Awami League-backed mayoral candidate Abul Khair Abdullah (Khokon Serniabat) won the Barishal City Corporation election with 87,807 votes, according to unofficial results of all the 126 centres. Humayun Kabir, returning officer of the Barishal City Corporation election, unofficially announced the results at the district's Shilpakala Academy at around 9:45pm. Abul Khair defeated his nearest rival, Islami Andolon Bangladesh candidate Mufti Syed Mohammad Faizul Karim (Handfan), by 53,979 votes. Mufti Faizul Karim bagged 33,828 votes. Also read: AL-backed mayor candidate Talukder Abdul Khaleque wins Khulna City polls Meanwhile, Abul Khair said he will implement the promises made in the election manifesto in phases. Among other candidates, Jatiya Party’s mayor candidate Engineer Iqbal Hossain Taposh (Plough) got 6,665 votes, independent mayor candidate (Table clock) Md Kamrul Hassan Rupon bagged 7,999 votes, Zaker Party candidate (Rose) Md Mizanur Rahman Bachhu got 2,546 votes. A total of 142,177 voters -- among 276,297 eligible voters – casted their ballots in Barishal city polls. Also read: Islami Andolan Bangladesh rejects Barishal, Khulna city polls results The voter turnout in Barishal was recorded at 51.46%, according to the returning officer. Voting in the BCC election began at 8 am and continued till 4 pm without any break. Electronic voting machines were used at all the centres to cast votes. Seven mayoral candidates, 119 general councillor candidates and 42 reserved councillor candidates participated in the Barishal city polls. Also read: Barishal city polls: Woman says Islami Andolon supporter attacked her over recording video About 4500 members of law enforcement agencies, 10 platoons of BGB, 30 executive magistrates, and 10 judicial magistrates performed duty during the polls.

Several supporters of mayoral candidates backed by Awami League (AL) and Islami Andolon Bangladesh were injured in a clash over entering a polling centre, as Barishal City Corporation election is underway today (June 12, 2023). Islami Andolon candidate Mufti Syed Muhammad Faizul Karim, who is contesting the election with the ‘hand fan’ symbol, alleged that several of his supporters as well as he were injured in an attack by AL men when they were about to enter the Kawnia Secondary Girls School centre. He said voters and his agents were forced to leave the Kawnia centre and Manik Miah centre. “Activists of the AL mayoral candidate barred me from entering the Kawnia centre when I tried to lodge a complaint with the presiding officer,” the Islami Andolon candidate told UNB Barishal correspondent. “I, along with several of my supporters, was injured in the attack,” he said. Read: Barishal city polls: Voters being barred from coming to polling stations, say 2 mayoral candidates Denying the allegation made by the Islami Andolon candidate and supporters, AL activist Biddyut said they only told them that they "should not enter the polling centre with such a big crowd." “Rather they (Islami Andolon activists) carried out an attack on us with knives, leaving several men injured,” he said.

Jatiya Party (Ershad) backed mayoral candidate Iqbal Hossain Taposh and independent candidate Kamrul Islam Rupon alleged that voters are being barred from coming to the polling stations as Barishal City Corporation (BCC) election is underway. Moreover, agents were forced to leave the centres, the candidates said shortly after the election began amid much enthusiasm. They also said the process to vote was slow at the polling stations. Taposh who is contesting with the electoral symbol ‘plough’ alleged that women voters are being barred from coming to the polling stations. Read: Khulna, Barishal city polls: Voting begins amid much enthusiasm, long queues of voters “Activists of Chhatra and Jubo League are barring the voters and their target is a low voter turnout,” he claimed, saying that voters are being discouraged and intimidated outside the polling centres. The Jatiya party-backed candidate made the remarks after casting his vote at Syed Abul Manan DDF Alim Madrasah centre on Gorostan road in the city. On the other hand, independent candidate Rupon who cast his vote at Alekanda Govt Primary School centre alleged that his agents are barred from entering polling stations and some were forced to leave the centres. He also said the environment is not favourable for a fair election. Read:All set to hold Barishal City Corporation polls tomorrow, EVM reaches at 126 centres Voting in the BCC election began at 8 am and will continue till 4 pm without any break. Electronic voting machines are being used at all the centres to take votes. Seven candidates are competing for the mayoral post in the Barishal city polls. Besides, 119 candidates are in the race for the post of general councillor and 42 candidates for the reserved councillor post. A total of 276,298 voters will be able to cast their votes in 126 polling stations under 30 wards. Of the centres, 106 are considered “vulnerable”. Read more:1500 EVMs reach Barishal for upcoming city poll Ten platoons of the BGB remain deployed in the BCC election along with 4,500 members of the law enforcing agencies.

Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal has said the Election Commission wants to hold a fair election in Barishal with coordinated effort. If someone breaks the rules during Barishal City Corporation elections, the candidates have to try to resist it. There will be a presiding officer to whom their polling agents will complain, said the CEC. “If the presiding officer neglects his duty, we will take strict action against him. You (candidates) also have to perform your duties well,” he said while addressing a meeting with Barishal City Corporation election candidates. The meeting was organized by the Returning Officer of the election at Barishal Shilpakala Academy hall on Saturday (May 27, 2023) evening. Also read: Barisal city polls: 7 mayoral candidates get symbols In the meeting, the CEC listened to various complaints of the candidates and took on board possible solutions and various suggestions. “Everyone should be awake on Election Day. I am not saying that the election will be held well just because of our efforts. You should try to do the same. It won't be a single attempt by law enforcement. There has to be a concerted effort,” he said. “Gazipur city election is an example of how the presiding officers will perform their duties properly. The presiding officers performed their duties fairly well. If we get complaints that voters could not go to the centre, could not vote, there were manstans in the centre, they resisted them, then our election will be questioned,” added the CEC. “The polling agents, you (candidates) will have to resist equally inside. If you show power and say I have to vote, then democracy has been destroyed. If elected, there will be no support from the people. So there will be a call that you will try to develop democracy in a healthy way,” the CEC said. Also read: Barishal City Polls: 10 Mayoral candidates submit nomination papers He also announced that all the polling stations in Barishal will have CCTV cameras, like Gazipur. Election Commissioner Brig Gen (retd) Md Ahsan Habib Khan and Secretary of the Election Commission Secretariat Md Jahangir Alam were present as special guests at the event.

Barishal City Corporation (BCC) Mayor Serniabat Sadik Abdullah today (October 17, 2022) had an incident with Barishal Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md Moniruzzaman while entering a polling centre during the ongoing Zila Parishad election. In a video shared from the Barishal mayor’s Facebook page, it was seen that the mayor tried to enter Barishal Zila School polling centre with a group of public representatives and the UNO barred him. Read: Barishal clash: Two cases filed against UNO Munibur Rahman “Have I entered the polling centre yet? Why are you creating a scene? Am I a child who doesn’t know the rules? Why are you talking like a stupid person?” Sadik asked Moniruzzaman during an angry outburst. Shocked, the UNO then tried to recollect himself by telling Sadik that he didn’t say anything to him. Later, the UNO told journalists that the news of an altercation between him and the Barishal mayor was “unfounded”. Read Polls underway at 57 Zila Parishads On August 18, 2021, BCC Mayor Sadik got into a heated argument with former Barishal Sadar UNO Munibur Rahman over removing banners. Gunshots were fired during the incident, and three cases were filed with the local police station over the matter.

