Awami League-backed mayoral candidate Talukder Abdul Khalek has taken lead in the early counting of Khulna City Corporation Election on Tuesday.
In the 27 polling centres including the two where electronic voting machines (EVM) were used, Talukder Abdul Khalek got a total of 14,758 votes while BNP backed mayoral candidate Nazrul Islam Manju got 7,529 votes, reports UNB.
After concluding the vote of Khulna City Corporation Elections amid allegations of capturing some polling stations, vote fraud and violence in some areas the counting of vote started within 4:30 pm.
The voting was suspended in three polling centres due to violence, capturing of polling stations and forced stuffing.
The polling that began at 8:00 am concluded at 4pm without any break. The turnout of voters was said to be around 50 per cent.
Returning officer Yunus Ali said voting in two polling centres - Labanchora Government Primary School and ward no 31 ward councillor office - were suspended around 2:20 pm due to snatching of ballot papers and forced stuffing.
Besides, voting was suspended at Khulna Govt Iqbal Nagar School centre in ward No 24 following snatching of ballot papers by miscreants around 10:30 am, said presiding officer Khalilur Rahman.
Meanwhile, voting at Fatema High School in ward No 22 was suspended for two hours from 10:30am following an incident of fake voting.
Two bombs were blasted in front of the Khulna Government Women College polling centre around 3:30 pm, halting balloting for sometimes.
A total of five mayoral candidates, 148 general councillor and 38 reserved-seat female councillor candidates are there in the election race.
Five mayoral candidates, 148 general councillor and 38 reserved-seat female councillor candidates are there in the election race.
The mayoral contenders are Awami League's Talukder Abdul Khalek, Nazrul Islam Manju of BNP, Jatiya Party's Shafiqur Rahman Mushfiq, Islami Andolan Bangladesh's Maulana Mozammil Haque and CPB's Mizanur Rahman Babu.