The family members as well as children and relatives of the ministers and state ministers of the government and the members of parliament (MPs) from the ruling Awami League (AL) would be barred from contesting in the upcoming upazila election to be held from May 9 this year in phases.
Giving such instructions to the party leaders, ministers, state ministers and members of parliament (MP) from the ruling party, AL President Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has also asked their family members and relatives to withdraw candidatures from the election, if there is any.
If anyone violates the AL Presidents instruction, strict actions would be taken from the party, AL Organising Secretary SM Kamal Hossain informed while talking to media after a meeting with the ruling partys General Secretary Obaidul Quader in the AL Presidents Dhanmondi political office in Dhaka.
However, AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader hasn talked to media about the partys decisions.
SM Kamal said, "Getting the instruction from Awami League President Sheikh Hasina, Obaidul Quader held an emergency meeting with the partys concerned leaders. Partys organizing secretaries, office secretary and deputy office secretaries attended the meeting."
"In the meeting, the party general secretary asked the organizing secretaries responsible for the divisions and office secretary to make a list of such candidates who are family members or relatives of the ministers and state ministers and MPs. Following the list, the party will take further steps in future," he added.
According to the ruling party, the candidates of the upazila election were not given any party symbol considering the demands of the partys leaders and activists. The main target of not giving party symbol was to ensure a participatory and acceptable election to all.
But, a section of ministers, state ministers and MPs are desperate to influence the election by announcing candidature of their family members as well as brothers and children and relatives. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina dislikes such activities of the party influential and policy makers. In this situation, the Prime Minister has given the instructions, so that the election could be held without any interference of the influential.
Kamal Hossain said the party General Secretary informed us about the party chiefs decisions and asked us to implement it as soon as possible to avert any kind of untoward situation.
He said that the decision and instruction of the party chief has already been forwarded to the concern divisions.
According to AL sources, some 14 family members and relatives of the ministers and MPs have been contesting the first phase polls in 150 upazilas. The election would be held in four phases. The number would increase more in all phases.
According to the sources, partys Presidium Member and lawmakers from Madaripur Shajahan Khan and Noakhlai district AL General Secretary and lawmaker Ekramul Haque Chowdhury were called from the meeting and asked to take necessary measures to immediately withdraw their candidates from the polls.
Sons of Shajahan Khan and Ekramul Haque have been contesting from their respective upazila. The MPs have been working openly for their children violating the election codes and party instructions.
The countrys major opposition BNP and its allies have been boycotting the polls. However, amid the announcement of boycotting, some of the BNP and Jamaat leaders have been contesting the election.
