'Staff Correspondent
Awami League-backed mayor candidates Annisul Huq for DNCC, Sayeed Khokon for DSCC and AJM Nasir Uddin for CCC were leading in three city elections as counting of votes was continuing until filing of this report in the early hours of Wednesday.
The city corporation elections in Dhaka and Chittagong were held on Tuesday amidst enthusiasm with allegations of vote rigging, clashes and boycott by BNP before noon.
The voting that began at 8 am ended at 4 pm without any major untoward incidents.
Annisul Huq was leading the race to win the Dhaka North City Corporation mayor election. Annisul with his 'table clock'' electoral symbol bagged 316,771 votes, according to the results announced from 750 voting centres. His main rival, the BNP-backed mayor aspirant Tabith Mohammed Awal  received 227,143 votes for his Bus symbol.
Voting took place at 1,093 polling centres in the Dhaka North City Corporation. The counting of votes was continuing until filing of this report at 2:05am. Shah Alam, Returning Officer, announced the results of the centres at his office in the capital's Agargaon.
Sayeed Khokon was leading the race to get elected as mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation.  Khokon, contesting with his electoral symbol 'Hilsa' got 383,742 votes, according to the official results from 636 of 889 voting centres. His main rival, the BNP-backed mayor aspirant Mirza Abbas, received 206,328 votes for his Mug symbol.
Mihir Sarwar Morshed, Returning Officer announced the results at his office set up at Gulistan's Mahanagar Natyamancha.   
AJM Nasir Uddin was leading by 153,755 votes in the latest round of counting in the Chittagong City Corporation election. Nasir, contesting with the 'Elephant' symbol, bagged 424,600 votes, according to the results from 645 of the
719 voting centres.  His main rival, BNP-endorsed candidate M Manjur Alam, got 270,845 votes with his symbol 'Orange".
Returning Officer Abdul Baten announced the results from the control centre at the MA Aziz Stadium in Chittagong.
 The polls to the Chittagong City Corporation took place on Tuesday along with the Dhaka North and Dhaka South city corporations.
 Three BNP- backed mayoral candidates - Mirza Abbas, Tabith Awal and Manjur Alam - and independent candidate Zonayed Saki withdrew or boycotted the election by Tuesday afternoon as they alleged the ruling party men openly resorted to ballot stuffing, blocking voters from entering the polling centres and beating up or threatening journalists. In Chittagong, two mayor candidates from Islami Shasantantra Andolan and Islami Front also boycotted the election.
A total of 48 aspirants were running for mayor of DSCC, DNCC and CCC while 249 for 45 reserved seats and 891 for 134 general councillor posts in the corporations.
Kazi Rakib Uddin Ahmed Chief Election Commissioner told the press on Tuesday evening that he had visited various polling centres and saw no irregularity anywhere. He was happy with the election and thanked all for helping him hold a "free, fair election"
However, AL Joint General Secretary Mahbub-Ul Alam Hanif denied outright that there were any disruptions and said BNP pulled out fearing defeat. "Polls are being held peacefully. BNP created a dramatic situation and pulled out of the polls. They could not make any specific accusations or give facts about any irregularity."