On 29 March, in a press conference, the NCP announced the party’s candidates for mayoral posts in five municipal corporations, including Dhaka South and North. Party leaders also said that candidates for the remaining seven municipal corporations would be announced soon. He further indicated that the candidates for the Upazila Parishad and municipal elections could be announced within April.
After the BNP took power, bills relating to local government institutions, including municipal corporations, were passed in Parliament – these had previously been issued in the form of ordinances by the interim government. As per the laws passed, the upcoming municipal corporation elections will not be held under party symbols.
During parliamentary discussion on 9 April, Local Government Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said that once the law is passed, the government will move towards local government elections.
NCP policy makers believe that since local government elections are not directly linked to gaining state power, the personal image of the candidate becomes important. They also think that organizing party structures around candidates can provide an advantage in elections.
NCP member secretary and Rangpur-4 MP Akhtar Hussain told Prothom Alo, “At present, there is an election atmosphere in the country. But the BNP is taking control of the local government by appointing administrators. We have demanded elections at all levels of local government in phases within six months. In line with that demand, we have started our preparations.”