Local govt polls soon Fakhrul tells JS

The government prepares to begin local-government elections at the earliest after completing necessary preparations, parliament was told Monday, amid growing suggestions for a reset of the grassroots administrations.

Local Government Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir spoke about the plan while speaking during a question-and-answer session in the Jatiya Sangsad, with Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed in the chair.

"The matter is currently under active consideration by the government," he said on a query from Jamaat-e-Islami MP Zahirul Islam.

In response to a separate question from independent MP Rumin Farhana, the minister explains that local-government elections are typically conducted in phases and may take between 10 months and a year to complete.

He notes that several factors must be considered before announcing the election schedule, including preparation of the voter list, procurement of election materials, religious festivals, public examinations, weather conditions, finalization and renovation of polling centers, and training of election officials.

"At least 45 days are required for preliminary preparation before the schedule can be declared."

mirmostafiz@yahoo.com