The Election Commission is preparing a roadmap to complete local government polls across the country within a year, with the timeline being given top priority.
“Preparations for holding local government elections have already begun, although final preparations are yet to be completed,” Election Commissioner Md Anwarul Islam Sarker told BSS in an interview recently.
He said the EC was preparing a comprehensive roadmap before arranging the elections, taking into account amendments to necessary laws, rules and policies, budget allocations, administrative readiness and seasonal realities.
Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said at the Deputy Commissioners’ Conference on May 5 that efforts would be made to complete all local-level elections within a year.
Earlier, during the first session of the 13th National Parliament, the local government minister said past experience showed that completing elections to all levels of local government generally took between 10 months and one year.
He said local government elections were usually held in phases nationwide, and polls to all levels — including union parishads, municipalities, upazila parishads and city corporations — required a long period of time.
“Our top priority right now is local government elections. We are preparing to hold these elections. Preparations are not fully completed yet, but our target is to finish all elections in phases within one year,” Anwarul Islam said.
Asked when the local government polls might begin and which elections would be held in which phase, he said the EC was not yet able to give a specific timeline.
According to him, the EC is formulating an integrated work plan and will be able to provide details on schedules, phases and probable dates only after it is finalized.
Asked whether the process would begin with city corporation elections, he said no decision had yet been made on which elections would be held first and which would follow.
The Commission will decide after considering all relevant aspects, he added.
The election commissioner also said the EC was reviewing existing laws, regulations and policies related to local government elections.
The Commission believes some legal reforms are needed to make the election system more effective and acceptable, he said.
“We will have to amend laws and regulations for these elections. Changes to rules and policies are also necessary. These will take time,” he said.
Asked about the possible timeline for amending laws and regulations, he said: “It may take around three to four months.”
He added that the national budget in June, the upcoming monsoon season and the preparedness of the field administration were also important considerations in the EC’s planning.
“We are now preparing an overall roadmap for local government elections considering everything. Once it is finalized, we will be able to say which election will be held when, on what date, and in which phase,” Anwarul Islam said.
He expressed hope that the local government elections would be as credible, free and fair as the national election.
“There is no scope to go below the standard of the national election. We want good elections in the future as well and want to maintain public confidence,” he said.
Anwarul Islam added: “Local government elections will be held in a free, fair and neutral manner. This time there will be no election symbols and no political identity. I believe that even if there is a party-led government, the government will play a neutral role.”
He also said the Election Commission was giving utmost importance to preserving the positive image of Bangladesh’s election system.
“We cannot allow the reputation our country is earning globally to be damaged. Political parties want good elections, the government also wants good elections, and the Election Commission will try to apply every possible method to ensure quality elections,” he added.
