Gazipur, Bangladesh (BBN)- Voting in the high-voltage Gazipur City Corporation (GCC) election is going on peacefully today (Saturday) with a high turnout of voters, especially women.
Returning Officer Matiar Rahman told reporters that 30 percent votes were cast in the first three hours.
After casting their votes, the two main contenders for the mayoral post — ruling Awami League led 14-party supported candidate Ajmat Ullah and BNP led 18 –party supported candidate MA Mannan — expressed their strong hope to win the maiden polls in the country’s largest city corporation.
Gazipur City Corporation was formed on January 7 while the schedule for the polls declared on May 22 last.
Ajmat Ullah Khan, the ruling Awami League-backed mayoral candidate, has expressed satisfaction over the voting atmosphere and termed it peaceful.
Since the people of Tongi love him and elected him municipality chairman several times, Ajmat expressed confidence to become the first mayor of Gazipur City Corporation.
He was talking to reporters after casting his vote at Little Flower School centre in Gazipur around 9:00am.
“I would accept whatever the outcome of the elections as I believe the voice of people is the voice of God,” he told reporters.
On the other hand, BNP-backed mayoral candidate Mr. Mannan has blamed the election officials and ruling party favourite Ajmat Ullah Khan for rigging votes in the Gazipur City Corporation polls.
Alleging that a large number of ballot papers were given to Ajmat on Friday, Mannan said those were handed over to presiding officer for dropping in the ballot boxes.
The BNP-backed candidate made the allegation after casting vote at Salna Islamia Fazil Degree Madrasa centre around 9:30am.
Mr. Mannan expressed confidence that he would win if the election is held in a free and fair manner. “I will win by a large margin,” he told reporters.
He said he was ready to accept the result even if he lost provided that the election is held in free, fair and neutral.
BBN/SSR/AD-06July13-1:12 pm (BST)
