The government is likely to announce the election schedule for local government polls in the second half of August, with Union Parishad (UP) elections expected to begin in the first half of October, Prime Minister’s Adviser on Information and Broadcasting Dr Zahed Ur Rahman said on Tuesday.
The adviser made the announcement at a press briefing at the Press Information Department (PID) conference room at the Secretariat, where he spoke about the progress of the government's activities.
He said the Election Commission (EC) has prepared preliminary roadmaps for separate local government elections, including Union Parishads, Upazila Parishads, municipalities, and city corporations.
"These are expected to be finalized and published by the end of this month," he said.
The elections will be held in phases across four geographical zones—the haor and northeastern region, hill and coastal areas, riverine and char regions, and plain and urban areas, he said.
The process will begin with Union Parishad elections in the haor and northeastern regions, Zahed said.
He noted that elections require extensive preparation and that the government prefers to hold most polls during the dry winter season.
Clarifying the expected timeline for completing the local government elections, 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."
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.