Election Commission (EC) announced 1st phase election schedule of 152 upazila to be held on May 8.
After a meeting of the election commissioners, Additional Secretary of EC Ashok Kumar Debnath declared the schedule on Thursday.
Ashok Kumar said, "Among the 152 upazilas, voting will take place using Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in 22 upazilas of nine districts. The districts are Coxs Bazar, Shariatpur, Chandpur, Jamalpur, Pabna, Sirajganj, Jessore, Pirojpur and Manikganj."
He said the last date for submitting nomination paper is April 15, while the date for scrutiny of nomination paper is April 17, and the last date for withdrawal of candidature is April 22.
Symbol allocation is scheduled for April 23.
The Commission will hold elections in 481 upazila councils nationwide in four phases in May. Ashok Kumar said voting in the second phase will be held on May 23, the third phase on May 29, and the fourth phase on June 5.
The election will elect chairmen, general vice chairmen and reserved vice chairmen.
According to the new rule a Chairman candidate will deposit Tk 1,00,000 and Vice Chairman candidate will deposit Tk 75,000.
The ruling Awami League has already said they will not allocate anyone their party symbol in any local government elections this time.
