21 candidates elected unopposed in second phase of Upazila polls

In the second phase, 160 Upazilas are scheduled to vote on May 21

In the second phase of the sixth Upazila Parishad elections, 21 candidates have won uncontested for the office of chairman, vice-chairman, and female vice-chairman.

Additional Secretary of the Election Commission Ashok Kumar Debnath confirmed their election on Monday.

In this phase, covering 160 Upazilas with voting scheduled for May 21, candidates have already begun campaigning upon receiving their assigned symbols. The deadline for withdrawing candidature was April 30, and campaigning is permitted from May 2 to May 19.

As per reports from election management officials, seven candidates each have been elected unopposed for the positions of chairman, general vice-chairman, and reserved female vice-chairman in this phase.

The chairman candidates are: Md Aminul Islam in Cumilla Adarsha Sadar, Md Salam in Jamalpur’s Islampur, Md Wahiduzzaman in Faridpur’s Nagorkanda, AKM Ehsanul Haider Chowdhury in Chattogram’s Raozan, Abul Kashem Chisti in Chattogram’s Rangunia, Monjurul Alam Rajib in Savar and Md Kamal Hossain in Moulvibazar Sadar.

The vice-chairman candidates are: Md Shahidul Islam from Rajshahi’s Bagmara, Haradhan Karmakar from Rangamati’s Rajasthali, Ahmed Niaz from Cumilla Adarsha Sadar, Nur Mohammad from Raozan, Md Rafiqul Islam from Narayanganj’s Araihazar, Md Mizanur Rahman from Rupganj and Sumon from Hajiganj in Chandpur.

Besides, Gautami Khyang from Rajasthali, Sayeeda Sultana from Brahmanbaria’s Kasba, Hosne Ara Begum from Cumilla Adarsha Sadar, Rubina Yasmin Ruzi from Raozan, Hosne Ara Begum from Rangunia, Shahida Mosharraf from Narayanganj and Ferdousi Akhter from Rupganj were elected unopposed.

In this phase, 1,828 candidates are contesting across the 160 Upazila polls, following the submission of nomination papers, scrutiny, and appeals.

Among them, 605 are running for chairman, 694 for vice-chairman, and 529 for female vice-chairman positions.

>>The Upazila polls are being held in four phases. In the first phase, voting in 150 Upazilas will be held on May 8. The third phase elections in 112 Upazilas will be held on May 29 and the fourth phase in 55 Upazilas on Jun 6.

>>In the first phase, 26 candidates were elected unopposed. Five persons are contesting for the chairman post, five for the vice chairman post and five for female vice chairman post.

>>In the third phase, 570 candidates for chairman post, 618 for vice chairman post and 400 for female vice chairman post; A total of 1588 candidates submitted nomination papers. The deadline for withdrawal of the third phase is May 12.

>> There are five solo candidates among those who filed nomination papers in the third phase. There is a single candidate for the post of female vice chairman in Chandnaish of Chattogram, vice chairman and female vice chairman in Bhandaria of Pirojpur, vice chairman in Abhaynagar of Jashore and female vice-chairman in Chhatak of Sunamganj. The number of unopposed candidates may increase after the withdrawal period.

>> In 2019, four-phase Upazila polls were held in 465 out of five hundred Upazilas. At that time, a total of 223 people were elected unopposed in three posts. Among them, 112 people were elected as chairman, 52 people as vice chairman and 59 people as women vice chairman were elected unopposed.