BNP dist leaders asked to send names for chairmen candidacy

District unit presidents and general secretaries will have to send names of probable chairman candidates for the upcoming union parishad elections to BNP's central office in the capital's Naya Paltan at least seven days before the nomination submission deadline.

Chairperson Khaleda Zia will give the final approval, said a press release undersigned by BNP Joint Secretary General Rizvi Ahmed.

BNP candidates would be selected by five-member committees comprising the party's respective UP unit president, general secretary and organising secretary and upazila unit president and general secretary, it added.

The EC on Thursday announced that elections to 4,275 of the over 4,500 UPs, the lowest tier of the local government system, will be held, on partisan lines for the first time, in six phases starting March 22.

BNP on Friday formally announced participating in the elections, saying it was part of its "movement's strategy". Addressing a press conference in the office that day, Rizvi said there was no chance of a peaceful election.

"...there is a possibility that people's voting rights would be snatched amid continued serious suppression and repression against the opposition leaders and activists," he said.