Jatiya Party (JaPa) mayoral candidate Nazrul Islam Babul alleged that his agents are being barred from coming to the polling stations.

Nazrul Islam, who cast his vote at Ananda Niketon centre around 9:30am on Wednesday, said 

Later he told the reporters: "The mayoral candidate of Langal has alleged that the Awami League has made the blueprint of vote rigging as the returning officers and administrations are in their pockets."

He alleged that his agents are barred from entering polling stations while some were forced to leave the centres. Some people, who are not polling agents, are threatening the voters.

Meanwhile, Awami League-backed Anwaruzzaman Choudhury cast his vote at the Jamea Islamia Patantula centre at 9am.

The voting started at 8:00am and will continue until 4:00pm without any break.

In Sylhet, eight candidates – AL-backed Md Anwaruzzaman Chowdhury, Jatiya Party’s Md Nazrul Islam Babul, Zaker Party’s Md Zahirul Alam, Islami Andolon’s Mahmudul Hasan, and independent Mohammad Abdul Hanif Kutu, Md Salah Uddin Rimon, Mostaque Ahmed Rauf, and Md Shahjahan Miah, are contesting for the mayor’s office in the SCC polls.

Besides, 273 aspirants are contesting for councillor posts in 42 general wards and 87 candidates for councillor posts in 14 reserved councillor posts for women in the SCC polls.

A total of 4,87,753 voters are expected to vote at the SCC polls.

In the SCC polls, 63.36 per cent of votes were cast in 2018, while 61.67 per cent exercised their franchise in 2013.

BDST: 1237 HRS, JUNE 21, 2023
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