Barishal city polls: AL-backed Abul Khair Abdullah wins mayoral seat, UNB reports
Awami League-backed mayoral candidate Abul Khair Abdullah has been elected Barishal mayor, reports the UNB.
He was leading by 39,485 votes in Barishal City Corporation mayoral polls.
The AL candidate was ahead in 120 out of 126 polling centres, said Moniruzzaman Munshi, senior district election officer.
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Khair Abdullah secured victory with reportedly 87,808 votes in total. His closest rival was Mufti Syed Muhammad Faizul Karim from the Islami Andolan, who received 33,828 votes.
The voter turnout in Barishal was recorded at 51.46%.
Voting in Barishal city began at 8am and continued till 4pm without any break. Electronic Voting Machines were used at all centres to cast votes.
Seven candidates competed for the mayoral post in the Barishal city polls. Besides, 119 candidates were in the race for the post of general councillor and 42 candidates for the reserved councillor post.
A total of 276,298 voters cast their votes in 126 polling stations under 30 wards. Of the centres, 106 were considered "vulnerable".
Ten platoons of the BGB were deployed in the BCC election along with 4,500 members of the law enforcing agencies.
Earlier, Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal said the possible voter turnout at Barishal City Corporation election was 50%, while in Khulna, it ranged between 42% and 45%.
The chief election commissioner provided these estimations after voting concluded at 4pm Monday in the two city corporations.
During a briefing at the Election Commission (EC) Office, Kazi Habibul Awal mentioned that adequate preparations were made to ensure the prevention of post-poll violence in Barishal and Khulna.
He also noted that the polling in these two southern cities took place amidst festivities and in a free and fair manner, with only a few minor incidents reported.
