Municipal Elections
Polls in 19 Barisal divn municipalities today
Braving the biting cold, people wait in a queue at Thonthonia Primary School polling centre in Bogra municipality, and right, a large number of women voters come to cast vote for their chosen candidates at Birampur municipality in Dinajpur district yesterday. Photo: STAR
Voters in 19 out of 23 municipalities in six districts of Barisal division will today cast their vote to elect mayors and councillors amid adequate security measures. A total of 948 booths in 197 polling centres have been prepared to facilitate 2,92,369 voters cast votes for electing 18 mayors, 171 general ward councillors and 57 female councillors in reserved seats, said sources at Election Commission office in Barisal. The ruling AL backed candidate Habibur Rahman Malek has been elected uncontested as mayor of Pirojpur municipality. The number of mayor candidates is 83, general ward councillor candidates 648 and female councillor candidates for reserved seats 205 in those 19 municipalities. Of the 19 municipalities, Pirojpur has the highest 35,750 voters, Patukhali the second highest 35,200 and Bakerganj municipality in Barisal district the lowest 4,949 voters. Single candidates each from ruling AL and opposition BNP will fight directly in Gouranadi and Mehendiganj municipalities of Barisal, and Betagi of Barguna district. In 15 other municipalities, both the AL and BNP are facing 'rebel' candidates from own party alongside contestants from opponent parties and independent candidates. Eight mayor candidates are contesting from each of Patharghata and Amtali municipalities of Barguna district. Five mayor candidates are contesting in Bakerganj, six in Banaripara, three in Muladi of Barisal, four in Bhola, three in Daulatkhan, six in Borhanuddin, four in Lalmohan of Bhola, six in Mathbaria, three in Nesarabad (Swarupkathi) of Pirojpur, five in Patuakhali, three in Kalapara of Patuakhali, five in Barguna and seven in Nalchhity municipality of Jhalakathi districts. “About six thousand members of different law enforcement agenesis have been deployed to help the authorities conduct free, fair and peaceful elections in 19 municipalities. About 50 percent of the forces will be armed while the rest will be unarmed and plain clothed,” said Binoy Krishna Bala, deputy inspector general of police (Barisal Range). ”Thirty percent of the 224 polling centres of 19 municipalities in Barisal division have been identified as sensitive centres. Four hundred and eighty policemen and 1,120 Ansars including 560 armed members divided into 20-member teams of law enforcers will be deployed for sensitive vote centres. Six armed policemen led by an officer and 14 Ansars including one armed and six female members will also be added to a team in each sensitive vote centre,” the DIG said. There are 720 policemen and 2,016 Ansars divided into 19-member teams for deployment at remaining 'normal' polling centres, he added. Contingents of armed forces will be deployed at Bhola and Lalmohon municipality areas under Bhola, and Patuakhali and Kalapara under Patuakhali districts on the election day.
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