A day after being elected as Narayanganj City Corporation (NCC) mayor for an unprecedented third term, Selina Hayat Ivy on Monday paid a visit to her closest challenger Taimur Alam Khandaker with flowers and sweets. Ivy along with some ruling party leaders and activists went to the defeated independent candidate Taimur’s house in Masdair in the evening. They exchanged greetings and ate sweets while Taimur congratulated Ivy for her win. Taimur addressed Ivy’s father, the late Ali Ahmed Chunkha, as his brother and said “Holding his hand my political identity and life flourished from the student’s life. I’ll always be standing behind his daughter in any danger.” READ: Ivy vows to work with everyone till her last breath for Narayanganj  Meanwhile Ivy said, “As uncle has said our relationship is familial. Throughout the election I’ve said politics has its own place and family its own.” The NCC mayor said she will keep seeking Taimur’s assistance and guidance as she sought earlier when she was elected earlier. “Will try to implement the suggestions given by uncle (Taimur) for the development of Narayanganj,”she said. Awami League mayoral candidate Selina Hayat Ivy on Sunday created history as she won the high-voltage Narayanganj City Corporation (NCC) election for a record-breaking third time in a row. Ivy, also the country’s first female city mayor, secured a landslide victory by defeating independent mayoral candidate Taimur Alam Khandaker by a margin of nearly 70,000 votes. Ivy is the first city mayor to be elected thrice, that too consecutively. READ: NCC Polls: Ivy rewrites history with a hat-trick Ivy was previously elected as an independent candidate in 2011 when she became the first woman to be elected as mayor in the country, before reelection as the ruling Awami League candidate in 2016.

Taimur Alam Khandaker, the defeated independent candidate in the Narayanganj City Corporation mayoral election, termed his defeat as the defeat of the government on Sunday. He made the remarks in a press briefing after his defeat was ascertained by the landslide victory of Awami League mayoral candidate Selina Hayat Ivy on Sunday evening. Taimur said, “The defeat was of the government, not ours.” He said it all started from arresting his chief coordinator at Siddhirganj police station and after that everyday his supporters had been arrested. Also read: NCC Polls: Ivy rewrites history with a hat-trick “While filing case against them they were identified as Hefazat-e-Islam members even though many of them were Hindu by religion,” he said. Taimur claimed from Sunday morning eight people were arrested who were in his support including his Bandar upazila coordinator. Besides, numerous raids were conducted including at his chief polling agent’s house, he said. “In these circumstances it’s hard for an independent candidate to survive anyway.” Taimur said in many centres Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) were defective and slow, due to which many voters couldn’t cast their vote and it only contributed more to his defeat. He said, “The game was government vs public and also government vs Taimur.” Ivy, the country’s first female city mayor, also became the first person ever to be elected thrice as mayor of any city in the country, as she secured a landslide victory by a margin of 69, 102 votes over Taimur. Also read: NCC polls: Voting underway amid tight security She bagged 1,61,273 votes while her nearest contestant Taimur Alam polled 92, 171. Returning officer Mahfuza Akter announced the results on Sunday evening, a few hours after voting ended. Voting had continued past 4pm due to the slow pace of Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) and the presence of voters in some centres of Bandar upazila.

After an 18-day high voltage campaigning Narayanganj City Corporation is all set to go to polls on Sunday with focus on who will be the next mayor. The electioneering officially ended on Friday midnight. Although seven candidates are running for the post of the NCC mayor, ruling party nominee Selina Hayat Ivy and her principal rival – Advocate Taimur Alam Khandaker, a veteran BNP leader   fighting as an independent candidate – have stolen all the attention. Election watchers are expecting a tight contest between them. Supporters of both candidates have conducted hectic electioneering. Also read: NCC poll: Electioneering ends with exchange of blows, allegations Besides 148 candidates are contesting for 27 ward councilors post while 38 women are contesting for conserved seats for women in the NCC polls. This time the NCC elections have 517,357 voters – including 257,519 females. As the candidates are trying to woo voters with promises, all the voters want is the development of their city. The candidates' qualifications, popularity, party symbol, gender, age, electronic voting machines (EVMs), and turnout could be the deciding factors this year. Women and youth are expected to play a pivotal role. All the heavyweight mayoral candidates are making last-minute efforts to win their votes. However, there are some 42,418 first-time voters. Whoever wants to win the election must bag a major chunk of the first-timers, according to popular perceptions.

