DHAKA, Dec 2, 2020 (BSS) – Elections for 61 municipalities will be held in the second phase on January 16, 2021.
Mohammad Alamgir, senior secretary of the Election Commission (EC) secretariat, announced the election schedule today. “Elections would be held in 29 municipalities through electronic voting machine (EVM) and in 32 municipalities through ballot. The voting will be held from 8am to 4pm.”
The last date for submission of nomination papers at the second phase is December 20. Nomination papers will be selected on December 22, Alamgir added.
The last day for withdrawal of candidature is December 29, he added. Polls of 32 municipalities, which would be held through ballots, are: Sandwip in Chittagong, Mohanganj in Netrokona, Kushtia Sadar, Mirpur, Bheramara, Kulaura in Moulvibazar, Kamalganj, Nageshwari in Kurigram, Gaibandha Sadar, Sundarganj, Dinajpur Sadar, Birampur, Bhangura in Pabnar, Sathia, Sujanagar, Ishurdi, Sunamganj Sadar, Chhatak, Natore’s Gopalpur, Gurudaspur, Bogra’s Sherpur, Rajshahi’s Bhabaniganj, Sirajganj’s Sadar, Ullapara, Belkuchi, Raipur, Habiganj’s Madabpur, Nabiganj, Faridpur’s Boalmari, Kishoreganj Sadar and Mymensingh’s Muktagar.
Besides, polls will be held through EVM in- Kazipur in Sirajganj, Tarab in Narayanganj, Shariatpur Sadar, Magura Sadar, Savar, Birganj in Dinajpur, Naogaon’s Nazipur, Pabna’s Faridpur, Bogra’s Sariakandi, Sunamganj’s Jagannathpur, Pirojpur Sadar, Kendua in Netrakona, Gangni in Meherpur ,Shailakupa in Jhenidah, Khagrachari Sadar, Syedpur in Nilphamari, Arani in Rajshahi, Kakanahat, Kumarkhali in Kushtia, Mymensingh’s Fulbaria, Noldanga in Nator, Dhanbari in Tangail, Chandina in Comilla, Feni in Daganabhuiyan, Kuliarchar in Kishoreganj, Monohardi in Narsingdi, Santahar in Bogra, Basurhat in Noakhali and Monglaport in Bagerhat.
In a reply to a question , the secretary said, “The Election Commission has discussed the Chittagong City Corporation’s voting primarily, there is no need to announce a schedule here.”
The official said that only the voting date will be announced.
“The date of the vote will be announced if the commission decides. In this case, the vote may take place at the end of December. If not possible, it will be held in January,” he said.
The first round of municipal elections will be held on December 28 , Mizanur Rahman, deputy secretary of the EC secretariat and coordinator of the steering committee for the municipal general election, 2020, said today.
At present there are 329 municipalities in the country.
The 25 municipalities to go for polls in the first phase are: Panchagarh Sadar, Thakurgaon’s Pirganj, Dinajpur’s Fulbari, Rangpur’s Badarganj, Kurigram, Rajshahi’s Puthia and Katakhali, Sirajganj’s Shahjadpur, Pabna’s Chatmohar, Kushtia’s Khoksa, Chuadanga, Khulan’s Chalna, Betagi in Borguna, Kuakata of Patuakhali, Uzirpur and Bakerganj of Barisal, Gafargaon of Mymensingh, Madan of Netrokona, Manikganj, Dhamrai of Dhaka, Sreepur of Gazipur, Dirai of Sunamganj, Baralekha of Moulvibazar, Shayestaganj in Habiganj and Sitakunda in Chittagong.
On December 30, 2015, polls were held simultaneously in 234 municipalities.