Voting begins in Bangladesh city polls, stray incidents reported

DHAKA, April 28 (NsNewsWire) — Voting began in Bangladesh’s city corporation and municipal polls with huge people being seen in long queues at the polling stations.
The polling was by and large peaceful although some stray incidents were reported.
It is a public holiday in the three corporations — Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) and Chittagong City Corporation (CCC), some 242 southeast of capital Dhaka, reports Xinhua.  There was a mixed picture in the city corporations, with people at some polling centers reporting no problems in casting their ballot, but others were complaining electoral fraud.
Starting from 8:00 a.m. (local time), the voting will continue till 4:00 p.m. (local time) without any break in between.
A total of 48 aspirants are running for mayor of DSCC, DNCC and CCC while 249 for 45 reserved seats and 891 for 134 general councillor posts in the corporations
While visiting a polls center in Dhaka, agent of BNP-backed candidate who preferred to be unnamed alleged that they were barred to enter the polling center before the polls started in the morning.
Stray incidents of clash, arson, vandalism, chase and counter- chase, detention have been reported in capital Dhaka and elsewhere in the Chittagong.
Security has been heightened in many areas of Bangladesh capital Dhaka and southeastern seaport city Chittagong in preparation for city corportation and municipal polls slated for Tuesday.
A large number of law enforcers have been deployed  in streets in Dhaka and Chittagong
According to the country’s electoral rules, such city corporation and municipal elections are to be held in a non- partisan manner, but political parties indirectly nominate candidates to test their popularity in such local level elections.
Ex-Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, also chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), has campaigned for her party- endorsed city corporation and muncipal polls candidates. Her arch rival Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Opposition Leader Raushon Ershad had to stay away from the campaign due to the electoral code of conduct.
The Bangladeshi government has declared a general holiday on April 28 in Dhaka and Chittagong city corporation areas.
Some 500 magistrates along with around nearly 100,000 law enforcers are reportedly ready to deal with the incidents of election violence and breaching of the election code of conduct in the election areas.
Apart from them, the army will stay inside the cantonment as reserve force.
In DSCC, there are nearly 2 million voters who will cast their ballots at 889 polling stations. In DNCC, there are over 2.35 million voters who will vote at 1093 polling stations.
In Chittagong, there are 1.8 million voters who will exercise their voting rights at 719 polling centres.
The Bangladesh Election Commission (EC) said it had finalised all the preparation for the upcoming city polls as the election materials including ballot papers have already reached the offices of the returning officers.
According to a circular issued by the Home Ministry, a total of 536 mobile teams of police and Rapid Action Battalion  will remain on patrol, while 66 other teams of police are working as striking forces taking positions along different strategic points in the two cities.
Besides, 100 platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and 7 platoons of Coast Guard have been deployed on the election duty in the three city corporations.   Enditem