Jamaat changes its decision on upazila polls
Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has backtracked from its decision to contest in the upcoming upazila parishad election.
The party’s central body has already sent directives to this end to the grassroots.
Sources from Jamaat said the decision not to contest the upazila election was taken following discussions at the party’s central executive committee.
Jamaat was a bit flexible initially about participating in the upazila polls.
The grassroots units were signaled to field candidates where they have the possibility of winning.
District and upazila units were given the responsibility of taking decisions and choosing candidates in their respective areas.
The party, however, changed its decision before the deadline of the submission of nomination forms in the first phase.
Sources said the party has sent the message of the latest decision to district and upazila units verbally.
About the change in decision, Jamaat leaders said they have analysed that the upazila election would be held in a controlled way where the opposition parties have little chance of doing well.
On the other hand, participation of any opposition party would give political mileage to the government.
They also said Jamaat’s potential chairman and vice chairman candidates have already been intimidated in different places which can intensify further. The party decided to forgo upazila election considering all these factors.
Jamaat’s central assistant secretary general Abdul Halim told Prothom Alo on Monday, “Jamaat is not contesting upazila polls. This decision has been taken considering every side. Those who had submitted nomination forms have been asked to withdraw. If anyone becomes a candidate flouting this instruction, necessary disciplinary action would be taken against him.”
It was learnt that the potential candidates in different upazilas of Jashore, Satkhira, Dinajpur, Gaibandha, Chuadanga and other districts started campaigning to contest the upazila polls.
Jamaat chose candidates in three posts (chairman, vice chairman and female vice chairman) in Chuadanga’s Damurhuda upazila.
District Jamaat’s nayeb e amir Azizur Rahman was picked to run in chairman post, Damurhuda thana amir Nayeb Ali in vice chairman post and district Jamaat’s shura member Rehena Khatun was chosen for female vice chairman post.
Dinajpur district Jamaat’s nayeb e amir Muhaddis Enamul Haque was chosen for chairman post in Dinarpur’s Birampur upazila.
None of them have, however, collected nomination forms after the party’s decision.
We are not contesting the polls. The central body has taken the decision considering the current political situation and boycott of the election by other political partiesRuhul Amin, Amir of Chuadanga district Jamaat
Chuadanga district Jamaat’s amir Ruhul Amin told Prothom Alo yesterday, “We are not contesting in the polls. The central body has taken the decision considering the current political situation and boycott of the election by other political parties.”
Alongside BNP and other opposition parties, Jamaat also boycotted the last general election on 7 January. BNP is also boycotting this election. Charmonai pir’s party Islami Andolon has also decided to boycott the upazila election in line with its decision to boycott the last general election.
The party’s decision makers said all these factors led the party to boycott the upazila election.