Narayanganj: Electorates are pleased after casting their votes in the ongoing Narayanganj City Corporation Election, began on Thursday morning.

Jalal Uddin Molla, aged around 85, and Mojnu Mia, believed to be in his eighties, were seen in the queue of voters outside the polling station at Bar Academy.

Jalal Uddin after exercising his franchise said, ‘I’m feeling very happy. People are balloting in a festive mood here.’

Mojnu Mia said, ‘The voting is going properly. We’re waiting in the queue for casting our votes. It’s an amazing feeling.’ 

Shawapan Chandra, another voter, said, ‘For the first time I got the chance to cast my vote. Earlier, my vote was rigged by others.’

The polling centre’s Assistant Presiding Officer Pobitra Barman said people are voting here without any panic or pressure.

The voting for Narayanganj City Corporation (NCC) election started from about 8:00am and will continue till 4:00pm without any break.

A total of 195 candidates are contesting for 37 posts. Of them, seven are contesting for the mayoral post and 156 are contesting in 27 wards while 38 are contesting for nine women reserved seats.

A total of 4, 74,931 voters is expected to cast their ballots under 174 poling centres. Of them, 2, 41, 514 are male and 2, 37,878 are female voters.

Seven mayoral candidates are in the election race. Of them, Dr Salina Hayat Ivy and Advocate Sakhawat Hossain Khan are considered as frontrunners as they are contesting the election for the mayoral post with symbols ‘boat’ and ‘paddy sheaf’—the election symbols of two major political parties—Awami League and BNP.

The five other mayoral contenders are Mahbubur Rahman Ismail of Bangladesh Biplabi Workers Party, Kamal Prodhan of LDP, Maulana Md Masum Billah of Islami Andolan Bangladesh, Mufti Azharul Haque of Islami Oikyajot, Md Rashed Ferdous of Bangladesh Kalyan Party.

Besides, 156 general councillor candidates are contesting the election in 27 wards, while 38 councillor contenders in nine reserved seats.