Staff Reporter :
The Awami League has announced the names of 122 upazila chairmen contestants for the 4th phase of Upazila Parishad election to be held on March 31.
The AL Local Government Nomination Board announced the names of the candidates in a meeting with AL President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in chair in her official residence Ganobhaban on Friday.
On February 20, the Election Commission announced the schedule for holding election to 122 upazila parishads of 16 districts in the fourth phase on March 31.
The deadline for submission of nomination papers is March 4, while the date for scrutiny of nomination papers is March 6 and the last date for withdrawal of candidature is March 13.The election will be held in seven upazilas in Patuakhali district, six in Bhola, five in Barguna, seven in Pirojpur, eight in Jashore, nine in Khulna, nine in Bagerhat, 12 in Mymensingh, six in Munshiganj, three in Narayanganj, five in Dhaka, 12 in Tangail, 13 in Cumilla, seven in Noakhali, seven in Brahmanbaria and six in Feni.
Earlier, the EC announced the election schedules for the first three phases.
As per the schedules, 87 upazilas will go to the polls on March 10 in the first phase, 129 upazilas on March 18 in the second phase and 127 upazilas on March 24 in the third phase.
Meanwhile, General Secretary of AL Obaidul Quader on Saturday said
, “I do not think that the Upazila election will be completely perfect. It is not right to call anything perfect. There may be errors and yet we have to surge ahead.”
After holding election democracy will gradually become institutionalised and then there will be no more mistakes and errors, said Quader.
He said the opposition alliance has become isolated from the people as they have begun to boycott the election.
“This is an indication of their isolation from the people,” he said it at a press conference held in the Party’s President’s office in Dhanmondi on Saturday.
With reference to Jatiya Oikya Front chief Dr Kamal Hossain, the AL general secretary said, “They have been engaging in a politics of trickery and destruction. Their politics move one step ahead towards the path of devastation.
About Dhaka North City Corporation election, he said, “The history of election says those who boycott election become isolated from the people and move away from a political future.”
“I am telling the BNP the same thing. If public opinion was in favour of them in the last general election, its impact would have been seen in the results. Wherever public opinion is strong enough, the results of the election will be affected. This is the history of elections,” he said.
The Election Commission has already declared the upazila election schedule, which will be held in five phases starting from Mar 10.
On the selection of the businessman Atiqul Islam for the mayor post in the Dhaka North City of active politicians, the AL leader said, “May be he was not a party leader, but he was a supporter of the Awami League. He was never involved with the other political parties.”
