TDS Desk:

After Awami League’s registration with the Election Commission (EC) was suspended, there is speculation about whether Union Parishad (UP) chairmen across the country elected with the symbol ‘boat’ will remain in their positions.

“Since all the activities of Awami League have been banned by the government and the EC has suspended the registration of the party, the UP chairmen elected as the nominated candidates of the banned party should no longer be in office,” said Advocate Muzahedul Islam Shahin.

The lawyer of Bangladesh Supreme Court argued that now the Awami League is disqualified and ineligible to contest any elections in the country until the ban is revoked and the party registration is restored. So no one from the party can be in local government bodies with a party identity.

Samira Tanzin Chowdhury, chief coordinator of the Harris Chowdhury Foundation, echoed the same as Muzahedul Islam Shahin. “The authorities concerned should remove UP chairmen who were elected with AL nomination,” she said.

Like the national elections, the local government elections were also held with party symbols during the Sheikh Hasina-led autocratic Awami League regime. The-then AL government in 2015 amended the laws to allow use of the symbol of a party in the union parishad, upazila parishad, municipality, and city corporation elections.

Many Awami League men were elected in the UP elections held with party symbols for the second time in 2021 and 2022. However, many other Awami League men were elected UP chairmen as independent candidates.

Questions have been raised about the legality of holding office after the suspension of registration. On the other hand, many UP chairmen, who were elected through party nominations, are also under tension over this.

Badiul Alam Majumdar, secretary of a civil society organisation named Shusashoner Jonno Nagorik (Citizens for Good Governance-Shujan), said the local government ministry and the Election Commission will consider what to do about the Awami League-nominated UP chairmen elected with the party symbol. The ministry and the EC will decide on this matter after reviewing what the law says in this regard and what the reality.

Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain, the interim’s government adviser for the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives’ could not be reached for comment. On the other hand, the Election Commissioners are also keeping mum on this issue.

The EC on Monday (12 May) suspended the registration of the former ruling party of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

In a directive issued by the EC, the Awami League and its affiliated organisations have been asked to prohibit from conducting any political activities, including publications, media appearances, online and social media campaigns, processions, rallies, or conferences till the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) completes the proceedings.

According to the election laws, a political party needs to be registered with the EC in order to contest the polls in the country.