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Kamruzzaman Kamrul, younger brother of slain Narsingdi mayor Lokman Ahmed, has been elected the new mayor of Narsingdi municipality defeating his nearest candidate Montaz Uddin Bhuiyan, according to unofficial results announced by the Returning Officer, a report reaching Dhaka yesterday said.
Kamruzzaman got 35,569 votes while his nearest contestant Montaz Uddin Bhuiyan, president of Narsingdi City unit of ruling Awami League, bagged 13,813 in all 31 centres.
In the presence of Deputy Commissioner (DC) Obaidul Azam, other candidates and locals, returning officer Mohamed Abdul Wadud announced the unofficial results.
Voters cast their ballots using the electronic voting machines (EVMs). There are 77,581 registered voters including 39,316 female voters in the municipality.
The voting started at 8am and ended at 4pm peacefully without any break in all 31 centres, the returning officer told newsmen.
He said the voter turnout was 68% and the Election Commission (EC) installed webcams at the booths to ensure free and fair election. The commission has conducted a survey in the municipal area on the effectiveness of the machine.
Locals showed great interest in the EVM as they used it for the first time. Some of them termed it as a trouble- free system. The voters expressed their satisfaction over the use of EVM, as it was much easier and comfortable than traditional ballot voting system.
This voting system should be followed all over the country, said Prof Motaher Hossain Rizvi who voted at Bramandi School centre in the town.
Security was beefed up in the area while elite security force Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) set up check post at the entrance of the town. They used a dog squad for the purpose.
Lokman Hossain, also an Awami League leader, was shot dead by unknown assailants on November 1 in the Narsingdi Awami League office.
Six major candidates contested the by-polls. They are Lokman’s brother Kamruzzaman Kamrul, Narsinghdi Awami League unit president Montajuddin Bhuiyan, Amzad Hossain Bhuiyan, Haji Afzal Hossain Mollah, Ariful Islam and Mosabbir Ahmed Nasir.