Reza Mahmud :
The grassroots leaders, workers, and supporters of the BNP are calling for local government elections to be held before the national polls, arguing that such a move would reflect the true will of the voters.
However, they fear that influential figures and opportunistic hybrid leaders may secure nominations for local elections, such as district councils, upazilas, unions, and municipalities.
According to party insiders, the BNP high command favours holding the national elections first, after which an elected government would oversee the local polls.
This has created a conflict between the aspirations of grassroots leaders and the stance of the party’s central leadership.
Speaking to The New Nation on Saturday, eminent political analyst Dr SM Ali Reza, Professor at the Department of Political Science, Dhaka University, stated, “Political parties should pay close attention to their grassroots members, as they play a crucial role in strengthening organisational structures.
If local leaders are advocating for local elections first due to their concerns, parties like the BNP should acknowledge these issues and maintain the trust of their grassroots representatives.”
He further emphasised that as a major political force in the country, the BNP has a significant responsibility towards national stability.
He warned that if the grassroots members of key political parties become anxious, the country’s stability could be at risk, making their concerns a matter of importance.
When contacted, BNP Standing Committee Member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury told The New Nation on Saturday, “Grassroots leaders should not be concerned about local election nominations or related matters, as the BNP does not harbour musclemen or hybrid elements.”
He further asserted, “The interim government has no authority to conduct local elections. Its sole responsibility is to hold the national election and transfer power to the elected government.”
Despite these assurances, grassroots leaders remain apprehensive about the potential interference of hybrid leaders, believing that the prevailing political environment has allowed such figures to rise in the past.
A local BNP leader, aspiring to contest as a Union Parishad Chairman from Sonargaon upazila in Narayanganj, expressed his concerns, saying, “Although our party’s top leadership prioritises the national election first, we believe that local government elections should be given precedence to ensure that truly popular, experienced, and dedicated grassroots leaders are elected.”
Speaking anonymously, he elaborated, “If the parliamentary election is held first, a group of influential figures will inevitably emerge around the MPs, who will exert control over all aspects, including local elections.”
“In such a scenario, the tested and oppressed grassroots leaders who have made significant sacrifices over the past 17 years under Hasina’s autocratic rule will find themselves marginalised.
The newly empowered associates of MPs will dominate local leadership positions, depriving the genuinely committed and long-serving leaders of their rightful roles,” he explained.
Another BNP leader from Boalmari upazila in Faridpur echoed similar sentiments, telling The New Nation, “Our past experiences show that opportunists always become active around MPs, while our most dedicated grassroots leaders are often denied party nominations and the necessary Similar opinions also found from the BNP’s grassroots leaders of different parts of the country.
They said if the honest, eligible and real party lover leaders become deprived popularity of our political organisation will be declined in grassroots.
