Staff Correspondent:

The provision for using party symbols in the elections of city corporations, upazilas, pourashavas (municipalities), and union parishad is being scrapped. The interim government is preparing to pass new ordinances by revoking relevant sections of the four existing laws.

As a result, political parties will no longer be able to officially nominate candidates in local government elections. All candidates will be non-partisan, commonly referred to now as independent candidates.

Various political parties and election experts have long been demanding an end to the use of party symbols in local government elections. Also, the electoral reform commission and the local government reform commission had both recommended removing party symbols.

People concerned believe that scrapping this provision will also encourage many capable individuals, who are not directly affiliated with political parties, to run in the elections.

The local government ministry has drafted four separate ordinances relating to this and sent them to the cabinet division on 1 July. After being reviewed by the advisory council and being approved by the legislative and parliamentary affairs division, the ordinances will be published as official gazettes. This has been reported by sources from the ministry of local government as well as the cabinet division.

Suraiya Akhter Jahan, additional secretary of the local government ministry, when contacted declined to comment on the matter. Meanwhile, Md Ziaul Haque, joint secretary of the legal wing of the cabinet division, told journalist that he was aware of the four draft ordinances prepared by the ministry of local government but declined to make any further comment.

There is ongoing political discussion about holding local government elections ahead of the national polls. BNP has consistently opposed holding local elections before the national elections.

On the other hand, Jamaat-e-Islami, the National Citizen Party (NCP), Islami Andolan Bangladesh, and several other parties are in favour of holding local elections first. Meanwhile, the government is moving to revoke provisions related to the use of party symbols from four laws involving the local government structure.

BNP standing committee member Salahuddin Ahmed told journalist “BNP has long been demanding the removal of party symbols from local elections. In fact, this demand is included in BNP’s 31-point proposal as well. It reflects our party’s consistent stance.”

NCP has welcomed the move to abolish use of party symbols in local government elections. Senior joint convenor of the party Ariful Islam Adib told journalist that when local elections are held using party symbols, conflicts from national politics spill into the grassroots. Many strong community leaders get affected by party politics. On the whole, it’s better to hold local elections without party symbols.

It is stated in the summary of the four draft ordinances, prepared for presenting at the advisory council meeting that given the current context, it is necessary to revoke the relevant sections of the four laws in order to ensure effective civic services in city corporations, upazilas, municipalities, and union parishads as well as to encourage inclusive participation in elections at all levels.

The interim government headed by Professor Muhammad Yunus took office on 8 August last year following the fall of the Awami League government in the face of a mass uprising led by students and public. After that all the city corporation mayors, zilla parishad chairmen, upazila chairmen, and municipal mayors were removed from their posts.

Then administrators and chief executive officers were appointed in these posts from among the government officials. Although union parishad chairmen and members were not officially removed, in many areas they have gone into hiding. Administrators were appointed in those areas too.

Officials concerned note that zila parishad representatives are not elected through direct public voting. So, the matter of scraping the provision for the use of party symbols has not been considered in case of the zila parishad. Notably, the decision to introduce party symbols in local government elections was taken in 2015 under the Awami League government.

Professor Tofail Ahmed, head of the local government reform commission and an election expert, told journalist that the commission’s report recommended excluding party symbols from local elections. However, he believes that the recommendations of the commission are not being fully implemented.

Tofail Ahmed noted that there is no need for four separate ordinances. The laws governing city corporations, municipalities, upazila, and union parishads can be integrated into a single ordinance. It raises questions as to why that approach was not taken.

In his view, elections for all four levels can be held on the same day, and there is no need for separate elections. He also commented that holding any elections without implementing the reforms would be inappropriate.