Dominance of lawmakers fuels division at Awami League’s grassroots
The recently concluded upazila elections across the country have ensured more control for many ministers and lawmakers of Awami League in their own constituencies. Over 70 per cent candidates who won in the upazila elections are either relatives or close associates of the local lawmakers-ministers. The ruling party policymakers think victory of their close persons would help lawmakers and ministers hold more sway in their own turf.
Sources said the majority of the parliamentary constituencies consist of a single upazila. If the local MPs and upazila chairman remain on the same page, other leaders of grassroots won’t have much voice in decision making. As a result, the already existing internal conflict in the party might increase and now turn into ‘MP vs grassroots’ conflict.
A total of seven people were killed and around a thousand were injured in violence centering the recently held upazila elections. Almost all of the victims are from Awami League.
It was learnt that 33 of the elected chairmen are relatives of ministers and lawmakers while over 300 more are close associates of the local lawmakers. The number of relatives and close associates is around 350, which is 77 per cent of the total chairman elected.
Children and relatives of many ministers and lawmakers of Awami League contested in the election flouting the party’s instruction not to do so. In most of the cases, the lawmakers played their role to ensure victory for their kith and kin. Some central leaders think the lawmakers in fact challenged the party’s high ups by not withdrawing candidacy of their children and relatives.
Elections to 442 upazilas were held in four phases and ended on 5 June. Elections to 19 upazilas were postponed due to cyclone Remal and were rescheduled to 9 June. In total, 461 upazilas went to polls.
It was learnt that 33 of the elected chairmen are relatives of ministers and lawmakers while over 300 more are close associates of the local lawmakers. The number of relatives and close associates is around 350, which is 77 per cent of the total chairman elected. The picture is also similar in vice chairman and female vice chairman posts.
A central leader of Awami League on condition of anonymity told Prothom Alo that the lawmakers have gotten their own men elected in upazila parishad elections within four months of the national election. This trend is likely to be copied in other local government elections such as union parishad, pourashava and zila parishad.
Lawmakers consider upazila chairman as their future rivals
On 22 January, Awami League executive committee meeting decided not to allocate party symbols in upazila elections. Although this decision was taken to make the elections competitive, in reality it became beneficial for the ministers and lawmakers.
A responsible leader of Awami League told Prothom Alo that the lawmakers consider the upazila chairmen as their future rivals. In the last national parliament election, 52 people resigned from the post of upazila chairman and participated in the parliamentary election. Most of them voted as independents. That is why the lawmakers tried to ensure that no one outside of their choice could become the chairman.
However, Awami League’s joint secretary general Mahbub Ul Alam Hanif explained the situation from a different angle. He told Prothom Alo that none can sway any influence in the upazila elections this time. As a result, only the more popular candidates won.
He also said the party would rather become stronger when popular people are close to ministers and lawmakers.
Bigshots whose relatives won challenging the party
In Madaripur, Awami League’s presidium member and lawmaker Shahjahan Khan fielded his son for chairman post instead of his brother. Shahjahan’s son Asibur Rahman Khan became chariman defeating his uncle.
Immediately after the vote, Shahjahan Khan made his son president of Madaripur district road transport workers union. Shahjahan himself is the president of the union and Bangladesh Road Transport Workers Federation, which is the largest organisation of the transport workers in the country.
Shahjahan Khan told Prothom Alo that his father was a politician and his son came to politics in continuation of this family heritage.
Noakhali district Awami League president AHM Khairul Anam Chowdhury is a veteran leader. The leadership of the party wanted to see him as the upazila chairman. But the local lawmaker Ekramul Karim Chowdhury nominated his son Atahar Ishrak Sabab Chowdhury. The central Awami League failed to convince the MP to withdraw the candidacy of his son despite many efforts. Atahar Ishraq won in the end.
Awami League’s joint secretary general AFM Bahauddin Nasim told Prothom Alo the party will take disciplinary measures if anyone exerts unilateral power at the grassroots and creates division in the party.
Two more lawmakers also got their sons to win the election. In Hatiya, lawmaker Mohammad Ali’s son Ashik Ali won the elections unopposed while Morshed Alam’s son Saiful Alam won in Senbagh.
In Moulvibazar’s Kamalganj upazila, agriculture minister Abdus Shahid’s brother Imtiaz Ahmed was elected chairman for the first time. Industries minister Nurul Mazid Mahmud Humayun’s younger brother Nazrul Mazid Mahmud won in Narsingdi’s Monohardi upazila.
Bogura-1 parliamentary constituency consists of Sariakandi and Sonatola upazilas. In the upazila election, local lawmaker Sahdara Mannan’s son Sakhawat Hossain was elected chairman of Sariakandi upazila while her brother Minhaduzzaman in Sonatola upazila.
Awami League’s joint secretary general AFM Bahauddin Nasim told Prothom Alo the party will take disciplinary measures if anyone exerts unilateral power in the grassroots and creates division in the party.