Local govt elections unlikely before January 2027
Graphics: Agamir Somoy
Election Commission and political sources said the government might not begin this year and is eyeing January 2027 to launch the five-tier local government elections, shelving the initial plan to begin with the Union Parishad (UP) polls in October.
Although the EC has not yet made an official decision, EC added that the final date will be determined after considering the overall situation.
Election Commissioner Abdur Rahmanel Masud told Agamir Somoy, “Preparations are underway with October as the target. However, having preparations does not mean the election will happen. The schedule will be decided considering the law-and-order situation, weather, religious festivals, student exams, damaged polling stations, and other situations.”
State Minister of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mir Shahe Alam said on Thursday there is a plan to organize the five tiers of local government elections within the 2026-27 fiscal year.
He added that around Tk 5.5-6,000 crore will be required for this, and funds have been allocated in the budget according to the EC’s demand. A joint meeting between the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Local Government, and the EC will be held after August to decide which election will be held first.
Most levels of local government are being run by administrators. After the fall of the Awami League government, administrators were appointed to district councils, and the new government then appointed administrators in phases.
The same system is in place for municipalities, with only Union Parishads still having elected representatives fulfilling their duties. Due to the long absence of elections, there is increasing pressure on the government to return elected representatives to local government institutions.
EC sources said it is impossible to organize all local government elections at once, so there is a plan to hold votes in phases. However, the election schedule will not be announced until boundary delimitation, amendments to laws and regulations, and coordination with the government are finalized.
In preparation for the elections, work is ongoing regarding updating voter lists, determining polling stations, appointing and training election officials, and revising the code of conduct and policies. EC will publish the final updated voter list on 31 August, while simultaneously revising the polling station establishment and management policy.
The law-and-order situation is being viewed as the greatest challenge to organizing the elections. Local government elections are usually highly competitive at the grassroots level, carrying risks of clashes and violence centered on establishing local dominance.
For this reason, risky areas must be identified, adequate law enforcement must be deployed, and strict implementation of the code of conduct must be ensured.
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin said fatalities have occurred in past local government elections, and EC’s primary goal this time is to organize a bloodless election. As a result, EC has recommended keeping military deployment in local government elections, similar to national elections.
Weather is also a significant cause for uncertainty. Recent floods have damaged many educational institutions across the country, many of which serve as polling stations. As October-November is the cyclone season, there are additional risks in organizing elections.
Meteorologist Bazlur Rashid said the possibility of a cyclone during this time cannot be ruled out, though specific forecasts are generally available 15-21 days in advance.
Verifying the eligibility of candidates is also becoming a major test for EC and it intends to take a hard line against loan defaulters, bill defaulters, their guarantors, and dual citizens. After controversies regarding eligibility verification in the national parliamentary elections, EC wants to be even stricter this time.
However, political parties have objections to these proposals. Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has demanded that the opportunity for MPO-listed teachers to participate in local government elections be maintained. On the other hand, the left alliance said not just legal amendments, but their effective implementation is most important.
Pressure is also mounting on the EC regarding boundary delimitation. Similar to the national parliamentary elections, there are fears that disputes over boundaries may arise in various areas during local government elections.
Rahmanel Masud said information has been requested from the government regarding where complexities exist, and necessary decisions will be made after review.
Munira Khan, the president of the election monitoring organization FEMA, added that elections should be organized at a time when the risk of natural disasters is low. At the same time, it is essential to ensure an environment free from political influence.
She noted that EC’s greatest responsibility will be to ensure a neutral, acceptable, and participatory election so that voters can cast their ballots without hindrance.
