AL MP-minister's children, relatives ordered not to vie for upazila elections

The ruling Awami League (AL) has ordered the family members and close relatives of the party’s ministers and lawmakers not to compete in the upcoming upazila parishad elections.

The party has threatened to take strict organisational measures, including expulsion, against those who disobey this order and participate in the upazila polls.

AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader held a meeting, participated by the party's organisational secretaries, office secretary and deputy office secretary, at the political office of the AL president at Dhanmondi in the capital on Thursday (April 18).

At the meeting, Quader ordered the organising secretary and office secretary to prepare a list of ministers and lawmakers whose relatives and family members are taking part in the upazila polls.

AL organising secretary SM Kamal Hossain said the decision has been made to make upazila elections free, fair and impartial and competitive.

He said that General Secretary of the party Obaidul Quader gave them instructions in this regard, quoting party president Sheikh Hasina. They are delivering messages to their respective divisions.

After the meeting, the organizing secretary in charge of the division concerned called AL lawmakers Shajahan Khan of Madaripur Sadar and Ekramul Karim Chowdhury of Noakhali to inform the party decision.

Sources concerned said AL ministers and members of parliament have been instructed not to be involved in the upazila elections openly or secretly. Because, in order to increase their own influence at the local level, ministers and members of parliament are interfering into the upazila polls to elect their preferred candidates. The policy makers of the party feel that the balance of power at the grassroots level of the party is being lost due to this reason. Apart from this, the ministers and members of parliament are trying to use the local administration and police. This is why the party has taken a strict position.

Sources said thye next session of the parliament is going to begin on May 2. A meeting of the parliamentary body of Awami League may be called in that session. In that meeting, the prime minister will present her position about the role of ministers and members of parliament in upazila elections.

Apart from this, Awami League's central executive council may also meet to discuss the issue.

Mentionable, in the first phase of upazila polls, elections will be held in 152 upazila parishads of the country on May 8. As per the announced schedule, last date for submission of nomination papers is April 15, last date for selection is April 17, and the last date for withdrawal of nomination is April 22. Symbols will be allotted on April 23.