<div style="text-align: justify; "><span style="font-size: 1rem;"><b>The BNP has expelled 61 more of its grassroots leaders for participating in the second phase of upcoming upazila elections by violating the party's decision.</b></span><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">With this latest action, the party has so far expelled 140 leaders for contesting the upazila polls in violation of its directives.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Previously, BNP had ousted 79 grassroots leaders who had filed nominations for chairman, vice-chairman, and female vice-chairman positions in the first phase of upazila polls scheduled for May 8.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">According to a press release issued on Saturday, these punitive measures were taken in line with the party's constitution.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It said the 61 leaders of BNP and its associate bodies contesting for the post of chairman, vice chairman and female vice chairman in the second phase of upazila polls in violation of the party's decision have been expelled from all party positions, including its primary membership.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;Of the expelled leaders, 26 were contesting for the post of upazila chairman, 19 for vice-chairman, and 16 for female vice-chairman.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;A total of 152 upazilas across the country are set to go to polls in the first phase on May 8 as per the schedule announced by the Election Commission. The elections for 492 upazilas will be held in four phases, with the second phase scheduled for May 23, the third on May 29, and the fourth on June 5.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">BNP remains steadfast in its decision not to participate in the upazila elections, mirroring its stance on the last national election, asserting that fair elections are impossible under the Awami League government.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Earlier on Friday, BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi criticised their party leaders for participating in the upcoming Upazila Parishad (UP) polls against the party's decisions, describing them as misguided.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Speaking at a press conference at BNP's Nayapaltan central office, Rizvi also warned that the opposition leaders seeking to participate in the election race under the Awami League are living in fools' paradise, reports UNB</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On behalf of BNP, Rizvi urged opposition leaders and workers to boycott the "so-called" upazila elections and said people will not accept the local body polls like the January 7 national election even if some misguided BNP leaders remain in the race.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd/fas</div>