Ruling Awami League has decided to tighten the existing guidelines and rules in place for the distribution of party nomination forms for all elections.
According to party insiders, this move came as a response to the recent incident of as many as 56 aspirants buying Awami League’s nomination form for the upcoming Dhaka 18 by-polls.
They said that as the Awami League has been in power for the past three terms, many people crave to collect its nomination form to prove that they are associated with the party.
Some, by just getting their hands on the nomination form, they use it for their own interest and get involved in various scams which ultimately tarnishes the party’s image, they added.
Regent owner Shahed and Nur Nazma Akhter Lupa, who has been sent to jail on allegations of being involved in human trafficking, are recent examples of that, they added.
This resulted in the Awami League high command wanting to tighten the party’s nomination form selling process.
Speaking to Dhaka Tribune, Awami League Joint General Secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif, said: “We do not want to see too many nomination seekers in an election.”
“Aspirants have to follow the party rules and constitution before collecting form.”
“Awami League is not a political party from which anyone can collect nomination forms for any election,” the senior Awami League leader added.
Awami League has been selling its nomination forms for some union parishad, upazila, and zila parishad elections from its Dhanmondi party office.
But on Thursday, a notice was issued saying that the party will not sell its nomination forms to those whose names are not mentioned in the resolutions signed by the party’s concerned district, upazila, and union level presidents and secretaries.
Regarding this matter, Awami League Deputy Office Secretary Sayem Khan, said that the notice has been issued as per the party constitution.