Upazila polls: 25 candidates set to win uncontested in 1st phase

As many as 25 candidates for chairman, vice-chairman, and female vice-chairperson posts are set to win uncontested in the first phase of the upazila elections.

The first phase of polls is going to be held in 148 upazila parishads on 8 May.

Farhad Ahmed Khan, Additional Secretary of Election Commission, said out of the 25 candidates, six will be elected for the post of chairman, nine for the post of vice chairman, and 10 for the post of female vice chairman.

According to the EC, Bagerhat Sadar, Munshiganj Sadar, Madaripur's Shibchar, and Feni's Parshuram have single candidates for all three posts. Besides these four, Gaibandha's Saghata and Natore's Singra have a lone chairman candidate.

Only one vice-chairman candidate submitted nomination papers for nine upazilas, namely Bagerhat Sadar, Munshiganj Sadar, Madaripur's Shibchar and Feni's Parshuram, Thakurgaon's Baliadangi, chattogram's Swandip, Cox's Bazar's Sadar, Rangamati's Koukhali and Chuadanga's Damurhuda. 

Besides, the upazilas with lone female vice-chairman candidates in the first phase are Bagerhat Sadar, Munshiganj Sadar, Madaripur's Shibchar and Feni's Parshuram, Thakurgaon's Baliadangi, Dinajpur's Hakimpur, Pabna's Bera, Kushtia's Sadar, Moulvibazar's Borolekha, and Chuadanga's Damurhuda.

On the last day of withdrawal of candidature on Monday, 198 candidates withdrew their nominations. The remaining 1,693 candidates will contest in the first phase of upazila elections.

Meanwhile, the EC announced the schedule of 150 upazilas in the first phase out of a total of four phases.

However, due to ongoing joint forces operations in Chattogram Hill Tracts, the polling in three Upazilas has been postponed, with two among them initially slated for the first phase.

Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) will be used in 22 upazilas of nine districts during the first phase, with voting scheduled from 8 am to 4 pm continuously.

Notably, the upcoming 6th term of upazila parishad elections is primarily non-partisan in most cases.

Twenty-seven out of 44 registered political parties participated in the last Jatiya Sangsad elections. BNP and 17 like-minded parties boycotted the polls demanding elections under the caretaker government. 

In the last upazila  election in 2019, chairmen in 115 upazila parishads were elected uncontested. 

EC postpones elections in 3 upazilas of Bandarban

The Election Commission postponed the polling in Thanchi, Ruma and Rowangchhari upazilas of Bandarban owing to operations of joint forces in the region.

Election Commission Secretary Jahangir Alam disclosed this information following a coordination meeting held today.