Upazila polls not after nat’l election

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Election Commissioner Brig Gen (retd) M Sakhawat Hussain yesterday said Upazila Parishad elections would not be held after national polls anyway.

“The upazila elections won’t be held after national elections. When time comes, you’ll see whether the elections will be held before the national elections or simultaneously,” Sakhawat told a view-exchange meeting at Titas Upazial Parishad in Comilla.

He said they want to remain as hero in the history of Bangladesh through completion of their electoral task by holding the elections timely.

The meeting, chaired by Upazila Nirbahi Officer AHM Abdul Karim, was arranged to discuss the activities regarding the voter list with photograph and distribution of national identity card.

The Election Commission’s (EC) main objective is to hold the national elections and it is advancing to that end, he said, adding that the stalled national elections would definitely be held by December this year.

“It’s a promise not only to the nation but also to the international community. We want to be hero, not zero, in the history of Bangladesh,” the election commissioner said.

“All the local-body elections will be held in phases. We’re waiting for the electoral law. There will be a lot of reforms in selecting candidates and electoral code of conduct when the law, which is now in the making, will be approved,” he said.

The election commissioner also pointed out that there is pressure on the EC for holding elections without symbol. He said it is not possible to implement such a proposal due to the political and electoral culture of the country.

“Cast your vote considering the qualified candidate, not the symbol,” he said.

Deputy Election Commissioner of greater Comilla and Noakhali Anwar Hossain, additional District Commissioner (education and development) Aminul Islam, district Election Officer Shahedulla Chowdhury and

Major Jahangir Nasir of 16 East Bengal regiment also spoke.

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