Barishal City Corporation’s former Mayor and BNP leader Ahsan Habib Kamal passed away at a city hospital on Saturday night. He was 68. Kamal breathed his last at 11pm while undergoing treatment at the United Hospital in the capital, said BNP media cell convenor Zahir Uddin Swapan. He was suffering from kidney complications, Swapan added. He is survived by wife, a son and a daughter. BNP Acting Chairperson Tarique Rahman, Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Standing Committee Member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy expressed deep shock at the death of Ahsan Habib Kamal. Read: Deputy Speaker Fazle Rabbi passes away in NY Kamal’s mortal remains will be taken to his home in Barishal city on Sunday. His first namaz-e-janaza will be held at Barishal Zila School premises around 2pm this noon, said family sources. Ahsan Habib Kamal is the former President of Barishal unit BNP and the former fisheries affairs secretary of BNP central committee. He was also a former chairman of Barishal Municipality.

The cleaners employed by Barishal City Corporation returned to work from Saturday evening after not working for three days. The development came after the city Mayor Serniabat Sadiq Abdullah made an earnest call to them to return to their posts on Saturday in a press conference. He also urged the local  administration not to harass the officials and employees of the city corporation at the press conference. Also read: Barishal violence: 2 ruling party activists lose eyesight Jewel, a cleaner who came to clean up the garbage in the Bibir Pukur Paar area of the city said, “We have returned after three days listening to the plea of our city mayor. All the garbage shall be cleaned.” Also read: Mayor vs UNO: Garbage piles up on the streets of Barishal Another cleaner, identifying himself as Biplob said,”We are in the midst of the terror of arrest.Still we have returned to work responding to our mayor and considering the misery of the city dwellers.” Garbage piled up on the streets with no cleaners around as an uneasy calm prevailed in the city on Friday, two days after clashes broke out between supporters of the mayor and law enforcers leaving dozens of people injured. On Friday, the weekend morning walkers were greeted with heaps of rotting and stinking garbage on streets across the city. Two large piles were found even on the Dhaka-Barishal highway disrupting traffic. The city dwellers have been facing this situation for the past two days as the city corporation's cleaners staged their version of a wildcat strike. It is being seen as a fall-out of the violence on Wednesday night when dozens of activists from AL and its fearsome student front, Bangladesh Chhatra League, stormed into the residence of Sadar upazila nirbahi officer in a dispute over the removal of some banners from his office premises. Tension mounted after the UNO and police filed two cases against 94 people in which city mayor Serniabat Sadiq Abdullah was named as the prime accused for the violence. Meanwhile, the city residents suffered. Fazle Swapan of Barishal Central Bus Terminal in Nathullabad area said that garbage remained dumped in the streets for the last two days.  Normally the garbage would have been cleared every night but the cleaners stopped working after the clashes. The transport workers, including supporters of the mayor, activists of Chhatra League and Jubo League, blocked the Dhaka-Barishal highway with buses in Rupatoli and Nathullabad Bus Terminal areas in the small hours of Wednesday. The dumped garbage  has not been cleaned from the streets since that night. CNG driver Rubel said that from Kashipur to Amtala junction, he saw garbage dumped in the middle of the road and in front of the UNO office. "We are also having troubles in driving," he added Mahfuz of BM College Road area said that the garbage had piled up in the area for two days. It fills the air with a foul odour, and the strewn garbage piles also disrupt movement of vehicles, added Mahfuz.   Meanwhile, volunteers who normally help Covid jab seekers, moved out of 24 vaccination centres in the Barishal City Corporation area on Thursday.   UNB correspondent's phone calls and SMS to Barishal City Corporation Chief Executive Officer Syed Farooq Hossain and Chief Cleaning Officer Dr. Rabiul Islam went unanswered.

