UP polls to be held early next yr: LGRD minister

Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister and BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said that Union Parishad elections will be held early next year.

Calling on all stakeholders to prepare for the polls, he said the upcoming election would be free and fair, and candidates would have to win through public support and goodwill.

He made the remarks as the chief guest at a discussion titled “The Role of Grassroots Representatives in Building a New Bangladesh by Strengthening Local Government”, organised by the Bangladesh Union Parishad Chairman-Member Association at the Diploma Engineers’ Institution in Kakrail, Dhaka, on Wednesday (July 22).

“Union Parishad elections will be held at the beginning of next year,” Mirza Fakhrul said, adding that the election would be completely neutral.

“No one will receive any special advantage for being associated with BNP, Jamaat or any other political party. Representatives will have to be elected through the love and support of the people,” he said.

The minister said local government is the foundation of true democra