BNP expels 73 for contesting upazila parishad election

The Bangladesh Nationationalist Party (BNP) has expelled 73 members of the party for contesting the upcoming first phase of upazila parishad elections, going against the party’s decision.

The key opposition party sent the list of the expelled partymen to the media Friday afternoon.

It said according to the constitution of the BNP, they have been expelled from all levels of the party including the primary membership.

Sources from the BNP said that those who have been expelled from the party are contesting in the election as chairman, vice-chairman and female vice-chairman candidates.

Members of the standing committee, the highest policy making body of the party, tried to dissuade them from contesting the election as the party has decided not to join the election. Letters were also sent to them.

Apart from this, the party’s central, divisional and district-level leaders were tasked with the responsibility to make them understand the party’s decision.

A large number of former and current leaders of the party have been contesting the election ignoring everything.

Following this, the party’s decision was disclosed to the media through a release, signed by senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.

Rizvi termed this decision of the expelled party leaders to contest the election as “an understanding with a quarter with a vested interest”.

He told Prothom Alo, “The people do not value any election under this government. That’s because elections take place before the polling day. If anyone does not comply with the party directives, this suggests that he has fallen in a trap of the ruling party.”