BNP seeks more time to prepare for local government elections

The BNP wants more time to organise administrative and party preparations before holding local government elections, taking into account the prolonged paralysis of local government institutions and the risk of multiple party candidates contesting for the same posts.

The issue was discussed at a meeting of the party’s standing committee at the BNP chairman’s political office in Gulshan, Dhaka, last night (10 October), according to party sources.

The meeting, chaired by Tarique Rahman, also the prime minister, began at 6:30pm and continued until 9pm. Security during the upcoming Durga Puja and preparations for local government elections were the main items on the agenda.

Several leaders stressed the need for advance measures to prevent divisions and internal conflicts during the elections, the sources said. Others favoured completing preparations quickly and holding the polls without unnecessary delay.

Those present included standing committee members Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Salahuddin Ahmed, Selima Rahman, Professor Dr AZM Zahid Hossain, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, Aman Ullah Aman, Professor Dr Farhad Halim Donar and Ismail Zabiullah.

Rizvi and Zabiullah briefed the chairman on recent online meetings with senior leaders at the district, metropolitan, upazila and municipality levels, according to party sources.

Candidate rivalry raises concern

The BNP wants local government elections to be held in a fair and neutral environment where voters can freely choose their preferred candidates, the sources said.

As candidates will not contest the elections under party symbols this time, multiple BNP candidates could compete for the same post. The resulting split in votes could intensify local rivalries and deepen divisions within the party.

Tarique Rahman has instructed party leaders to resolve potential disputes through discussions in advance, the sources said.

A standing committee member also raised the possibility of the Election Commission announcing the election schedule on Monday. Several members, however, said the government had not assigned the commission any responsibility for the polls and that it therefore had no authority to announce the dates, according to the sources.

BNP to deploy volunteers at Puja venues

Tarique Rahman instructed party leaders and activists to remain vigilant and help maintain communal harmony and security nationwide during the upcoming Durga Puja.

After the meeting, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said BNP leaders and activists would coordinate with local Puja celebration committees and serve as volunteers at venues to help ensure the celebrations took place safely and without disruption.

He alleged that various groups were conspiring against the country and the democratic government.

“The government will be able to thwart all kinds of propaganda, misdeeds and conspiracies through efficient management and administration, and our party leaders and activists will remain constantly alert on this matter,” he said.

Rizvi added that BNP activists would act “like sleepless guards” at Puja venues.

Government eyes polls early next year

The government had earlier said it was preparing to hold local government elections early next year.

On 24 September, Election Commissioner Md Anwarul Islam Sarker said the Election Commission was considering holding the polls in January, after students’ annual examinations, rather than in November or December.

Elections are held for five types of local government institutions: union parishads, municipalities, upazila parishads, district councils and city corporations.

The government plans to begin the election process with union parishad polls.