‘UP polls likely to begin in Jan’

The Election Commission (EC) is considering starting the Union Parishad (UP) polls in January next year as students will have examinations in November and December.

No date has been finalised yet, EC Commissioner Anwarul Islam Sarker said on Thursday.

Speaking to reporters at the Election Commission building in Agargaon, Dhaka, he said the commission may start the elections after the examinations end in January.

The EC had earlier announced a possible schedule to hold the UP elections in seven phases, starting on 12 November.

On 17 September, the commission held a meeting with representatives of different ministries, departments and agencies to discuss the plan. Representatives of several government ministries told the EC that it would be difficult to hold the elections in November and December.

The commission later said it would hold further discussions before fixing the election dates.