The fifth upazila parishad elections will be held in five phases starting from March this year, Election Commission Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed said today.

The first phase of the election is likely to be held on March 8 or March 9, the EC secretary said while briefing reporters after a meeting at the Nirbachan Bhaban this evening.

The commission will finalise the election schedule after a meeting on February 3 in this regard, he added.

EC sources said the second phase of the election is likely to be held on March 18 while third phase on March 24, fourth phase on March 31 and last phase will be held after Ramadan fasting.

In 2014, elections in 487 upazilas were held in six phases between February and May.

POLLS SCHEDULE FOR RESERVED SEATS FOR WOMEN   

The schedule for election for women's 50 reserved seats in the parliament will be announced on February 3, the EC secretary also said today.

Earlier January 14, the commission said that it will announce the polls schedule on February 17 for the reserved seats for women.

The reserved seats' distribution will reflect the seat share in the directly elected 300 constituencies. According to the proportional representation in the parliament, Awami League will get women MPs from 43 reserved seats, Jatiya Party from 4 seats, BNP from one, and others will fill out the last two.

Registration of political parties will be put at risk if they do not participate in any election for two consecutive terms, Election Commission Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed said today.

The Commission has already sent a proposal to the respective ministry for bringing necessary amendment to the Representation of People Order (RPO) in this connection, the EC secretary also said.

“They (ministers) will discuss the issue in the Cabinet meeting and then they will place it to the parliament for its final approval,” Helal Uddin said while talking to reporters at his EC office in Dhaka’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar.

The next general election will be held in light of the existing RPO if its amendment is not done, he added.

He said the schedule of the 11th parliamentary election will be announced any day after October 30.

The Commission has so far obtained information of having 40,199 polling centres across the country and a gazette will be published in this regard after announcement of the election schedule, he said.

Information on the election officials and judicial magistrates, who will discharge duty during the election, is being collected and preparation is going on for their training which will begin after the announcement of election schedule, the EC secretary also said.

The 11th parliamentary election will be held by December and the Commission is moving ahead to meet the goal, he said.

About the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in the election, the EC secretary said the Commission will take decision based on the outcome of the amendment to the RPO.

Election Commission Secretary Helal Uddin today said that the election commission to decide on further delay in election schedule after discussion.

He made the remarks at a press conference at the commission after holding separate meetings with ruling Awami League and opposition alliance Jatiya Oikyafront, a combine of AL’s archrival BNP and several other parties, this evening.

"A lot of issues like gazette notification (of elections results), Biswa Ijtema and new books distribution at the new year are connected with the election schedule," he said.

"In spite of that, we will discuss the matter and take decision," he added.

The election date was shifted from December 23 to December 30 on Monday. But Oikyafront rejected the revised schedule, saying the polls should have been deferred by a month. 

WHAT DOES OIKYAFRONT SAY AFTER MEETING WITH EC?

After a meeting with EC, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir today said that they have requested the Election Commission to defer the election date by three weeks.

“The election commission informed us that it will consider our demand,” he told media.

Fakhrul, a top leader of the opposition alliance, also said the attitude of the Election Commission and the polls-time government will determine whether they will stay in the polls race or not.

“It will depend on the attitude of the Election Commission and the election-time government whether the opposition party will stay in the election race or not,” Fakhrul, a key leader of Jatiya Oikyafront, said after a meeting with the EC.

Kamal Hossain, the key leader of the opposition alliance, said they had detailed discussion with the Election Commission. “They (EC) responded to all of our queries and assured us of considering our demands,” Kamal, president of Gono Forum, said.

WHAT DOES AL SAY?

Awami League today requested the Election Commission not to defer the schedule for the 11th parliamentary election again. 

A delegation of the ruling party made the plea in a meeting with the commission this afternoon, hours after a team of Jatiya Oikyafront, the major opposition alliance, held meeting with the EC demanding the polls deferral by three weeks.

Talking to media after the AL’s meeting, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Political Adviser HT Imam, who led the 10-member delegation, said, they requested the commission not to defer the polls schedule for even a single day.

Even the prime minister will not be able to lay the foundation of any new project now as per the electoral code of conduct, Election Commission Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed said on Wednesday.

He said this at his office at the Nirbachan Bhaban in Dhaka’s Agargaon this noon.

As per the electoral code of conduct, no government officials, prime minister, ministers, MPs can inaugurate any project, lay foundations or make donations after the announcement of the election schedule.

The EC secretary said, “We have instructed different ministries not to take any new development projects ahead of the parliamentary elections. The ongoing projects will continue. However, the ministries have been instructed not to carry out circulation of any videos on development, allocation of Vulnerable Group Development (VGD), providing VGF cards and financial assistance.”

Replying to a query on whether any foundation stones can be laid now, Helal Uddin said, “No foundation stone can be laid now. No donations can be made to mosques or temples.”

WHEN IS THE ELECTION?

Election Commission has revised polls schedule, deferring the 11th general election by a week to December 30 – a decision taken on November 12.

The authorities have fixed November 28 as the deadline for filing nomination papers, December 2 for scrutiny and December 9 last date of withdrawal.

The move came following demands from several opposition political parties.