The ruling Bangladesh Awami League has decided to nominate candidates for the upcoming elections to all 4,500 Union Parishads (UP) through panels, said officials of the party.

According to sources, the decision has been made so that dedicated, honest and popular leaders of the party can be selected as the candidates instead of intruders, criminals and inappropriate people.

Besides, the decision will also help avoid rebel candidates in the party.

During the ongoing elections to different municipalities, the AL has had to experience severe difficulties as a number of rebels took part in the elections from Awami League.  

As per the decision, the Awami League has directed all the district and metropolitan units of the party to send resolutions from all the grassroot level committees to the party’s headquarters before the election starts.

According to the officials of the Election Commission (EC), elections to all the 4,500 UPs across the country will be held in phases from the month of April next. In the first phase, elections to 323 UPs under 63 upazilas in 20 districts will be held on April 11.  

Barrister Biplab Barua, Office Secretary of the Awami League, said in case of nominating candidates for the post of UP Chairman, resolution from the grassroots level in accordance with the specific organisational rules of the party is required.

The AL officials said that as per the party’s decision, before the elections to each of the UPs, a list of the aspirants will be prepared. At least three candidates for each of the UPs will be recommended by a six-member panel consisting of presidents and general secretaries of the committees of districts, upazila and UP unit. Then the headquarters will select a candidate out of those recommended three candidates.

As per the AL’s central decision, in view of forming of panels, all the grassroots committees, including the district and divisional units, have been asked to submit their regulations to the AL President’s political office located at Dhanmondi-3/A as early as possible.

Besides, all the aspirants for the UP chairmen posts must submit their details, along with photocopies of their political identities and national identities.

The entire current year is expected to remain busy with elections to various local government representative bodies.  

Elections to 329 municipalities are about to be completed in phases.

According to sources, immediately after the completion of the UP elections, the EC is going to hold elections to all 4,500 UPs from next April 11. Accordingly, the EC is going to hold elections to different city corporations, upazila parishads and district councils gradually.