Dhaka: Though BNP is actively considering to join the upcoming municipality polls, the party is extremely worried whether it will get suitable candidates as their most prospective leaders are either in jail or on the run facing various cases.

The recent drives by law enforcers put the BNP in further trouble as the party claims its nearly 180 promising mayor and councillor candidates have been arrested over the last one week.

Most party senior leaders said BNP should go to the municipality polls under any circumstance as they do not want to give the government any scope to score in an ‘empty field’.

However, few mid-ranking leaders think the party should think twice before finalising its decision about taking part in the polls as they feel the municipality polls will not be better than that of three city polls held on 28 April this year.

They also said as the local body polls will not bring changes in the government, many party men may not be active during the polls and agree to be agents of their party candidates fearing reprisal.

However, those are in favour of joining polls said BNP will be benefited even if the government ‘snatches’ the results of all the municipalities as the party will get the sympathy of people and the international community.

‘Both the country’s people and the international community will not take it positively if we boycott the polls. It’ll also frustrate the already demoralised grassroots party leaders and activists further,’ a party vice chairman told UNB wishing anonymity.

He said despite various obstacles, district committees and party’s ex-MPs have started making a list of prospective candidates. ‘We’ll also share some candidates with our alliance partners.’

Contacted, BNP vice-chairman Abdullah Al Noman said they will finalise their decision about the municipality polls after the return of their chairperson Khaleda Zia from London.

He, however, said the party’s grassroots leaders and activists are very eager to participate in the polls as the local body polls are going to be held under party banners for the first time.

Despite various limitations and obstacles, Noman believes it will not be a big problem for them to finalise the candidates, no matter how many grassroots leaders are in jail and arrested. ‘BNP is a big party and it has many alternative candidates.’

Talking to UNB, BNP chairperson’s adviser Shamsuzzaman Dudu said their grassroots and senior leaders are ready to take part in the polls. ‘We’re just waiting for our chairperson’s formal decision.’

The BNP leader said the government has got desperate to ensure that BNP is not joining the polls by intensifying its repressive acts as it knows it very well people will not vote the ruling party candidates for their ‘misdeeds and misrule and snatching their voting rights’ in the 5 January election.

Mentioning that people are their main source of power, Dudu said they will put up a strong resistance this time at every municipality if the government tries to manipulate the polls.

BNP joint secretary general M Shahjahan said they are in fear whether there will be a level-playing field during the polls as the government continues the ‘wholesale arrest of BNP men’.

He said they are taking necessary pre-election preparation so that they do not face any problem at the eleventh hour if the party decides to join the polls.

BNP spokesman Asaduzzaman Ripon said the government is not taking any step to create a proper atmosphere for a fair election. ‘Rather, they’re destroying the polls environment as they don’t want BNP to join the polls.’

He said nearly 180 prospective BNP municipality mayor and councillor aspirants have been arrested in the last one week as the government has intensified its arrest drives in the areas where the elections will be held.

Ripon said as a democratic and pro-election party BNP wants to empower people through elections. ‘So, we call upon the government to create a level-playing field and remove all the barriers towards holding a fair election for ensuring participation of all parties.’