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Narayanganj braces for violence

Tension in the air as first-ever city polls draw nearer; 2 leading candidates demand army deployment, admin reshuffle Tension runs high in the town ahead of the maiden polls to Narayanganj City

Hasan Jahid Tusher and RAKIB AHAMMED, from Narayanganj
Corporation as many voters and intending candidates apprehend violence during electioneering.
Some identified top criminals have recently surfaced to work for a candidate, alleged a number of voters and candidates. They, however, did not mention
any name.
Three mayoral hopefuls --
Narayanganj district president of BNP Taimur Alam Khondaker, vice-president of town Awami League Selina Hayat Ivy, former
general secretary of district AL Shamim Osman — have started campaigning for the polls scheduled for October 30.
Taimur and Ivy have been demanding army deployment and a reshuffle in the civil administration to ensure free and credible election.
Talking to The Daily Star, they said the
election will not be fair without deployment of army and transfer of deputy commissioner, superintendent of police and officers-in-charge of sadar, Bandar and Siddhirganj police stations.
Shamim, however, said he has no objection to reshuffling the administration and deploying army.
The three hopefuls pledged to root out criminal activities from the town if elected.
Taimur said some top criminals are roaming the town, and that there has been a slide in law and order in recent weeks. About 10 people were killed in the last two weeks, he added.
He warned that if the election is not held in free and fair manner, his party will launch a tough movement to topple the government. RIVALRY IN AL
Although the BNP high command has already backed Taimur after months-long feud over the issue, AL is yet to pick its favourite as the workers and supporters are split over working for a single candidate.
Both Shamim and Ivy are lobbying hard to gain party's support.
Party sources say most leaders of AL and its associate bodies in Narayanganj town, Siddhirganj, Bandar and sadar upazila are with Shamim Osman. Only a few are with Ivy, an immediate past mayor of Narayanganj municipality.
Talking to The Daily Star, AL Joint General Secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif said they will back one candidate in the polls. “The matter will be finalised after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina returns from the USA.”
According to one policymaker of the party, it is likely that Shamim will get the party backing. But the party will not force anyone to withdraw from the race, the policymaker added wishing anonymity.
Pursuing his claim for AL backing, Shamim insisted that the party grassroots want him to run in the election. “As a lawmaker, I worked a lot and developed the district between 1996 and2001.”
He added, however, that he will accept the party decision. If he is not chosen by the high command, he will work for the party-supported candidate.
"I believe the party chief will surely back me in the election," Ivy told The Daily Star at her residence, claiming people are with her as she has done a lot for them as a mayor of Narayanganj municipality.
But she did not clarify whether she will accept the party decision. Sources said she will run in the election even if the party does not back her.
Taimur told these correspondents that BNP is united over the polls. "This unity has cheered us up,” he said, adding that people will vote for him for the government has failed to keep its promises to contain price hike and resolve water, gas and power crises.
“The election won't be free and fair and won't reflect people's desire if army is not deployed," he said.
SIMILAR COMMITMENTS All the three leaders have come up with similar commitments to develop the corporation. They said they will develop drainage system, improve road, water and rail communications, build hospitals, universities, colleges, recreation centres, recover grabbed lands and make walkways by the Shitalakkhy a river.
PUBLIC REACTION
Shahidul Islam, a businessman, said the election will not be free without army presence. He said some known criminals work for an AL candidate (he would not name the candidate).
Golam Mostafa Sikder, a grocer, appealed to the prime minister for selecting candidate considering people's aspiration. “We don't want crimes to come back here in full swing. We don't want to live with violence," he said.
Meanwhile, the district election office yesterday stopped a meeting of Shamim's wife Salma Osman at a community centre at Jamtola in the town.
The election office also asked Ivy to show cause for holding a press conference on Sunday.
“What kind of code of conduct it is that a citizen cannot hold a press conference?" Ivy asked.
She alleged that Shamim Osman is behind the incident and is trying to ruin her image in different ways.
Taimur, who was also asked to show cause earlier, echoed Ivy's view.