AL candidates set to contest against one another in upazila polls too

Just like the 12th parliament election, the upcoming upazila parishad elections too are going to be fought among the leaders of Awami League as the major opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is not contesting the election.

In the 150 upazilas, which would go to polls in the first phase, three ruling Awami League candidates on average are contesting in each upazila.

Yesterday, Monday, was the last day for submitting nomination papers in these 150 upazilas.

A total of 696 candidates submitted nomination forms in 150 upazilas. At least 466 Awami League leaders submitted nomination papers in 141 upazilas.

Out of the party's decision, around 45 BNP leaders while 22 Jamaat-e-Islami leaders submitted nomination forms to contest the elections as independent candidates. Meanwhile, Jamaat-e-Islami has already asked its leaders to withdraw their nomination forms.

These local government elections are going to be held across the country within three months of parliament elections held on 7 January 2024.

In 2015, a relevant law was amended to include the provision of party symbols for the post of chairman. The local government election was held for the first time under party symbols in 2017.

The law still has provisions for election on party symbols. As Awami League’s main political rival BNP is not contesting the upazila elections like the parliament elections, the ruling party has not fielded candidates in the upazila under party symbol to make the election competitive. The ruling party leaders are running as independent candidates.

While taking this ‘independent strategy', the ruling Awami League hoped that many of the BNP leaders would participate in the elections if the elections were conducted in this way. But it didn't happen much in the first phase polls.

BNP did not officially announce the party's decision on this election till yesterday, even though the time for submitting the nomination papers for the first phase ended on Monday. Last night, the party’s standing committee, the highest decision-making body, held a meeting in this regard.

Sources said although Jamaat had initially decided to field candidates in some upazilas in this election, the party later backtracked. The leaders of the party who had submitted nomination papers have been asked to withdraw their candidacy. The BNP might also take a similar decision. So it remains uncertain as to how competitive this election is going to be.

Voting will be held in 150 upazilas in the first phase on 8 May. The time for submitting nomination papers in these upazilas ended at 4:00pm yesterday. The election commission (EC) said that a total of 1,891 candidates have submitted nomination papers for the posts of chairman, vice chairman and female vice chairman to compete in 150 upazilas. Out of this, 696 submitted nomination papers for the post of chairman, 724 are for the post of vice chairman and 471 for the post of female vice chairman.

Submitting nomination forms online was made mandatory for the first time this year. This decision prevented breach of code of conduct centering upon submitting of nomination forms. Yet, incidents of obstructing another candidate could not be done away with.

In Natore’s Singra upazila, potential chairman candidate Delwar Hossain, along with his brother and another person, was allegedly abducted within just five hours. Chairman candidate Lutful Habib is being blamed for this incident. He is the brother-in-law of state minister for information and communication technology Junaid Ahmed.

A total of 480 upazila parishads are supposed to go to polls in four phases. Of these upazilas, the EC announced the schedules of 152 upazilas for vote in the first phase. However, voting in two upazilas (Narayanganj Sadar and Kumarkhali) was postponed. The nomination forms will be scrutinised on 17 April. Last date for withdrawal of nomination form is 22 April. The symbols would be allotted on 23 April and voting will be held on 8 May.

The schedule of elections in 166 upazilas has also been announced for the second phase. Voting will be held in those upazilas on 21 May. Election schedule for the third and fourth phase of election is yet to be announced. The schedule for the third phase of elections is likely to be announced tomorrow, Wednesday.

In the first phase elections, some upazilas won’t need election as a single candidate submitted nomination forms there. Only one chairman candidate each submitted nomination in Bagerhat Sadar and Munshiganj Sadar upazilas. If their candidatures remain valid in scrutiny, there would be no election in chairman post in these two upazilas.

District Awami League’s senior vice president Md Anis Uzzaman submitted nomination form in Munshiganj Sadar upazila. He is the uncle of Munshiganj-3 parliamentary constituency’s lawmaker Mohammad Faisal.

In Bagerhat Sadar upazila, current upazila chairman and district Jubo League president Nasir Uddin is the lone candidate in chairman post.

EC sources said a single candidate submitted the nomination form for vice chairman post in Cox’s Bazar Sadar, Chattogram’s Sandwip and Noakhali’s Hatia.

In female vice chairman post, only one candidate submitted nomination form in Kushtia Sadar, Chandpur’s Matlab, Chuadanga’s Damurhuda, Thakurgaon’s Baliadangi, Noakhali’s Hatia, Bagerhat’s Sadar and Moulvibazar’s Barlekha.  

Two candidates submitted nomination forms for chairman post in another 15 upazilas. Voting would not be needed in these upazilas if the candidature of one candidate is cancelled during the scrutiny or if one withdraws nomination.  

Meanwhile, 11 candidates, the highest, have submitted nomination forms for chairman post in Brahmanbaria’s Sarail and Sylhet’s Bishwanath. In Sherpur’s Sreebordi upazila, 14 candidates submitted nomination forms for vice chairman post. Eight candidates, the highest, submitted nomination forms for female vice chairman post in Dinajpur’s Ghoraghat upazila.

Awami League encouraged its leaders to contest as independent candidates in the 12th parliamentary election on 7 January as BNP boycotted the election. A total of 28 parties took part in the election.

Awami League nominated candidates won 224 seats. Independent candidates took 62 seats, of which 60 were Awami League leaders. Other than Awami League and its leaders as independent,  Jatiya Party took 11 seats where Awami League had compromised with it.  Jasad and Workers Party secured one seat each contesting with Awami League’s electoral symbol. Bangladesh Kalyan Party took one seat.

Former election commissioner M Shakhawat Hossain told Prothom Alo the people do not seem to have much interest about the local government elections given the way 12th parliamentary election was held. It is not surprising that this election too would be fought among Awami League men in line with the parliamentary election.

He also opined that this election could lead to infighting among Awami League men.