The government will hold discussions with the Election Commission next week to learn about its preparations for the upcoming local government elections, said State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mir Shahe Alam on Tuesday.

Talking to reporters at the Secretariat, he said he would visit the Election Commission with the prime minister’s approval to discuss the state of its preparations.

“We may go to the Election Commission next week, with the honorable prime minister’s approval, and discuss how far their preparations have progressed and what the situation is,” he said.

The state minister said the Election Commission would announce the election schedule and conduct the polls, while the government would provide necessary support as the local government institutions fall under his ministry.

“The Election Commission will announce the schedule. It will conduct the elections and bring the election from the field,” he said.

He said the ministry would provide support regarding election expenses and other related matters, including the expiration of the terms of the local government institutions.

Asked whether he had any information about the election schedule, Mir Shahe Alam said the Election Commission itself would be able to provide details.

Asked whether the government had made any proposal regarding the elections, he said the government had already allocated funds for holding five local government elections in the current fiscal year.

“As I have said many times before, we have kept Tk 6,000 crore in the current fiscal year’s budget required to hold these five elections,” he said.