Upazila election: AL to take action against candidates who defied party order

The ruling Awami League is set to take action against candidates who are relatives of ministers and members of parliament from the party and defied the directive of party leader Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina by not withdrawing their candidacies from the upcoming upazila parishad elections.

Several central leaders of the party say actions will also be taken against the MPs and ministers concerned. They add that the actions, which could include removal from party posts and expulsion from the party, may be taken within two days.

The first phase of the upazila parishad election will be held on 8 May in 148 upazilas across the country.

According to sources, family members and close relatives of AL ministers and MPs received symbol allotments to contest in the election in 35 upazilas across the country on Tuesday.

Today, seven candidates were declared chairmen in seven upazilas as they did not have any contestants.

Among them, Ashiq Ali Omi, son of Awami League MP of Noakhali-6 constituency Mohammad Ali, was elected unopposed to the post of chairman in Hatia upazila of Noakhali. The remaining six unopposed winners are local-level leaders of the party.

Awami League Joint General Secretary AFM Bahauddin Nasim told The Business Standard that the party will take action against those who did not announce their withdrawal of candidature as per party instructions.

"Organisational action will be taken against them (candidates who are relatives of AL MP-ministers) as per party rules and party constitution," he said.

Another central leader of the party said that in the first phase of the four-phase election, a stern message will be sent to the candidates of the next phases by taking exemplary action against those who disobeyed the instructions of the party chief.

A decision was made by the central leadership of the Awami League long before the announcement of the upazila election schedule, saying that this time there would be no party candidate contesting for the post of upazila chairman. No boat symbol will be allocated to anyone.

Central leaders said this decision was made to ensure the acceptability and inclusivity of the election.

Kazi Zafarullah, AL praesidium member, told TBS that the party has a list of those who have violated the party's decision. The party chief may take a strict decision on this soon.

Soon after the announcement of the upazila election schedule, discussions arose regarding the MP of Noakhali-4 (Sadar-Subarnachar), Ekramul Karim Chowdhury, as his son, Atahar Ishraq, also known as Sabab Chowdhury, was nominated for the post of chairman in the upazila elections. He has not withdrawn his candidacy.

Noakhali district AL president AHM Khairul Anam Chowdhury is contesting for the post of chairman in that upazila. He has held the position of upazila chairman three times in a row.

Two cousins of Awami League praesidium member and former minister Abdur Razzak are contesting in the election in Dhanbari upazila in Tangail. One of them is the current chairman of the upazila and senior vice-president of upazila Awami League, Harun Or Rashid Hira. The other cousin is the general secretary of upazila AL, Manzurul Islam Tapan.

AL praesidium member and Madaripur-2 constituency MP Shajahan Khan's eldest son, Asibur Rahman Khan, is contesting for the post of chairman in Madaripur sadar upazila. Additionally, Shajahan Khan's cousin, Pavelur Rahman Shafiq Khan, is also a candidate for the post of chairman.

Another such candidate is Md Ishrafil Hossain, cousin of Manikganj-3 MP and former Health Minister Jahed Malek. Ishrafil has declared his candidacy for the chairmanship of Manikganj sadar upazila.

"I will definitely participate in the election, and I expect the people of the area to re-elect me by a large margin," Ishrafil told TBS.

Ataur Rahman Ata, cousin of Awami League's Joint General Secretary and Kushtia Sadar constituency MP Mahbubul Alam Hanif, has become a candidate for chairman in Kushtia Sadar upazila.