Local elections in Bangladesh in 2024 includes elections to the city corporation, district chairmen election, sub-district chairmen election and union council elections in several municipalities and local bodies.
City corporation elections DateCity CorporationMayor before electionParty before electionElected MayorParty after election Council after election Ref. 9 March 2024 Mymensingh Ekramul Haque Titu Ekramul Haque Titu AL BNP JSD 9 March 2024ComillaArfanul Haque RifatTahseen Bahar ShuchonaAL BNP Jamaat
Independent
Subdistrict council elections
The subdistrict council elections will be held in 5 phases. Four of them took place in 2024. The 5th phase of the local government election will be held in January 2025.
Overall result +PartyParty LeaderChairmen contested seatsChairmen elected in Seats+/-Ref. Awami LeagueSheikh Hasina49287Jatiya Party (Ershad)GM Quader364Bangladesh Nationalist Party (expelled members)Khaleda Zia73 (expelled members)20Jatiya Samajtantrik DalHasanul Haq Inu31Jatiya Party (Manju)Anwar Hossain Manju10Krishak Sramik Janata LeagueAbdul Kader Siddique11Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti (regional)Jyotirindra Bodhipriya Larma354United People's Democratic Front (regional)Prasit Bikash Khisa265Independents No Information125
1st Phase The first phase of sub-district elections was held on 8 May 2024. Chairmen competition was between of 139 seats. A low voter turnout of 36% was seen in elections. +PartyParty LeaderChairmen elected in SeatsRef. Awami LeagueSheikh HasinaJatiya Party (Ershad)GM QuaderBangladesh Nationalist Party (expelled members)Khaleda ZiaParbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti (regional)Jyotirindra Bodhipriya LarmaIndependents
2nd Phase The second phase of sub-district elections was held on 21 May 2024. Chairmen competition was between of 156 seats. A low voter turnout of 37.67% was seen in election. +PartyParty LeaderChairmen elected in SeatsRef. Awami LeagueSheikh HasinaJatiya Party (Ershad)GM QuaderBangladesh Nationalist Party (expelled members)Khaleda ZiaJatiya Party (Manju)Anwar Hossain ManjuKrishak Sramik Janata LeagueAbdul Kader SiddiqueParbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti (regional)Jyotirindra Bodhipriya LarmaUnited People's Democratic Front (regional)Prasit Bikash KhisaIndependents
3rd Phase The third phase of sub-district elections was held on 23 May 2024. Chairmen competition was between of 112 seats A low voter turnout of 35% was seen in election. +PartyParty LeaderChairmen elected in SeatsRef. Awami LeagueSheikh HasinaJatiya Party (Ershad)GM QuaderBangladesh Nationalist Party (expelled members)Khaleda ZiaJatiya Samajtantrik DalHasanul Haq InuParbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti (regional)Jyotirindra Bodhipriya LarmaUnited People's Democratic Front (regional)Prasit Bikash KhisaIndependents
4th Phase The forth phase of sub-district elections was held on 5 June 2024. Chairmen competition was between of 60 seats A low voter turnout of 34.33% was seen in election. +PartyParty LeaderChairmen elected in SeatsRef. Awami LeagueSheikh HasinaBangladesh Nationalist Party (expelled members)Khaleda ZiaIndependents
Controversies
Boycotting election BNP and its like minded parties boycotted the sub-district elections saying that they will not go in election under a autocratic government. However, despite the boycott, some party members from BNP contested in election. In result BNP expelled 73 members who were participating in the election. Other party like Jatiya Party (Ershad) and Awami League allied parties also showed no interest in participating in the election. Leading the sub-district election be a more of a competition between Awami League candidates.
Nepotism by Awami League ministers Many top Awami League (AL) ministers and party lawmakers were accused of nepotism for announcing the names of their close relatives as chairman candidates for the upazila polls. AL general secretary Obaidul Quader said nepotism would not be allowed. Many AL ministers were accused of threatening their opposition candidates or the people of sub-district.
Violence Many candidates supporters had clash with each other in the name of vote rigging. Several people were injured and some were considered dead during the brutal violence. Most of those violence was accused of done by Awami League candidates in the fear of losing.
Low voters turnout The sub-district election saw the lowest vote turnout in last 16 years. Around all phases was having a turnout of 30-40%. 2nd phase of sub-district had the most vote turnout of only 37.67%. According to the Chief Election Commissioner, the vote turnout is low due to a "lack of widespread political participation".
See also 2024 elections in Bangladesh 6th Upazila election
References