Cumilla City Corporation elections will be held on Wednesday.
Five candidates are contesting, including independent candidate Md Monirul Haque with 'Table Clock' symbol and Awami League's (AL) 'Boat' candidate Arfanul Haque, for the mayoral post in the election.
Independent candidate Monirul Haque has never been defeated in any elections he contested while AL candidate Arfanul is contesting the election for the first time.
It is the first election for Mohammad Nizam Uddin, another independent candidate with 'horse' symbol.
It is learnt that Monirul contested for chairman post in Cumilla Pourashava election on 21 September in 2005 for the first time. He won that election.
Later, he elected the first mayor of Cumilla City Corporation on 5 January 2012 as an independent candidate, securing 65,577 votes in the election, while his opponent AL candidate Afzal Khan bagged only 36,471 votes.
On 30 March in 2017, Monirul was elected mayor of Cumilla City Corporation election for second consecutive terms with "Sheaf of Paddy" symbol, bagging 68,948 votes, which was higher by 11,085 votes than AL mayoral candidate Anjum Sultana.
Monirul Haque is contesting the Cumilla City Corporation elections for the third time.
He said, "I belong to a political family. My cousin colonel (retired) Akbar Hosssain Bir Pratik was elected lawmaker for five terms as BNP candidate from Cumilla-6 constituency. I participated in all of his elections' campaigns."
"Our family has never lost in any elections since 1979. I became the pourashava chairman in 2005 when Akbar bhai (brother) was a parliamentarian and minister. After that I was elected mayor for two more terms. I am hopeful about winning if a fair election is held this year," he added.
Meanwhile, AL candidate Arfanul is vying for mayoral post for the first time. He was elected sports secretary in 1981 from Chhatra League Panel in Cumilla Government Victoria College Students' Sangsad election. He became the secretary and the joint secretary of Cumilla Club for several terms.
Arfanul Haque said, "I am contesting for the first time. People will cast their votes for me as I have no fault and I am a member of a political and cultural family. I am 100 per cent hopeful about winning."
The independent mayoral candidate Nizam Uddin was elected assistant social welfare secretary in 1998 from Chhatra Dal and Chhatra Shibir Panel in Cumilla Government Victoria College Students' Sangsad election. Nizam Uddin is also a fresher in the local government election.
He said, "People will cast their votes for bringing changes in the city. They will vote for me to build a city of harmony. I am contesting for the first time."