In first phase, voting started in 24 municipalities

Election campaign ended last Saturday in these municipalities. All preparations have been made by the Election Commission (EC) on the occasion of the election. Executive and judicial magistrates are also on the ground along with members of law enforcement agencies including BGB, RAB, police and Ansar.

Additional Secretary of the EC Secretariat Ashok Kumar Debnath said the environment and situation in the constituency is good. Law enforcement is on the ground. No complaints were reported. All arrangements have been made for EVM voting.

Awami League, BNP, Jatiya Party, Islami Andolan Bangladesh candidates as well as independent candidates are contesting for the post of mayor.

The municipalities that are being voted today are Panchagarh, Pirganj in Thakurgaon, Fulbari in Dinajpur, Badarganj in Rangpur, Puthia and Katakhali in Rajshahi, Shahjadpur in Sirajganj, Chatmohar in Pabna, Khoksa in Kushtia, Chuadanga in Barna, Chalna in Khulna. Gafargaon in Mymensingh, Madan in Netrokona, Manikganj, Dhamrai in Dhaka, Dirai in Sunamganj, Baralekha in Moulvibazar, Shayestaganj in Habiganj and Sitakunda in Chittagong.

On November 22, the EC announced the schedule for the first phase of 25 municipal elections. The BNP candidate for the post of mayor of Sreepur municipality in Gazipur died in the middle of the election. The municipality has rescheduled the polls on January 16. Voting is going to be held in the remaining 24 municipalities today.

There are 90 candidates for the post of mayor in 24 municipalities. There are 277 reserved councilors and 848 general ward councilors.

Each municipality will elect a mayor, three reserved women councilors and nine general councilors. The concerned have been instructed to send the results to the Election Commission Secretariat immediately after the vote.

The commission is conducting municipal elections in four stages in the coronavirus epidemic. Of these, the schedule of 150 municipalities has been announced in three stages.

The second phase will be held on January 16 in 61 municipalities. Of these, 29 municipalities will have EVM and 32 municipalities will have ballot voting.

In the third phase, the latest schedule has been given in 64 municipalities with the date of polling on January 30. The rest of the municipalities, which are eligible for elections by February, will go to the polls in the fourth phase.

News Room, December 28,2020