Bus services in Barishal and other parts of the country remained suspended from Thursday morning as transport workers blocked the Dhaka-Barishal highway in protest against  Wednesday's clash that left over 30 injured. The clash broke out between the supporters of the ruling Awami League, its students' wing Bangladesh Chhatra League and  members of Ansar when the former tried to attack the residence of the Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) at Sadar Upazila Complex in Barishal on Wednesday night. Read:BNP activists clash with police at Chandrima Udyan Of the injured, five people suffered bullet wounds during the clash. The transport workers, including the supporters of Barishal City Corporation Mayor Serniabat Sadiq Abdullah, activists of Chhatra League and Jubo League, blocked the Dhaka-Barishal highway by placing buses in Rupatoli and Nathullabad Bus Terminal areas in the small hours of Wednesday. Besides, launch services in Barishal also remained suspended as the supporters of the mayor did not allow any passenger vessel to leave the terminal, causing immense sufferings to the commuters. According to eye-witnesses, the Nagar Bhaban staffers went to the residence of Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Munibur Rahman to lower a banner hanging over the area. At one stage, the UNO came out and asked the reason, leading to an altercation between him and Swapan Kumar Das, a staffer of the city corporation. Read: Cumilla AL groups clash over mourning day event During the altercation, some 25-30 people entered the complex and a scuffle broke out between the Ansar members and the so-called mob over the issue, triggering a clash. At one stage, the Ansar members opened fire on them, leaving five injured. On information, police rushed to the spot and charged batons to disperse them.Some 25 people were injured in the clash with the cops. Shahabuddin Khan, police commissioner of Barishal, said, "A police team rushed to the spot and the attackers threw brick chips targeting the cops, forcing them to retaliate. Three policemen and two Ansar members were injured during the incident.” They also vandalised a bus in the area in the night. Three people who sustained bullet injuries—Shahrier Babu, Harun-or-Rashid and Tanvir-- were taken to Barishal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College and Hospital. Of them, Tanvir was shifted to Dhaka for better treatment. Read: 2 killed, 15 injured in clash between AL and BNP supporters UNO Munibur Rahman said, “Some 15-20 people identifying themselves as Chattra League members entered the house. Later, some 60-70 people also entered the complex and went up to the first floor of the upazila complex building. They also tried to attack me but the Ansar members saved me." Barishal City Corporation Mayor Serniabat Sadiq Abdullah told the media, "The city corporation staffers went there to perform their duties but the Ansar members attacked them.” He has demanded a probe into the clash. 

Authorities at Barishal City Corporation sacked 12 officials over corruption charges, its public relation officer said Saturday. The dismissal letters were sent to the officials on Thursday but Chief Executive Officer Sayed Faruque Hossain denied having any detailed information about the action. Read: 'Red zones' in Barishal remain abuzz Public relation officer Swapan Kumar Dash confirmed the news to UNB and said a media release will soon be issued in this regard soon. The dismissed officers are chief health officer Dr Abdul Matin, executive engineer Humayun Kabir, assistant engineer of power division Kazi Monirul Islam, mechanical engineer Komol and Jahirul Islam, chief assessor Md Ajam, PR officer Md Romel, accountant Md Mainuddin, assets officer Mahbubur Rahman Shakil, legal assistant Rafikul Islam, office assistant Abdus Salam and Hayetul Islam. Read: Corruption case: Former Barishal mayor gets seven-year The affected officers claimed that no reason for dismissal was mentioned in the letters sent to them. Abdus Salam, an assistant at accounts department, said the letter he received said three month’s salary has been credited but he didn’t receive any. Moreover his salary for the last 15 month is due with the BCC, he said. Assistant engineer Kazi Monirul Islam said the suspension was done irregularly bringing false corruption charges against him. The dismissed twelve officers were posted On Special Duty (OSD) from January 29, 2019. According to the decision taken at a meeting of the fourth council on August 23, 2020, the twelve officials were dismissed permanently with three month salary paid, according to a letter signed by the chief executive officer of BCC. Earlier on August 29, 2020, BCC also permanently suspended chief budget and accounting officer Md Moshiur Rahman, trade license superintendent Aziz Shahin, market superintendent Nurul Islam and deputy assistant engineer Abul Kalam Azad over corruption. With this, 16 staff and officers lost their jobs at Barishal City Corporation for alleged involvement in corruption.

Barishal City Corporation Mayor Serniabat Sadik Abdullah on Monday inaugurated the divisional centre of Centre for Rehabilitation of the Paralysed (CRP) in the city as CRP-Barishal, CARSA Foundation.