Phased local govt polls set to begin by year-end, conclude by 2027

The government has formalised plans to initiate elections across all tiers of local government starting late this year, with a view to completing the nationwide transition by 2027.

Speaking at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium following a session at the Deputy Commissioners’ (DC) Conference on Tuesday, Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives (LGRDC) Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir confirmed that the administration aims to wrap up the electoral process within twelve months of its commencement.

“We have maintained from the outset that our goal is to ensure polls for every tier of local government are held within the coming year,” the he told reporters.

The scale of the undertaking is significant, encompassing 12 city corporations, 330 municipalities, 64 district councils, 495 upazila parishads, and approximately 4,570 union parishads. 

At present, a majority of these bodies – with the exception of union parishads – are being managed by state-appointed administrators. This follows the systemic reshuffle after the fall of the previous Awami League administration in August 2024.

Fakhrul, also the BNP secretary general, emphasised that local government remains the “strongest foundation” of a functional democracy. “If we can bolster these institutions at the grassroots level, we strengthen the democratic fabric of the nation,” he said, adding that suggestions from district administrators regarding local governance had been formally accepted by the ministry.

Addressing the state of rural infrastructure, the minister noted a visible decline in the maintenance of roads and public works over the last two years. 

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He asserted that future local government mandates must move beyond simple road repairs to include the provision of safe drinking water and the improvement of primary education.

He further alleged that the sector had been plagued by “widespread corruption” over the past 16 years. 

“We are investigating these irregularities at a ministerial level to ensure such systemic failures do not recur,” he added.

Separately, Prime Minister’s Adviser on Information and Broadcasting, Dr Zahed Ur Rahman, echoed these timelines during a morning briefing. 

He noted that while the first phase of polling would begin this winter, the sheer volume of constituencies meant the full cycle would likely take ten months to a year to conclude.

Responding to queries regarding the potential abolition of upazila parishads following the allocation of office space for MPs within those buildings, Zahed clarified that no such move was on the cards. 

He argued that since members of parliament serve as statutory advisers to the councils under Section 25 of the relevant Act, providing them with an office space was a matter of administrative logic rather than a curtailment of local authority power.

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