The maximum number of candidates of the BNP and its closest ally, Jamaat-e-Islami, are accused in many cases, according to their affidavits submitted for the Sylhet City Corporation election slated for June 21.
Analysing the affidavits at the district election office, it is seen that 286 aspirants are vying for 42 general councillor posts. Of them, 113 are facing lawsuits.
The BNP and Jamaat aspirants term the lawsuits “politically motivated”.
The BNP has boycotted the election, and on June 6, expelled 43 current and former leaders, including a mayoral candidate, for life for defying party orders not to join the polls race. The party also expelled other leaders participating in other city polls.
Md Sohel Rana, former Islami Chhatra Shibir leader and labour union leader, who is among the candidates in question, has the maximum number of cases (35) filed against him. Some 27 of the cases are under trial in different courts of Sylhet.
Another former Shibir leader, Majnur Hossain is contesting to be the councillor of ward No 33. He was sued in 24 cases, but got discharged from 10 of those.
The number of cases against Altaf Hossain Suman, the recently expelled president of Sylhet district unit Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, is 23. He is being tried in 18 of the cases, mostly filed under the explosives and special powers laws.
He is contesting for the 39th ward's councillorship.
Farul Mahmud Chowdhury, the coordinator of the Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik (SHUJAN), Sylhet chapter, said that the local government elections these days do not have candidates well-accepted by the people.
“As days go by, the evil practice of muscle power and black money spreads in politics. But a free and fair election can help the people regain their confidence in the authorities,” he hoped.
Talking about the cases against him, Sohel Rana said he was implicated in all 35 lawsuits by his political rivals in an effort to harass him.
He claimed to be detached from politics for long, saying: “I'm even sued for an incident while I was asleep at my home.”
Majnur, the other Shibir leader, claiming his “innocence”, said that locals know who the “real culprits” are.
Meanwhile, Suman said that each of the 23 cases he is facing was filed out of political vengeance.
“I'm accused in the cases for my protests over the government's injustice and poor rule,” he said, describing the lawsuits as “false”.
Even though the ruling party-backed candidates faced cases, they were acquitted in many of those as seen in their affidavits.
Heron Mahmud Nipu, the district unit Chhatra League's former president, who is now a councillor candidate for ward No 36, was charged in six cases. But he now faces just two cases.
Ward No 5 candidate and Juba League leader Md Rimad Ahmed Rubel has been exonerated in six out of seven cases.