Bangladesh to Hold Five-Tier Local Government Elections Within Current Fiscal Year
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Bangladesh’s Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives plans to conduct elections across all five tiers of local government within the current fiscal year. State Minister Mir Shahe Alam announced the initiative Thursday in Sylhet, confirming that the government has already secured the necessary budget allocations to facilitate the electoral process.
Addressing reporters after inspecting a waste management project in the South Surma area, the minister estimated the total cost for the elections—encompassing city corporations, municipalities, district councils, upazila councils, and union parishads—at between 5.5 and 6 billion taka. He noted that the Election Commission is currently finalizing its preparations, and a tripartite meeting involving the Finance Ministry, the Local Government Ministry, and the Election Commission is scheduled for after August. This meeting will determine the specific sequencing and scheduling of the various polls.
During his visit, Minister Alam commended the Sylhet City Corporation for its superior sanitation and waste management standards compared to other urban centers in the country. He specifically highlighted the corporation’s proactive efforts in dengue prevention and canal restoration as benchmarks for other regions to emulate.
The minister also discussed the city’s ongoing waste management project, a joint initiative launched in 2024 through a memorandum of understanding with LafargeHolcim Bangladesh. Although the project has yet to become fully operational, Alam outlined plans to integrate bio-drying technology to reduce waste moisture. This process will enable the separation of plastic materials for use as alternative fuel in industrial facilities, while the remaining organic matter is slated for conversion into compost fertilizer.
In response to questions regarding the potential return of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who was ousted in a recent mass uprising, Minister Alam ruled out such a possibility. He emphasized that legal proceedings against the former leader are ongoing and affirmed that authorities are prepared to execute an immediate arrest should she attempt to re-enter the country.
The inspection was attended by several local officials and dignitaries, including Sylhet City Corporation Administrator Abdul Qaiyum Chowdhury, Member of Parliament for Sylhet-3 M.A. Malik, and senior representatives from the Local Government Division and the Sylhet Metropolitan BNP.
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