‘BNP, partners joining upazila elections’

Although the BNP and its alliance partners boycotted the January-5 Parliamentary election, they are now going to take part in the upazila election.
The first phase of the election will be held in 102 upazilas on February 19. The leaders and nomination seekers have already collected nomination papers and submitted those as per direction of high-command.
BNP standing committee member Lt Gen (retd) Mahbubur Rahman said that his party would take part in the election. “Upazila election is non-political. Our party leaders will contest the poll as per the expectations of the people and party grassroots,” he said while talking to reporters on Saturday near the grave of late President Ziaur Rahman in the city.
He further said that BNP is a pro-election party and the party high-command has taken the UZ election with importance, because the local bodies election makes the foundation of democracy in grassroots level.
Mahbubur Rahman along with the party Vice-Chairman Begum Selima Rahman went to the graveyard for placing wreaths. Selima Rahman was released from the jail recently.
BNP is joining the upazila polls to invigorate its frustrated grassroots level leaders and activists, and to establish its influence on local politics. Some senior leaders of the party recently in a meeting with the party chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia stressed the need for joining the UZ polls to show the party’s popularity and establish its political control at local bodies.
The party Vice-Chairman Abdullah-Al-Noman said, the party grassroots are very eager to join the election as they think it will strengthen their party position in local areas.