Action will be taken against Awami League ministers and lawmakers whose close relatives did not withdraw their candidatures from the upazila parishad elections, party General Secretary Obaidul Quader said yesterday.

Speaking at a press conference in the AL president's political office in Dhanmondi, Quader said AL chief Sheikh Hasina instructed ministers and MPs to make sure their children and relatives do not take part in the upazila polls.

"The date for the candidacy withdrawal in the first phase of the election has expired... ," said Quader, adding that one can still quit the race.

Disciplinary action will be taken if the party instructions are not followed, he said.

The deadline for withdrawal of candidatures in the first phase was April 22.

"Action has been taken against those who disobeyed the party's decision in the 12th national parliamentary election," said the AL general secretary.

At least 16 close relatives or family members of ministers and MPs were running for upazila chairman posts in the first phase of the election, slated for May 8.

Only one of them, Lutful Habib, a brother-in-law of State Minister for Posts, Telecommunications, and Information Technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak, quit the race.