Narayanganj, Jan 14: Narayanganj City Corpor-ation (NCC) is going to poll tomorrow with around 5,000 law enforcers deployed all over the city to ward off violence.
Law enforcers identified all 192 voting centres as venerable as the NCC is going to the polls for the third time on Sunday.
Meanwhile, as per the election code of conduct, electioneering ended after Friday midnight.
Members of BGB and RAB on Friday started patrolling the city areas to ward off any tense situation.
"We have deployed 14 platoons of BGB since this morning to avert any sort of untoward incident and maintain peace in the metropolis," said a BGB officer.
This time the NCC elections have 517,358 voters - 259,834 males and 257,519 females. There are some 42,418 first-time voters.
On the two previous occasions - since Narayan-ganj became a city for administrative purposes - the election captured the imagination of the entire country - particularly the first time in 2011.
It was very much the arrival on the scene of Dr Selina Hayat Ivy. The original 'rebel candidate'took on and defeated the Awami League's heavyweight in the area, Shamim Osman, by over 100,000 votes.
That was the start of her enduring rivalry with Shamim - the two torchbearers of two very different strands of the Awami League in Narayanganj.
This time, politicians and their supporters are carrying out activities in 27 wards of Narayanganj City Corporation. Councillor candidates can be seen campaigning hard to win the polls.
Although seven candidates for running for the post of Narayanganj City Corporation (NCC) mayor, ruling party nominee Ivy and her principal rival Advocate Taimur Alam Khandaker, a veteran BNP leader who is fighting as an independent candidate (the BNP is boycotting polls under the current Election Commission) - have stolen all the attention.
Supporters of both candidates have made electioneering neck and neck. Also, things have heated up as the two major mayor hopefuls have accused each other of ruining the election atmosphere.
Also, despite not being among the seven names on the ballot for mayor, what Shamim Osman does and which way he swings has been at the centre of discussions surrounding the election once again. He never seems to be out of the picture.
This week Ivy threw a spanner in the works by alleging the man being viewed as Taimur is actually the candidate of the Osman brothers, Shamim and Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association President Selim Osman.
Following his announcement, most of the Awami League leaders, activists in Narayanganj were seen in full campaign mood for Ivy, who has served as mayor since 2011. "The game will be on and we will win it on January 16," Shamim said Monday.
However, Ivy said on the same day that it had become clear from Taimur's activities that he was the candidate nominated by Shamim Osman.
This was the same claim she made earlier, that ruffled feathers in the Awami League high command and forced Shamim Osman to come out and clarify his stance ahead of the election.
Taimur said, "My opponent is assuming I got support from certain people and is trying to damage my reputation. Also, my supporters, party activists, and leaders are being threatened through police visits to their homes."
Taimur's coordinator and campaign in-charge, also the convener of district BNP Monirul Islam Robi, was arrested by police from his residence in Hirajhil.
The candidates' qualifications, popularity, party symbol, gender, age could be the deciding factors this year. Women and youth voters are expected to play a pivotal role.
However, whoever wants to win the election must bag a major chunk of the first-timers, according to popular perceptions.
Police sources said all the policemen were kept in highest alert so none can violate the election code of conduct. Foolproof security will be ensured in all the polling centres in the election.
Meanwhile, restriction has been imposed on carrying firearms including the licensed ones and traffic movement here for the election.
However, vehicles to be used by officers and employees engaged in election duties and other law enforcers and other vehicles and ambulances engaged in emergency and utility services will remain outside the purview of the restriction.
