Bill for partisan local poll to be passed at JS today

The Local Government (amendment) Bill-2015, aimed at holding the municipality polls under party banner, will be passed in the parliament today, LGRD Minister Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain has said.

“From now on, all the local body polls will be held in this manner,” he told a view exchange meeting held at Nagar Bhaban in Dhaka. “This will ensure the spirit of the central government is reflected through its local representatives”.

The programme was organised by Dhaka South City Corporation.

Mosharraf heard about all of the problems of the DSCC and also assured participants of resolving those immediately.

Earlier on November 15, the minister placed the bill in parliament allowing municipal mayoral candidates to use registered political parties' parliamentary electoral symbols.

Previously the parties could only support mayor and councillor candidates but their participation was all but official since their local machinery was used for campaigns.

The “Local Government (municipality) Further Amendment Bill-2015” was sent for further scrutiny to the parliamentary standing committee on the LGRD ministry which was asked to submit a report within three working days.

President Abdul Hamid on November 2 promulgated an ordinance amending the local government law for holding municipality polls in a partisan manner.

On October 12, the cabinet approved the law's drafts allowing the parties to nominate candidates.

According to EC officials, elections to around 245 out of 317 municipalities are likely to be held in December and the rest in phases later. Polls schedule may be declared by November's end.

In the January 2011 municipal elections, the AL-blessed mayor candidates won in 88 of 236 municipalities while BNP-backed ones in 92.