The New Nation - Internet Edition

Our Correspondent

In an intense drama in the Barisal mayoral election and amid allegations and counter allegations of poll engineering by the rival candidates, Awami Lague backed 14-party alliance candidate Advocate Shawkat Hossain Hiron was unofficially declared elected mayor of Barisal City Corporation late Tuesday night.

Hiron came out victorious defeating his nearest rival Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) supported candidate Sardar Sarfuddin Santu by a thin margin of 588 votes.

Hiron bagged 46,796 votes while Santu polled 46,208 votes.

Contrary to the expectation of the overwhelming majority of nearly two lakh voters of Barisal City Corporation, Santu emerged in the mayoral race as a formidable candidate and main challenger to Hiron all of a sudden because of what is alleged strong backing of an invisible powerful lobby. Voters by and large were looking forward for a straight fight between Hiron and Ahsan Habib Kamal, who was earlier expelled from BNP. But Santu of PDP, which was floated during the state of emergency, became a strong contender for the coveted mayoral post only on the day of polls on Monday with the blessing from an invisible Quarter, locals said.

The party which was born under the state of emergency can boast of its candidate having failed in the Barisal mayoral polls with an narrow margin of 500 votes.

The PDP candidate nearly came close to toppling the giant 14-party candidate by the neck. It could have been the biggest surprise in the annals of the election history had he been given his way.

Some voters including mayoral candidate Hiron alleged that ballot counting was tempered at some centres only to declare Santu victor. Hiron at the initial stage of vote counting accused the administration of resorting to election engineering.” I am going to lodge complaint with the divisional election office against the conspiracy to defeat me’, Hiron said.

The close race between Hiron and Santu filled the air of Barisal city with high tension and all sorts of rumours and speculations. The supporters of the two candidates were found locked in charges and counter charges. Hiron and Santu themselves exchanged hot words at the height of their anger. The law enforcing agencies had to intervene to bring the situation under control.

At one stage rumour gained currency that the results of a centre under ward number 15 were missing mysteriously. Another rumour was afloat that recounting of ballots of a centre was done without the presence of agents of the candidates.

At one stage both Hiron and Santu alleged vote rigging at a number of centres.

When the total results of the polls were announced at 4.45 am declaring Hiron winner, Santu rejected the result outright and left the election commission office after recording verbal objection and stating that he would lodge protest formally.

Hiron accepted the results and withdrew his earlier allegation of vote rigging.

Hiron left the election office at the head of a victory procession at 5:40 am yesterday.

The unofficial results of the Barisal City Corpoation were announced by returning officer Manirul Islam on Tuesday afternoon.

Polling took place at 91 centres. Of the total 1,79,293 votes, 1,43,953 were cast representing 80 per cent turn-out of the voters.

Eight candidates were in the race for the prestigious mayor post.

Of them, Ahsan Habib Kamal polled 26,416 votes, Ebaidul Huq Chan 19,626, AK Azad- 885, Syed Sahidul 807, Kabiruddin Hannu 672, Rafiqul Islam Russel 281 and Advovate Jahirul Huq 148.