2023 Barishal City Corporation election explained

Election Name:2023 Barishal City Corporation election
Country:Bangladesh
Election Date:12 June 2023
Previous Election:2018 Barishal City Corporation election
Previous Year:2018
Next Year:2028
Registered:276,298
Turnout:51.46%
Module:
Ongoing:no
Embed:yes
Election Name:Mayoral election
Type:presidential
Image1:Abul Khair Abdullah.png
Nominee1:Abul Khair Abdullah
Party1:Awami League
Popular Vote1:87,752
Percentage1:62.99%
Nominee2:Syed Faizul Karim
Party2:Islami Andolan Bangladesh
Popular Vote2:34,345
Percentage2:24.62%
Mayor
Before Election:Serniabat Sadiq Abdullah
Before Party:Awami League
After Election:Abul Khair Abdullah
After Party:Awami League
Module:
Embed:yes
Nopercentage:yes
Election Name:Council election
Election Date:40 seats in the Barisal City Corporation
Party1:Awami League
Leader1:Abul Khair Abdullah
Seats1:29
Last Election1:7
Party2:Bangladesh Nationalist Party
Leader2:Didn't contest
Seats2:9
Last Election2:4
Party3:Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami
Leader3:
Seats3:1
Last Election3:0
Party4:Jatiya Party (Ershad)
Leader4:
Seats4:0
Last Election4:1
Party5:Independent
Leader5:
Seats5:1
Last Election5:8

The 2023 Barishal City Corporation election was an election in Barisal, Bangladesh, held on 12 June 2023 to elect the next mayor & councillors of Barisal.[1] A total of 276,298 people cast their votes in 894 rooms of 126 polling stations in Barishal City Corporation election.

Background

City corporations, or city councils, are the highest tier among the local councils of Bangladesh—usually composed of cities or metropolitan areas. Elections are held every five years to elect the mayors and ward councilors. Wards are moreover divided administrative parts of a city, and the number of wards in a city depends on the total administrative area. Ward councilors are elected for each ward by their ward residents. For every 3 wards, there is a reserved seat for women in the general council, they are also elected by the people. But the mayoral elections has been way more politically important and prioritized by both voters and political analysts.

The Barishal City Corporation (BCC) is one of the 12 City Corporations in Bangladesh. It comprises the metropolitan Barisal. It is further divided into 30 wards. The body was known as Barisal Municipality previously, until it obtained the city corporation status by a ministry of local government declaration on 25 July 2002.[2]

Previous election

In the last election, Serniabat Sadiq Abdullah was elected as mayor of the Barisal City Corporation in 2018 city election.[3] The election was boycotted by the candidates of Communist Party of Bangladesh and Islami Andolon Bangladesh who alleged vote rigging.[4]

Schedule

The schedule of the election was announced by the Election Commission of Bangladesh on 29 March 2023.[5]

EventDateDay
Date of notification 3 April 2023 Monday
Deadline for submission of nomination paper 16 May 2023 Tuesday
Date for scrutiny of nominations 18 May 2023 Thursday
Appeal against the nomination paper scrutiny 19–21 May 2023
Appeal resolve 22–24 May 2023
Last date for withdrawal of candidatures 25 May 2023 Thursday
Symbols distribution 26 May 2023 Friday
Date of poll & counting 12 June 2023 Monday

Candidates

Mayoral election

A total of 7 candidates were contested for the mayoral post.

NameElection Symbol PartyRef.
Abul Khair AbdullahNouka (Boat)Bangladesh Awami League[6] [7]
Syed Faizul KarimHatpakha (Hand fan)Islami Andolon Bangladesh
Iqbal Hossain TaposhLangol (Plough)Jatiya Party (Ershad)
Mizanur Rahman BachchuGolap ful (Rose)Zaker Party
Kamrul AhsanGhori (Clock)Independent
AsaduzzamanHati (Elephant)Independent
Ali HossainHorin (Deer)Independent

Council election

Total of 116 and 42 were contested for 30 general and 10 reserved (women) seats in the city council, respectively. Symbols have been distributed to 115 out of 116 vying for the posts of councillors of 30 wards. As there is one candidate in ward-7, no symbol has been allotted.[8]

Incidents

Election boycott

In a press conference on 26 April 2023, BaSad leader Manisha Chakraborty boycotted the upcoming city election.[9]

Violence

Islami Andolan Bangladesh brought out a march by its followers with sticks and rods, which was widely criticized on social media.[10]

Islami Andolan candidate Syed Faizul Karim alleged that some 30–40 boat symbol supporters attacked them with sticks near Hatim Ali College after they left Sabera Khatun Girls' Secondary School polling centre.[11]

