Response �lukewarm�

The union parishad (UP) elections are being held under the political banner, but candidates nominated by registered political parties are few in number. The EC had to change the poll schedule for all 49 UPs in 10 upazilas of Rangamati district from the third phase to the sixth to ensure participation of candidates belonging to the main political parties. Again, the handful of registered political parties that have nominated their candidates to contest the UP polls belong to the ruling Awami League-led 14-party alliance.
Going by the first two phases of the UP polls and the upcoming third phase on April 23 and the fourth on May 7, the Awami League and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) have been able to field the maximum number of candidates, while the other political parties failed to put up candidates for all the UPs. So, the main contest is between the Awami League and the BNP. But even the BNP said a few days ago that it is mulling boycotting the UP polls after the next two phases. Experts said participation of candidates is essential to make the polls credible and acceptable. However, this is not the case with the UP elections. Awami League candidates won most of the seats in the first two phases of the polls, with several of them being elected unopposed as other candidates were not in the fray.
 In the first phase, 62 candidates were elected unopposed in 712 UPs, while in the second phase 33 were elected uncontested in 639 UPs. Even in the third phase, scheduled for April 23, when elections will be held in 620 UPs, the BNP has not been able to nominate candidates in 81 UPs.
 On the other hand, 25 Awami League sponsored chairman candidates have been elected unopposed in the third phase.  The Awami League sponsored candidates are being elected unopposed in the absence of candidates belonging to other political parties. From the first phase to the fourth, the BNP and other political parities could not field candidates in all the UPs.  For the first phase of polls in 712 UPs, 16 political parties sent letters to the EC, seeking permission to nominate  candidates, but later 13 parties fielded candidates. The Awami League put up 731 candidates, BNP 613, Islami Andolon Bangladesh 227, Jatiya Party 127, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal 29, Workers’ Party of Bangladesh 23. But the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD), Bangladesh Islami Front and the Bangladesh Kalyan Party did not field any candidate.  In the first phase, the Awami League won 469 posts, BNP 49, Jatiya Party 2, JP (Monju) 7, Workers’ Party 2, JASAD 3 and Islami Andolon Bangladesh 1.
 In the second phase in 639 UPs, 24 political parties sent letters to the EC, seeking permission to nominate candidates. Nine of them —- the Bangladesh Nationalist Front, Khelafat Majlish, Liberal Democratic Party, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD), Bangladesh Tarikat Federation, Krishak Sramik Janata League, Islami Oikya Jote, Bangladesher Biplabi Workers’ Party and Bangladesh Kalyan Party —- did not field any candidate.
 The Awami League put up 648 candidates, BNP 587, Jatiya Party 175, Islami Andolon Bangladesh 94, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal 24, Jaker Party 6, Jatiya Party (Monju) and the Communist Party 5 each and the Workers’ Party 4. The AL won 447 seats, BNP 61, Jatya Party 4 and JASAD 2.  In third phase in 620 UPs, 16 political parties got the permission to field candidates, but only 13 nominated candidates. The Awami League nominated 620, Bangladesh Nationalist Party 539, Jatiya Party 167, Islami Andolon Bangladesh, 92, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal 26, Workers’ Party of Bangladesh 12, Jamiyate Ulamaye Bangladesh 10, Communist Party of Bangladesh 5 and Bikalpadhara, Jatiya Party (Monju) and the Islami Front Bangladesh three each.  For the fourth phase in 727 UPs, out of 18 political parties, the Awami League has 727 candidates, BNP 672 and the Jatiya Party 178. Six of the UPs have single candidates.  “The elections have become ceremonial. Participation of voters, candidates and political parties are not as they should have been in the UP polls. Even participation in the campaign in large numbers is not there,” local government expert Dr Tofail Ahmed told The Independent yesterday (Monday).  “Democracy means ensuring participation of all parties in elections. But the participatory matter has become irrelevant now as the election system has collapsed,” he added.

Response �lukewarm�

The union parishad (UP) elections are being held under the political banner, but candidates nominated by registered political parties are few in number. The EC had to change the poll schedule for all 49 UPs in 10 upazilas of Rangamati district from the third phase to the sixth to ensure participation of candidates belonging to the main political parties. Again, the handful of registered political parties that have nominated their candidates to contest the UP polls belong to the ruling Awami League-led 14-party alliance. Going by the first two phases of the UP polls and the upcoming third phase on April 23 and the fourth on May 7, the Awami League and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) have been able to field the maximum number of candidates, while the other political parties failed to put up candidates for all the UPs. So, the main contest is between the Awami League and the BNP. But even the BNP said a few days ago that it is mulling boycotting the UP polls after the next two phases. Experts said participation of candidates is essential to make the polls credible and acceptable. However, this is not the case with the UP elections. Awami League candidates won most of the seats in the first two phases of the polls, with several of them being elected unopposed as other candidates were not in the fray. In the first phase, 62 candidates were elected unopposed in 712 UPs, while in the second phase 33 were elected uncontested in 639 UPs. Even in the third phase, scheduled for April 23, when elections will be held in 620 UPs, the BNP has not been able to nominate candidates in 81 UPs. On the other hand, 25 Awami League sponsored chairman candidates have been elected unopposed in the third phase. The Awami League sponsored candidates are being elected unopposed in the absence of candidates belonging to other political parties. From the first phase to the fourth, the BNP and other political parities could not field candidates in all the UPs. For the first phase of polls in 712 UPs, 16 political parties sent letters to the EC, seeking permission to nominate candidates, but later 13 parties fielded candidates. The Awami League put up 731 candidates, BNP 613, Islami Andolon Bangladesh 227, Jatiya Party 127, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal 29, Workers Party of Bangladesh 23. But the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD), Bangladesh Islami Front and the Bangladesh Kalyan Party did not field any candidate. In the first phase, the Awami League won 469 posts, BNP 49, Jatiya Party 2, JP (Monju) 7, Workers Party 2, JASAD 3 and Islami Andolon Bangladesh 1. In the second phase in 639 UPs, 24 political parties sent letters to the EC, seeking permission to nominate candidates. Nine of them - the Bangladesh Nationalist Front, Khelafat Majlish, Liberal Democratic Party, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD), Bangladesh Tarikat Federation, Krishak Sramik Janata League, Islami Oikya Jote, Bangladesher Biplabi Workers Party and Bangladesh Kalyan Party - did not field any candidate. The Awami League put up 648 candidates, BNP 587, Jatiya Party 175, Islami Andolon Bangladesh 94, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal 24, Jaker Party 6, Jatiya Party (Monju) and the Communist Party 5 each and the Workers Party 4. The AL won 447 seats, BNP 61, Jatya Party 4 and JASAD 2. In third phase in 620 UPs, 16 political parties got the permission to field candidates, but only 13 nominated candidates. The Awami League nominated 620, Bangladesh Nationalist Party 539, Jatiya Party 167, Islami Andolon Bangladesh, 92, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal 26, Workers Party of Bangladesh 12, Jamiyate Ulamaye Bangladesh 10, Communist Party of Bangladesh 5 and Bikalpadhara, Jatiya Party (Monju) and the Islami Front Bangladesh three each. For the fourth phase in 727 UPs, out of 18 political parties, the Awami League has 727 candidates, BNP 672 and the Jatiya Party 178. Six of the UPs have single candidates. The elections have become ceremonial. Participation of voters, candidates and political parties are not as they should have been in the UP polls. Even participation in the campaign in large numbers is not there, local government expert Dr Tofail Ahmed told The Independent yesterday (Monday). Democracy means ensuring participation of all parties in elections. But the participatory matter has become irrelevant now as the election system has collapsed, he added.