Sylhet, Rajshahi polls: Empty fields, open goals | The Business Standard
Skip to main content
  • Latest
  • Economy
    • Banking
    • Stocks
    • Industry
    • Analysis
    • Bazaar
    • RMG
    • Corporates
    • Aviation
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • Subscribe
    • Epaper
    • GOVT. Ad
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
The Business Standard

Thursday
July 10, 2025

Sign In
Subscribe
  • Latest
  • Economy
    • Banking
    • Stocks
    • Industry
    • Analysis
    • Bazaar
    • RMG
    • Corporates
    • Aviation
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • Subscribe
    • Epaper
    • GOVT. Ad
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
THURSDAY, JULY 10, 2025
Sylhet, Rajshahi polls: Empty fields, open goals

Bangladesh

Foisal Ahmed
20 June, 2023, 10:35 pm
Last modified: 20 June, 2023, 10:47 pm

Related News

  • Rajshahi City Corporation terminates 159 day labourers, issues show cause notices to 38
  • Sylhet mayor holds emergency meeting to address severe flooding
  • Rajshahi city polls: Woman jailed for trying to influence voter
  • No reports of election irregularities in RCC, SCC polls, voter turnout satisfactory: EC Rasheda
  • Rajshahi polls: BNP would have benefited from contesting in election, says AL's Khairuzzaman

Sylhet, Rajshahi polls: Empty fields, open goals

Foisal Ahmed
20 June, 2023, 10:35 pm
Last modified: 20 June, 2023, 10:47 pm
Infographic: TBS
Infographic: TBS

As two last elections – Sylhet and Rajshahi – of the five scheduled city polls begin on Wednesday, there remains a sense that these will be just formalities.

No major player has taken to the field, with Jatiya Party candidate Nazrul Islam Babul the only strong rival in Sylhet, despite not boasting the best vote bank.

The rest of the candidates aren't expected to give much competition to the Awami League.

In Sylhet, the AL is banking on expat Anwaruzzaman Chowdhury. His manifesto is focused on building a green, clean and smart city. But, he hasn't masqueraded the fact that he is an actual Sylheti, "unlike the past mayors, who are from other districts", according to him.

The Business Standard Google News Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel

Anwaruzzaman's nomination raised some concerns as he was never part of any of the AL's city party units. So far, however, no rebel candidates have emerged.

In Rajshahi, AHM Khairuzzaman Liton represents the ruling party for the mayoral seat. With campaign materials of Jatiya Party candidate Saiful Islam Swapan and Jaker Party's Latif Anwar barely, Liton is expected to seal a third term without any hiccups.

Expected victories, however, weren't part of the electoral narrative initially. 

It all began with Gazipur, where the AL-backed Azmat Ullah was defeated by around 10,000 votes by Zaida Khatun, mother of the-then disgraced Zahangir Alom. 

The Gazipur election, which the Election Commission touted as a model for all future polls, went without any incident. It also showed that if the people exercised their franchise, their voices would be heard. 

The only downside was the 48% voter turnout, lower than the past two Gazipur polls. It's a trend that would go on to be repeated.

From there, it was on to Barishal and Khulna. Here, the model election did not hold up, at least in Barishal, where Islami Andolon Bangladesh mayoral aspirant Faizul Karim came under attack. 

Although the EC downplayed the incident, it led to an all-out boycott by the IAB, who will also not contest the Rajshahi or Sylhet polls. 

The BNP, which already made a statement by expelling the "Mir Jafars" who decided to participate in the Barishal and Khulna polls – will also be absent from the field. 

The record low turnouts in both the elections – 51.46% in Barishal and 47.88% in Khulna – means there is room for improvement in the next two polls.

But would it be a matter of scoring in an empty field?

In the Sylhet City Polls, there are 486,605 voters for 1,364 polling booths in 190 centres. 

Of 388 candidates, eight are vying for the mayoral post, higher than the past two elections where the voter turnout was around 62%.

In the Rajshahi city polls, 352,157 voters have been enlisted for 1,153 polling booths in 155 vote centres. 

A total of 161 candidates are contesting for various positions, with four mayoral candidates. The voter turnout here will be important. In the past two polls, the turnout was 78.86% (2018) and 68.70% (2013). 

None of the three elections so far has touched the 60% turnout mark. Bringing voters to the centre is the challenge for the contestants. 

Although in these cities, there is no visible work from BNP to discourage voters, the party already requested all not to cast their vote in these polls.

Sylhet Metropolitan BNP President Nasim Hossain said, we have boycotted this election. As a result, we have no interest here.

JP Mayoral candidate Nazrul Islam Babul expressed concern about the presence of voters in the centre due to AL candidate role to creating a menace among voters, continuous rain and water in many centres. 

However, the Awamileague in both cities is desperate to bring the voters. Going door to door, they requested voters to come and vote. Even leaders from centre take part in the campaign to get more attention. 

