Awami League-backed mayoral candidate Talukder Abdul Khaleque won the Khulna City Corporation (KCC) election with 1,54,825 votes, according to unofficial results.

Khulna City Corporation elections Returning Officer Md Alauddin announced the results after counting of votes ended at all 289 polling centres.

His nearest rival, Islami Andolan Bangladesh’s Md Abdul Awal  got 60,064 votes, said Alauddin.

Also read: Voting in Khulna, Barishal city polls end; counting on

According to unofficial results, Jatiya Party’s  Shafiqul Islam Madhu (plough) bagged 18,074 votes, Independent candidate SM Shafiqur Rahman (clock) got 17,218 and  Jaker Party’s SM Sabbir Hossain (rose) got 6,096 votes.

Earlier, voting in the Khulna City Corporation (GCC) election began on Monday using electronic voting machines (EVMs) in all polling stations in a peaceful manner.

The voting began around 8 am and continued till 4 pm without any break.

Also read: Khulna city polls: BNP orders activists, supporters to stay away from voting

However, some minor irregularities were reported in both elections causing injuries to some people.

Out of 5,35,529 voters eligible for voting in elections across Khulna, 2,56,433 casted their ballots at 1,732 booths of 289 polling stations in Khulna City Corporation elections.

Alauddin said 45% voters cast their ballots today.

Also read: Voting underway in festive environment in Barishal, Khulna cities: EC Habib

Five candidates contested for the mayoral post in Khulna City Corporation election while 136 contested for councillors in 29 general wards, and 30 for reserved seats. Two councillors for wards 13 and 24 were elected unopposed earlier.

Meanwhile, eleven platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) carried out their duty to ensure security in the KCC election along with 8,080 members from police, Ansar and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB).

Also read: Khulna city polls: Low voter turnout at many centres