The BNP is prepared to take part in the upcoming city corporation elections, but it sees the absence of a congenial atmosphere for holding the polls at this moment, said party leaders. The party's stand is to take part in local government elections, including city corporation polls. But a final decision will be taken after the election schedules are announced and the prevailing situation is taken into account, said the leaders.

Talking to The Independent, several senior BNP leaders alleged that party chairperson has been sent to jail in a fabricated case and her bail is being delayed out of political vengeance. For this, they would have to examine the overall situation before taking a decision in the absence of the former premier.

"Being the largest political party, we have the preparation for any election. But the atmosphere is not congenial for holding local government polls as our party activists are not allowed to move around freely," one of the leaders said.

The Election Commission (EC) is going to announce the schedule for Gazipur and Khulna city corporation polls as their terms are due to end on September 4 and 25, respectively. The acting secretary of the EC, Helaluddin Ahmed, said this after emerging from a meeting at Nirbachan Bhaban in Agargaon in the city on March 19. The EC is supposed to

hold polls to three other city corporations—Sylhet, Rajshahi, Barisal—before the next general election as their terms will end on September 8, October 5 and 23, respectively.

BNP standing committee member Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said the party is yet to take any decision on taking part in the ensuing city corporation polls. “We have a moral decision to take part in the local government elections. Our previous decision is still prevailing. But we will take the final decision at the party forum following the announcement of the poll schedule and after considering the changed political scenario after the chairperson was sent to jail,” he added.

Asked whether the party is prepared for the polls, Hossain said the BNP is prepared, but taking part in the polls will depend on the decision at the party forum.BNP chairperson’s adviser Moshiur Rahman echoed Hossain, saying they have the preparation to take part in the city corporation polls, but the atmosphere is not congenial for the elections. The party will decide on the matter after the announcement of the poll schedule, he noted.

Organising secretary Fazlul Haque Milon said grassroots-level leaders and activists are prepared for the election, but it requires the party’s decision. “We will take part in the election if the party endorses it. There will be no problem with the preparation,” he added.

Regarding possible mayoral candidates, Milon said names will be finalised after the poll schedule is announced.

A senior leader, preferring anonymity, said the party is prepared to participate in the local government polls and is looking for mayoral candidates.

The party is likely to make changes in its mayoral candidates in Barisal and Gazipur city corporation elections, while the outgoing mayors of Rajshahi, Khulna, and Sylhet are likely to get party tickets to contest the polls for the second consecutive term, he added.

The BNP, which had boycotted the January 5, 2014 general election, won the five mayoral posts of Gazipur, Khulna, Rajshahi, Barisal and Sylhet City Corporation in the last polls.