With the process of the 13th National Parliament election nearing completion, the Election Commission (EC) has begun preparations for elections to Dhaka’s two city corporations and Chittagong City Corporation.
Officials from the EC’s election management branch said the Local Government Division has already sent a letter requesting necessary preparations for the elections to Dhaka North City Corporation, Dhaka South City Corporation and Chittagong City Corporation.
The commission is now preparing to place the matter before its members. However, no formal directive has yet come from the newly formed government, and the EC is awaiting its approval before proceeding.
According to two separate letters sent by the secretary of the Local Government Division, the first meeting of Dhaka South City Corporation was held on June 2, 2020. Based on that date, its five-year term expired on June 1, 2025.
Similarly, the first meeting of Dhaka North City Corporation took place on June 3, 2020, and its term ended on June 2, 2025.
In the case of Chittagong City Corporation, the first meeting was held on February 23, 2021, meaning its five-year term ended on February 22, 2026.
Under the Local Government (City Corporation) Act, the tenure of a city corporation is calculated for five years from the date of its first meeting. The law also requires elections to be held within 180 days before the expiry of the term.
In line with this provision, the Local Government Division has asked the EC to take necessary steps to organise elections for the three city corporations.
However, the Election Commission is waiting for a parliamentary decision on whether the polls will be held on a partisan or non-partisan basis.
Election Commissioner Abdur Rahmanel Machud told journalists that the commission is closely watching developments in parliament regarding the issue.
The recently dissolved interim government had issued an ordinance restoring the earlier system of non-partisan local government elections. However, the ordinance must be approved in the first session of the new parliament.
“As far as I know, the provision for party nominations in mayoral elections has been removed through the ordinance,” Machud said. “Now parliament will sit. If the ordinance is ratified, elections will be held accordingly. If it changes and the previous system returns, the process will be different.”
He said the EC is awaiting the decision of parliament before finalising preparations.
Machud added that the commission will intensify preparations for local government elections after Eid.
“The Election Commission has no rest,” he said. “Apart from parliamentary and presidential elections, there are many local government polls to conduct. Elections will continue throughout the year.”
He added that once parliament clarifies the rules regarding the use of party symbols, the commission will move forward with preparations to ensure credible and lawful elections.
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
