Sylhet city wears a festive mood during the last day's campaigns by city corporation mayoral and councillor candidates yesterday ahead of the August 4 polls.Photo: STAR

As the incumbent mayor of Sylhet City Corporation Badaruddin Ahmed Kamran languishes in jail, he well illustrates the caretaker government's reputation for detaining high-profile leaders on multiple charges of corruption.
But in what could turn out to be a blessing in disguise, his campaign has portrayed him as “a popular hero-turned-victim of a government conspiracy', making Kamran the overwhelming favourite for tomorrow's polls.
Kamran is currently in detention for illegally amassing wealth, possession of liquor, a kitchen-market scam, and violation of emergency power rules (EPR).
Though his opponents term Kamran's candidacy a farce, his family and loyal band of supporters have banked on his widespread recognition as the incumbent mayor (he was elected in March, 2003) and popularity, turning him into the sympathy-candidate for the mayoral polls tomorrow.
Kamran's wife, daughter and son have maintained an energetic door-to-door campaign over the couple of weeks to turn his detention into a strength for his candidacy.
His supporters are generous with their praise of the man.
"He is a great man. Everyone makes mistakes but he is in prison because some people are jealous of his popularity and love for the people of Sylhet," said Mohammad Ismail, a rickshawpuller.
Jalil Rahman, an accountant for a local company, told The Daily Star, "There is no doubt he is in jail because of a conspiracy. While everyone is corrupt, how come he alone is in jail and not others?"
AL leaders have also used Kamran's detention as proof of his opposition to the caretaker government, often citing the fact he is the only mayoral candidate in detention.
One local BNP leader said, "What can we do if people feel sympathy for Kamran? We have suffered much more under this government, but he is the one in jail right now and not our candidate."
However, both the BNP-backed mayoral candidate MA Haque and independent AFM Kamal who was formerly a BNP politician have stressed on Kamran's detention on corruption charges throughout their campaign.
An influential local BNP leader has however pointed out, "If a candidate wins this election from behind bars, it would be a terrible shame for the caretaker government and their so-called anti-corruption drive. How would we have any faith left in what the government has said, if that happens?"
Some other AL leaders, known locally as the anti-Kamran camp, have been very vocal about Kamran's corruption during his tenure as mayor. They have drawn a different portrait of the man by stressing on the point that he was the one who destroyed Sylhet City Corporation during his tenure.
Calling themselves the "Pro-Liberation War and Anti-Corruption People's Forum", members of this group have been urging voters to choose an honest and competent candidate over popular leaders.
But, as one local AL leader pointed out during a massive pro-Kamran rally in Sylhet, "No one listens to them. They are merely detractors."
The thousands at the rally, thrice as large as any other rally held during campaigning, seem to be buying this theory and suggest a landslide win for Kamran, who sits a world away behind bars.