Dhaka, April 19 -- Prime Minister and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina has barred the family members of Awami League parliamentarians and ministers from contesting the upcoming Upazila council polls to keep them 'free from influence'.

The decision was made to minimise conflict within the party and to ensure the elections were participatory, said AFM Bahauddin Nasim, joint general secretary of the ruling party, reports bdnews24.com

The prime minister does not want anyone to 'ruin the election environment' and instructed the party to remain alert and 'strong' on the issue, he said.

"Today our party's General Secretary Obaidul Quader has given organisational instructions to the organising secretaries involved to tell the relatives of ...