All eyes from around the country are trained on Narayanganj now, with the city corporation polls just one day away. Narayanganj city will go to the polls to elect a mayor for the third time Sunday. The time for electioneering is now over, as of Friday midnight. Although seven candidates are running for the post of the Narayanganj City Corporation (NCC) mayor, ruling party nominee Ivy and her principal rival – Advocate Taimur Alam Khandaker, a veteran BNP leader who is fighting as an independent candidate – have stolen all the attention. People are expecting a tight contest between them. Supporters of both candidates have made electioneering neck and neck. Also, things have hotted up as the two mayor hopefuls are trying to get the last word in, making promises and trying to put the record straight. This time the NCC elections have 517,357 voters – including 257,519 females. As the candidates are trying to woo voters with promises, all the voters want is the development of their city. The candidates' qualifications, popularity, party symbol, gender, age, electronic voting machines (EVMs), and turnout could be the deciding factors this year. Women and youth are expected to play a pivotal role. All the heavyweight mayoral candidates are making last-minute efforts to win their votes. However, there are some 42,418 first-time voters. Whoever wants to win the election must bag a major chunk of the first-timers, according to popular perceptions. And Shamim Osman never seems to be out of the picture. Despite not being among the seven mayoral candidates, what Shamim does and which way he swings has been at the centre of discussions surrounding the election once again. Also, the use of EVMs can be another big issue as many will use them for the first time. The NCC polls this year will be held using EVMs instead of traditional ballot papers. Many of the voters have little idea about the machines. However, a trial using EVMs started at each polling centre in Narayanganj Friday, from morning till evening. Election officials organised the mock elections to explain the use of EVMs to voters. On the two previous occasions, it was held – since Narayanganj became a city for administrative purposes – the election captured the imagination of the entire country – particularly the first time in 2011. It was very much the arrival on the scene of Dr Selina Hayat Ivy. The original "rebel candidate," she took on and defeated the Awami League's heavyweight in the area, Shamim Osman, by over 1 lakh votes. That was the start of her enduring rivalry with Shamim – the two torchbearers of two very different strands of the Awami League in Narayanganj. In 2016, Ivy won again – this time as the Awami League candidate. Shamim by then had become a member of parliament in 2014. He did look to deprive Ivy of the Awami League nomination, but the party's central command defied the recommendation of its Narayanganj unit – with which Shamim held great influence – to back the popular incumbent. This time, in 2022, the NCC election has once again breathed some life into politics. The city is now awash with campaign posters and banners. Politicians and their supporters took to the field, carrying out activities in 27 wards of NCC. Candidates were seen campaigning hard to win the polls, going door to door and meeting voters face to face until late into the night. Although his equation with Ivy is possibly irredeemable – as anyone who has seen their open warfare on the set of a private television channel can understand – questions were being raised as to whether Shamim's drive to put one over Ivy was making him even neglect his duty towards his party by not campaigning for the candidate. This week Ivy threw a spanner in the works by alleging the man being viewed as Taimur is actually the candidate of the Osman brothers, Shamim and Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association President Selim Osman. However, Shamim said Monday: "The game will be on and we will win it on January 16." Following his announcement, most of the Awami League leaders, activists in Narayanganj were seen in full campaign mode for Ivy, who has served as mayor since 2011. But Ivy said on the same day that "it has become clear from Taimur's activities that he is the candidate nominated by Shamim Osman." This was the same claim she made earlier, that ruffled feathers in the Awami League high command and forced Shamim to come out and clarify his stance ahead of the election. Thursday, regarding Shamim Osman's support, Ivy said: "I did not say I will not need his support. The party has nominated me and the partisans, voters will cast votes for me. If one or two votes do not get cast it will not matter." Taimur said, "My opponent is assuming I got support from certain people and is trying to assassinate my character." "Also, my supporters, party activists, and leaders are being threatened through police visits to their homes." Taimur's coordinator and campaign in-charge, also the convener of district BNP Monirul Islam Robi, was arrested by police from his residence in Hirajhil.

The ruling Awami League candidate in the upcoming Narayanganj City Corporation, two-time mayor Selina Hayat Ivy has said that Taimur Alam Khandaker, who is contesting the NCC election as an independent candidate, is actually a candidate of 'godfather' Shamim Osman. She made the remarks during electioneering in Deuli Chourapara area on Friday. Ivy’s remark on Shamim Osman has become the talk of the town. Wishing anonymity, some people said that the overall situation was good ahead of polls but after Ivy's comment can change the environment. A college teacher said it is not understandable why she (Ivy) made this comment on her own party’s member Shamim. Read: Dialogue's focus on election 'manipulation', alleges BNP MP Shamim Osman refused to comment right now, adding he will speak in details on Monday in a press briefing. A senior BNP leader said Ivy was elected mayor in 2011 with our votes. At that time, she was vying against Shamim Osman. Now people understand the propaganda that our candidate is being called the candidate of Shamim Osman and Selim Osman. Taimur Alam is the candidate of the people of Narayanganj city, the BNP leader added. A local businessman said “We want a peaceful election. No clash is expected during the election.’’ Earlier this day, the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), student wing of the ruling Awami League (AL), dissolved its Narayanganj city unit committee. Read:Talks on EC to go nowhere: BNP  The decision to dissolve the city unit committee was taken at a meeting of BCL's executive body, as per an official press release. The Narayanganj City Corporation polls are scheduled to be held on January 16.