Dhaka – Despite its maximum efforts, BNP has not succeeded to ensure lone mayoral candidates in over 55 out of 200 municipalities as the party has got nearly 58 rebel aspirants in the December-30 election race.
Apart from party rebels, the BNP mayoral aspirants will have to face nearly 30-40 candidates from the party-led-20-party alliance, especially Jamaat, who filed their nominations as independent candidates.
Unlike its arch rival AL, BNP, however, has got lesser number of rebel candidates for the polls.With the deadline for submission of the nomination came to close at 5pm on Thursday, it showed that BNP is apparently in a better position than Awami League as the ruling party has got nearly 110 dissident mayoral candidates in almost 200 out of the 235 municipalities.
According to reports reaching the UNB news desk, around 58 dissident BNP candidates filed their nominations in 55 municipalities out of 200 and BNP-nominated mayoral aspirants submitted their nomination silently in most of the places.
However, reports from 35 other municipalities were yet to reach till filing of this report around 9:30pm.
BNP assistant office secretary Shamimur Rahman Shamim, who was deeply involved in finalising the party’s candidates, said though their many leaders filed nomination as dissident contestants, they will be able to mange most of them to withdraw their nominations before the deadline for withdrawal of the candidature expires on December 13.
He said their party high-ups will make their all-out efforts to persuade the rebels to get off from the election race.
About the candidates of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami that cannot allow any candidate to use its election symbol, Shamim said they are still in negotiations with the Islamist party over sharing mayoral posts.
“If we can reach an understanding with Jamaat over sharing the mayoral pots before the last date of withdrawal of candidature, we’ll ensure lone candidates from our alliance in the shared municipalities. And then, Jamaat will also pull out their candidates from the municipalities which are not shared with it,” he said.
Another leader wishing anonymity said they are not bothered about Jamaat candidates as the candidates of the Islamist party will not be a big problem for BNP’s.
The High Court declared illegal Jamaat’s registration with Election Commission in August 2013.
He feels that BNP is unlikely to be able to reach any understanding with Jamaat. “We’re now mainly concerned about our party’s rebel candidates. Our chairperson will take an initiative to mange them to quit the election race sacrificing for the party as it’s now going through a critical time.”
The BNP leader said Khaleda Zia will also send a special message to them to withdraw their candidature and work for the party-nominated candidates.
This is for the first time the municipal polls are being held along party line as mayor candidates will be allocated their respective party symbols.
On November 24, Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad announced the election schedule for 234 municipalities out of the country’s 323 fixing the voting day on December 30. Subsequently, the election schedule was announced for two more municipalities — Sreepur of Gazipur and Naohata of Rajshahi.
Later, election to Mongla municipality of Bagerhat was postponed following the court’s order.
According to the election schedule, the dates for the scrutiny of nomination papers are December 5 and 6, while the last date for withdrawal of candidature is December 13. – Agencies
