Elections to 31 municipalities will be held in the fifth phase of the municipality polls on February 28, according to the Election Commission.
Election Comission Secretariat Senior Secretary Md Alamgir announced the election schedule at the commission’s headquarters in Dhaka’s Agargaon on Tuesday.
According to the election schedule, the last date for submission of nomination papers in the fifth phase is February 2, the papers will be scrutinized on February 4, and the last date for withdrawal of nominations is February 11. Symbols will be allotted on February 12.
The 31 municipalities holding polls in the fifth phase are: Rangunia, Raozan, Mirsarai and Bariarhat of Chattogram, Raipur of Laxmipur, Nachol of Chapainawabganj, Habiganj municipality, Dewanganj, Islampur, Madarganj and Jamalpur Sadar of Jamalpur district, Charghat and Durgapur of Rajshahi, Bagura Sadar, Singair of Manikganj, Matlab and Shaharasti of Chandpur, Keshabpur and Jashore Sadar of Jashore district, Shibchar and Madaripur Sadar of Madaripur, Haragach of Rangpur, Brahmanbaria Sadar of Brahmanbaria, Kaliganj and Maheshpur of Jhenaidah, Joypurhat Sadar of Joypurhat, Nandail of Mymensingh, Bhola Sadar of Bhola district and Kaliganj of Gazipur.
Alamgir said electronic voting machines (EVMs) will be used in all the municipalities in this phase and there will be no general holiday on the day of the elections.
Voting will continue from 8am to 4pm without any interruption, he said.
Replying to a question, the Election Commission secretary said the people’s confidence in EVM use has increased and that is why they are standing in long queues to give their votes.
There are 329 municipalities in the country. Elections to 24 municipalities were held in first phase on December 28, and 60 municipalities held in the second phase on January 16.
Polls will be held in 64 municipalities in the third phase on January 30, while 56 municipalities will go to polls in the fourth phase on February 14.
