The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has expelled 73 leaders of the party for participating in the upcoming first phase of upazila parishad elections violating the party’s decision.

The punitive action was taken against the party leaders as per its constitution, said a press release, signed by BNP Senior Joint General Secretary Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, on Friday afternoon.

It said the 73 leaders of BNP and its associate bodies who are contesting for the post of chairman, vice chairman and female vice chairman in the first phase of upazila polls violating the party’s decision, have been expelled from all party positions, including its primary membership.

Of them, 28 are vying for the post of upazila chairman while 24 for the vice-chairman post and 21 for the position of female vice-chairman.

A total of 152 upazilas across the country will go to polls in the first phase on May 8 as per the schedule announced by the Election Commission (EC).

The elections to a total of 492 upazilas will take place in four phases. The second phase of upazila elections will be held on May 23 while the third phase on May 29 and the fourth phase on June 5.

The BNP high-command earlier decided not to join any elections under the current government and the Election Commission.

Sources from the BNP said that the members of the standing committee, the highest policy making body of the party, tried to dissuade them from contesting the election as the party has decided not to join the election. Letters were also sent to them.

Apart from this, the partyÕs central, divisional and district-level leaders were tasked with the responsibility to make them understand the partyÕs decision but a large number of former and current leaders of the party have been contesting the election ignoring everything, added the sources.