By Asif Showkat Kallol (Dhaka Bureau)
Questions are mounting over electoral fairness in Bangladesh as political appointees currently running the country’s major cities prepare to contest upcoming mayoral elections, leveraging their executive power to build campaign momentum.
Following the political transition on August 5, 2024, the interim government removed elected local mayors and installed administrators to oversee city corporations nationwide. After the 13th parliamentary election, senior leaders of the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) were appointed to these key administrative roles.
Now, many of these same administrators are actively seeking party nominations for mayor while remaining in office- a dynamic that civil society groups and election watchdogs warn severely tilts the playing field.
Executive Power vs. Electoral Neutrality
While current law allows administrators to run if they resign before submitting official nomination papers, critics argue that the months leading up to formal campaigns offer an unearned advantage.
Administrators are using their official capacities to:
* Inaugurate public infrastructure and inspect local development projects.
* Engage directly with constituents through state-funded community outreach programs.
* Build early campaign visibility, as political supporters flood city streets with promotional posters and banners endorsing incumbent officials for mayor.
This pattern is most visible in the capital, where Dhaka South City Corporation Administrator Abdus Salam and Dhaka North City Corporation Administrator Shafiqul Islam Khan (Milton) are both regarded as primary BNP mayoral hopefuls. Similar dynamics are unfolding across Gazipur, Narayanganj, Sylhet, Cumilla, Khulna, Mymensingh, Rajshahi, and Rangpur.
‘If administrators become candidates, the election cannot be conducted on an equal footing. Appointing party leaders to these roles contradicts the spirit of Article 59 of the Constitution, which seeks to separate local government administration from partisan control’- Badiul Alam Majumdar, Secretary of Shujan (Citizens for Good Governance).
Dr. Majumdar also warned that sitting administrators retain direct authority over municipal staff and public servants, creating potential channels of undue influence as elections draw near.
The Legal Framework: A Lower Barrier
The current controversy stems from changes to Bangladesh’s local government laws.
Under the 2008 Caretaker Government Ordinance- later incorporated into the 2009 Local Government Act- individuals serving as local government administrators were barred from contesting elections for one full year after stepping down, a rule specifically designed to neutralize administrative influence.
However, as Election Commissioner Abdur Rahmanel Masud confirmed, those restrictions have since been repealed. Today, administrators are legally required only to secure a formal release or resign immediately before filing nomination papers.
A Conflict of Democratic Principles
Supporters of the administrators maintain that their high-profile public appearances are simply part of fulfilling their official duties and demonstrating administrative competence.
However, political analysts argue that blending executive authority with campaign ambitions creates a structural bias that weakens democratic competition. As Bangladesh moves toward city corporation polls, the legal framework may be clear. Still, the struggle to guarantee a fair, level playing field remains a central test for the country’s electoral credibility.
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The Writer:
Asif Showkat Kallol: Works for the German-based online outlet The Mirror Asia as Head of News and is a Contributor at Pressenza-Dhaka Bureau.
