City mayors against holding JS, upazila polls within a week

Mayors of five city corporations yesterday said holding of parliamentary elections and upazila polls within a short span of time would hamper both.
It would be difficult to ensure coordination in electoral activities as well as in administrative and security duties in holding the elections with such narrow gaps as announced, they said.
The mayors were talking to journalists after attending a meeting of the urban primary healthcare project held at the LGRD ministry with LGRD Adviser Anwarul Iqbal in the chair.
“Not only the national election but also elections to the local government bodies will be hampered if held within a week,” said Dhaka City Corporation Mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka, also former city BNP chief.
“If upazila elections are held within a week of the national polls, the polls might be affected,” said Sylhet Mayor Badruddin Ahmed Kamran.
There would be a lack of coordination in activities of officials engaged in holding the elections within a very short time, said Kamran, also a former Awami League (AL) leader.
Khulna Mayor Talukder Abdul Khaleque, Barisal Mayor Shawkat Hossain Hiron and Rajshahi Mayor AHM Khairuzzaman Liton -- all former AL leaders-- echoed what Khoka and Kamran said.
Meanwhile, major political parties including Awami League and BNP want enough time between parliamentary elections and upazila polls.
Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed announced on Monday that the ninth parliamentary election will be held on December 18, and polls to upazila parishads will be held on December 24 and 28.