EC taking final prep for Sylhet city polls

Preparations for holding the Sylhet City Corporation election tomorrow are nearly complete.

The Election Commission has begun sending ballot boxes, ballot papers, permanent ink and other necessary equipment at the 134 centres from 1:00pm this afternoon.

Presiding officers of respective voting centres have already started to collect their equipment, Returning Officer Mohammad Alimuzzaman told our Moulvibazar correspondent.

"We have taken all out preparation to complete the election peacefully, and we are ready to hold it in a free and fair manner," the returning officer said.

A total of 32,00 electoral officials have been trained in two phases to conduct the fourth election of the city, he said.

There are 134 polling centres across the 27 wards and 926 polling booths where a total of 3,21,732 voters will be exercising their franchise.

Nine judicial magistrates, nine executive magistrates and a one-member election tribunal will be operating throughout the election day. Nine election observers will be on the field.

A presiding officer will be stationed at each polling centre. An assistant presiding officer will be at each polling booth, assisted by two polling officers.

A total of 2,912 electoral officials will directly carry out their duties directly during the elections. In addition to this, 288 such officials will be kept on standby.

In Sylhet City Corporation, seven candidates are contesting for the mayoral post. The candidates are- AL-backed Badar Uddin Ahmed Kamran (Boat), BNP-backed Ariful Haque Chowdhury (Sheaf of Paddy), Islami Andolan Bangladesh-backed Dr Md Moazzem Hossain Khan (Hand Fan), Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal candidate Md Abu Jafar (Ladder) and independent candidates Ahasan Mahbub Jobayer (Table Watch), Md Ahasanul Haque Taher (Deer) and Md Badruzzaman Selim (Bus).