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Upazila elections from Oct 23 in two phases

200-250 upazilas go to polls in first phase; schedule on Sept 10

SHAKHAWAT LlTON and Rashidul Hasan
The Election Commission (EC) has finally decided to start holding the much-talked-about upazila elections from October 23, braving political parties' strong opposition to holding these polls before the national election planned for December.
In the first phase, the EC will hold elections in 200-250 of the 482 upazilas on two different dates, the commission decided at a meeting on Monday.
It has also decided to hold election to Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) alongside the upazila polls, EC sources said, adding that the date for DCC polls is yet to be fixed.
The EC has not also yet fixed the second date of the first phase polls but sources said it is likely to be October 27 or 28 and the DCC election will be held on that date.
The schedules for the upazila elections will be declared on September 10.
All major political parties including the Awami League (AL), BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami have
strongly opposed holding of upazila elections before the national elections in December.
The EC has so far completed voter registration in over 300 upazilas
It had planned to hold elections in 300-350 upazilas but cut down the number to 200-250 fearing possible mess before the national election, EC sources said.
With the upazila election nearing, the caretaker government has already started reshuffling the civil administration according to EC requirements.
The EC has sent the draft upazila election rules to the law ministry for vetting. It will announce the election schedules after the ministry sends back the rules, said sources.
The EC Secretariat earlier made a proposal for an expenditure ofTk 100 crore, which is over half the total estimated cost for the upazila polls, to ensure foolproof security.
Of the amount, Tk 50 crore has been sought for the army and the rest for the law' enforcement agencies, said EC sources, citing the draft budget for the upazila polls.
The EC wants to hold the upazila elections on two dates to ensure foolproof security.
“Considering issues like deployment of law enforcement personnel and maintaining law and order, the Election Commission has decided to hold upazila polls on two different dates,' said an EC high official. "The commission does not want to take any risk regarding maintaining law and order."
Meanwhile, the first consignment of about 35,640 translucent ballot boxes will reach Chittagong Port on September6 from Canada.
The second and third consignments of about 23,760 ballot boxes are expected to reach the port on September 17 and 24. The remaining shipments are expected to arrive in Chittagong by October, EC sources said.
The EC earlier held elections to four city corporations and nine municipalities on August 4 where AL-backed candidates earned a landslide victory.
Election Commissioner Sohul Hossain, meanwhile, told reporters yesterday that the EC would sit with the AL in response to its request. He refused to give any further details in this regard.
Earlier, the AL in a letter to die EC expressed its desire to hold talks on different issues including political parties’ registration with the EC and upazilaelections.