UP elections to begin 21 Jan

Union parishad (UP) elections will begin on 21 January and conclude on 27 May 2027, with voting held in five phases instead of the seven initially considered.
Election Commissioner Brig Gen (retd) Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah told the media on Monday that the Election Commission (EC) finalised the schedule at its 13th commission meeting, aiming to complete elections to all union parishads by the deadline.
The five polling dates are 21 January, 4 February, 29 April, 13 May and 27 May, all falling on Thursdays. 
Elections will begin simultaneously across all districts, prioritising upazila sadar areas and union parishads whose terms have expired or whose elections are overdue. Other areas will be arranged, as far as possible, alphabetically.
District election officers will announce schedules around six weeks before polling, with the interval ranging from 38 to 45 days, depending on circumstances.
Sanaullah said the EC had initially considered holding the elections before 21 January but revised its plan following a request from the authorities concerned over the final prayers of Biswa Ijtema, scheduled for 17 January. Two Eid festivals and public examinations have also tightened the electoral calendar. The commission consulted government department representatives on 17 September before finalising the revised plan.
The elections will be conducted under the law in force when the schedules are announced, Sanaullah said, adding that electoral law amendments remained an ongoing process.

The EC will hold a separate meeting with law enforcement agencies to discuss security arrangements. Officials had previously informed the commission that their training programmes would be completed by November. 
Sanaullah urged all stakeholders to help preserve the peaceful environment witnessed during the recent national election, saying Bangladesh was not ready to return to conflict-ridden elections.
The commission also discussed administrative and financial powers for officials of the National Identity Registration Division, with further work assigned to a committee. It directed the authorities concerned to restore smart card printing at the personalisation centre to full capacity from the middle of next month, while addressing administrative issues, including audit objections.
No decision was taken on the draft National Election Award Policy 2025, as commissioners sought more time to review it and submit individual opinions.
The EC also considered improving the removal of deceased voters from the electoral roll. Under the current system, a relative or someone familiar with the deceased must submit Form 12. The commission is considering gathering information from additional sources, initially through a pilot project in selected upazilas and Union Parishads, before deciding on a nationwide rollout.
The disposal of electronic voting machines (EVMs), which the EC has ruled out using in future elections, was also discussed. Relevant committees were instructed to pursue their final disposal, review earlier decisions and complete the process promptly while preserving evidence needed for legal proceedings and investigations, including those involving the Anti-Corruption Commission.
Sanaullah said the commission would discuss the remaining local government elections at a subsequent meeting and brief the media on its plans.

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