Will situation improve after CC elections?

S M MIZANUR RAHMAN :
The prevailing tense political situation may improve under the influence of soothing winds of the upcoming three city corporation elections in Dhaka and Chittagong, said analysts.
As the two major political parties — ruling Awami League (AL) and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) — have given concentration to the city corporation polls, the prevailing political crisis may go off soon, they hoped.
The analysts termed BNP’s decision to contest the polls as a positive sign in the country’s political arena, saying it will give some comfort to the people.
But the ruling AL will have to give space to BNP and ensure level playing field for holding a free, fair and credible elections, they said.
The last date for the submission of nomination paper is today (Sunday) as elections to three city corporations of capital Dhaka and port city Chittagong will be held on April 28.
Talking to The New Nation on Saturday, Dr. Tofayel Ahmed, a local government expert and Nazmul Ahsan Kalimullah, an election expert and Professor of Public Administration, Dhaka University, said both the political parties now want to backtrack from their respective rigid stance and go for election.
If the government and the Election Commission are able to hold elections in a free, fair and impartial manner, only then the prevailing situation may improve. Otherwise, the going crisis will deepen further, they cautioned.
 “The political unrest may get diluted gradually under the influence of soothing winds of city corporation elections,” Tofayel Ahmed said. “As AL is in power it will have to shoulder all responsibility if the polls are not held in peaceful and credible manner. The BNP is hopeful that the city dwellers who failed to exercise their franchise in January 5 national elections, will cast their votes in favour of party backed candidates in the city polls,” he said.  
However, the local government expert said if the BNP backed candidates win the polls, it will intensify its anti-government movement showing excuses that the government has no acceptability to the people.
On the other hand, if the BNP failed in the city corporation electoral race, it will become more desperate and wage more tough movement. It will also start putting pressure on the government to hold general elections under a non-party caretaker government,” he said. Nazmul Ahsan Kalimullah said when ruling AL and main opposition BNP will be engaged in polls race, the criminals and militants outfit may take the opportunity to commit subversive activities.
 “And it is big challenge for the government to ensure law and order so that mayor and councillor candidates can pass busy days to woo the voters,” he said.
He further said as the people of Dhaka and Chittagong are also interested in electing their representatives a festive mood will immediate start prevailing
Meanwhile, grassroots’ leaders of all political parties have already started hectic lobbying with the party’s front ranking leaders to get support to contest the upcoming city corporation elections.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also directed her party leaders and workers to work together for the party-backed candidates in the upcoming elections.
At a meeting with them at her official Gono Bhaban residence, Sheikh Hasina introduced formally with the mayoral candidates-Anisul Haque for Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) and Sayeed Khokon for Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) — to be backed by the AL.
On Friday, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has given green signal to the party leaders to contest the three city corporation polls.
BNP standing committee member Mirza Abbas on Friday purchased nomination paper to contest the mayoral post of DSCC elections and adviser to the party chairperson Abdul Awal Mintoo collected nomination papers to contest the DNCC polls as a mayoral candidate.
Earlier, two BNP leaders, its finance affairs secretary Abdus Salam and assistant organising secretary Nasiruddin Ahmed Pintu, now in jail in BDR mutiny case, and pro-BNP professional leader Selim Bhuiyan also collected nomination papers for the mayoral race in the DSCC.
According to BNP sources, Mirza Abbas, now hiding as he is facing some criminal cases for street violence, collected the nomination paper as per the instruction of party chief Khaleda Zia as she does not think Salam as a suitable candidate to fight against Sayeed Khokan, son of former Dhaka city Mayor Mohammad Hanif.
In Chittagong, M Manjur Alam, a BNP-backed candidate in the upcoming CCC polls, on Friday collected the nomination paper to vie for the next mayoral contest, resigning from the incumbent mayor post. Chittagong city unit of BNP has extended its support to Chattagram Unnayan Andolan platform’s mayoral candidate M Manjur Alam in the upcoming CCC polls.
AL nominated Chittagong city unit AL general secretary AJM Nasir Uddin has been nominated as its mayoral candidate for the CCC polls.
The DSCC and the DNCC and Chittagong City Corporation will go to polls simultaneously on April 28. The Election Commission last week announced the schedule for the voting.
The last Dhaka city mayor was BNP leader Sadek Hossain Khoka, who had an extended term in office by several years thanks to the indecision of the Awami League government.
Chittagong is holding polls on the expiry of the regular tenure of the incumbent BNP mayor.