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The Election Commission (EC) has begun preparations to hold the next local government elections in a free, fair and impartial manner, Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told Parliament on Tuesday.
Replying to a question from treasury bench member Sheikh Md Rejaul Islam (Naogaon-6), Fakhrul, who is also the Minister for Local Government, said the commission has already initiated the necessary measures to ensure credible and participatory local government polls within the stipulated timeframe.
“The Election Commission has already started the required preparations to organise the upcoming local government elections in a free, fair and neutral manner,” he said.
The question-and-answer session was tabled at the beginning of the day’s proceedings in the Jatiya Sangsad by Deputy Speaker Barrister Kayser Kamal.
Responding to a separate question from National Citizen Party (NCP) lawmaker Abul Hasnat, popularly known as Hasnat Abdullah (Cumilla-4), the minister said the EC had introduced an IT-supported postal ballot registration system for the first time to enable Bangladeshi citizens living abroad to participate in elections.
He said the initiative would continue in the next national election, with the commission working to bring the maximum number of expatriate Bangladeshis under the postal voting system to ensure they can exercise their constitutional right to vote.
“The Election Commission is taking steps to expand the postal ballot registration system so that more Bangladeshis living abroad can participate in future elections,” he added.
Replying to another question from opposition Jamaat-e-Islami lawmaker Abdul Karim (Gaibandha-2), Fakhrul said the government currently has no plans to increase the salaries and allowances of union parishad chairmen and members.
The minister’s remarks come as the Election Commission continues preparations for a series of upcoming elections, with authorities emphasising the importance of ensuring transparent, inclusive and credible electoral processes.
