Khaleda ‘positive’ about Dhaka, Ctg polls

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has expressed her positive attitude about taking part in the upcoming elections to the Dhaka and Chittagong city corporations.

“Khaleda Zia did not tell anything negative to us about the three city corporation elections. She is positive in this regard,” Prof Emajuddin Ahmed quoted her as saying.

He was speaking to journalists after a nine-member team of pro-BNP professionals headed by him met with the BNP chief at her Gulshan office this evening.

Emerging from the hour-long meeting, Prof Emajuddin said the pattern of the ongoing movement of the BNP-led 20-party alliance may change if it decides to join the elections.   

“Khaleda Zia has informed us that she will consider taking part in the elections if the government creates congenial atmosphere,” said Emajuddin, a former vice-chancellor of the Dhaka University.

If the authorities create environment for free and fair elections, BNP will take its decision at the highest forum of the party and as well as with the 20-party alliance.

According to the schedules the Election Commission (EC) declared on Wednesday, the elections to the three city corporations will be held on April 28.

Mayoral and councillor aspirants can file applications from today till March 29 seeking candidature in the polls.

More than 42 lakh voters are entitled to exercise franchise in the long-overdue polls to Dhaka north and south city corporations and over 18 lakh voters in Chittagong.

They are to elect three mayors and 179 councillors for the three city corporations.

Though city elections are non-partisan in nature, many candidates get blessing from political parties to contest the polls.

The EC announced the polls schedule at a time when the country faces non-stop blockade and a series of hartals by the BNP-led 20-party alliance.

The last DCC election was held in 2002 and BNP leader Sadeque Hossain Khoka was elected mayor. Though its tenure expired on May, 2007, polls couldn't be held due to a state of emergency at that time.

The previous EC led by ATM Shamsul Huda moved to hold the polls on May 31, 2010. But the government didn't agree with it.

On November 4, 2011, the government split the DCC into two -- north and south -- and appointed administrators to run those.

The EC in April 2012 announced its plan to hold the polls on May 24, 2012. But it couldn't proceed due to a court verdict over updating voters list and some other issues.

The High Court on May 13, 2013 cleared the way for holding elections, vacating its earlier order that had prevented the EC from holding the polls.

The EC in mid-2013 moved to hold the polls but the plan again hit a snag due to complexities over boundary demarcation.

In the last one and a half years, the EC wrote to the LGRD ministry several times for completing the task. But the ministry didn't comply with the EC's request.

At a cabinet meeting on February 16 this year, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina asked LGRD Minister Syed Ashraful Islam to take steps to pave the way for the elections.

The EC then started work to hold the polls to the two Dhaka city corporations.

The Chittagong City Corporation last went to the polls in 2010. Its tenure will expire on July 25.