Second phase UZ polls: 116 multi-millionaires candidates contesting, TIB

Second phase UZ election 105 millionaires are the chairman candidates

Second phase UZ polls: Candidates are contesting in 160 upazila elections to be held in the second phase on May 21. In the second phase, 70.51 percent of the candidates for the post of chairman and 68.73 percent of the candidates for the post of vice chairman in the upazila elections are businessmen. 

According to TIB, 70 percent of the chairman candidates in the first phase election were businessmen, 67 percent vice chairman and 24 percent women vice chairman candidates were businessmen. In the second phase of the election too, more than 57 percent candidates mentioned business as a profession. Besides, there are 105 millionaires among the chairman candidates. Compared to the last upazila parishad election, the number of millionaire candidates has increased three times this time.

Millionaires are calculated on the basis of movable assets. According to TIB, immovable assets such as land are not included as benchmarks as they are difficult to value.

In the second phase of upazila parishad elections, elections will be held in 160 upazilas. The Election Commission has received information on the affidavits of candidates of 157 upazilas, among these 157 upazilas 599 people are contesting for the post of chairman, 689 for the post of vice chairman and 523 for the post of female vice chairman.

TIB says that the number of business candidates is gradually increasing in the local government elections as well as the national parliament elections. Compared to the fourth upazila parishad election in 2014, the number of business candidates has increased by 8 percent. On the other hand, the number of housewives/house workers, agriculturalists and teacher candidates is decreasing day by day. 

According to TIB's observations, the trend of rapid growth in income and wealth during tenure is evident. Not only the voters, but their spouses and dependents' incomes and assets are also increasing by leaps and bounds. There is also a clear tendency for those who have been in power for a long time to have higher incomes and wealth.