EC to hold votes for five cities in three phases

The Election Commission has decided to organise the elections of five city corporations in three phases ahead of the upcoming parliamentary polls.

Accordingly, voting in Gazipur, Rajshahi, Barishal, Sylhet and Khulna will likely take place between May and June, before the Eid-ul-Azha holidays.

The decision to hold the staggered elections was made at a meeting presided over by Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal at the EC headquarters in Dhaka on Wednesday.

"We will have the elections between May and June. The HSC exams are scheduled to start on Jul 7. That is why a preliminary decision has been taken to hold the elections in five cities in three phases between May 23 and Jun 29 after the SSC exams," EC Secretary Md Jahangir Alam said.

He highlighted the need to organise the city votes before the 12th national election, which is likely to be held in December.

"We will organise the elections to these five city corporations in the period between the end of the SSC exams and Eid-ul-Azha. Detailed election schedules will be released later."

The schedules could be announced in mid-April, according to the secretary.

Electronic voting machines will be used at all five city elections. The EC also has plans to install CCTV cameras at voting centres, but a final decision is yet to be made on the matter.