The candidates of ruling Awami League are leading the election both in Sylhet and Rajshahi city corporations.
Anwaruzzaman Chowdhury and AHM Khairuzzaman Liton are contesting the polls in Boat symbol in Sylhet and Rajshahi respectively.
Earlier on Wednesday, voting in the elections to Sylhet and Rajshahi city corporations began at 8:00 am and continued uninterruptedly until 4:00 pm using Electronic Voting Machine (EVM).
There are 190 polling centres in Sylhet City Corporation. Unofficial results of 24 centres show Awami League’s Anwaruzzaman Chowdhury leading the polls bagging 13,616 votes while his nearest rival Md Nazrul Islam of Jatiya Party got 5,94 votes.
There are 155 polling centres in Rajshahi City Corporation. Unofficial results of 12 centres show Awami League’s AHM Khairuzzaman Liton leading the election securing 11,284 votes while his nearest rival Murshid Alam (hand fan symbol) of Islami Andolon bagged got 873 votes
According to sources of the returning office, the total number of voters in the Sylhet City Corporation is 487,753 in the 42 wards. A total of 368 candidates including eight mayoral candidates contested the election. There are 190 polling stations while law enforcement agencies declared 132 of those centers as risky.
The mayoral candidates are – ruling Awami League nominated Anwaruzzaman Chowdhury, Jatiya Party’s Nazrul Islam, and Zaker Party’s Zahirul Alam. Four independent candidates are also contesting the polls. They are – Abdul Hanif, Salah Uddin, Shah Jaman Mia and Mostaq Ahmed Rauf Mostafa.
Islami Andolan Bangladesh’s candidate withdrew his candidature from the SCC polls following the attack on the party’s mayoral candidate in the Barishal city elections a few days ago.
The area of Rajshahi City Corporation is 96.72 sq km. A total of 161 candidates contested the election. Of them, three for mayor, 112 for general councilors in 30 wards and 46 for 10 reserved seats for women councilors.
There are 351,982 voters in the city – 171,167 male, 180,809 female and six third gender voters.
The mayoral candidates are: Bangladesh Awami League nominated and former mayor AHM Khairuzzaman Liton, Jatiya Party candidate Saiful Islam Swapan and Zaker Party’s Latif Anwar.