Khulna City Corporation polls end

Election officials are preparing to begin counting the votes after a peaceful end to the Khulna City Corporation polls.

Voting took place at 289 polling centres in the city from 8am to 4pm on Tuesday. Five candidates ran for the post of mayor, while 148 vying for general councillor and 38 reserved-seat female councillor.

Authorities suspended voting at the Iqbal Nagar Girls High School centre under Ward No. 24, hours after the voting began at 8am. 

The allegations of casting fake votes by activists of the ruling Awami league sparked violence in the area. At least five BNP polling camps have reportedly been vandalised. The voting continued until 4pm.

Khulna residents exercised their voting right at 289 centres to elect the KCC mayor for five years.

Supporters of the BNP candidate have alleged that the ruling party men have stuffed the ballot boxes with fake votes.

Kakoli Khan, a BNP polling agent, said, “The voting was going on peacefully since morning. Some Awami League leaders and supporters arrived suddenly, stamped ballot papers, stuffed the boxes with fake votes and left the centre.”    

BNP supporters protested vote-rigging and ransacked some electoral camps outside the polling centre.

Source: bdnews24