Khulna, Barishal cities go to polls today

The Khulna City Corporation (KCC) and the Barishal City Corporation go to polls today (Monday) amid tight security as the authorities concerned have completed all necessary preparations in this regard.
In Khulna election will be held at 1,732 polling booths in 289 polling centres using around 3,000 electronic voting machines (EVMs) from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, report agencies.
The Ministry of Public Administration in a notification declared the day a public holiday in the electoral area of KCC as sought by the Election Commission.
In the KCC polls, this year the five candidates, who are vying for mayoral post, are-AL-backed Talukder Abdul Khaleque (Boat), Jatiya Party's Shafiqul Islam Modhu (Plough), Bangladesh Islami Andolon's Moulana Abdul Awal (Hand Fan), Zaker Party's S M Sabbir Hossain (Rose) and independent candidate Shafiqur Rahman Mushfiq (Table clock).
A total of 173 candidates are vying for different posts. Five are running for the mayoral post, 134 for 31 general councillors' posts and 39 for 10 reserved female councillors' posts. Meanwhile, the Returning Officer (RO) of KCC polls Md Alauddin and Commissioner of Khulna Metropolitan Police (KMP) Masudur Rahman Bhuiyan at a press briefing in City's Boyra Police Lines Ground on Sunday informed the journalists that three-tier security measures were taken for holding a the KCC polls peacefully.
The KMP boss said, around 8,300 members of the law enforcement agencies including 4,520 police men, 300 APBN, 3468 Ansars were deployed in the city.
In Barishal, a total of 1500 Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) and other election materials reached 126 polling stations ahead of the election today.
The presiding officers received the EVMs from Shilpakala Academy in the city on Sunday.
According to Election Commission, 126 presiding officers will perform their duties at 894 polling booths while the number of assistant presiding officers is 894 and polling officers 1788.
Returning officer Humayun Kabir said the election environment is cent percent fair. He urged voters to go to their respective polling stations to cast their votes.
About 4500 members of law enforcement agencies, 10 platoons of BGB, 30 executive magistrates, and 10 judicial magistrates will perform duty during the polls.
Seven candidates are vying for the mayoral post and 119 councillors for general posts and 42 for reserved posts in the polls.
A total of 2,76,298 voters-1,37,489 male and 1,38, 809 female-will exercise their franchise.
Awami League mayoral candidate Abul Khair Abdullah (Khokon Seniabat) will cast vote at Government Barisal College center on Kalibari Road, Jatiya Party's candidate Iqbal Hossain Taposh will cast vote at Syed Abdul Mannan DDF Alim Madrasa centre on Gorsthan Road, Islami Andilon's Mufti Syed Muhammad Faizul Karim at A Rob Serniabat Secondary School center in the city.
Engineer Iqbal Hossian Taposh, a JaPa-backed mayoral candidate, alleged that the ruling party men were involved in making a blueprint to influence the votes.
The Chief Election Commissioner came to Barisal and said that a level playing field will be created but there is no level playing field here yet, he said adding that the administration has failed to show their neutrality.
"They said that there will be no outsiders in Barishal on the election day, but we have repeatedly said that Barisal is full of outsiders.
They said there would be no outsiders in Barishal from June 11, but in reality we have seen in all the hotels and motels in the city."
Taposh also alleged that the intruders with the help of Awami league are distributing money.
The ruling party men are violating the electoral code of conduct, he said.