Staff Reporter:
The Election Commission (EC) is considering holding upcoming local government elections without deploying members of the armed forces, unlike national parliamentary polls, officials said.
Sources said the EC is preparing for the elections between November and December, although the final schedule will depend on legal, administrative and budgetary preparations.
Currently, 12 city corporations, around 450 upazila parishads, more than 300 municipalities, nearly 600 union parishads and 61 district councils are ready for elections. Another 2,800 union parishads may become eligible for election schedules by July.
EC officials said legal complications over boundary demarcations, including those linked to the newly formed Bogura City Corporation, must be resolved before announcing schedules. Similar disputes involving other local government bodies also need settlement.
The commission is awaiting the gazette notification of the interim government’s ordinance before amending election rules. A reform committee led by Election Commissioner Abdur Rahmanel Masud has proposed several changes, including excluding electronic voting machines (EVMs), banning posters, allowing social media campaigning, increasing security deposits and prohibiting AI-generated disinformation.
Officials said the monsoon season, pending paperwork and unresolved budgets could delay the polls until late in the year.
State minister for Local Government Mir Shahe Alam said the government plans to complete elections for all five tiers of local government within a year, possibly starting with union parishad polls due to lower costs.
Masud said the EC may consult stakeholders before finalising reforms and is not currently considering armed forces deployment for local elections.
