Tuesday, October 14, 2025

GCC poll rout warning for AL

The landslide victory of 18-party-backed candidate M A Mannan over his rival 14-party backed Azmatullah Khan in the first mayoral election to newly created Gazipur City Corporation is considered as the writing on the wall for the ruling party.     It has reset the equation of national politics.
According to the unofficial results declared on early Sunday, BNP-led 18-party alliance backed candidate MA Mannan won a landslide victory in the Gazipur City Corporation (GCC) election defeating his rival Awami League-supported candidate by 1,06,577 votes.
Talking to The Independent leading political analysts of the country said that the result is the outcome of the people’s sentiment against the present government.
Eminent jurist Barrister Rafique-ul Huq said that the people have gave their verdict not only against the defeated candidate but also against the parties which backed him.
“It was the reflection of people’s attitude” he said.
But he also opposed the view that the election was not free and fair.
“The opposition made such allegation just for the sake of opposition”, he observed.
Brushing aside the argument that since the city corporation polls were free and fair, the national elections would also be free and fair under this government, the eminent jurist said,  Gazipur City Corporation (GCC) poll is a local government election, it should not be treated as if it is national election, Huq said, adding, “The national election must be hold under the caretaker government.”
“The opposition would not accept the national election under the present government. To avoid any untoward situation, the government should reach a consensus to hold national election under caretaker government or other impartial form,” the noted lawyer observed.
Dr Iftekharuzzaman, executive director of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), said, national issues were given priority during the GCC election.
“Though the GCC was local government election, but the national issues were given priority. The people have taken anti-government stand in the GCC election.”
The voters had got negative approach from the government side during the selection of candidate, he said, adding, “the ruling party didn’t evaluate the people’s choice. They nominated one candidate in the GCC poll against the demand of the local people.”
The government has tried to manipulate the GCC election using administration, he alleged, adding, “the government has directed the national board of revenue (NBR) to confiscate the bank accounts of opposition’s GCC mayor candidate just before the election day. The opposition was trying to maintain the continuity of winning of the four city corporations election.”
The ruling party needed to take lesson from these elections, Iftekharuzzaman observed.
He further said that the election commission has conducted the GCC election successfully, but they failed to keep away the local government elections from partisan.
“Many national leaders took part in the campaign with national issues. The EC could take strong steps in this regard,” the TIB ED said.
“The ruling party can say there will be no problem for holding national election under an elected government as the city corporation elections held under free and fair environment without interruption of the government. This debate may continue, but both the major parties have to reach a conclusion about caretaker government for holding the national election through dialogue,” he said in reply to a query.
Noted lawyer Dr Shahdeen Malik said, “It is the clear confirmation of the popular perception that Awami League as a ruling party is not running the country well.
Whether such result will affect the national election, he said, “Obviously such result is the forbearer of the result of the national election.”
Badiul Alam Majumder, secretary of Sushasaner Jonney Nagorik (SUJAN) said the success of 18-party backed candidate was not unexpected as they won the mayoral posts in the four other city corporation elections.
The verdict proved that the pro-democratic people ultimately got the victory, he said adding that the GCC result also proved that the people expressed their resentment to the government through ballots.
M A Mannan polled 365,444 votes at all the 392 centres with his logo ‘television’ against Azmat who managed to draw 258,867 votes with his ‘inkpot-pen’ symbol, Returning Officer Matiar Rahman said at the Bangataj auditorium in Gazipur on early Sunday while declaring the unofficial results.
A total of 6,54,094 votes were cast which is 65 per cent of total turnout and 18,046 votes were rejected, Matiar said.

-With The Independent input

Related News

Bangladesh and KSA sign pact for workers’ rights

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia have just inked a labour recruitment agreement, marking the first deal aimed at promoting fair recruitment practices and protecting workers’ rights. Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Adviser, Prof. Asif Nazrul, and the Saudi Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, Engineer Ahmad Bin Solaiman Al-Rajhi, recently came ... Read more

Poor pay, allowances of teachers affect education

World Teacher’s Day today Shahin Akhter Poor pay-scale and allowances and low social status mark the poor condition of the teachers in Bangladesh affecting the education sector, observed educationists and researchers. They also said that the Bangladeshi teachers were lagging much behind their fellows even in the neighbouring countries in terms of these facilities and ... Read more

Protecting hilsa: 22-day fishing ban begins

News Desk : dhakamirror.com The government has put a 22-day halt on catching, transporting, storing, selling, and marketing hilsa throughout the country. This measure aims to protect the fish during its crucial breeding season. The ban started at midnight yesterday and will last until October 25, as stated in a notification from the Ministry of ... Read more

Road fatalities: 446 crashes, 417 lives lost in September

News Desk : dhakamirror.com In September, a tragic report from the Road Safety Foundation revealed that at least 417 people lost their lives and 682 were injured in 446 road accidents throughout Bangladesh. Among those who died, there were 63 women and 47 children, as highlighted in the foundation’s monthly report released today. In 151 ... Read more

Man’s fatal fall into Ramna Park lake

News Desk : dhakamirror.com A tragic incident occurred yesterday at Ramna Park in the capital, where a man drowned in the lake. The victim has been identified as 55-year-old Wasimul Haq. The police were able to identify him using fingerprint records. According to Ramna police SI Mizanur Rahman, he was discovered unconscious around 6:00 PM ... Read more

