Local Government and Rural Development Adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain spoke in a press briefing at the Foreign Service Academy in the capital this afternoon. Photo : BSS

DHAKA, July 24, 2025 (BSS) - Party symbols will no longer be used in local government election, Local Government and Rural Development (LGRD) Adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain said today.

He made this information public at a press briefing at the Foreign Service Academy in the capital this afternoon.

Asif Mahmud said the council of advisers today approved amendments to four relevant laws placed by the Local Government Division.

The meeting of the council was held at the Chief Adviser's Office (CAO) here with Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus in the chair.

Asif Mahmud said in 2015, during the fascist government, it was decided to participate in the local government polls with party symbols and the laws were amended accordingly. 

This time, he said, the Electoral System Reform Commission and the Local Government Reform Commission recommended the removal of party symbols from local polls. 

In this context, proposals to abolish Section 32(A) of the City Corporation Act 2015, Section 20(A) of the Municipality Act 2015, Section 16(A) of the Upazila Parishad Act 2015 and Section 19(A) of the Union Parishad Act 2015 were placed today and those were approved by the Council of Advisers. 

As a result, Asif Mahmud said, there is no more scope to participate in the local government elections with party symbols.

From now on, local government elections will be held with independent symbols, he said. 

He thought that through this, the clashes surrounding the local government polls would reduce and candidates would be able to win in polls based on their own qualifications.

Responding to a question whether the local government elections will be held before the national elections, Asif Mahmud said this amendment has been brought as part of the ongoing reform programme. 

However, whether the elections will be held before or after is a matter of complete national consensus, he said, adding that it depends entirely on the government's consensus with the political parties.

Speaking at the press conference, Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam said a new Pay Commission has been formed to determine the new salary structure of government officials and employees.

"Former Finance Secretary Zakir Ahmed Khan has been appointed as the head of this commission. This commission has been asked to submit a report within six months," he said. 

He said the last salary structure was fixed in 2015 but no new salary structure has been made in line with inflation in the last 10 years. 

That is why the government feels that there should be a new salary structure to adjust to inflation, the press secretary said. 

He also said an investigation commission, led by a former judge, has been formed to probe the Gopalganj violence. 

When asked what steps the government has taken against the spread of rumours about death toll in recent jet crash in Milestone School and College, Law Adviser Dr Asif Nazrul said, "In such a situation of mourning, our hearts are broken. No one can accept this incident. In the meantime, many are spreading rumours."

The government is flexible in taking any harsher steps on these issues, but it must be remembered that spreading rumours is a criminal offense, he said. 

He called upon the media to play a responsible role in preventing those who create rumours.