Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Tuesday said the decision on whether local government elections will be held under party symbols will be taken in Parliament.
“It will be decided in the Parliament,” he said when asked whether local government polls would be held with party symbols.
Fakhrul came up with the remarks while talking to reporters at the Secretariat after newly appointed administrators of six city corporations joined their offices.
Local government elections to be held ‘in due time’: Fakhrul
Since government officials had previously been assigned to oversee city corporations, the government believes political appointees would be able to deliver better services to the people.
“If political persons are in charge, people will receive services more effectively. That is our belief. That is why we have appointed political individuals as administrators. This will increase engagement with citizens,” he added.
When asked for his personal opinion as an experienced politician and minister on holding local polls with party symbols, he said there was no scope for personal views. “We have a party decision and we will act accordingly,” the BNP leader said.
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Responding to a question about whether the issue would be decided in the first session of Parliament scheduled to begin on March 12, he replied, “Of course.”
The minister said elections will begin in local government bodies whose terms have already expired.
“There is a possibility that two elections may be held before those in Dhaka. Others whose tenure has ended will also go to polls first,” he added.
Regarding the timeframe for completing the local government elections, he said it is a continuous process. “It cannot be said right now. Elections will be held in phases. Local government elections are a continuous process—when one body’s tenure ends, elections are held, whether it is a union parishad or an upazila,” he said.
State Minister for Local Government Mir Shahe Alam said political administrators would be able to perform better than bureaucrats due to their closer engagement with the public.
He said political administrators have been appointed to make inactive local government bodies functional.
After joining office, the six newly appointed administrators pledged to work on mosquito control, traffic congestion, road repairs and other civic issues to reduce public suffering.
They said they would undertake a 60-day action plan to ensure improved service delivery.