Upazila, municipality elections soon: State Minister

State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives, Mir Shah Alam, has said elections to upazila parishads and municipalities will be held soon, ruling out any move to appoint new administrators in the interim.

He made the remarks on Wednesday, March 25, while inspecting the construction of an approach road to a bridge in Shahjahanpur union of Sadar upazila in Chapainawabganj.

“There is no plan to appoint new administrators for municipalities or upazila parishads,” the minister said. 

“At present, Additional Deputy Commissioners (ADCs) and Upazila Nirbahi Officers (UNOs) are are carrying out the duties, but elections will be held soon and elected representatives will take over.”

He noted that a bridge built at a cost of nearly Tk 8 crore has yet to become fully operational due to the absence of an approach road. “When the issue was brought to the Prime Minister’s attention, he ordered an on-site inspection,” he added.

To address the problem, a seven-member committee, headed by an additional secretary of the Local Government Division, has been formed to take necessary steps.

Among others present during the visit were MP Nurul Islam Bulbul, Rajshahi City Corporation Administrator Mahfuzur Rahman Riton, Chapainawabganj District Council Administrator Md Harunur Rashid, former MP Aminul Islam, and District Commissioner Abu Saleh Musa.

Shohan Mahmud/MHK