The government is appointing BNP-affiliated individuals as “administrators” in local government bodies, a move critics say could delay elections.
Party leaders have already been placed in several city corporations, including Dhaka, and in 42 district councils, with similar appointments planned for upazila parishads.
The government says the move will keep services running, but opposition parties say it is a strategy to prolong polls and retain control.
They have called for quick, free, fair and impartial elections to restore elected leadership.
Experts say administrators cannot replace elected officials or ease public suffering.
They argue that service delivery depends on accountable mayors, chairmen and councillors.
After the Awami League government fell on 5 August 2024, most local representatives went into hiding.
The interim government removed representatives from 12 city corporations, 330 municipalities, 497 upazilas and 64 district councils.
Except for union parishads, most tiers are now run by administrators, disrupting civic services.
Political parties have since demanded elections to end the deadlock, with several already signalling interest in city polls.
Local Government Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said appointing political figures instead of officials ensures better public service.
He had, however, pledged on 18 February – a after the government was formed – to hold local government elections quickly.
Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami said the move mirrors past efforts to control institutions without credible elections.
Jamaat Assistant Secretary General Hamidur Rahman Azad said the appointments amount to “occupying” institutions and could influence or bypass polls.
National Citizen Party Joint Chief Coordinator Arifur Rahman Tuhin said the government is moving towards a path of non-election.
He said the appointments aim to delay and influence local polls, which is unacceptable in a “new Bangladesh”.
Islamic Andolan Bangladesh Joint Secretary General Gazi Ataur Rahman said delaying polls for partisan gain reflects a fascist tendency.
He urged timely elections and warned against installing party loyalists across institutions.
The Institute for Planning and Development (IPD) said the move will weaken local governance.
It warned of rising extortion and undue influence at the local level.
The organisation said quick elections are the only way to restore accountability and reduce public suffering.
It added that without councillors, administrators alone cannot deliver services effectively.
Election expert and Reform Commission member Abdul Alim said administrators are legal but no substitute for elected representatives.
“They understand the pulse of the people and remain accountable,” he said.
He added that appointing administrators only at the mayoral level cannot ensure services without councillors or members.
He called for elections at all levels without delay.
He also said the Election Commission (EC) cannot initiate local polls independently under current law.
The Reform Commission has proposed empowering the EC to do so.
An EC official, speaking anonymously, said commissioners remain divided on who should initiate elections.
He said polls are usually held after tenures end, but boundary delimitation — controlled by the government — often delays the process.
Local elections are typically held through coordination between the government and the EC, he added.
He said partisan appointments have increased concerns within the EC over further delays.
Abdur Rahmanel Mashud said the EC is ready to hold elections once conditions are set.
“Almost all institutions are election-ready, but sequencing depends on discussions with the government,” he said.
He added that appointing administrators does not mean elections will not be held.
Sources say the BNP government is not planning local elections immediately.
The administration is focused on policy implementation and restructuring.
Party leaders remain engaged in state affairs, while candidate selection and organisational preparation are incomplete.
These factors are delaying election plans, policymakers say.
A BNP leader serving as a city corporation administrator said updating voter lists and finalising boundaries will take time.
However, a BNP lawmaker and state minister said the government supports holding elections soon.
He said the EC has already contacted the government, and union parishad, municipality and upazila polls will be prioritised.
City corporation and district council elections may take longer due to their scale but will follow in phases, he said.
Under the City Corporation Act, elections must be held within 180 days before a term ends.
EC data shows the election windows for Dhaka South and Dhaka North ended in June 2025, while Chattogram’s ended in February 2026.
The terms of all three have expired.
On 1 February, the Local Government Ministry asked the EC to arrange elections for Dhaka North, Dhaka South and Chattogram.
EC official Anwarul Islam Sarkar said no communication has come from the current government and that earlier letters may have been from the interim administration.
“We will discuss and decide accordingly,” he said.
Union parishad elections were last held in 2021, with a five-year tenure.
Municipality elections took place in phases during 2020–21, and district council polls were held in 2022.
Most institutions have completed their terms or lack elected representatives due to administrative changes.
As a result, many local government bodies are now run by administrators.
