Staff Reporter :
The by-polls to Dhaka North City Corporation’s mayor post will be held on February 28.
EC Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed announced the election schedule while briefing reporters after a meeting at the Nirbachan Bhaban on Tuesday evening.
Elections to the councillor posts in the 36 new wards — 18 under Dhaka North City Corporation and 18 under Dhaka South City Corporation — will be held on the same day.As per the schedule, the last date for submission of nomination papers is January 30, while that of nomination scrutiny is February 2 and last date for nomination withdrawal is February 9.
He also said that the Upazila Parishad Election will be held across the country in five phases.
“The first phase of polls may take place on March 8 or 9,” said the secretary.
Earlier in the day, Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda had told reporters that the Commission would finalise the date for the DNCC by-polls Tuesday.
“Elections continue throughout the year. Today we will take a decision at the commission meeting regarding the DNCC mayor by-election, and newly-added wards of both Dhaka City Corporations,” he said.
The DNCC mayoral post fell vacant with the death of Annisul Huq on November 30, 2017.
As per the schedule declared by the Election Commission, the by-polls for the DNCC mayor post were supposed to be held on February 26 last year.
But a High Court Bench stayed, for six months, the election after hearing two separate writ petitions on January 14 last year. However, another High Court Bench last Wednesday cleared the way to hold the by-election by vacating the stay order. It also rejected three separate petitions filed related to the election.
