Chairmen who aspired to be MPs, return to the upazila polls

A number of upazila chairmen have resigned from their posts, aspiring to become members of parliament. But they were defeated in the 12th Jatiya Sangsad (national parliament) election. Now they want to return to the upazila parishad. Within just four months of the parliamentary polls, several of these upazila parishad chairmen who had resigned, are now ready to contest in the upazila elections all over again.

According to the law, anyone who wants to contest in the parliamentary election, must first resign from their local government positions. The chairmen of various upazilas had resigned to participate in the 7 January election to the 12th Jatiya Sangsad. According to the local government division, 50 chairmen had resigned.

As the ruling Awami League had decided to allow alternative candidates in the election, and with BNP out of the fray, the upazila parishad chairmen had resigned in hope of an easy win. But most of these resigning chairmen could not win in the election. Less than one third of these 50 were elected.

The upazila election is about to be held, four months after the national election. The elections to the country's 481 upazilas will be held in four phases. The first phase will be on 8 May. The election commission (EC) has announced elections to 152 upazilas in the first phase, 161 in the second phase. The second phase will be held on 21 May.

According to information sent in by Prothom Alo correspondents, at least seven of the chairmen who lost in the Jatiya Sangsad polls, are taking part again in the upazila parishad election. Many have said they will not be contesting. The remaining chairmen who had resigned, have not come to a decision as yet. The elections in their upazilas will be held in third and fourth phases.

Most of the chairmen who resigned to contest in the parliamentary polls, contested as independent candidates. They contested against Awami League's party candidates. The vibes of the national election linger on to the upazila election.

The members of parliament are fielding the relatives, family members and followers in the upazila parishad polls. As a result, the upazila parishad chairmen who had resigned and are contesting again, will have to put up a fight against the followers of the members of parliament.

Meanwhile, party leaders and activists say that it will not be easy for these former chairmen to contest in the upazila parishad elections again. It will be challenging for them to get their old posts back as they will not have the backing of the new MPs, the election will not be held under the boat symbol as before, and they have hardly any time to prepare for the upazila polls after the national election.

Maksedul Momin is a two-time chairman of Syedpur upazila in Nilphamari. He resigned as chairman and took part in the national polls, but lost to Jatiya Party's rebel independent candidate Siddiqul Alam. Awami League had relinquished the Nilphamari-4 (Syedpur-Kishoreganj) seat to Ahsan Adelur Rahman, the nephew of Jatiya Party's founder, former president late HM Ershad.

Speaking to Prothom Alo on Tuesday, Syedpur upazila Awami League president Maksedul Momin said, "The Jatiya Sangsad election environment was not conducive for me. But I had huge empathy from the people. The voters and supporters want me in the upazila election. It is not possible to ignore the love of the people."

Sheikh Akram Hossain is president of Khulna's Fultola upazila Awami League. He had been the upazila chairman. He had resigned from the post in order to contest in the Jatiya Sangsad election from the Khulna-5 (Dumuria-Fultola) seat.

Sheikh Akram Hossain is preparing to in contest in the forthcoming upazila parishad polls. He told Prothom Alo, "As I had contest in the parliamentary polls just a few months ago, the field is prepared. I called everyone about the upazila election and they all requested me to contest. I have also asked them to remain ready."

Gopalganj's Muksudpur upazila parishad chairman Kabir Miah gave up his post to contest in the parliamentary polls from the Gopalganj-1 (Muksudpur-Kashiyani) seat. He will now contest in the upazila polls. Speaking over mobile phone, he confirmed the matter to Prothom Alo.

Mohaddes Hossain contested as an independent candidate from the Dhaka-20 (Dhamrai) seat in the 12th national election. He had relinquished his post as upazila chairman for this. The Awami League-nominated candidate Benazir Ahmed won this seat.

Mohaddes Hossain will contest in the upazila parishad election. He told Prothom Alo, "I am discussing with the leaders and activists about contesting in the election. I will start campaigning after Eid."

Mymensingh's Muktagachha upazila parishad chairman Abdul Hye Akand resigned from his post as chairman. He even got Awami League nomination in the parliamentary polls. But in its negotiations with Jatiya Party, Awami League gave up the seat to JaPa. So even though he had given up his post of chairman, he did not contest in the Jatiya Sangsad polls. He will once again vie for the office of upazila chairman.

Chandpur's Hajiganj upazila Awami League general secretary Gazi Mainuddin resigned from the post of upazila chairman to participate in the parliamentary election. He lost by a margin of around 45,000 votes. He wants to contest in the upazila parishad polls this time. Mainuddin has been preparing to this end since the announcement of the upazila parishad election schedule.

Speaking to Prothom Alo on Tuesday, Gazi Mainuddin told Prothom Alo, "I am sitting with my party men and then I will take a final decision. I feel that the decision of the party's leaders and activists is more important."

The chairmen had basically resigned from office, feeling that the parliament elections could be won easily in the absence of BNP. But most of them lost to Awami League candidates. So the resigning upazila parishad chairman are now seeing this as an opportunity.

Secretary of Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik (SHUJAN) Badiul Alam Majumdar sees this returning of the resigning chairmen to the upazila polls as part of the manipulative politics that prevails in the country. Speaking to Prothom Alo, he said, "There is now a huge competition for posts and positions. Members of parliament are much-desired elusive goals. If that cannot be attained, then becoming an upazila chairman is a good alternative. Those who resigned as chairmen, now want to return for the benefits and facilities, as well as being able to get away with all sorts of misdeeds."

(Correspondents of the relevant districts assisted with information for this report.)