Upazila polls: Quader warns of action against violators of party decision

Several relatives of Awami League lawmakers are set to partake in the initial phase of the upcoming upazila council elections violating the party's directives, but Obaidul Quader, the general secretary of the ruling party, hinting at disciplinary action, has said he remains hopeful that they will pull out of the race before it is too late.

Even though the deadline for withdrawing candidacies, as set by the Election Commission, had passed, there was still room for action as candidates could rescind their nominations right up until the day before the election, Quader, also the road transport and bridges minister, said at a press conference at the Awami League’s Dhanmondi office on Wednesday morning.

Implying measures against the lawmakers disobeying the party’s decision, the minister said: “We have provisions for disciplinary action in our party… We made some decisions before the national parliament election.”

In the last national election, many incumbent Awami League MPs had not received the party’s endorsement, and some ministers had been dropped from the Cabinet, he said. “So our party makes proper and timely decisions.”