Decision on local govt elections very soon: Asif Mahmud
A decision on whether local government elections will be held before the national elections will be made very soon, according to Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuiyan.
The adviser made these remarks at the conclusion of the sixth session on the third and final day of the DC Conference at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the capital on Tuesday, February 18.
This session involved discussions with representatives from the Local Government Division, Rural Development and Cooperatives Division, and the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
When questioned about the timing of local government elections, Asif Mahmud highlighted the daily challenges due to the absence of elected representatives in local government bodies.
"Most of our officers are managing multiple roles in local government organizations. We constantly hear requests for more administrators or elections," he explained.
He noted that divisional commissioners are often in charge of city corporations, and district administrators handle district council duties, complicating governance when officers juggle multiple roles. "From this perspective, I personally believe that we should hold local government elections to bring in real people's representatives," he said.
The adviser also mentioned that this topic was part of the discussions in the last consensus meeting.
Regarding the decision-making process, Asif Mahmud said, "Discussions are ongoing, but no final decision has been made yet by the government. However, we will decide very soon—either to hold elections for people's representatives or to manage local government agencies by appointing administrators."
On the preference for holding local elections before national ones, he added, "I personally think it's definitely better. Local government agencies can significantly contribute to organising a good national election, from maintaining law and order to ensuring smooth local elections. But this decision will not be based solely on my personal views; it will come from the government."
