A total of 102 upazilas across the country will go to polls on February 19 next, the Election Commission (EC) announced on Sunday.
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad declared the election schedule at a press conference at the EC Secretariat’s media centre in the afternoon.
As per the schedule, the deadline for submission of nomination papers is January 25, while the date for the scrutiny of applications is January 27 and the last date for withdrawal of candidature February 3.
The upazilas are Ulipur Fulbari and Bhurangamari in Kurigram, Bheramara and Kushtia Sadar in Kushtia, Karimganj, Nikli and Bajitpur in Kishoreganj, Koyra and Dighilia in Khulna, Panchhari, Mahalchhari, Matiranga, Manikchhari and Ramgar in Khagrachhari, Saghata and Gabindaganj in Gaibandha, Kapasia in Gazipur, Kashiyani and Maksudpur in Gopalganj, Mirsarai and Hathazari in Chittagong, Nachole in Chapainawabganj, Sarishabari and Jamalpur Sadar in Jamalpur, Kaliganj, Kotchandpur and Shailakupa and Jhenidah Sadar in Jhenidah, Dohar and Nababganj in Dhaka, Kaharol and Khansama in Dinajpur, Mahadevpur and Raninagar in Noagaon, Kalia in Narail, Polash and Belabo in Narsingdi, Singra in Natore, Jaldhaka, Dimla and Syedpur in Nilphamari, Durgapur and Kendua in Netrakona, Boda, Atoyari, Panchagar Sadar and Debiganj in Panchagar, Santhia, Sujanagar and Atgharia in Pabna, Dupchachia, Sariakandi, Dhanut, Nandigram, Sherpur and Sonatala of Bogra, Gouranadi and Bakerganj in Barisal, Lalmohan in Bhola, Shreepur and Magura Sadar in Magura, Kalkini in Madaripur, Doulatpur, Singair, Saturia and Shibalaya in Manikganj, Meherpur Sadar, Kulaura in Moulvibazar, Avoynagar in Jessore, Rangpur Sadar, Gangachhara, Taraganj, Mithapukur, Peergacha, Peerganj and Kawnia in Rangpur, Baliakandi, Rajbari Sadar and Pancha in Rajbari, Mohanpur in Rajshahi, Vederganj, Jajira and Damudya of Shariatpur, Dakkhin Sunamganj, Doyarabazar and Chhatak in Sunamganj, Ashashuni in Satkhira, Kazipur, Rayganj, Sirajganj Sadar and Ullapara in Sirajganj, Biswanath, Jakiganj, Companiganj, Golapganj, Goainhat and Jaintapur in Sylhet, Bahubal and Madabpur in Habiganj.
The elections to the three posts of upazila chairman, two vice chairmen, including a reserved vice chairman exclusively for woman in each upazila will be held on the day.
On January 22, 2009, the last countrywide election to 480 Upazila Parishad was held just three weeks after the ninth parliamentary elections.
Addressing the press conference, the CEC said they had to call elections to nearly 100 Upazilas due to legal obligation amid the SSC examination.
“We today announced election schedules for over 100 upazilas across the country. As we have the legal obligation to complete the polls before expiry of their tenure, we had to give the polls amid SSC examinations,” he added.
He noted the elections to all the upazilas will be held in phases before the expiry of their tenures. There are a total of 487 upazilas in the country.
Replying to a query whether the polls schedule was announced in a hurry to serve political agenda the CEC said, “Please don’t confuse the nation. There’s no hurry here. The law (the provision for timeframe of upazila elections) is age old one. We are legally obliged to declare the schedule.”
About the deployment of the armed forces in the upazila elections, Rakibuddin said the commission is yet to decide whether the army will be deployed or not. “The decision in this regard will be taken in the law and order meeting ahead of the elections.”
The commission will take all necessary security measures so that the voters can exercise their franchise without any fear and obstruction, the EC boss said.
Additional Deputy Commissioners and some EC officials will act as the Returning Officers in the respective upazilas polls, while Upazila Nirbahi Officers as assistant returning officers.
Replying to another query if the upazila election will be free from influence of political parties, Rakibuddin said, “If there’s democracy in the country, the flavour of politics comes in one way or the other in elections.”
Asked about the long-overdue elections to bifurcated Dhaka City Corporations (DCCs), he said the commission cannot arrange the elections due to complexity over the delimitation of the local government bodies.
“Delimiting the parliamentary constituencies is our job, but we don’t demarcate the local government bodies as it’s the job of the local government ministry. If they complete the delimitation, we’ll go for the polls to the bodies,” he added.
There is one delimitation complexity in Dhaka North City Corporation and some more in Dhaka South City Corporation, the CEC mentioned.
Turning to the violence in the January 5 parliamentary elections, “The CEC said the violence occurred in smaller scale than what we had feared earlier. The violence was largely reined in during the elections.”
“Those who unleashed the violence are miscreants. They don’t belong to any political party, they are hired goons, they should be given exemplary punishment,” Rakibuddin said.
Source: UNBConnect