The first phase of the fifth Upazila election is likely to be held on Mar 8 or Mar 9, says Election Commission Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed.
“The fifth Upazila council elections will be held in five phases,” he said on Tuesday (Jan 22).
Speaking to the media at the EC’s city office, Ahmed said “The commission will finalise the schedules for the Upazila elections after a meeting on Feb 3.
“The second phase of the polls is likely to be held on Mar 18 while the third phase on Mar 24, the fourth phase on Mar 31 and the last phase may be held after Eid,” he said.
Referring to BNP’s possible strategy on not joining any election under this commission, Ahmed said, “There are legal obligations to hold the elections.
So, there is no scope to consider whoever participate in the polls or not,” he said. 

The Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmed-led Commission administered the last Upazila elections in six phases between February and May in 2014 after the 10th national election on Jan 5 that year.

The Upazila Council Elections will take place on party lines where the candidates will contest with a political party’s registered symbol, for the very first time.

The commission has the power to hold the presidential and national elections but any other election has to be sanctioned by the government.