Govt to hold local polls this year:  Shahe Alam

SREEMANGAL, M’BAZAR, Aug 14: State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mir Shahe Alam has said elections to five tiers of local government will be completed within the current fiscal year.

The elections are for city corporations, upazila parishads, zilla parishads, municipalities and union parishads, he said.

Around Tk 5,500-6,000 crore will be required to hold the elections, with the necessary funds already allocated in the 2026-27 national budget, the state minister said.

He made the remarks while speaking to reporters after inspecting the Victoria High School field on College Road in Sreemangal on Friday afternoon.

“The Election Commission is preparing for the elections. The Local Government Division has already given necessary instructions to the commission,” he said.

Mir Shahe Alam said the Election Commission, Local Government Division and Finance Division would jointly decide the sequence of the elections after the commission completes its preparations.

“Since a substantial amount of money will be required, the three sides will sit together and decide which election will be held first and which will follow. But I repeat, we will complete all five local government elections in this fiscal year, InshaAllah,” he said.

Regarding a master plan for Sreemangal, the state minister said the government would work to develop the town as a modern tourist city.

“If the MP gives me a demi-official letter, we will bring the Tourism Division, Local Government Division, Environment Division and Roads and Highways Department together to prepare a master plan for Sreemangal,” he said.

He said the government was preparing a Development Project Proposal for municipalities across the country. While Tk 25 crore has been proposed for each municipality, Sreemangal would receive Tk 50 crore under the project because of its importance as a tourist destination.

Regarding load shedding, Mir Shahe Alam said the government needed more time to resolve the ongoing electricity crisis.

He stressed the need to expand renewable energy, particularly solar power.

The state minister also said the government was preparing regulations to bring battery-run auto-rickshaws and three-wheelers under a formal registration system.

Moulvibazar-4 MP Md Mujibur Rahman Chowdhury, Moulvibazar Zilla Parishad Administrator Mizanur Rahman Mizan, Sreemangal UNO Md Ziaur Rahman and other officials were present.