BNP wants to hold local govt elections after preparing the field

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) government is not considering holding elections at any level of local government right now.

Sources concerned withing the government said a policy decision has been made to appoint political figures as administrators in six city corporations and in all district councils and municipalities soon. Orders for appointing administrators may be issued immediately after the holy Eid-ul-Fitr.

The new government led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has already appointed political figures as administrators in six city corporations, including the two in Dhaka.

The government sources say there is little possibility of holding elections in the city corporations within at least the next six months. As a reason, they say that only one month has passed since the national parliamentary election and referendum held on 12 February. The government formally began its journey on 17 February. At this moment, all their attention is centred on various initiatives and action plans of the new government.

Overall, the government is not yet prepared to hold elections at any level of city corporations or local government.

Sources said that since the national election, BNP as a party has not yet become fully active organisationally in politics. From the top leadership to leaders at different levels, many are busy with state responsibilities as part of the government.

Alongside this, according to them, the party is also considering preparations for elections, nomination of candidates and political calculations on the ground. Therefore, policymakers are thinking of taking some time before holding elections at various levels of the local government.

If local government elections are held, they will start with the Union Parishad (UP). Several responsible sources within the government said the elections could begin in phases around April or May. In the first phase, holding the vote in Barishal division is under consideration. After that, UP elections may be held in other divisions gradually.

However, the rainy season begins in the country around April–May. The possibility of disruption to voting due to adverse weather is also being discussed.

When journalists recently asked about the matter, Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister and BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said local government elections will be held quickly following the existing rules and regulations.

The BNP government has not yet made any decision on whether the upcoming local government elections will be held under party symbols or in a non-partisan manner.

The Awami League government, which was removed from power in the July mass uprising, had held local government elections using party symbols. BNP had opposed that move. Now many are watching which system BNP will adopt after coming to power.

Prothom Alo spoke with four leaders at the party’s policymaking level on the issue, but none of them could provide a clear answer.

People concerned said that before forming the government, the BNP standing committee used to meet every Monday. Since the government was formed on 17 February, no meeting of the standing committee has been held yet. A decision on the method of local government elections will be taken after discussion in the party forum.

Meanwhile, the Electoral Reform Commission and the Local Government Reform Commission formed during the interim government had recommended abolishing the provision of elections under party symbols. Accordingly, the interim government brought amendments to the laws of local government institutions through ordinances.

According to the constitution, these ordinances must be placed in parliament in the first session of the 13th parliament. If they are not approved within the stipulated time, they will lose their effectiveness.

Responding to journalists’ questions on the matter, Election Commissioner Abdur Rahmanel Masud recently said that the provision of party nomination for the mayoral post has been removed through an ordinance. Now parliament will sit. If it is approved after parliament convenes, the election will be held in that manner. If it changes and returns to the previous position, then it will be different. The Election Commission is mainly looking toward the decision of the parliamentary session.

Initiatives have been taken to run most local government institutions through administrators, except Union Parishads, until elections are held. There are a total of 12 city corporations in the country. Political leaders have already been appointed as administrators in six city corporations, including Dhaka North City Corporation and Dhaka South City Corporation.

Former Jubo Dal leader Shafiqul Islam Khan has been appointed administrator in the DNCC, while Abdus Salam, a member of the advisory council to the BNP chairman, has been appointed administrator in the DSCC.

Meanwhile, BNP leader Shahadat Hossain had taken oath as the mayor of Chattogram City Corporation following a court verdict. He had filed a case with the election tribunal alleging irregularities in the 2021 city corporation election. After the mass uprising on 5 August, the court declared him mayor on 1 October 2024. He assumed office on 5 November.

According to the local government law, the tenure of Chattogram City Corporation ended on Sunday, 22 February. However, Shahadat Hossain is not resigning from the mayoral post. He claims that based on the court verdict, his tenure will continue until 3 November 2029.

City corporation elections were held at different times. For example, the election for DNCC was held in 2020. The Chattogram City Corporation election was held in 2021. Elections in other city corporations were also held at different times between 2018 and 2023.

According to the laws, the tenure of city corporations and municipalities is five years. Elections must be held within the six months before the tenure ends.

Local government in the country operates at several tiers. Currently there are 12 city corporations, 330 municipalities, 64 district councils, 495 upazila councils and about 4,570 union parishads in the country.

The last Union Parishad elections across the country were held in phases in 2021. The tenure of the councils is five years. The most recent large-scale municipality elections were held in phases during 2020–2021. Elections in the 64 district councils were held in 2022, where chairmen were elected through votes of local government representatives.

The tenure of most of these institutions has already ended, or elected representatives are no longer in office due to administrative changes. As a result, in many cases activities are being conducted through administrators.

A senior BNP leader told Prothom Alo that local government elections will be organised in phases. However, before that, priority is being given to organising the party and preparing the ground as well as ensuring a suitable political environment. At least Union Parishad elections may begin within the next few months.