The upcoming Upazila Parishad polls may turn out to be a contest between the Awami League and Awami League as influential leaders, including lawmakers and ministers, are fielding their close relatives in vital post.
They are taking the opportunity as opposition parties, including the major opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party, are refraining from participating in the polls, scheduled to be held in phases from May 8.
Elections to 152 upazilas will be held in the first phase.
The AL-led government enacted the local government laws in 2015 keeping provisions that allowed the chairman candidates of registered political parties to contest the polls with party symbols.
But, after winning the January 7 polls, Awami League Central Working Committee led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at a meeting decided not to field any candidate with its electoral symbol Boat in the upazila parishad polls, paving ways for popular candidates to win the race riding on their popularity.
BNP standing committee member Dr Moyeen Khan said that the BNP would not participate in any staged
and one-sided election under the incumbent government.
“There will be no big difference of the elections of this year’s upazila polls and the elections of previous years. So, there is no possibility of BNP’s participation in the upazila parishad polls,” he said.
Talking to the Bangladesh Post, grassroots leaders of the AL and locals of various districts said it will be a battle between the AL and AL.
Although the AL has decided not to nominate any candidate, local lawmakers, ministers and influential leaders are fielding their close relatives as candidates.
Such a situation has been prevailing in some areas.
Shahdara Mannan is a lawmaker of Bogra-1 constituency, comprising Sariakandi and Sonatola upazilas. She announced her son Sakhawat Hossain as a candidate in Sariakandi and declared her younger brother Minhazuzzaman as a candidate in Sonatola upazila.
Locals said the announcement irked a section of the ruling quarter.
Lutful Habib, brother in-law of state minister Zunaid Ahmed Palak, was declared a candidate for Singra Upazila of Natore. Other aspirants, who have been running campaign for the polls, expressed their resentment as Habib was declared candidate for the Singra Upazila during a meeting at state minister’s residence.
AL presidium member Shajahan Khan declared his son Asibur Rahman Khan, a member of central Juba League, as the candidate for Madaripur Sadar upazila.
Former planning minister and incumbent MP MA Mannan is running campaign in Shantiganj upazila for his son Sadat Mannan.
Israfil Hossain, incumbent chairman of Manikganj Sadar upazila, is also running campaign. He was a cousin of former health minister Zahid Maleque.
Incumbent Kushtia sadar upazila cahirman Ataur Rahman is running campaign. He is a cousin of AL joint general secretary of Mahbub-ul Alam Hanif.
Noakhali-4 constituency lawmaker Ekramul Karim Chowdhury announced his son Ishrak Shabab Chowdhury as candidate for Subarnachar while another lawmaker Mohammad Ali declared his son Ashik Ali as candidate for Hatia.
Former agriculture minister and incumbent MP Abdur Razzaque nominated incumbent chairman Harunur Rashid for Dhonbari upazila. Haurn is a cousin of Razzaque.
Under the circumstances, the central leaders have held meetings with grassroots leaders of Khulna, Rangpur and Chattogram to address the internal feud, developing over conflict of leadership and other reasons.
In the meetings, the grassroots leaders vented anger against MPs, ministers and influential leaders for meddling in upazila parishad polls.
Taking the allegations into cognizance, the AL has urged the lawmakers, ministers and influential leaders not to interfere in upazila parishad polls for the sake of credible and competitive polls.
“It is not done that MPs will exert influence to ensure victory of any aspirant. It will in no way be accepted that anyone will make interference in the polls,” AL general secretary Obaidul Quader said.
He said that party president and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina decided not to field any candidate with Boat symbol in the Upazila Parishad polls. “We want a free and fair election without any influence from anyone. Organisational action will be taken if anyone breaches party discipline,” he said.