The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

The Election Commission yesterday unofficially declared results of four city corporations and pourasava elections held Monday where candidates backed by the Awami League won marginally.

The Awami League backed candidates swept all four-city corporations and eight of the nine municipalities that went to the polls.

The EC declared AHM Khairuzzaman Liton, Badar Uddin Kamran, Talukder Abdul Khaleq and M Showkat Hossain as the mayor-elect for Rajshahi, Sylhet, Khulna and Barisal respectively announcing the detail results of four city corporations and pourasava elections.

In Rajshahi AHM Khairuzzaman Liton bagged 98,360 votes, while his nearest rival Mohammad Mosaddek Hossain got 74,550 votes.

Thirteen other mayor candidates got votes as follows: Akhteruzzaman Bablu 883, Nasir Ahmed Bidyut 1,008, M Farman Ali 351, M Abul Kalam Azad Babu 376, M Abdul Khaleq 299, M Abdul Matin Khan 1,161, M Enamul Haque 841, M Nurul Huda 1,789, M Maidul haque Dulu 5,404, Raihanur Rahman 1,457, Ruhul Quddus Tunu 404, M Rezaunnabi Dudu 12,721 and M Siddiqur Rahman 9,406.

A total of 2,09,010 voters (81.83 per cent) out of 2,58,759 have cast their votes in the poll while 2,221 votes were cancelled.

In Sylhet, Badar Uddin Ahmed Kamran was unofficially declared mayor of the city, who secured 1,15,436 votes. His closest rival AFM Kamal got 32,097 votes. Mayor candidates Abdul Haque alias M A Haque received 23,487 votes, Rabiul Hossain Babul received 3,692 votes and Abdul Mukit Khan got 2,077 votes.

The total votes received by ten other mayor candidates are: Abdus Samad Nazrul 947, Alhaj M Sirajul Islam 2,565, M Kutub Uddin Ahmed 207, Dr Kazi Kamal Ahmed 730, Bashir Ahmed 396, M Zunu Mia 2,369, Salah Uddin Rimon 470, Syed Ali Afsar 848, Syed Muhibur Rahman 944 and Syed Habibur Rahman Hiron 354.

A total of 186,619 electorates (75 per cent) out of 256,480 voters exercised their franchise in the election while 5,743 votes were cancelled for variety of reasons.

In Khulna, the EC unofficially declared Talukder Abdul Khaleque as mayor of the city, who bagged 157,812 votes against nearest rival M Moniuzzaman's 113,976 votes.

Four other mayor candidates-M Firoz Ahmed received 14,223 votes, S S Moslem Uddin Ahmed 1,027, M Enayet Ali 3,077 and Sheikh Tayebur Rahman 589.

Out of total 399,398 votes, 310,742 (77.80 per cent) was cast in the city while 2,038 votes were cancelled for wrong exercise.

In Barisal, Showkat Hossain Hiron marginally won the mayor post bagging 46,796 votes while his nearest rival Sardar Sarfuddin Ahmed received 46,208 votes.

Sharfuddin Ahmed Shantu, also a PDP leader, has rejected the unofficial results, while a local BNP leader has also cast doubts on the validity of the results.

Hiron (46,796 votes) beat Shantu (46,208 votes) by a slim margin of 588 votes, according to unofficial results released early Tuesday.

Ahsan Habib Kamal got 26,416 votes and Ebayedul Haq Chan bagged 19,626 votes. Abul Kalam Azad received 885 votes, Advocate Kabir Uddin got 672 votes and Advocate Zahurul Haque received 148 votes. Enayet Peer Khan received 2,114 votes; M Rafiqul Islam Rasel got 281 votes while Syed Abdullah Sahid got 807 votes.

Out of total 179,293 votes, 143,953 votes (81.02 per cent) were cast while the EC cancelled 3,113 votes.

According to the unofficial result of pourasava elections, Golam Kibria received 3,692 votes against his nearest rival Chand Mahmud 3,409 votes in Phulbaria pourasava election. In Sreepur Anisur Rahman declared elected with 17,805 votes against nearest candidate Nurul Islam 7,670 votes. In Chuadanga Reazul Islam Joarder received 25,592 votes against Khandker Abdul Jabber's 18,495 votes. Nayek Shafiul Alam Shafi in Sitakundu received 12,171 votes against Abul Kalam Azad's 4,213 votes. In Golapganj Zakaria Ahmed Pablu received 5,421 votes against Sirajul Jabbar Chowdhury's 3,475 votes. In Shariatpur Abdur Rab Munshi received 10,436 votes against Sardar AKM Nasiruddin's 8,288 votes. Jahangir Alam of Dhupchachiya received 4,955 votes against nearest rival Nurul Haq Talukdar's 1,427 votes. In Manikganj Ramzan Ali was declared elected with 12,008 votes against Nasiruddin Ahmed's 8,947 votes. And in Naohata Abdul Gafur Sarker was elected with 16,536 votes against nearest rival Mokbul Hossain who received 8,683 votes.

Meanwhile, BNP secretary general Delwar Hossain has decried Monday's city corporation and pourasava elections saying it was a rehearsal for the parliamentary polls through a covert understanding under the emergency.

Addressing the party workers at Institute of Engineers he said the people could well understand the design of the government to hold a managed parliamentary election under the cover of emergency.

BNP workers assembled at the Institute as part of countrywide programme to press home the demand of release of chairperson Khaleda Zia, withdrawal of cases against her, treatment abroad of ailing Tarique Rahman now undergoing trial in corruption cases, withdrawal of emergency and early election to parliament.

On the other hand, Awami League president and former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, now in USA for treatment, has felicitated the newly elected city and poura mayors and councilors.

In a congratulatory message sent over telephone to her press secretary Abul Kalam Azad here Tuesday morning, she thanked the voters and the concerned officials of the city and pourashava elections held on Monday.

The Awami League chief also congratulated leaders, workers and supporters of her party and other parties for achieving the victory in the polls.

Mentioning their hard work and cooperation behind the victory in the city and poura elections, she said such hard work would help re-establish democracy and rule of law in the country and inspire the nation for building a 'Sonarbangla' as dreamt by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Hasina demanded immediate release of all detained leaders and workers of Awami League and other front organizations, including newly elected Sylhet city mayor Badar Uddin Kamran, showing respect to the people's mandate.

Referring to untoward incidents at a number of places, including Barisal, she urged the Election Commission (EC) and all concerned to be more cautious during the upcoming polls.

The former Prime Minister said huge public interest in casting votes under the state of emergency has proved that people want a democratic government through free, fair, transparent and acceptable elections.

She also urged the present government and all concerned, including the election commission, to be more careful so that the people's constitutional rights were not harmed in any way.

The people expect the government and the election commission to be more sincere and dedicated in establishing their constitutional rights, Hasina said.