Without any evaluation, research or discussion with stakeholders, the government has suddenly decided to change the law for local government elections to pave way for registered political parties to nominate candidates.
When implemented, this change in the law would mean that candidates will be able to run with party symbols in elections to all local government bodies – union councils, upazila councils, district councils, municipal corporations and city corporations.
The decision was made at the weekly meeting of the cabinet at the Secretariat yesterday with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.
The Local Government Ministry has proposed bringing necessary amendments to the laws that govern the local body elections.
After the meeting, Cabinet Secretary Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan said: “The cabinet thinks that this major shift from the old non-partisan system will strengthen the local-level administration and also democracy.
“This decision is meant for empowering the local public representatives. It will also ensure progress for the country’s politics and democracy.”
Up until now, elections to local government bodies have been non-partisan, meaning that political parties cannot directly nominate candidates; they can only extend their support to candidates of their choice. Contenders are also not allowed to use party symbols.
However, political backing or support has always played a key role in the outcomes of the local government elections, which are often seen as a measure of popularity for the political parties.
As was seen in the city corporation polls in Dhaka and Chittagong earlier this year, opposition parties, especially the BNP, announced halfway through the voting day that they were withdrawing from the race, raising allegations of rigging by the candidates backed by the ruling Awami League.
In an immediate reaction to yesterday’s cabinet decision, the BNP said making local body polls partisan will create chaos.
“We are opposing the decision … because the government has made the decision in a hurry without any discussions [with anyone] to serve its own interests,” said Asaduzzaman Ripon, a spokesperson of the BNP.
Cabinet Secretary Musharraf yesterday said that following the amendments to the laws, only candidates nominated by registered political parties and independent candidates, under the guidelines of the Election Commission, will be able to contest local government polls with specified party symbols for the posts of chairmen and members.
Four of the proposed amendments are: Local Government (Union Parishad) (Amendment) Act 2015; Upazila Parishad (Amendment) Act, 2015; Zila Parishad (Amendment) Act 2015; and Local Government (City Corporation) (Amendment) Act 2015.
All these proposals were given the final approval by the cabinet subject to the vetting by the Law Ministry.
However, the cabinet has decided that the fifth proposal – Local Government (Pourasava) Amendment Act, 2015 – will be prepared as a draft ordinance. The pourasava or municipality elections are likely to be held in December but parliament does not have a session before that and so it cannot be turned into a law.
The rest of the four amendment proposals will be placed in the next session of Jatiya Sangsad and would come into affect the next time elections are held to the relevant local government bodies.
“Following the passage of the bills, the local body elections will be held like national elections,” the cabinet secretary said.
He also said that the government would try to arrange regular elections to the local government bodies. “In case there is any problems or abnormalities, the government will appoint an administrator for interim periods.”
When contacted, local government expert Toffayel Ahmed told the Dhaka Tribune: “Local government elections should be partisan just like in India.
“But Bangladesh has yet to reach that situation because ruling parties have always used its power and the law enforcement agencies have not worked smoothly either.”
Former election commissioner Sohul Hossain said: “It is true that political parties influence the local government polls.
“However, people, especially social workers in the rural areas, might not be interested anymore in participating in these elections under the proposed new system.”