The 'boat' symbol secured the majority votes in most of the 192 centres during the Narayanganj City Corporation elections. However, the 'boat' was defeated in the Adarsha School centre where Awami League's much-talked-about member of parliament, Shameem Osman, cast his vote.
Shameem Osman cast his vote at 3:30 Sunday afternoon at a centre in Adarsha School of ward 13. There are three centres in this school. The 'boat' secured 1201 votes in the three centres combined, while the rival 'elephant' secured 1299 votes.
The results show that the 'boat' got more votes in two centres of Adarsha School. In centre 1, the 'boat' received 347 votes. The 'elephant' won 268. In polling centre 2, the 'boat' got 492 votes, while the 'elephant' received 352. Shameem Osman cast his vote in centre 2. In centre 3, 'boat' clinched 362 votes and 'elephant' 680. In total, 'elephant' won the most votes in Adarsha School.
Speaking about the matter, Shameem Osman said North Chasara was his family's locality. This was the first time he cast his vote in Adarsha School of Mazdair. He is a new voter here. He had hurriedly changed his voting area so that he could cast his vote there in the city corporation election. This was basically the area of Taimur Alam Khandakar, the independent candidate who was contesting under the 'elephant' symbol. However, the 'boat' won in the centre where he cast his vote.
Shameem Osman, the MP of Narayanganj-4 constituency, in the 2016 city election, cast his vote at the Bar Academy centre in Chasara. He later changed his voting area to Enayetnagar union. That was where he cast his vote last year during the UP election. He became a UP voter in order to avoid his name being discussed as a city election candidate. After the UP election, he changed his voting area again, and in accordance to that he cast his vote at the Adarsha School on Sunday.
Shameem Osman explained his frequent change of voting area, saying after the Enayetnagar UP election, he applied for a change in voting area, adhering to the required rules and regulations. This time he used the address of his house in Jamtala of the city and so that was why he had to cast his vote in the centre at Adarsha School.
Taimur Alam's brother Maqsudul Alam was elected with a wide margin as councillor of ward 13. City Awami League leader Rabiul Hossain withdrew his candidature from here. That was why he was expelled even before the election.
There were rumours that the MP was behind Rabiul's withdrawal from the election. There were also speculations that the MP had backed Taimur Alam too. The 'boat' candidate has even said that openly during her election campaign.
According to the official results announced by the returning officer, the 'boat' candidate Selina Hayat Ivy secured 159,097 votes in the 192 centres. Her closest contender, the 'elephant' candidate Taimur Alam, secured 92,562 votes. That means Ivy won with a margin of 66,535 votes.
After the unofficial declaration of her victory Sunday night, when asked about the Adarsha School results, Ivy told journalists, "I have nothing to say about who cast their votes and where they cast their votes. I have always passed at Adarsha School. This is the area of Taimur 'kaka' (uncle) so, as he is a candidate this time, it is natural he will pass here."