The much-awaited Gazipur City Corporation (GCC) will go to its second polls on Tuesday to elect its new mayor and councillors with a big challenge for the two major parties -- Awami League and BNP -- to prove their popularity ahead of the general election.
The Election Commission (EC) is all set to hold the voting amid Awami League's hope for fair balloting and BNP's fear of violence, vote rigging, ballot stuffing and capturing of polling stations by the ruling party mayoral and councillor contenders.
The voting will begin at 8:00am and continue till 4:00pm without any break at 425 polling stations.
Of the polling stations, 337 are said to be vulnerable or at risk of seeing violence. Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) will be used in six centres while closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras will be installed in two, reports UNB.
Seven mayoral candidates -- AL's Jahangir Alam, BNP's Hasan Uddin Sarker, CPB's Kazi Mohammad Ruhul Amin, Islami Oikya Jote's Fazlur Rahman, Islami Andolan Bangladesh's M Nasir Uddin, Bangladesh Islami Front M Jalal Uddin and independent runner Farid Ahmed -- are there in the race.
Besides, some 254 general councillor and 84 reserved-seat female councillor candidates are there in the election race. However, a councillor has already been elected unopposed.
A total of 1,137,736 voters -- 569,935 males and 567,801 females -- are expected to exercise their franchise in the election.
The Election Commission has taken additional security measures to avoid any kind of violence with the city going under a security blanket ahead of the much-awaited election.
Ballot boxes and other equipment related to the polls have already been sent to the polling stations, said Returning Officer Rakibuddin Mondol.
He said they have taken all-out steps so that voters can go to polling stations without any fear and favour. "The Commission is ready to hold a free and fair election in Gazipur."
Mondol said the administration has been keeping a close monitoring to maintain the law and order in the election areas. "The situation is still very normal. We're confident that a fair and neural election will be held on Tuesday."
He said a three-tier security measure has been taken as 10,024 police and Ansar members have been deployed in the city corporation area.
Besides, the returning officer said, 29 platoons of BGB, 58 teams of RAB, 57 mobile teams and 20 striking forces will also be there to ensure the law and order.
A total of 67 executive magistrates and 19 judicial magistrates will also perform duties in the city corporation area from June 24 to 27.
