Local government elections may begin from Sept, says Minister Fakhrul

Union council polls may start first, followed by phased local elections, the local government minister says

Local government elections in Bangladesh may begin in phases from September or October after the monsoon season, Local Government Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said, although no final schedule has been confirmed.

Speaking in parliament during the question-and-answer session on Tuesday, he said the government plans to complete elections to Union councils, municipalities, Upazila Parishads, Zila Parishads and city corporations within a year.

“First, Union council elections may be held, followed by other elections in phases,” he said in response to a question from Jamalpur-3 MP Mustafizur Rahman Babul.

Fakhrul said the election schedule and sequencing would depend on budget availability, adding that financial allocation is an important factor in determining the timeline.

He also noted that elections to 13 city corporations, including the newly formed Bogura City Corporation, are planned within the same timeframe.

In the same session, the minister told parliament that Tk 600,000 has been allocated for each Upazila council to construct inspection rooms for MPs and senior officials.

Responding to a question from reserved seat MP Nilufar Chowdhury Moni, Fakhrul said Dhaka North and South city corporations require 3.2 to 3.25 billion litres of water daily, while the production capacity of Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (WASA) stands at 2.95 to 3 billion litres.

He said water quality is being ensured through regular testing using modern chemicals and in line with World Health Organization guidelines.

“WASA collects 40 to 50 samples daily from different areas of the city for testing parameters,” he said.