Local polls schedule likely next month

The government to announce the election schedule for local government polls in the second half of August and begin Union Parishad (UP) elections in the first half of October, Prime Minister’s Adviser on Information and Broadcasting Dr Zahed Ur Rahman said on Tuesday.

“These are expected to be finalised and published by the end of this month,” the adviser told a press brief held in the conference room of Press Information Department (PID) at Secretariat on the progress of the government’s activities.

EC has prepared preliminary roadmaps for separate local government elections including Union Parishads, Upazila Parishads, municipalities and city corporations.

The local government elections will be conducted in phases across four geographical zones-haor and northeastern region, hill and coastal areas, riverine and char regions, and plain and urban areas, he said.

The election process will begin with Union Parishad polls in the haor and northeastern regions, said Dr Zahed.

Elections require considerable preparation and that the government prefers to hold most polls during the dry winter season, he added.

Clarifying the expected timeline for completing the entire local government election process, the adviser said, “The elections are expected to begin in October. Once the process starts, it usually takes 10 to 12 months to complete all phases.

This does not mean the elections will finish within 10 to 12 months from now, but rather within 10 to 12 months from the start of polling,” he said. If the elections begin in October this year, the entire local government election process is expected to be completed by around October 2027, he added.