Why do relatives of ministers, MPs pursue public posts?

The participation of relatives of Awami League ministers, state ministers, and members of parliament (MPs) as candidates in upazila parishad elections has introduced a new dimension to the ruling party's politics. 

Despite orders for the minister-MPs’ relatives to withdraw from the election, the directive was not followed. 

Notably, 10 out of 13 relative-candidates were elected in the first phase of the upazila elections, with similar trends expected in remaining phases.

According to some policymakers within the Awami League, there are several factors driving the interest of minister-MP relatives in becoming candidates or public representatives in upazila elections. 

These include grooming the next generation of leaders within the party, promoting family members in the political arena, securing future leadership positions, extending influence at the grassroots level, ensuring familial control over local government representation, and consolidating power by neutralizing potential rivals.

Party sources said that over 50 relatives of ministers and MPs are in the running for the ongoing four-phase upazila elections. 

In the first phase alone, relatives of 20 Minister-MPs were candidates, with multiple relatives of 14 Minister-MPs in the second phase and 13 Minister-MPs in the third phase. Even in the final stage, some individuals are still vying for votes. 

Noteworthy names on the candidate list include children, siblings, nephews, sons-in-law, brothers-in-law, uncles, and cousins of MPs,  including those of Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader.

When asked about such a development, Badiul Alam Majumdar, secretary of Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik (Shujan), said: "If someone is a relative of a minister or an MP, it provides an additional advantage in electoral campaigns. Holding these (public representatives) titles can lead to amassing wealth. Moreover, relatives of minister-MPs often exclusively enjoy these benefits, creating a monopoly. This creates dynastic leadership and stifles competition, ensuring continued dominance in the political arena."

However, Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has expressed her stance that the term "family" of a minister-MP should only encompass the minister-MPs themselves, their spouses, and children in upazila elections. 

She emphasized this point during a press conference at Ganabhaban on May 2, saying that she had instructed minister-MPs' family members not to contest in order to maintain the integrity of the upazila parishad elections.

Some central Awami League leaders, wishing to remain anonymous, said that despite instructions against their candidacies, many relatives of minister-MPs are defying the party's decision and contesting anyway. 

While organizational action has been suggested against them, the party's constitution poses challenges in this regard, as there have been instances in the past where rebel candidates were expelled but later reinstated. 

Since there are no party symbols or designated candidates in upazila elections, relatives of ministers and MPs technically do not qualify as rebel candidates, complicating potential disciplinary actions.

The Awami League leaders said the issue was not discussed in the party’s central executive meeting on April 28, likely due to concerns about the ensuing complications. The list of minister-MPs whose relatives were candidates was also omitted from the agenda. 

In her press conference on May 2, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina emphasized the goal of ensuring free and fair elections without interference, stating that the outcome should reflect the will of the people.

Means of wealth and power

When asked about the issue, Awami League Joint General Secretary AFM Bahauddin Nasim said: "Becoming a people's representative is deemed significant by everyone. It is considered an honorable endeavor by all. However, there are some who view public office as a means to amass wealth and power. In politics, aspiring to be a public representative is a common ambition."

Awami League leaders believe that if party instructions had not been issued, more than half of the upazilas could have seen relatives of ministers and MPs running as candidates, with many potentially winning uncontested. 

Despite some incidents of rival candidates being replaced around the time of the election, overall, there were no major untoward incidents. Compliance with the directive to withdraw candidacy by many, alongside reduced instances of violence, contributed to a relatively peaceful electoral process, which is itself a success.

AFM Bahauddin Nasim said: "The instruction to refrain from contesting in the upazila elections was aimed at maintaining their integrity and preventing undue influence. It also provides an opportunity for leaders aligned with grassroots and embodying Bangabandhu's ideals to enter public office. Overall, this directive helped reduce the number of minister-MP relatives running as candidates, thereby curbing violence perpetrated by those seeking to exploit political influence.”

According to the Election Commission (EC), in the first phase of the ongoing four-phase upazila elections held on Wednesday, voting took place in 139 upazilas. Of the 122 upazila chairman posts, 101 were secured by Awami League men. In this phase, 10 relatives of Minister-MPs were elected, including 2 who won uncontested, while 6 were defeated.

Interest peaking

Over the past 11 national parliament elections and 5 upazila elections, there has been a noticeable trend towards the relatives of ministers and MPs from the ruling party assuming public representative roles. 

This trend has been particularly evident in the 12th National Parliament and the 6th Upazila Parishad elections, where Awami League maintained an open candidature policy. 

Notably, the main opposition party, BNP, boycotted both these elections, resulting in a scenario where actual voting pitted Awami League candidates against each other.

This inclination towards public representation by relatives of ruling party officials has been observed in previous elections but has garnered increased attention during the 12th parliamentary elections. 

With candidacies left open, a significant number of ruling party leaders have contested independently rather than under the party's banner. 

Even after resigning from upazila chairmanships to participate in national elections, many have remained active participants, with several unsuccessful parliamentary candidates now vying for upazila positions. 

Notably, many Awami League candidates are opting for independent status instead of running under the party symbol, with relatives of ministers and MPs also partaking in this trend.

When asked about this trend, Badiul Alam Majumdar said: "There has been a notable surge in the inclination of relatives of ministers and MPs to pursue public representative roles in recent times. If this trend persists, it may continue to escalate in the future."

In the 12th national election, the Awami League secured 223 seats, clinching a single-party majority. 

On the other hand, 62 independent candidates emerged victorious, with 58 of them closely associated with Awami League. These independent candidates, often referred to as alternative or dummy candidates, hold significant leadership roles within the party's organizational structure. 

Furthermore, several individuals who faced defeat in parliamentary elections are now contesting in upazila elections.

According to the local government, 50 upazila chairmen resigned to participate in the general election in January. 

Contesting the parliamentary elections as alternative or dummy candidates aligned with Awami League, most of these chairmen failed to secure parliamentary seats, with less than one-third emerging victorious. 

Consequently, many of these individuals are now actively involved in upazila elections, occurring merely four months after the parliamentary polls.