The fourth phase of the fifth Upazila Council elections is all set to be held in 107 upazilas in 16 districts under five divisions on Sunday (mar 31).
The polling will take place from 8am to 4pm without any break while a general holiday has been announced on Sunday in the respective upazilas.
As many as 1,142 aspirants are contesting for chairman, vice-chairman and women vice-chairman posts in the third phase of polls.
Though the election to chairman, vice-chairman and reserved vice-chairman posts will be held under party banner, the ruling Awami League has kept election to the vice-chairman and reserved vice-chairman posts open to all without giving party nominations.
About 150,000 lakh members of Police, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), Ansar and Armed Police Battalion (APBn) have been deployed to maintain the law and order during the upazila elections while additional BGB personnel will guard 50 upazilas which are considered as risky.
The fourth phase election was scheduled to be held in 128 Upazila Parishads including six postponed upazilas’ election in the three previous phases.
The Election Commission (EC) has suspended the elections to Dumuria (Khulna), Chhagalnaiya (Feni), Trishal (Mymensingh), Barura (Cumilla), Mathbaria (Pirojpur) and Kabirhat (Noakhali).
Besides, there will be no voting in 15 upazilas as candidates in all posts were elected unopposed.
The fifth phase of the Upazila Council elections will be held in 21 upazilas on Jun 18 next.