Khulna: Sixteen platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) have been deployed here ahead of Khulna City Corporation Election to be held on May 15.

Deputy Commissioner of Khulna Aminul Ahsan said 16 platoons of BGB were deployed in the city on Sunday afternoon, while 31 magistrates will perform their duties on Monday, reports the UNB.

Additional members of law enforcement agencies, including 32 patrol teams of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) each consisting of eight people and four striking forces, each consisting of 10 members, will be deployed in and around the city from the midnight, said Khandaker Rafiqul Islam, commanding officer of Rab-6.

Additional Deputy Commissioner of Khulna Metropolitan Police Sonali Sen said some 9,500 policemen, BGB, APB and Ansar members will perform their duties ahead of the election.

Of these, 16 platoons of BGB and 4,500 Ansar-VDP members will be deployed in the city. Twenty-four Ansar members will be deployed in vulnerable polling centers while 22 each in general centres, he said.

The candidates of the city polls and their agents were passing a busy day in electioneering on the last day of campaign on Sunday.

All the mayoral and councilor candidates and their supporters put in their frantic and final efforts to reach out to voters in different areas of the town to woo them for ensuring their victory.

They were found busy distributing leaflets and festoons as well as personal appearances to voters for making their final appeals as electioneering to be ended at 12 am midnight (Sunday).

Most candidates staged big showdowns by bringing out colourful processions and rallies on the final day of the campaign in their respective areas.

The Election Commission (EC) was seen on Saturday requesting all the outsiders to leave the city corporation area within 12am Sunday using loud speakers.

Besides, the EC has taken all the necessary preparations to make the voting a success, EC officials here said.

The mayoral candidates are AL-backed Talukder Abdul Khaleque, BNP-backed Nazrul Islam Manju, Jatiya Party-backed Shafiqur Rahman Mushfiq, Islami Andolan Bangladesh-backed Mawlana Mozzammil Haque and CPB-backed Md Mizanur Rahman Babu.

The candidates are contesting the election with their respective party’s symbols, which is the first in the Khulna City Corporation.