The election was scheduled to be held in 1999 but it was delayed for four years as the Supreme Court issued a stay order on the election process on September 27, 1999, following a writ petition.

The Supreme Court rejected the petition on January 24 this year, paving the way for election. The last election was held in 1994.

Over 77,000 voters, including 35,011 women, are expected to cast votes in 35 centres under nine wards of the poursabha.

Three candidates are vying for the post of chairman. They are Alhaj Refat Ullah from four-party alliance, Ashraf Uddin Khan Imu from Awami League, and Haji Mozammel Hossain from Jatiya Party (Ershad).

Forty-seven candidates are also in the race for the posts of nine ward commissioners while 13 female candidates are contesting for the three reserved seats.

The electioneering has reached its peak with the supporters of the candidates along with party leaders going door-to-door to woo the voters.

The supporters of AL and JP have complained that the four-party men are intimidating the voters and threatening the people, particularly the minorities, who are campaigning for their candidates.

Shobha Rani, a resident of Nama Bazar of Savar, said that some BNP men warned us not to cast vote in the August 31 election.

The AL and JP activists also accused the local MP of violating the election code of conduct.

The MP is campaigning for the four-party alliance candidate and distributing leaflets mentioning the development activities he carried out throughout Savar, they said.

Abdul Gani, president of Savar thana AL, said the voters are being threatened with police harassment if they attend any AL meeting. The situation is not conducive to free election, he added.

Meanwhile, the chairman candidates demanded deployment of army and BDR during the election on August 31 to avoid any untoward situation.