Tariff Commission’s size-based hilsa pricing strategy

News Desk : dhakamirror.com The Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission (BTTC), also known as the Tariff Commission, has suggested setting a maximum retail price for hilsa based on its size. This recommendation comes in response to the unusual spike in prices seen in the local market. On Sunday, the Tariff Commission released a report detailing ... Read more

Ekushey Book Fair won’t happen in December

News Desk : dhakamirror.com The Bangla Academy announced yesterday (28 September), that the previously scheduled dates for the Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2026 have been postponed. In a press release, they explained that this decision was made following a directive from the Ministry of Home Affairs on September 21, which indicated that the fair should ... Read more

Working in Bangladesh is quite challenging: CEC

News Desk : dhakamirror.com The Election Commission is grappling with a mix of challenges, both seen and unseen, as it gears up for the upcoming elections and responds to various demands, shared chief election commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin on Saturday. “These hurdles might not be apparent from the outside, but we’re constantly navigating through them,” ... Read more

Travel ban on Keokradong hill to be lifted starting from 1 October

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Great news for travelers! Keokradong hill in Bandarban’s Ruma upazila is set to welcome tourists again starting October 1. The district administration has finally lifted the travel ban that had been in effect for almost three years. Bandarban Deputy Commissioner (DC) Shamim Ara Rini announced the decision today (27 September) during ... Read more

Tree planting campaign to lower pollution, make city more attractive

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Administrator Md Shahjahan Mia has inaugurated a tree plantation and greening programme covering 33 road medians, spanning a total length of 31 kilometres, within the corporation’s jurisdiction. Under the “Zero Soil” programme, ornamental flowering trees and grasses will be planted across 28 DSCC medians, while the ... Read more

Krishi Bank ranks third in remittance collection

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Krishi Bank has shown remarkable success in collecting remittances from expatriates during the first eight months of 2025 (January–August). Known as bank for farmers due to its agricultural loan services, this state-owned institution has climbed to the third position in remittance collection from abroad in that timeframe. This notable achievement has ... Read more

North Bay low : Rain forecast for Bangladesh

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Many parts of the country is expected to witness moderate to heavy and very heavy rainfall in the coming days due to the formation of a low-pressure system over the north Bay and adjoining coastal areas, the Met office said in its latest forecast. According to Bangladesh Meteorological Department’s 120-hour weather ... Read more

Metrorail boosts service: Extended hours & more frequent arrivals

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Dhaka metrorail service is set to start operating earlier in the morning and later at night to better serve the growing number of passengers. Service hours will be extended by 30 minutes at both the beginning and end of the day, and the interval between trains will be reduced by nearly ... Read more

22% minors in Bangladesh’s sex trade

News Desk : dhakamirror.com At least 22 percent of victims of commercial sexual exploitation (abuse of a person, or a minor, through sexual activities in exchange for money, goods, or other benefits) in Bangladesh are children, said speakers at an event yesterday. They shared the information at the launch of “Project Shurakkha”, an initiative of ... Read more

WB Reports Bangladesh Heat Costs at $1.78 Billion in 2024

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Rising temperatures in Bangladesh are fueling a surge in heat-related illnesses, leading to the loss of 250 million workdays in 2024 and economic losses estimated at $1.33–1.78 billion, representing about 0.3 to 0.4 percent of Bangladesh’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2024, according to a new World Bank report. The report ... Read more

Police clearance no longer required for passports

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus announced that police verification will no longer be necessary for obtaining a passport, thereby reducing unnecessary hassle for citizens. “Getting a passport is a basic right. We have established a rule that eliminates the need for police verification,” he stated. While speaking at the opening session ... Read more

Metro rail achieves record 4 lakh daily passengers

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Metro Rail has achieved a remarkable milestone by carrying over 400,000 passengers in a single day. The Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL), which operates the Metro Rail, announced this achievement on their official Facebook page on Friday night. For the first time, Metro Rail recorded 403,164 passengers. The Metro Rail ... Read more

Most people, about 66% think civil servants behave as if they are rulers

News Desk : dhakamirror.com More than 100,000 participants have contributed their responses to reform commission’s online survey 80% of the respondents believe that the administration is not approachable for the general public, according to a survey conducted by the Public Administration Reform Commission. Additionally, 66% of participants feel that civil servants act as if they ... Read more

Former Justice Abdur Rouf dies

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Former Chief Election Commissioner Justice Md Abdur Rouf has passed away at the age of 91. He died around 10:00 am while receiving treatment at Insaf Barakah Kidney and General Hospital in Dhaka, as stated in a press release. Justice Rouf had been battling heart disease, lung complications, kidney issues, and ... Read more

Bangladesh climbed 4 positions to rank 93rd in global passport index

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Bangladesh has climbed four notches up in the latest Henley Passport Index 2025, ranking 93rd out of 99. However, the number of visa-free destinations for Bangladeshi passport holders has dropped from 42 in 2024 to 39 this year, reflecting a decline in global travel privileges. Despite this improvement in rank — ... Read more