One in 10 winning chairmen candidates in the ongoing union parishad elections has so far been elected unopposed, almost double the ratio compared to that of the last UP polls in 2016.

Election Commission data shows that 300 chairman have been elected unopposed in the four phases of UP polls this year. Elections to 2,203 UPs have taken place so far in three phases. Another 840 unions will go to polls on December 26 in the fourth phase.

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In 2016, a total of 207 chairman candidates were elected unopposed in elections to 4,107 UPs in six phases, meaning one in 20 winning chairman were elected uncontested.

Speaking to The Daily Star yesterday, Election Commission Joint Secretary SM Asaduzzaman said a total of 48 chairman candidates were declared elected unopposed in the fourth phase of UP polls slated for December 26.

Monday was the last day for withdrawal of candidature in the fourth phase polls and the EC released the related data yesterday.

Asaduzzaman said another 135 general member candidates and 112 member runners for reserved seats for women were also elected uncontested in the fourth phase.

Most of the chairman candidates elected unopposed are nominees of the ruling Awami League, said party sources.

However, experts expressed resentment over so many candidates being elected unopposed. The BNP and many other political parties are not taking part in the polls.

EC sources said 71 chairman, 63 general member and six member candidates for reserved seats for women were elected unopposed in the first phase on June 21 and September 20. A total of 364 unions went to polls in that phase.

As many as 81 chairman, 203 general member and 76 member candidates for reserved seats for women were elected unopposed in the second phase of UP elections to 835 unions on November 11.

In the second phase, no election was held in five unions of Cumilla’s Laksham upazila as all the chairman, general member and member candidates for reserved seats for women were elected unopposed.

Again, 100 chairman, 337 general member and 132 member candidates for reserved seats for women won the UP polls unopposed in the third phase on November 28 when 1,004 unions went to polls.

In the third phase, no election was needed in 14 unions of Chattogram’s Raozan. All the chairman candidates there were from the AL.

Election Commissioner Mahbub Talukdar had expressed resentment over so many candidates getting walkovers.

“I want to say metaphorically that election is now in ICU [Intensive Care Unit] and democracy is on life support as its side effect. Literally, this cannot be called an election. There is no election when there is no competition,” Mahbub said on November 14.

Experts said such a large number of candidates is winning the polls unopposed as people believe that victory of a ruling party nominee is inevitable.

Hafizuddin Khan, president of Sushashoner Jonno Nagorik (Shujan), said, “The number of candidates elected unopposed are on the rise as many hopefuls are unwilling to take part in the polls considering that the ruling party nominee will win the elections.”

He said people now consider taking part in polls as a waste of time and money.

A total of 707 unions will go to polls in the fifth phase of UP polls on January 5. The EC will announce the schedule for the sixth phase of the election by this week, said EC sources.



UP Elections: Winning all too easy
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