The EC, meanwhile, has taken all our preparations, although there are aspects it can't influence.

EC Secretary Jahangir said, "The ongoing city elections is of course participatory as many candidates are participating and all of them are getting the same treatment from us regardless of their political identity. 

"Everyone should know that it is not the EC's responsibility to bring parties to participate in the election. Our duty is to arrange and manage elections properly in a free, fair manner with a level playing field available for all the participating candidates, as well as to ensure the environment for the voter to practise their voting rights freely." 

In a bid to ensure transparent and secure city polls, the EC is set to use around 3,200 CCTV cameras, with 1,740 cameras allocated for Sylhet and 1,560 for Rajshahi. 

Further, to maintain law and order during the voting process, the EC plans to station 16 law enforcement personnel, including armed police and Ansar, at each general centre, and 17 for those identified as "important". 

Additionally, 17 platoons – seven in Rajshahi and 10 in Sylhet – of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) will be deployed on the voting day in those cities.

Besides, executive magistrates, mobile forces, stricting forces and RAB patrolling teams, will also be on duty, bolstering security efforts

Top News / Politics

Sylhet City Corporation (SCC) / Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) / City polls

Comments

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.

Top Stories

  • In terms of stream of education, girls maintained their excellence as well. Photo: TBS
    Lowest SSC pass rate in 17 years as over 6 lakh students fail
  • BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir while speaking at a discussion at National Press Club on 10 July 2025. Photo: TBS
    'Backbone of economy will break': Fakhrul says govt should've worked seriously with more qualified people on US tariffs
  • S Alam Group Chairman Mohammed Saiful Alam. Photo: Collected
    Court freezes foreign investments of S Alam Group chairman, family in Singapore

MOST VIEWED

  • Graphics: TBS
    BB raises startup fund limit, drops upper age barrier
  • Workers pack undergarments at the packing section of a garment factory in Ashulia, on the outskirts of Dhaka, Bangladesh, April 19, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Fatima Tuj Johora
    After US tariffs, jobs hang by a thread in Bangladesh's garments sector
  • Global Islami Bank rectifies 2023 figures, reports Tk2,259cr loss instead of Tk128cr profit
    Global Islami Bank rectifies 2023 figures, reports Tk2,259cr loss instead of Tk128cr profit
  • Bangladesh Bank Governor Ahsan H Mansur. TBS Sketch
    Audit reports of most banks contain cooked up data: BB governor
  • File photo of containers at Chattogram port/TBS
    US buyers push Bangladeshi exporters to share extra tariff costs
  • CA orders law enforcers to complete all election preparations by December
    CA orders law enforcers to complete all election preparations by December

Related News

  • Rajshahi City Corporation terminates 159 day labourers, issues show cause notices to 38
  • Sylhet mayor holds emergency meeting to address severe flooding
  • Rajshahi city polls: Woman jailed for trying to influence voter
  • No reports of election irregularities in RCC, SCC polls, voter turnout satisfactory: EC Rasheda
  • Rajshahi polls: BNP would have benefited from contesting in election, says AL's Khairuzzaman

Features

Illustration: TBS

Behind closed doors: Why women in Bangladesh stay in abusive marriages

2h | Panorama
Purbachl’s 144-acre Sal forest is an essential part of the area’s biodiversity. Within it, 128 species of plants and 74 species of animals — many of them endangered- have been identified. Photo: Syed Zakir Hossain/TBS

A forest saved: Inside the restoration of Purbachal's last Sal grove

2h | Panorama
Women are forced to fish in saline waters every day, risking their health to provide for their families. Photo: TBS

How Mongla’s women are bearing the brunt of rising salinity

23h | Panorama
Dr Mostafa Abid Khan. Sketch: TBS

Actual impact will depend on how US retailers respond: Mostafa Abid Khan

2d | Economy

More Videos from TBS

News of The Day, 10 JULY 2025

News of The Day, 10 JULY 2025

6m | TBS News of the day
SSC and equivalent results released: Pass rate 68.45%, GPA drops by 5

SSC and equivalent results released: Pass rate 68.45%, GPA drops by 5

36m | TBS Today
Islami bank aims to increase deposits to Tk 2 lakh crore by 2025

Islami bank aims to increase deposits to Tk 2 lakh crore by 2025

2h | TBS Programs
The two countries still face major challenges and mutual suspicions

The two countries still face major challenges and mutual suspicions

1h | Others
EMAIL US
contact@tbsnews.net
FOLLOW US
WHATSAPP
+880 1847416158
The Business Standard
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Sitemap
  • Advertisement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Comment Policy
Copyright © 2025
The Business Standard All rights reserved
Technical Partner: RSI Lab

Contact Us

The Business Standard

Main Office -4/A, Eskaton Garden, Dhaka- 1000

Phone: +8801847 416158 - 59

Send Opinion articles to - oped.tbs@gmail.com

For advertisement- sales@tbsnews.net