On the occasion of the upcoming upazila elections, the two-phase election schedule has already been announced. Awami League has announced not to give party symbols in this election to be held next month. However, MPs including local activists are informing the center about their support for specific candidates even if they do not give symbols.
They put this proposal in the meeting of central leaders with leaders and activists of Rangpur division and Chattogram division at the central office of Gulistan last Saturday and Sunday.
The upcoming sixth upazila parishad election will be held in four phases. The Election Commission has already announced the schedule for a total of 313 upazilas in two phases for this election of 495 upazila parishads. According to the schedule announced by the Election Commission, in the first phase, the election of 152 upazilas will be held on May 8. After that, the election in 161 upazilas of the second phase will be held on May 21. The third and fourth phase elections will be held on May 29 and June 5.
Awami League has started discussions with grassroot leaders and activists in view of the elections. Obaidul Quader, general secretary of the party, sat with the leaders and activists of Rangpur and Chattogram divisions last Saturday and Sunday as part of the exchange of views with grassroot leaders and activists. There, he said that everyone should vote for their favorite candidates in an open environment, but the leaders and activists present expressed fear of increasing conflict and demanded that a candidate should be supported from the party even if they did not give symbols.
Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader said to the leaders and activists in an exchange meeting with the leaders and activists of Rangpur division on Saturday (March 30), I am an MP, I will influence the election, I will obstruct the entire process to win him if there is one of me, this cannot happen. The purpose for which this election is opened cannot be disturbed under any circumstances.
At the beginning of the meeting, contrary to the attitude of the general secretary of the party, the top leaders of the party, the district and upazila members proposed that even if the party symbol is not given in the upazila parishad election, one should be given party support. It is known from reliable sources that the top leadership of grassroot held this opinion in the meeting of Chattogram division held on Sunday the next day. In the meetings, grassroot leaders expressed fear that if a single candidate is not given, then divisions in the grassroot will increase. Awami League's votes will be divided, as a result, Jamaat and other parties can take advantage.
Chattogram Awami League leader Abdus Salam commented that 'everyone will worry about the upazila elections' and said that it is being said that MP-ministers or district Awami League leaders will not worry about the upazila elections. The headache is not visible, cannot be seen. Everyone will be worried. Let it be. Earlier also upazila elections were held without party symbols, but there the party supported one. Then there was organizational discipline. Now if five-seven people stand for the post of chairman in an upazila, the MP will support one. District Awami League leaders will support separately. This will further damage the organization.
Commenting that the upazila parishad elections will be free and fair, Awami League joint general secretary AFM Bahauddin Nasim told Barta24.com that we will not hold elections with party symbols, that is our decision. There will be participatory elections; we want it, people want it. As a people's party, Awami League has withdrawn its symbol to meet the expectations of the people. Popular that he will get elected. We want popularization to be verified, participatory elections, beautiful elections.
Mentioning that we will congratulate those who will be elected, he further said that if Awami League leaders and activists want to vote for a good person, if they agree to vote, then there is no obstacle here. But we don't want to allow nepotism to influence me to make my brother-son or the MP to make his son, brother-in-law, relative, sister-in-law. If anyone wants to do anything to create disunity within the party, we will not allow it.
In response to the question whether the elections without symbols will cause division within the Awami League, the joint general secretary of the Awami League told Barta24.com that it will not cause division. He who is popular will be elected by popular vote. Those who are running for influence in this upazila election, if anyone wants to establish his own occupation by making own man (chairman) he will fail. The success of the election will be established only through his failure.