The ruling party BNP will try to put forward a single candidate in each union for the upcoming local government elections, working in coordination with its grassroots units, chief whip Nurul Islam Moni said on Sunday. He also said the elections will not be held under party symbols this time.
Moni spoke to reporters at a press conference after a meeting of ruling-party lawmakers, which was held at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhavan following the day's parliamentary session and chaired by Prime Minister Tarek Rahman, according to Dhakatimes24.
Why it matters
Local government elections shape who controls day-to-day administration at the union level, and the rules the ruling party sets for them — the ballot symbol, the candidate-selection process, the timetable — will determine how much room opposition parties and independent contenders have to compete. Moni's remarks are the clearest signal yet of how BNP intends to approach the vote, and they come as the party is also asking for more time before the polls are held, bd-pratidin.com reported.
The chief whip said BNP wants the election held in a festive atmosphere and wants locally acceptable figures to be elected as people's representatives. He said instructions have been given to ensure that candidates with genuine public support win, and that no interference in the election will be tolerated.
No party symbols this time
Moni told reporters that local government elections will not be held under party symbols in this round. He did not elaborate on the reasoning behind the change.
On candidate selection, he said the party will try to field one candidate in each union and will use its grassroots organizational structure to that end. Asked what action the party would take against anyone who contests outside the grassroots decision, Moni said the party will decide, adding that the matter has not yet been discussed.
Timetable still open
On setting the election schedule, Moni said the Election Commission usually decides after consulting the Local Government Division and the relevant ministry. He expressed hope that a fair election would be arranged at a suitable time after discussions with those concerned.
The comments follow separate reporting by bd-pratidin.com that BNP has asked for more time to hold the local government elections. The same day, the prime minister used a meeting of ruling-party lawmakers to warn MPs about accountability, according to Jugantor and Prothom Alo, which reported that Tarek Rahman told lawmakers that "autocrats" and "secret actors" could join forces and that MPs must answer for their conduct.
What to watch: whether the Election Commission sets a schedule, and whether BNP finalizes its single-candidate plan at the grassroots level before nominations open.
