, however, asked, "Where had the Tk 500 crore worth of development gone?"
Ariful, a central leader of BNP, yesterday exchanged views with the residents of Zindabazar, Lalbazar, Shahi Edigah, Kashtoghar, Mendibag and the medical college hospital areas. He told the people that he wanted to serve them as they needed a change.
BNP Vice President Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury also electioneered for Arif, while two AL lawmakers sought votes for Kamran, president of city AL.
Mobin requested the people to give a "just reply" to the present government's "misdeeds", including large-scale corruption all over the country. Claiming that the BNP government had hugely developed Sylhet, Mobin called for electing Arif. He was addressing a rally at Bilopar Friday night.
Addressing an Awami League activists' meeting at ward-21 Friday night, Shofiqur Rahman Chowdhury MP, also district AL general secretary, said Kamran should be elected again to continue the city's development.
At another rally in Telihaor  on Friday night, ruling party lawmaker Mahmud Us Samad Chowdhury also requested the city dwellers for ensuring Kamran's victory.