Both Taimur, Ivy claim to secure win

Ruling Awami League nominated mayoral candidate in Narayanganj City Corporation elections Selina Hayat Ivy and her main opposition independent candidate Taimur Alam Khandaker hoped to win the election underway on Sunday.

Both the candidates were cent per cent sure of winning the elections. Selina Hayat Ivy has been competing in the elections with AL’s electoral symbol “boat” while Taimur Alam Khandaker has got “elephant”. Advocate Taimur Alam Khandaker, a senior leader of Bangladesh Nationalist Party, has been contesting the election as an independent candidate.

Ivy came up with the remarks while talking to newspersons after casting her vote at Deobhog Shishu Bagh Government Primary School centre in the morning, reports news agency UNB.

“Till now balloting for the election is going on peacefully and I request the law enforcing agencies to provide their assistance so that people can cast their vote. If votes are cast neutrally then I am 100 per cent sure of winning the election as I have a deep relation with the people of Narayanganj,” she said.

She further said she is hopeful of the victory of “Boat” and sought assistance from the law enforcing agencies to hold a free and fair election.

About the use of EVM, Ivy said “As the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) is new so voters are taking a bit more time to cast their votes.”

Earlier, balloting for the Narayanganj City Corporation election started at 8:00am and will continue till 4:00pm without any break.

Taimur Alam Khandaker cast his vote at Islamia Kamil (MA) Madrasah in Masdair area of the city at around 8:30am. After casting his vote he spoke to newspersons. “Voting was peaceful as of now. I’ll win the election with a margin of over 100,000 votes,” he claimed.

Taimur Alam, a former adviser to the BNP chairperson, also said his polling agent was barred from entering a voting centre in Siddhirganj. But overall situation is good, he added.

He praised the step of the administration of asking outsiders to show their NID cards to enter the city.

Taimur said he will talk to media after visiting the polling centres.

Five other candidates are also running for the post of the NCC mayoral post. They are Bangladesh Khalafat Majlish’s ABM Sirajul Mamun (with electoral symbol Wall Clock), Islami Andolan Bangladesh’s (Hand Fan), Bangladesh Kalyan Party’s Rashed Ferdaus (Wristwatch), Bangladesh Khelafat Andolan’s Md Jashim Uddin (Banyan Tree) and another independent candidate Kamrul Islam (Horse).

Besides, 148 candidates are contesting for 27 ward councilors post while 38 women are contesting for reserved seats for women in the NCC polls.

This time the NCC elections have 517,361 voters, including 257,511 females. There are some 42,418 first-time voters.

Around 5,000 law enforcing personnel have been deployed for 192 polling centres of NCC election each having 26 members.

Striking joint force of police and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) will immediately take actions if any untoward situation arises during the poll, said Mahfuza Akter, returning officer of NCC election on Friday evening.