Jamaat-e-Islami has no candidate in this year’s upazila parishad elections. All candidates of the party have withdrawn their nomination papers on Monday after the decision not to hold elections centrally. Elections will be held in 150 upazilas in the first phase on May 8. It has been reported locally that none of the party has taken the nomination papers in the second phase election on May 21.
Jamaat is not registered as a political party with Election Commission. However, in the first phase of upazila elections, 22 Jamaat leaders submitted their nomination papers as independent candidates. But the Jamaat leaders started withdrawing their nomination papers after the party’s policy-making council withdrew its decision to participate in the polls. The rest withdrew today.
Jamaat’s responsible sources said that initially the party was somewhat flexible about participating in the Upazila Parishad elections. There was a message on the ground level of the party regarding elections in upazilas where there is a possibility of winning. The concerned Upazila and District Committees were given the responsibility to take decisions and nominate candidates in this regard. Later, after discussion in the central executive council of the party, it was decided not to go to the upazila elections. Actually, BNP and Bangladesh Islamic Movement, one of the religious parties, did not go to the polls, so Jamaat also withdrew.
In this regard, Jamaat-e-Islami central assistant secretary general Abdul Halim told Prothom Alo that after reviewing everything, Jamaat has decided not to hold upazila elections. Those who have submitted nomination papers have been asked to withdraw. Still if any candidate, necessary action will be taken from the organization regarding him.