Face to face with voters in Barisal
Contenders vow to ensure transparency if elected
Promise to supply gas, check crime, corruption and set up citizens' bodies
Nine mayoral and more than 50 councillor candidates in Barisal City Corporation elections yesterday vowed that, if elected, they will take up 'massive' programmes to provide more civic amenities to city dwellers and to develop the divisional city.
At a face-to-face programme with voters in the city, the candidates signed a 13-point code of conduct for a free and fair election and present a transparent, accountable, and corruption-free city corporation after the polls.
At the programme organised by Barisal district unit of Shushashoner Janney Nagorik (Shujan), the electorate present there also took oath to elect honest and competent candidates and not to vote for war-criminals.
Barisal Shujan President Prof. Syed Aminul Huq presided over the meeting.. Prothom Alo, The Daily Star and Channel-I were media partners of the programme, held at Barisal Club suditorium.
Nine out of 10 mayoral and more than 50 out of 184 councillor candidates and people from different professions attended the programme.
Replying to questions, Nagarik Parishad candidate advocate Enayet Pir Khan said if elected he would take steps to restore the 22 canals and 200 ponds grabbed by encroachers.
“I will make Barisal the Venice of Bengal and free it from corruption”, he said.
Answering to female voter Safia Sultana, he said he would try to create employment and entertainment facilities for all, particularly youths, so that eve teasing automatically declines. He said he will design a sustainable master plan for development of the city.
Advocate Shawkat Hossain Hiron, enjoying support of 14-party alliance, claimed himself to be an honest and competent candidate.
Former district BNP secretary and Barisal Chamber of Commerce and Industries president Ebaidul Huq Chan said, if elected mayor, he would take steps to supply pipeline gas to the city from Bhola, speedy construction of Padma Bridge and modernisation of Barisal river port.
Answering a question from Freedom Fighter Enayet Hossain Chowdhury, he said he would exempt freedom fighters from paying for municipal services.
He told another questioner that, if elected mayor, he will form a 'citizen committee' which will advise him in running the city corporation properly.
Former BCC mayor and expelled city BNP president Ahsan Habib Kamal claiming himself to be the most popular among contenders, said he served citizens for long 18 years as ward commissioner, municipal chairman, administrator and mayor and want to do more.
Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) leader Sarfuddin Santu promised to develop slums take steps for linking Barisal with railway with rest of tye country.
District CPB secretary Abul Kalam Azad assured that if the city dwellers elected him as mayor, he would 'launch a war against corruption' in the Barisal City Corporation.
Aanother mayor candidate former ward commissioner and Jatio Party leader Kabiruddin Hannu said he would eradicate drug dappling from the city.
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