In a surprising development, at least 15 leaders from the BNP are vying for general and reserved women councillor posts in the upcoming Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) election, slated for June 21. They are thus going against the party's decision not to participate in any polls under the Awami League government.
Many of them have vowed to take part in the election even if they are expelled from the party.
On May 25, the regional election office declared valid the nominations of four candidates for the mayoral post, 117 for general councillor posts and 46 for reserved women councillor posts. Notably, of the councillor candidates, 38 are accused in different cases.
Official election campaigns will begin after the symbols are allotted to the candidates tomorrow.
Among the candidates, there are 12 BNP leaders for general councillor positions and three for reserved women councillor positions. Five of them are current councillors and two are reserved women councillors.
At a press conference in Dhaka on May 21, senior BNP leaders warned that anyone participating in the elections will be expelled. They will be branded as traitors and considered disloyal to the party, they said, adding that those leaders will be held accountable for their action.
Earlier, in defiance of the party decision, 29 BNP leaders contested the Gazipur City Corporation election, with a dozen of them emerging victorious in the voting that saw a 48.75% turnout. All of them were expelled for life before the election, which took place on May 25.
Meanwhile, at least 11 former and current leaders of the BNP are in the race in the Barisal city polls.
Belal Ahmed, former president of Shah Makhdum thana Jubo Dal, has been serving as councillor of ward number 16 since 2002.
"I used to have a position in the party long ago. But now I have no affiliation, and I do not take part in the party's activities. I am contesting the election only because the people of the area want me to,” Belal, who has been a councillor for four straight terms, told Dhaka Tribune.
Abdus Sobhan Liton has also been elected councillor of ward number 15 for four consecutive terms. "I will definitely participate in the election.
“There was a time when I was a party worker. Now I am just a supporter. Since I am not in any important position, I do not participate in any party activities. I am running as an independent candidate,” he told Dhaka Tribune.
Anwarul Amin, who is vying for the councillor post for ward number 27 in Rajshahi, said party symbols are not used in the councillor elections.
“As this is not a party election, there is no issue of organizational obstruction. I have been elected four times and have been holding my ground for a long time. The people want me, so I will not leave the field. I will contest the election till the end,” he told Dhaka Tribune.
Meanwhile, reserved seat councillor Muslima Begum said: "I left the party one and a half months ago to run in the election. The people want me here. That is why I became a candidate. Even if I am expelled, I will compete in the election."
Regarding becoming a councillor candidate by disregarding party directives, BNP leader Habibur Rahman said he is running for the councillor post because the people in his area want him to do so.
Asked about party leaders and workers staying in the election despite the threat of lifetime expulsion, Rajshahi Metropolitan BNP Convener Advocate Ershad Ali first said those who are participating in the election under this government are not from the BNP.
But he later added that if anyone participating in the polls has a position in the party, he or she will certainly be expelled. They will not get a position in the future.
According to regional election office sources, the last day for withdrawal of candidacies in the Rajshahi City Corporation election is today.
The RCC polls will be conducted through electronic voting machines (EVMs) on June 21 at 1,173 booths in 152 centres. The number of voters in this city corporation is 352,157, with 171,185 of them being men and 180,972 being women.
In the 2018 election, counting ended early and Awami League mayoral contestant AHM Khairuzzaman Liton won with a comfortable margin over his rival—with 166,394 votes in 138 polling centres. Comparatively, BNP's Mosaddek Hossain Bulbul received 78,492 votes.
Bulbul abstained from casting his vote—protesting irregularities in the city corporation election. He positioned himself in front of the Islamia College polling centre to protest the eviction of his party's polling agents from different polling stations. He also alleged that BNP supporters had been obstructed from casting their votes.
