Campaigns for Chittagong City Corporation election, scheduled on June 17, got a full swing momentum with allocation of electoral symbols among candidates for the mayor and ward councilor posts by the election office on Wednesday.
The district election office sources said they allocated the symbol of ‘ship’ to the Citizen Committee nominated and Awami League supported mayoral candidate ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury and ‘pineapple’ to Chittagong Development Movement nominated and Bangladesh Nationalist Party supported M Manjur Alam Manju—the two major candidates in the CCC polls.
Jatiya Party nominated Solaiman Alam Sheth got the symbol of ‘television’.
Among the independent candidates Syed Sajjad Joha was allocated ‘spectacles’, Mohammad Ibrahim ‘motorcycle’, ‘inkpot-pen’ for Zane Alam, ‘helicopter’ for Mofazzal Hossain Bhuiyan and Rafiqul Alam was allocated ‘lock’.
Dulal Taluker, an assistant returning officer, said they allocated 20 symbols, including apple, car, kite, anchor, lion and flower vase for the ward councilor aspirants and 18 symbols, including aircraft, bow, papaya, pitcher and crocodile for the female ward councilor aspirants.
The Election Commission on Wednesday decided to start from today video recording of all campaign events of the two major mayoral candidates in CCC polls.
The commission also decided to attach two magistrates with the two major candidates— Mohiuddin Chowdhury and Manjarul Alam—to follow their campaign trails round-the-clock from today.
Election Commissioner Muhammed Sohul Hussain disclosed the commission’s decision to the reporters and said that the commission was satisfied with the prevailing situation in the city areas.
‘Till date the candidates are abiding the code of conduct… the overall situation appears satisfactory for a free and fair polls,’ Sohul said.
The mayor and word councilor aspirants started campaign with loud speakers at different parts of the city to inform the city dwellers of their symbols.
Mayoral candidate Mohiuddin conducted mass contact at Barapul area in the city and attended a prayer session at Panchlaish Chaillatoli Mosque marking the 16th death anniversary of AL leader Liakat Ali Khan. He also visited the residence of Bara Hujur at Halishahar area in the city.
Manju conducted mass contact at the Kadamtoli, Barapul, Chotopul, Baperipara, Hazipara, Pannapara, Old Halishahar Road and Chowmuhuni areas and inaugurated the principal office of the Chittagong Development Movement at Dewanhat crossing in the city.
He was also scheduled to exchange views with the owners and workers of light motor transports at the Development Movement office at night.