4th phase upazila polls on March 23

Elections to 92 upazilas in 42 districts will be held on March 23 in a fourth phase, the Election Commission announced today. 

The last date of filing nominations is February 23, scrutiny of nomination papers will be held on February 26 and the deadline for nomination withdrawal is March 6, according to the schedule.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad made the announcement at the EC Secretariat.

Out of 487 upazila parishads across the country, elections to 97 upazilas will be held on February 19 and one on February 24 in the first phase, 117 on February 27 in the second phase while 83 on March 15 in the third phase.

Earlier, the EC planned to hold all the upazila parishad elections in six phases and the last phase was supposed to be held on the first week of May.

But now the EC thinks to complete all the upazila parishad elections by March 31 in five phases, said EC sources.

The EC plans to complete the elections immediately because it wants to avoid any possible trouble of rainy season.