The government is planning to begin local government elections in phases from September or October this year, State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mir Shahe Alam said on Tuesday.
The state minister made the announcement while speaking to reporters after the formal joining ceremony of Bogura City Corporation Administrator MR Islam Swadhin at his office.
He said the government aims to complete elections to five tiers of local government institutions-union parishads, municipalities, upazila parishads, district councils and city corporations- within the next year.
Speaking about city corporation elections, Mir Shahe Alam said parliament has already passed the City Corporation (Amendment) Act-2026, introducing significant changes to the electoral process.
Under the amended law, mayoral and councillor elections will be held using general symbols instead of political party symbols, he said.
The state minister also said the election schedule for Bogura City Corporation would be announced simultaneously with those of 12 other city corporations.
To strengthen the operations of newly established city corporations, the government has allocated an initial Tk30 crore to Tk35 crore in the current fiscal year, he added.
Funds for Bogura City Corporation will also be released soon, according to the minister.
Responding to a question about whether opposition parties, including the NCP, were preparing for elections expected after July, Mir Shahe Alam said political parties were free to prepare in their own way, although the polls would not be conducted on a party basis.
“The BNP is a major political party. We are always prepared for movements, elections and voting at any time,” he said.
He added that the BNP’s organisational network is extensive and that its leaders and activists remain prepared for elections at all times.
