Dhaka: The Election Commission (EC) on Friday morning started allocating symbols to the contestants of forthcoming city corporation elections.

Dhaka North mayor candidate Annisul Haque was given ‘table clock’ as his poll symbol while Tabith Awal was allotted ‘bus’.

Sixteen mayoral candidates are contesting in Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) elections. 

On the other hand, Awami League-backed candidate of Dhaka South Corporation, Sayeed Khokon secured symbol of ‘hilsha fish’ and BNP-favoured Mirza Abbas was given ‘mug’ as his poll symbol. 

The symbols for DNCC are announced from National Institute of Local Government (NILG) in Agargaon on Friday while the symbols for Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) are publicised from Mahanagar Natyamancha, Gulistan on Friday morning. 

EC public relation department director SM Asaduzzaman said the returning officers will allocate the symbol from 10:00am to 5:00pm.

Forty-eight candidates will contest in the city election for the mayoral post. Among them 16 contestants are from DNCC, 20 from DSCC and 12 from Chittagong City Corporation (CCC).

The election symbols will be allotted as per the candidates’ choice. The returning officer will hold a lottery if two or more candidates seek the same symbol.

EC has allotted 34 symbols against three posts. Among those 12 symbols were allotted for mayoral posts, 12 for general councillor posts, and 10 for reserved councillor seats.

The symbols available for the mayoral posts are ‘table clock’, ‘telescope’, ‘dish antenna’, ‘orange’, ‘cricket bat’, ‘spinning wheel’, ‘matches’, ‘flask’, ‘bus’, ‘peacock’, ‘elephant’, and ‘Hilsha fish’.   

Symbols kept for the general councillor seats are ‘pumpkin’, ‘air conditioner’, ‘saw’, ‘kite’, ‘tiffin carrier’, ‘ fork’, ‘tractor’, ‘push cart’, ‘radio’, ’basket’, ‘badminton racket’, and ‘spinning top’.

Symbols allotted for the reserved councillor posts are ‘cage’, ‘tissue box’, ‘container’, ‘tea kattle’, ‘glass’, ‘betel leaf’, ‘radish’, ‘tool chair’, ‘mashing stone’, and ‘steel almira’.

The DNCC, DSCC and Chittagong City Corporation elections will be held on 28 April.