No one to contest AL candidates

Thirty-one ruling Awami League-nominated chairman candidates are all set to be elected unopposed in the second phase of union parishad polls on March 31. 

Neither any political party-nominated nor any independent candidate is contesting those union parishads polls, which are mostly in Gopalganj, Joypurhat, Jessore, Bhola, Madaripur, Kishoreganj, Munshiganj, Sherpur and Sirajganj.

Besides, the BNP has no candidates in 79 out of total 643 unions, which will go to the polls in the second phase, according to Election Commission documents.

Of the 79 UPs, the BNP could not nominate its candidates in some unions. Some nomination papers of the party candidates were cancelled after scrutiny, and some aspirants withdrew their nomination papers, according to EC officials.

Seventeen registered political parties, out of 40, are participating in the second phase of polls. The number of total chairman aspirants is 2,684, according to the EC documents.

Elections to 732 unions will be held on March 22 in the first phase, while 643 unions on March 31 in the second phase. Over 2,800 more unions will go to the polls in four other phases till June.

In the first phase, 60 AL's chairman aspirants were elected uncontested and the BNP has no candidates in 119 unions.

Meanwhile, a man was killed and some 30 others were injured in polls-related clashes in Bogra, Patuakhali and Satkhira in the last two days, reports our correspondents there.

In Bogra, a supporter of AL chairman candidate in Buriganj union under Shibganj upazila was killed and four others were wounded in a clash between AL and BNP men over conducting election campaign on Monday night.

The dead is Mahtab Uddin.

In Patuakhali, at least 15 people were injured in a clash between the followers of two councillor candidates in Charmontaz union under Rangabali upazila yesterday. 

In Satkhira, 11 people were hurt in a clash between the supporters of AL-nominated chairman aspirant and AL's rebel chairman aspirant in Kulia union under Debhata upazila.

In Sherpur, AL's rebel chairman candidate Noor-e-Alam Talukder alias Bhutto in Urfa union under Nokla upazila alleged that supporters of AL chairman candidate Rezaul Haque alias Hira vandalised his three election camps on Monday night, adds our correspondent there.

3RD PHASE UP POLLS SCHEDULE

Elections to 681 other unions will be held on April 23 in the third phase.

District election officers yesterday announced the polls schedule at their respective districts, said a press release of the EC.

As per the schedule, the last date of submitting nomination papers is March 27. Nomination papers will be scrutinised on March 29 and 30, and the last date for withdrawal of nomination papers is April 6.