The BNP will ‘very soon’ decide whether it will field candidates in the next month’s municipal elections.
Its acting spokesperson Asaduzzaman Ripon on Tuesday night said, “Chairperson Khaleda Zia will announce the decision and plans on this very soon.”
The elections to 234 municipalities across Bangladesh will be held on Dec 30. The last date to submit nomination papers is Dec 3.
“There are still some days left as per the polls schedule. The chairperson will certainly decide before the deadline,” the BNP’s international affairs secretary told reporters at Khaleda’s Gulshan office.
The press briefing was held at around 11pm after she held a one-and-a-half-hour-long meeting with the National Standing Committee and other senior leaders.
Apart from the upcoming local government election, the meeting also discussed the overall political scenario, organisational activities, national council and a revamp of the party.
It was the first meeting since Khaleda returned from London on Nov 21.
Ripon said the party chief listened to the opinions of the leaders regarding the municipal polls. “But she is yet to decide.”
“The Election Commission has announced that the elections will be held on Dec 30. One of the issues senior leaders have pointed out is that nearly five million people will be added in the updated voter list two days after the polls, on Jan 2,” he said.
Standing Committee Member Moudud Ahmed, who attended Wednesday’s meeting, recently had hinted at the BNP’s participation in the municipal polls, saying Khaleda would ‘take a positive decision’ after she returned home.
The BNP had boycotted the 10th national election last year but had fielded candidates at all the local government elections held since then.
After a ‘failed’ movement for a snap election under an ‘impartial administration’, it had taken part in the Dhaka and Chittagong city corporation polls in April this year. But it had boycotted them midway through the balloting, alleging that votes were being rigged.
In the municipal elections, politicians will, for the first time, run for mayoral positions with party symbols, as in the instance of parliamentary elections, following the amendment to the local government election law.
But, the candidates for the posts of councillors will have to use non-party symbols in the election.
BNP adherents from different districts, including Noakhali, Feni, Barisal, Natore and Dinajpurm, had gathered in front of Gulshan office since Wednesday evening ahead of the meeting.
Many local leaders are interested in contesting in the municipal polls, but are waiting for the final decision from the high command.
Source: Bd news24
