AL mayor candidate ahead in GCC polls

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GAZIPUR, June 26, 2018 (BSS) – Awami League mayor candidate Jahangir Alam
is ahead in the vote counts so far in the Gazipur City Corporation (GCC)
polls compared to his nearest contestant BNP-backed Hasan Uddin Sarker.

As per results of 109 centres out of 416 in 57 wards across the GCC area,
Jahangir Alam bagged 93,765 votes while Hasan Uddin Sarker got 53,538 votes,
Returning Officer Rakib Uddin Mandol told reporters at Bangataj auditorium
here.

He said the voting of nine centres was postponed due to irregularities.

The result of the city polls will formally be announced at 10 am tomorrow,
Rakib said.

Voting started at 8 am in the morning with participation of a huge number
of voters, standing on long queues. The voting continued till 4 pm without
any break. There were 425 polling stations in 57 wards for 11,37,736 voters.

Earlier, the Returning Officer said the elections were held in a free,
fair and peaceful manner.

Rawshan Ara Nupur, a voter of 26 number ward under GCC, told BSS that she
cast her vote amid peaceful atmosphere.

Awami League mayor candidate Jahangir Alam and BNP nominee Hasan Uddin
Sarker cast their votes at their respective voting centres.

After casting his vote, Jahangir Alam hoped that the people of Gazipur
city would elect the ‘Boat’ (symbol of Jahangir Alam) through fair election.

He said he will accept any result – win or defeat.

Although BNP nominee Hasan Uddin Sarker alleged that many of his agents
were beaten up and driven out from different polling centres.

The Election Commission expressed satisfaction over the peaceful voting
in the Gazipur city polls.

“We are satisfied as the Gazipur City Corporation polls ended in a fair
manner,” Secretary of EC Secretariat Helal Uddin Ahmed told newsmen at
Agargaon Nirbachan Bhaban here.

Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister
Obaidul Quader said none but BNP made allegations over the GCC polls.

“There is no allegation of violence in the Gazipur City Corporation polls.
But, panic was created among people in the polls. In reality, nothing was
occurred,” he told a press conference at the party president’s Dhanmondi
political office.

According to the Returning Officer’s office, a total of 345 candidates,
including seven for mayoral post, 254 for councilor posts and 83 for reserved
posts for women were vying in the polls while there were 11,37,736 voters in
the city polls.

The mayor candidates were ruling Awami League nominated Md Jahangir Alam,
BNP-backed Hasan Uddin Sarker, Islami Oikkya Jote nominated Fazlur Rahman
(Minar), Md Nasir Uddin of Islami Andolan Bangladesh, Bangladesh Islami Front
nominated Md Jalal Uddin, Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB)backed Md Ruhul
Amin and independent candidate Farid Ahmed.

Three-tier security measures were taken to ensure security during the
election as 10,500 members of law enforcement agencies, including police,
Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Ansar, were
deployed in the GCC area.

A total of 29 platoons of BGB, 58 teams of RAB, 57 mobile forces and 20
striking forces of police performed their duties during the election.