the Awami League and the BNP are hell-bent on winning the polls as the outcome is likely to influence the future course of politics in the country. Some analysts, however, maintain that irrespective of the pending results, the city elections have already registered a big victory for the public as the elections have brought the country back to normalcy from anarchy, arson attacks and subversion. Amid unprecedented tight security arrangements, the polling will take place without break from 8:00am to 4:00pm in Dhaka South, Dhaka North and Chittagong city corporations. As many as 23,45,374 voters in Dhaka North, some 18,70,753 in Dhaka South and 18,13,449 in Chittagong city corporation are supposed to go to the polls today to elect the three mayors and 884 general and 248 reserved councillors. Over 82 thousand law enforcers comprising police, RAB and BGB are being deployed in the three cities and three battalions of army will be on stand-by position to maintain law and order and ensure peaceful and smooth polling. There will be 16 magistrates to coordinate with the army. In the three city corporations mobile courts will function under 84 executive magistrates. It is a big day for the voters of the capital as they are going to the polls after 13 years of the last election to the then undivided city corporation, while the elections to the Chittagong city corporation are being held normally after five years. In the elections to the bifurcated two city corporations of Dhaka, 42 lakh voters are eligible to vote for electing two mayors for providing civic amenities to 1.66 crore city dwellers. Interestingly, 32 percent of the voters in Dhaka are the first-time voters and they are supposed to play a vital role in deciding the results of today’s election. Similarly, the city slum-dwellers who constitute a major portion of the voters, are also likely to contribute substantially to the election outcome. It is an open secret that when the country was burning in the flames of the BNP’s politics of firebomb resulting in the deaths of innocent people, the government by announcing the city poll schedule created an exit route for the BNP from the anarchic movement. From the very outset, the BNP has been asserting that their participation in the elections is part of the movement. BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia has called upon the Dhaka city dwellers to take revenge through ballots. On the other hand, the Awami League has been saying that residents of Dhaka will not vote for the BNP because of arson attacks on innocent people. Although Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in her formal statement has said that the national elections and local elections are different, the Awami League is trying its best to win the polls. Political analysts said that against the backdrop of three months of turmoil these elections will be an acid test for them. The deadlock is going to end after a long time. This time the front-liners in the race are speaking of building Dhaka as a safe, modern, clean and ideal city. Thirty-six candidates are contesting for the posts of mayors making the elections participatory. Prof Dr Akhter Hossain of Dhaka University public administration department said that the city elections have become the deciding force of many things because of present political situation. Sujan secretary Dr Badiul Alam Majumder said politicians have placed city corporation elections on a larger canvass. These have emerged as a proxy for the national elections. He said the city elections are a critical test for the Election Commission.
Tuesday, April 28, 2015
Day of popular judgement:Daily Sun
the Awami League and the BNP are hell-bent on winning the polls as the outcome is likely to influence the future course of politics in the country. Some analysts, however, maintain that irrespective of the pending results, the city elections have already registered a big victory for the public as the elections have brought the country back to normalcy from anarchy, arson attacks and subversion. Amid unprecedented tight security arrangements, the polling will take place without break from 8:00am to 4:00pm in Dhaka South, Dhaka North and Chittagong city corporations. As many as 23,45,374 voters in Dhaka North, some 18,70,753 in Dhaka South and 18,13,449 in Chittagong city corporation are supposed to go to the polls today to elect the three mayors and 884 general and 248 reserved councillors. Over 82 thousand law enforcers comprising police, RAB and BGB are being deployed in the three cities and three battalions of army will be on stand-by position to maintain law and order and ensure peaceful and smooth polling. There will be 16 magistrates to coordinate with the army. In the three city corporations mobile courts will function under 84 executive magistrates. It is a big day for the voters of the capital as they are going to the polls after 13 years of the last election to the then undivided city corporation, while the elections to the Chittagong city corporation are being held normally after five years. In the elections to the bifurcated two city corporations of Dhaka, 42 lakh voters are eligible to vote for electing two mayors for providing civic amenities to 1.66 crore city dwellers. Interestingly, 32 percent of the voters in Dhaka are the first-time voters and they are supposed to play a vital role in deciding the results of today’s election. Similarly, the city slum-dwellers who constitute a major portion of the voters, are also likely to contribute substantially to the election outcome. It is an open secret that when the country was burning in the flames of the BNP’s politics of firebomb resulting in the deaths of innocent people, the government by announcing the city poll schedule created an exit route for the BNP from the anarchic movement. From the very outset, the BNP has been asserting that their participation in the elections is part of the movement. BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia has called upon the Dhaka city dwellers to take revenge through ballots. On the other hand, the Awami League has been saying that residents of Dhaka will not vote for the BNP because of arson attacks on innocent people. Although Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in her formal statement has said that the national elections and local elections are different, the Awami League is trying its best to win the polls. Political analysts said that against the backdrop of three months of turmoil these elections will be an acid test for them. The deadlock is going to end after a long time. This time the front-liners in the race are speaking of building Dhaka as a safe, modern, clean and ideal city. Thirty-six candidates are contesting for the posts of mayors making the elections participatory. Prof Dr Akhter Hossain of Dhaka University public administration department said that the city elections have become the deciding force of many things because of present political situation. Sujan secretary Dr Badiul Alam Majumder said politicians have placed city corporation elections on a larger canvass. These have emerged as a proxy for the national elections. He said the city elections are a critical test for the Election Commission.
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