Abul Khair Abdullah, popularly known as Kokhon Serniabat, the mayoral candidate from the ruling party Awami League, has secured a resounding victory in the Barishal City Corporation (BCC) elections. Defeating his closest rival, Mufti Syed Faizul Karim of Islami Andolan Bangladesh (IAB), by an impressive margin of 53,980 votes, Abdullah’s win cements his position as the newly elected mayor of Barishal city.
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A landslide victory!
The results from all 126 polling centres in Barishal city polls were announced by the returning officer, Humayun Kabir, at the district’s Shilpakala Academy around 9:30 pm. According to these results, Abul Khair Abdullah secured a total of 87,808 votes, while his nearest rival, Mufti Syed Faizul Karim, garnered 33,828 votes. This substantial victory demonstrates Abdullah’s popularity among the voters of Barishal.
High voter turnout and participation
A total of 2,76,298 voters were eligible to cast their votes in the Barishal City Corporation elections. The voter turnout stood at an encouraging 51.46 percent, reflecting the enthusiasm of the electorate in exercising their democratic rights. The elections witnessed the participation of seven mayoral candidates, 118 general councillor candidates, and 42 reserved councillor candidates, making it a highly contested electoral battle.
Security measures and allegations of violence
To ensure a smooth and fair electoral process, CCTV cameras were installed at 894 polling booths across 30 wards in Barishal city. The Election Commission (EC) claimed that the election was conducted fairly, with only a few isolated incidents reported. However, amid the otherwise peaceful proceedings, Syed Faizul Karim and some of his supporters have lodged complaints of being subjected to an attack in the afternoon. Furthermore, the media cell of IAB raised allegations of attacks on its activists, obstruction of entry of polling agents, eviction of agents from polling centres. These allegations have intensified the political atmosphere surrounding the election. In response to the assault on their mayoral candidate, leaders and activists of IAB staged protests in various parts of the city, wielding sticks and denouncing the incident. The authorities are currently investigating the matter to ensure that the allegations are thoroughly examined and addressed.
To conclude, Abul Khair Abdullah’s decisive victory in the Barishal City Corporation polls reaffirms the support he garnered from the voters of Barishal. As he assumes the position of mayor, he faces the responsibility of fulfilling the expectations of the people and addressing the concerns raised by rival candidates and their supporters. The successful completion of these elections sets the stage for the new mayor and elected councillors to embark on the task of governing and developing Barishal city in the coming years.
