Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, the Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives, has announced that local government elections will prioritise areas where the current office terms have expired. The minister emphasised that all local government institutions will be revitalised through timely elections.
In an interview with News24 on Tuesday, Minister Alamgir stated, “Elections will be conducted first in those city corporations whose terms are set to expire earliest. Specifically, the elections in Dhaka North, Dhaka South, and Chattogram City Corporations will be held in the initial phase. Subsequent city corporation elections will follow in a phased manner.”
Regarding the use of party symbols in local elections, the minister confirmed that a final decision will be made during the first parliamentary session on 12 March. “Whether elections will be held under party symbols will be determined at that session,” he clarified.
Highlighting the role of administrative officials, the minister also remarked on the efficacy of political administrators, saying, “Political administrators are expected to perform more effectively than bureaucrats.” This underscores the government’s approach to combining political leadership with administrative efficiency in local governance.
The following table summarises the expiry of current terms and the preliminary election schedule for major city corporations:
| City Corporation | Term Expiry | Preliminary Election Phase |
|---|---|---|
| Dhaka South | May 2026 | First phase |
| Dhaka North | May 2026 | First phase |
| Chattogram | June 2026 | First phase |
| Rajshahi | August 2026 | Subsequent phase |
| Sylhet | September 2026 | Subsequent phase |
| Khulna | October 2026 | Subsequent phase |
Minister Alamgir reiterated, “To ensure the smooth functioning of all local government institutions, the election process will be conducted transparently and within the stipulated timeframe.”
This announcement establishes a clear policy for local governance in Bangladesh, prioritising elections in city corporations with expired terms while progressively organising elections in other regions. Such a phased approach is expected to maintain continuity in electoral activities and strengthen the effectiveness of local self-governance.