Dhaka: The Election Commission will review the timeframe for holding Union Parishad elections in phases before finalising the election schedule, said Election Commissioner Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah on Thursday. 'We'll review requests from different ministries and agencies concerned before finalising the schedule for the Union Parishad elections. But everyone agreed that we need to finish the elections by June 6 next year,' he stated.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the Commissioner made the remarks while briefing reporters after an interministerial preparatory meeting on a parliamentary by-election and local government elections at Nirbachan Bhaban in the city. The meeting commenced at 2:30 pm with Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin presiding. Senior representatives from over 20 ministries and divisions, including the Armed Forces Division, law enforcement, and intelligence agencies, attended the meeting.
Sanaullah noted that the EC received several requests from the participants regarding the election timing. They have requested consideration of the annual examinations in schools, scheduled to occur throughout November and December, he mentioned. The Commissioner indicated that the EC might have some opportunities in January to organize the local government elections, as well as another potential window between the SSC and HSC examinations.
He clarified that the SSC examinations would be conducted after Ramadan, while the HSC examinations are slated to occur after June 6. Regarding the tentative dates announced on Monday for the seven-phase UP elections, Sanaullah remarked, 'We earlier said we will finalise the schedule after the September 17 meeting.'
Four election commissioners-Abdur Rahmanel Masud, Tahmida Ahmad, Anwarul Islam Sarker, and Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah-and EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed were in attendance at the meeting. The Thakurgaon-1 by-election is scheduled to be held on October 29. On Monday, the EC announced tentative dates for conducting the countrywide Union Parishad elections in seven phases, with the first phase planned for November 12. However, two ministers and the Prime Minister's Advisers expressed on Tuesday that the government was unaware of the tentative dates prior to the EC's announcement.