With the Barisal City Corporation (BCC) polls set to be held tomorrow, candidates scrambled to reach as many voters as possible on the last day of campaigning on Saturday.
Both the Awami League and BNP backed candidates have expressed their confidence ahead of the polls, as the arch-rivals prepare to battle for ballots once again.
“I am confident that the people of Barisal City Corporation will vote for the boat to ensure the continuity of development under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina,” Awami League candidate Serniabat Sadiq Abdullah said at a street assembly in front of the Barisal District Council on Saturday.
He added that he was hoping for a landslide victory, as a significant number of people had expressed their support for Awami League.
Thousands of Awami League leaders and activists at the program were in a festive mood, with many waving banners and placards.
Meanwhile, BNP candidate Mojibor Rahman Sarwar also organized election campaigns across the city corporation all day long.
In the afternoon, BNP held a press conference at its district party office, where party representatives alleged that AL candidate Sadiq had violated the election code of conduct and was harassing BNP leaders and activists.
“We have come to participate in the election after being assured by the Election Commission of a level playing field. However, our leaders and activists are being arrested, harassed and threatened by AL goons,” BNP candidate Sarwar said.
“They are creating trouble for our campaigns. We have informed the Election Commission, but they are yet to take any visible action,” he added.
However, Sarwar also said if the election was held fairly, he would become the winner as the voters were in favor of him.
“There is still time. If the election commission takes necessary action to hold a fair election, I will be the winner,” he said.
Six mayoral candidates, including Sadiq and Sarwar, are competing in the BCC polls.
The other mayoral candidates are Iqbal Hossain Tapas, who was recently expelled from Jatiya Party (Ershad), Communist Party of Bangladesh backed AK Azad, Islami Shashontantra Andolan’s Maulana Obaidur Rahman Mahbub, and Socialist Party of Bangladesh’s Manisha Chakrabarti.
When contacted, BCC polls Election Commissioner Mahbub Talukdar said: “The city is in a festive mood ahead of the BCC polls. The EC is working hard to hold a fair, free and impartial election.”
