Although the BNP has decided not to join the upcoming upazila polls as a political party, many party leaders are in favour of allowing its leaders and activists to contest the elections as independent candidates.

The party may allow individuals to run for the race as it would help boost the party's grassroots morale and speed up the organisational activities, said party insiders.

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First phase of upazila polls on May 8: EC

"We will not join the polls as a party, but many of us believe that grassroots leaders should be allowed to take part in the elections. As the polls will be held at the local level, BNP's presence is very important for its future protest programmes," said a standing committee member, wishing not to be named.

The BNP has been staying away from all polls since 2019 and the party expelled its leaders who contested elections going against the party's decision. The party even boycotted the January 7 election, stating that a free and fair election is not possible under the incumbent government.

A senior leader of the party said they will try to convince the party activists not to participate in the polls, but if anyone joins, they will not be expelled.

He added that to hold the public support at the local level, the party should go soft on those who will stand for elections.

The Awami League already decided that it would not permit its leaders to use its electoral symbol -- "boat" -- in the upazila elections.

BNP leaders said there was no scope of joining the polls as a political party as it would give the ruling AL a weapon to say that the BNP has made a blunder by boycotting the January 7 polls.

They said the AL has taken the strategy of not giving nomination to any candidate for two considerations. One is to bring the BNP into the election, thereby allowing the AL to say that the BNP made a wrong decision by boycotting the national polls. The other consideration is that the BNP candidates participating in the polls may end up winning in only a few upazilas, but not being successful in most, which would give the ruling party a chance to show that BNP's popularity no longer exists.

The issue of the upazila election was discussed in the BNP's last standing committee meeting on Sunday where leaders gave different opinions.

One group said the party should not take part in the polls and should not allow its leaders to contest the elections as independents.

Those leaders said if the party boycotts the election, it will lose its festive atmosphere and it would be an intra-party election as the contenders will be only from the ruling party.

The other group said the party should not join the polls, but if any leaders take part as independents, they should not be barred. 

They added that turnout in the local government elections is always high as upazila chairman and vice-chairman candidates usually maintain regular contacts with locals.

Besides, people also consider many local issues in the local government polls and for this, the BNP will find it difficult to keep people away from casting votes, they opined.

The first phase of the upazila polls will be conducted on May 8.