Published: 12:13 AM, 25 September 2026
Union Parishad elections likely in January: EC Anwarul
Ruling out holding Union Parishad elections in November and December this year, the Election Commission is considering holding the vote in January next year.
While talking to reporters at the Election Commission Bhaban in capital's Agargaon on Thursday afternoon, Election Commissioner (EC) Md. Anwarul Islam Sarker said, "The Election Commission is considering holding the elections after November-December to avoid disrupting the public examinations and ensure that students can sit for their exams smoothly and in an orderly manner."
Anwarul, however, said no specific date has been set yet. If voting begins in January, the election schedule is expected to be announced 40 to 45 days earlier, meaning the commission may announce the timetable in November.
He rejected rumours that the initial timeline was changed due to government pressure, saying the decision was based on practical considerations, including students' examinations and the deployment of law enforcement agencies during exam periods.
Anwarul said the Election Commission is considering a timeline to complete the local government (Union Parishad) elections by June 6 next year. If all the cases are settled by then, the number of Union Parishads will increase further, he said.
He added that even if elections to around 5,000 Union Parishads are held in phases, the number in each phase would be quite large.
"We hope that once the examinations are completed by December, we will be able to hold the local government elections around January," he said.
