Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has raised concerns about the growing one-party dominance and influence of business interests in local government elections, echoing similar trends observed in national elections.

The watchdog’s analysis of candidate affidavits for the third phase of the Upazila Parishad elections reveals a continued dominance of business candidates, making up 58.14% of the total.

This represents a 7% increase from the previous election.

These findings were presented during a press conference on Monday focused on the analysis of candidate affidavits for the Third Phase of the Sixth Upazila Parishad Election-2024.

TIB's analysis revealed a stark contrast in income and wealth growth between previously elected officials and non-elected candidates over the past decade.

Elected representatives saw their income increase by 681.37% and their movable assets by 1010.12%, while non-elected candidates experienced more modest growth of 71.71% in income and 31.35% in assets.

This significant disparity raises questions about the rapid accumulation of wealth associated with holding office, says the anti-graft watchdog.

Businessmen candidates comprise 66.53% of chairman candidates, 68.99% of vice-chairman candidates, and 31.56% of female vice-chairman candidates.

Notably, 48.54% of female vice-chairman candidates identify as housewives, with 14.5% of them reporting income from business.

Overall, the data indicates a strong presence of business interests in local politics, with 15.14% of all candidates having some affiliation with a business organization.

This trend mirrors similar patterns observed in national elections and previous phases of the upazila elections.

In light of these findings, TIB has called on the Election Commission (EC), National Board of Revenue (NBR), and Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to investigate the declared income and assets of candidates to ensure they align with legitimate income sources and to identify potential tax evasion.

Dr. Iftekharuzzaman, Executive Director of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), expressed deep concern over the unchecked influence of businessmen in the upazila elections, stating that public representation has been overshadowed by personal interests and abuse of power.

While acknowledging the right of businesspeople to participate in politics, Dr. Iftekharuzzaman questioned whether their aggressive involvement aligns with proper political processes and serves public welfare.

He suggested that the profit-driven nature of their participation is leading to a power grab by families at the local level.

Dr. Iftekharuzzaman further highlighted the perception of public office as a "license to abuse power," allowing individuals to manipulate market regulations and policy decisions to protect business interests.

He lamented the lack of accountability for those involved in irregularities, corruption, or controlling market syndicates, pointing out that the very entities responsible for enforcing accountability are often intertwined with these groups.

This profit-centric approach in politics is gaining momentum, emphasizing the urgent need for the government to demonstrate its commitment to transparent, responsible governance and its pledge to combat corruption, as promised in its election manifesto, said Dr Iftekharuzzaman.