With only 19 days to the first mayoral election in Sylhet City Corporation, top leaders of the ruling and opposition parties have joined the campaign to ensure victory of their party-backed candidates in the "prestige fight".

Ruling BNP's stalwart Finance Minister Saifur Rahman, who is also the MP from Sylhet Sadar constituency, has asked the party rank and file to ensure victory of local party leader MA Haque in the March 20 election.

In the last two weeks, he made frequent visits to Sylhet and attended various programmes designed to win vote for Haque, president of district BNP. All the four party MPs from the district are also campaigning for him.

Prime Minister and BNP chief Khaleda Zia is also scheduled lay the foundation of the country's first hanging bridge on the Surma river in the city on March 10 at a public function.

Leaders and workers of Jamaat-e-Islami, BNP partner in the Four-Party Alliance, are also campaigning for Haque.

The alliance is trying to convince the people to vote for the ruling party leader for "continua-

tion of development activities".

But Haque has two party rivals in the mayoral race.

Awami League is also not lagging behind. AL leaders think their candidate mayor-in-charge Badar Uddin Kamran is in a "better position" as he has no rival from the party.

Kamran was elected ward commissioner thrice earlier. He was elected pourasabha chairman in 1995 and made mayor when the pourasabha was upgraded to city corporation.

AL central leaders like Abdus Samad Azad MP, General Secretary Abdul Jalil MP, Suranjit Sengupta MP, AMA Muhit, Sultan Mohammad Mansur and others have already visited the city and joined programmes in favour of Kamran.

Party chief Sheikh Hasina is also scheduled to visit Sylhet days ahead of the election, party sources said.

Sources in BNP claimed that though Haque enjoys special blessings of Saifur Rahman, his two party rivals AFM Kamal and advocate Shamsuzzaman Zaman--also have considerable influence in the party rank and file and may bag a good number of votes. Kamal was twice elected chairman of Sylhet Pourasabha earlier. Shamsuzzaman is former district organising secretary of BNP. Several attempts to arrest him was foiled last month.

Jatiya Party chief HM Ershad also addressed a public meeting held in favour of local party leader Kazi Kamal Ahemd, also in the mayoral race.

As many as 14 candidates are contesting for the post of mayor, 259 for 27 posts of ward commissioner and 69 for nine seats reserved for women. The polls will be held on March 20.