Elections to different local government bodies now have appeared to become an important issue among the people of grass roots level across the country.
Aspirants of all political parties have become upbeat centring the upcoming polls to local government bodies following the ruling Awami League’s decision of not fielding any candidate with its electoral symbol Boat.
It is just nearly three weeks after the general elections, aspirants and their supporters, irrespective of party affiliation, have already started working in their respective areas to woo the voters to win the race, riding on their popularity.
The government enacted the local government laws in 2015 keeping provisions allowing the chairman candidates of registered political parties to contest the polls with party symbols.
Grassroots leaders of the Awami League (AL), Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jatiya Party (JP) say that upcoming elections to the local government bodies will be a competitive one as no parties will field candidate with their symbols.
Political experts fear that acts of violence may also rise as more number of aspirants will vie the race and they will put their best efforts in winning the polls.
Dhaka University former vice chancellor AAMS Arefin Siddique lauded the AL’s decision of not fielding any candidates with party symbol.
“The decision helps more number of aspirants to contest the local government body polls and the best one will be elected riding on their popularity,” he told Bangladesh Post.
When asked about the fear of violent activities, as more number of candidates would vie the race, he expressed the opinion that violent clashes might not occur as it is not the national election.
“Aspirants who will contest the polls, are socially connected with each other. Yet, if any mishap takes place, the Election Commission (EC) and the respective parties should take stern measures to contain such activities,” he said.
Amid an unofficial campaign, the EC on Tuesday announced the decision for conducting the elections to 233 local government bodies, including by-polls to Cumilla City Corporation (CCC) and election to Mymensingh City Corporation (MCC) on March 9. The EC also plans to hold the Upazila Parishad polls in phases starting from April.
Some aspirants say that the decision may help addressing the nomination trading as influential leaders, both central and grassroots leaders, used to take money from the candidates assuring them to award the symbols of the respective parties.
But this time, those leaders will not be able to take any amount from the aspirants in the name of awarding the party ticket, they say.
At a meeting of the Awami League Central Working Committee on Monday, AL president Sheikh Hasina decided not to award the Boat symbol to any candidate to the party leaders to ease the brewing commotion in the grassroots.
Insiders say that the party has taken the policy to avert intra-party feud that has been surfacing following the AL’s decision of allowing the grassroots leaders to contest in the January 7 parliamentary elections.
Taking the opportunity, independent candidates, mostly grassroots leaders of the AL, vied the polls in 181 seats out of 299 seats and as many as 62 independent candidates became victorious, defeating the AL-backed candidates, resulting in acts of violence in many areas.
Grassroots leaders, however, have given mixed reactions on the issue as they fear that the decision might brew commotion further.
“The party has taken the decision out of the fear of breaching the party discipline. But, instead of reducing the intra-party-feud, it may rise further,” a district level leader said wishing not to be named.
Over the polls to the upcoming local government bodies, AL joint general secretary Hasan Mahmud said ‘Boat’ would be no more as election symbol for upazila elections.
“We have been discussing the matter of holding the local government elections without party symbols for a long time. The decision has not been made suddenly. It has been under discussion for almost two years. The decision was, however, taken in the last working committee meeting,” he said.
Meanwhile, the BNP, which has boycotted the January 7 general elections, has already declared not to participate in the polls under the incumbent government while leaders of the Jatiya Party said that they would take the decision after the announcement of the polls schedule.
“We have always said that any election under Sheikh Hasina will never be peaceful, credible and fair. So, BNP has taken a decision not to take part in any election under her (Sheikh Hasina). BNP still stands by that decision,” BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said.
