The Election Commission has asked its field-level officers to send updated information over all the local bodies as part of preparations for holding local government elections across the country.
The EC on Tuesday sent a letter to its regional election officers and district election officers to send back the updated information regarding city corporations, municipalities, Zila Parishads, Upazila Parishads and Union Parishads.
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The Commission asked the field-level officials to send the date of last election, the date of the first meeting of the elected bodies and the expiry date of an elected representatives in every local government bodies to the EC Secretariat by March 15 next.
Besides, the EC sought if there is any complication related to boundary demarcation, ward distribution and voter list or legal issues as well as the court’s stay order concerning any local government body.
The officials were directed to send the information in the specific formats on an urgent basis by March 15.
According to the local government laws, the five-year tenure of a local government body begins with the first meeting of the elected representatives, and elections must be held within 180 days before the expiry of the tenure.
Following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led government on August 5, 2024, many elected representatives of city corporations, municipalities, upazila parishads and union parishads either went into hiding or were arrested. So, citing disruption in civic services due to the absence of elected representatives, the then interim government later removed the representatives of 12 city corporations, 330 municipalities, 497 upazila parishads and 61 Zila parishads (excluding three CHT districts).
Administrators were subsequently appointed in many local bodies, including the 12 city corporations.
However, BNP leader Shahadat Hossain, who had been second in the mayoral election, later became the mayor of Chattogram City Corporation following a court order.
Following the 13th national election, the newly formed BNP government on February 23 last appointed administrators to six city corporations – including Dhaka South City Corporation, Dhaka North City Corporation, Khulna City Corporation, Gazipur City Corporation, Narayanganj City Corporation and Sylhet City Corporation.