First-ever Local Government Election on Party Lines in Bangladesh: Reflection on Result of Municipal (Pourashava) Elections 2015

Abstract

For the first time in history, Bangladesh introduced party lines local government election in the municipal elections in 2015. For holding the municipality polls on party lines, President Abdul Hamid promulgated the ‘Local Government (Pourashava) (Amendment) Ordinance, 2015’. In the municipal elections, leading political parties of Bangladesh faced each other with their party symbols seven years after the 2008 general election. Twenty political parties joined the electoral race in 234 municipalities. In previous local government elections like upazila council, City Corporation, municipal and many more, election candidates took part with hidden party support. But in municipal elections in 2015, different political parties nominated their own candidates for mayoral and councillor posts for different municipalities that is called party lines election. There is a reflection of party lines election on the election results of municipal elections, 2015. The election results showed a remarkable gap between the numbers of votes secured by the Awami League mayor candidates and Bangladesh Nationalist Party mayor candidates. The voter turnout was also high.