The Awami League has decided not to contest local government elections to cities, Upazilas and municipalities with its poll logo ‘boat’ as part of its efforts to reduce infighting at the grassroots level.

The ruling party made the decision in a meeting chaired by its chief Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the Ganabhaban on Monday ahead of the announcement of schedules of Upazila council elections. 

Following the Jan 7 parliamentary polls, the Election Commission has hinted at announcing the schedules of the vote in around 100 Upazilas in the first phase next week.

The elections are expected to be held in March. EC Additional Secretary Ashok Kumar Debnath had said balloting in all of nearly 500 Upazilas will be held in four to five phases.

Following the passage of the Local Government Election Act in 2015, political parties are allowed to use their own symbols in elections to local government bodies.

But in many cases, local Awami League leaders run as independents and win in defiance of party orders to support the candidate it nominates for the boat symbol.

Disciplinary actions, such as suspension or even expulsion, could not stop such candidates from winning against the party nominees.

It is against this backdrop that the party made the decision to stop allocating its symbol to any particular candidate in the Upazila polls, General Secretary Obaidul Quader said after the meeting of its Working Committee.

The decision will now be finalised in a joint meeting of their Local Government Nomination Board and Parliamentary Nomination Board.

“But the Working Committee’s decision will be upheld,” Quader said.

Joint General Secretary AFM Bahauddin Nasim told bdnews24.com that the party will not contest the elections with its symbol even in cities and municipalities.

“The Awami League believes in democracy. It will participate in all elections to uphold democracy, but the symbol will not be used directly in local government polls.”

In the last Upazila council elections, the Awami League reserved the race for vice-chairman and the vice-chairperson’s posts for women.

Quader said the effects of disputes between party candidates and leaders who ran as independents in the recent parliamentary polls have lingered in some areas.

The Working Committee tasked the eight divisional committees with calling the local leaders to Dhaka and settling the issues through talks, he said.