More than a dozen former and present leaders of the BNP will be contesting the March 29 Chandpur municipality elections despite the party’s district unit boycotting it. Currently the main political opposition, BNP had boycotted the national elections of January 5, 2014, which saw them thrown out of parliament.
Top BNP leaders of the district, comprising 15 wards, warned that anyone acting in defiance of the boycott would be reprimanded but the contestants said they would still be running for mayor and councillor.
BNP’s district unit boycotted the elections after raising a number of allegations, including possible manipulation attempts and vote rigging. BNP-backed mayor and councillor candidates later withdrew their nominations on the last day.
Those who quit the race are now demanding that actions be taken against the candidates who did not comply with the party’s official decision.
“They should be subjected to disciplinary measures,” said Chandpur district BNP Joint Convener Akhter Hossain Majhi who quit the mayoral race.
But former municipal chairman Shafiqur Rahman Bhuiyan, who is also a BNP leader and will be running for mayor, argued that undertaking development activities was more important than political considerations when it came to local government polls.
“Residents of the municipality love me and I love them,” he told the Dhaka Tribune. “Besides, this is not parliamentary election and two more municipalities, including Natore, will go to the polls where BNP candidates will contest.”
Shafiqur claimed that it was the personal decision of the district BNP convener to boycott the elections, and that there were no such instructions from the central leaders.
“Choosing not to take part in the elections is like letting the Awami League to enjoy a walkover.”
Chandpur district BNP Joint Convener Mahbub Anwar Bablu told the Dhaka Tribune that those contesting the polls defying the official decision would not be backed by the party. “They will face actions as well.”
Sheikh Farid Ahmed, convener of the district unit, said anyone taking part in the elections would face action for breaching discipline.
On February 15, the fourth election schedules were announced. The last date for submitting nominations was February 26 while that for withdrawal was March 10.
A total of 165 candidates submitted nominations but 36 withdrew them later while six had their nominations cancelled.
One hundred and twenty-three candidates will now run for mayor and councillor. Of them, Shafiqur and Nasir Uddin Ahmed, the incumbent mayor, are mayoral candidates while there are 27 candidates for reserved positions for women and 94 for councillors.
Election symbols were allotted to candidates on March 11 who then organised campaigns to drum up support of the voters.
A total of 1,01,975 people, with 51,841 males and 50,134 females, in 15 wards will cast their votes.