In a press briefing at the Nirbachan Bhaban on election day afternoon, Election Commissioner Ahsan Habib Khan assured that orders have already been issued to apprehend those involved in the assault on Faizul.[12] [13]

Results

Mayoral election

Abul Khair Abdullah was elected as mayor of the Barishal City Corporation by defeating Islami Andolan candidate Syed Faizul Karim.[14] [15] [16]

Council election Results

Party-wise

colspan="5"
PartySeats
Ward CouncilorsReserved Women CouncilorsTotal Councilors
Bangladesh Awami League21829
Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami11
Independent8210
Total301040

Aftermath

Islami Andolan Bangladesh has rejected the results of Barishal and Khulna City Corporation elections over alleged irregularities and assault on a candidate. They also boycotted the upcoming city elections in Rajshahi and Sylhet.[17] [18] [19] [20]

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir criticizes attack on Islami Andolan candidate Syed Faizul Karim during elections and said it has been proved once again that credible elections are never possible under the current illegal government. Fakhrul strongly denounced the incident and blamed the ruling party cadres for it.[21]

In a press briefing, Jatiya Party candidate Iqbal Hossain Taposh commented that BNP's decision to boycott election was right and also condemned the attack on the mayoral candidate of the Islami Andolan and demanded speedy justice.[22]

Inauguration

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Polls to 5 city corporations: AL nominates mayoral candidates . . 15 April 2023 . 15 April 2023.
  2. Web site: Barisal City Corporation . Banglapedia – National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh . 23 November 2015.
  3. News: 2018-10-22. New Barisal mayor Sadiq Abdullah sworn in. 2021-07-07. Dhaka Tribune.
  4. News: 2018-07-31. BCC polls: Serniabat leads by huge margin. 2021-07-07. The Daily Star. en.
  5. News: EC announces polls schedule for five city corporations. 12 October 2019 . Dhaka Tribune . 3 April 2023 . en.
  6. News: Awami League's contender – JaPa or others?. 12 October 2019 . Prothom Alo . 14 April 2023 . en.
  7. News: Barishal city polls: 7 mayoral candidates get symbols. 28 May 2023 . The Daily Star . 26 May 2023 . en.
  8. News: Barisal city polls: Symbols allotted to 7 mayoral candidates. 29 May 2023 . Daily Observer . 26 May 2023 . en.
  9. News: বরিশাল সিটি নির্বাচন বর্জনের ঘোষণা বাসদের. 3 June 2023 . The daily star . 26 April 2023 . bn.
  10. News: Netizens censure as Islamic Andolan's violent march video during BCC polls goes viral. 25 June 2023 . Dhaka Tribune . 12 June 2023 . en.
  11. News: BCC polls: Islami Andolan candidate Mufti Faizul Karim injured in clash. 13 June 2023 . Dhaka Tribune . 12 June 2023 . en.
  12. News: Arrest those involved in attack on Mufti Syed Faizul Karim: EC . 13 June 2023 . The Business Standard . 12 June 2023 . en.
  13. News: EC: Attack on Islami Andolan candidate an isolated event . 13 June 2023 . Dhaka Tribune . 12 June 2023 . en.
  14. News: BCC polls: Abul Khair Abdullah defeats Faizul. 13 June 2023 . The daily star . 12 June 2023 . en.
  15. Web site: Abul Khair Abdullah wins Barishal city polls . 2023-06-12 . The Financial Express . en.
  16. News: Awami League candidates Khokon, Khaleque win mayoral polls to Barishal, Khulna . 22 June 2023 . bdnews24.com. 12 June 2023 . en.
  17. News: Islami Andolan rejects polls results. 13 June 2023 . The daily star . 12 June 2023 . en.
  18. News: Islamic Andolan Bangladesh rejects BCC, KCC polls results. 13 June 2023 . Dhaka Tribune . 12 June 2023 . en.
  19. News: Islami Andolan rejects Khulna, Barishal city polls results, pulls out of Sylhet, Rajshahi races. 13 June 2023 . bdnews24.com . 12 June 2023 . en.
  20. News: Islami Andolan rejects Barishal-Khulna results, announces boycotting Sylhet-Rajshahi polls. 13 June 2023 . The Business Standard . 12 June 2023 . en.
  21. News: BNP: Attack on Faizul Karim proves again credible polls never possible under Awami League . 13 June 2023 . Dhaka Tribune . 12 June 2023 . en.
  22. News: BNP's decision to boycott polls was right: Jatiya Party . 13 June 2023 . The Business Standard . 13 June 2023 . en.