The New Nation - Internet Edition

Our Correspondent, Barisal

Although draft voter list of Barisal City Corporation already has been published and BCC election within next two months knocking, but the voters yet not sensitized and the probable candidates started silent activities for that.

Related sources said the scenario would be changed after relaxing emergency and declaring rules of conduct and schedule for the second BCC election on next April 2008.

EC offices in Barisal said that after preparing voter list, they are taking preparation for second BCC election. In this election, transparent voting box may not be used, as it yet not made.

Although voters yet remained silence but probable candidates for commissioner and mayor posts of BCC started silent propagations, said Advocate S M Iqbal and Enayet Hossain Chowdhury, president and secretary of Barisal district committee of Fair Election Monitoring Alliance(FEMA) unofficially observing pre-election activities.

Probable candidates, specially the ward commissioner candidates by attending social functions, gathering and personally contacting peoples of their localities.

They also distributing relief items, grants and donations and eagerly waiting for withdrawal or relaxation of EPR and declaration of election schedule, said FEMA officials.

As election commission thinking about non-political nature of local government elections including BCC, so we have no tension about seeking nomination from any political party, said Advocate Enayet Pir Khan, president of Nagorik Parishad and candidate in second position at first BCC Mayor election held on March 20, 2008.

Ebaidul Huq Chan, president of Barisal Chamber of Commerce and Industries, former district BNP secretary and candidate in first BCC Mayor election, said that this time two significant changes would influence the election. One is its non-partisan nature and another is anticorruption movement.

Ahsan Habib Kamal, former BCC Mayor and former city BNP secretary, expressing his willingness for contesting BCC Mayorship, hoped that voter list with photo, national identity card will prevent fake voting, and role of the candidates in developing the city would be considered in voting.

City AL president and former MP candidate Advocate Shawkat Hossain Hiron also interested about contesting BCC Mayor election and said that although local body election is always non-political by rule, but highly political in nature.

However, decision would be depend on giving backup of my party in election and accepting resignation from the party post, he added.

Sarfuddin Sentu, a prominent businessmen, already started his election activities for Mayorship by contacting with present and probable ward commissioners of BCC.

Among others Awlad Hossain Dilu, ward commissioner and present Mayor in charge of BCC, Advocate Moazzem Hossain Alal, city Jamate Islami Amir, Alamgir Hossain Alo, Mahmudul Huq Mamun, AL and BCL leaders, also interested about contesting in next BCC election.

If Mayor Majibor Rahman Sarwar, now detained in jail, is not convicted in any case before election, then he will also contest from jail for reelecting as BCC Mayor, family sources said. On other hand if Sarwar convicted and declared to be not eligible for contesting in BCC election, then Moazzem Hossain Helal would be our best choice, told a four-party alliance leader.