by Ali Asif Shawon in Dhaka Tribune, June 1, 2023
Though the Awami League mayoral candidate, Azmat Ullah Khan, was defeated by a rebel-backed candidate in the Gazipur City Corporation (GCC) election on May 25, the Awami League’s central leaders are terming this election a peaceful, violence-free and model election.
The ruling party will prefer this type of election in the next national polls if the BNP finally does not join the 12th national parliamentary election scheduled to be held in the next six to seven months.
The Awami League top brass is willing to show every quarter at home and abroad the GCC polls results to claim that a competitive and peaceful election is possible in Bangladesh without the participation of the BNP and like-minded parties. In the GCC polls, around 50% of voters exercised their franchise in a festive atmosphere.
Moreover, the Awami League is also highlighting the fact that in defiance of the BNP central committee’s warnings, many leaders have been contesting the city polls.
Ahead of the GCC polls, the BNP expelled 29 leaders for life for participating in the election as councillor candidates. The number is 11 in Barisal and 15 in Rajshahi city polls.
At several programs, Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader said democracy was triumphant at the GCC polls as it was held in a free, fair and peaceful manner. He hoped that the forthcoming national elections and four more city polls will be free, fair and neutral ones.
Party insiders said they are more conscious about the election rather than the candidates.
If the BNP does not contest the national election, the Awami League thinks it will assume power at the state level easily through a Gazipur-style election.
When asked, a member of the Awami League’s Central Executive Committee said: “There is no scope for an unelected caretaker government before the national polls. If the BNP doesn’t join the election without a caretaker government, we will open up the election field.”
The AL leader, who was involved in some recent political decisions, added: “Our party candidates will contest the election against candidates from other parties and independent or rebel candidates of the Awami League. If the rebels win 20 or 30 seats, we have no problem. We will include them in the party later.
“The parliamentary election will be competitive and the candidates will ensure a voter turnout. We want to follow the democratic process properly so that no one can question the election.”
Regarding the participation of the BNP leaders in the city polls, the AL leader said: “There are a lot of grassroots BNP leaders who want to participate in the election as we have seen in the Gazipur and Barisal City Corporation polls.
“The expulsion decision cannot stop grassroots candidates in the city polls. We think the same things may happen in the national election too.”
The Awami League leaders also think that the new visa policy announced by the US will make the BNP more vulnerable.
Talking to Dhaka Tribune yesterday, Mohammad A Arafat, a Central Executive Committee member, said: “I think the new US visa policy will not allow the BNP to wage an undemocratic movement before the election and they have no valid reason to demand the caretaker government. So it will be tough for the BNP if they think they will act like they did in the 2014 and 2018 national elections.”
https://www.dhakatribune.com/nation/2023/05/31/scc-polls-1-mayoral-7-councillor-candidates-regain-candidacy
