The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed yesterday administered oath to the newly elected Mayors of Khulna, Rajshahi, Barisal and Sylhet city corporations at a simple ceremony at the LGED Auditorium of LGED Bhaban in the city's Agargaon.

The elections to the four city corporations and nine municipalities were held on August 4 as a "test case" under a much-hyped new national voter list prepared under the initiative of the caretaker government as part of massive reforms. The gazette notification of results was published on August 13.

After being sworn-in the newly elected mayors of four city corporations preferred holding parliamentary elections before the upazila polls, as debate on the issue is hat in the political arena.

The mayors also vowed to keep the city corporation offices free from corruption and political influences by ensuring accountability.

Rajshahi city corporation mayor AHM Khairuzzaman Liton said he wants Jatiya Sangsad election (national election) first as major political parties and people of the country want.

"I definitely want upazila election, but not before the parliamentary elections," he added.

He also said he would work hard for ensuring the local government body's accountability-one of the terms that reverberate through the current wave of changes through a countrywide purge in the interim period.

Mayor of Sylhet Badruddin Ahmed Kamran expressed his solidarity with the comment of Liton about general election first and said that he wanted to place the city corporation in front of the people as a modern and transparent institution that would be accountable to the people.

He said he and councillors would try their best to keep the city corporation free from corruption and political influences.

Kamran said that he has a close connection with the people of Sylhet and it is reflected in the people's verdict that re-elected him.

Mayor of Khulna Talukder Abdul Khaleq and Mayor of Barisal M Shawkat

Hossain Hiron also expressed similar reactions regarding holding of national election first.