State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mir Shahe Alam has said the government plans to complete all five categories of local government elections within the current fiscal year.

He made the remarks on Thursday while visiting the Secondary Transfer Station (STS) for waste management of the Sylhet City Corporation (SCC) at Pairairchak in Sylhet.

Speaking about local government elections, the state minister said the elections include those for city corporations, municipalities, district councils, upazila parishads, and union parishads.

He said holding these elections would require between Tk 55 billion and Tk 60 billion. According to him, the Election Commission has already submitted its budget proposal, and the approved budget for the current fiscal year includes an allocation for conducting local government elections.

“The Election Commission is making preparations. However, no decision has yet been made regarding which election will be held first and which later. After August, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Local Government, and the Election Commission will jointly decide the schedule, taking into account the weather, environmental conditions, and financial considerations,” he said.

He added that, in line with the government’s announcement, all five local government elections are expected to be completed within the current fiscal year.

Responding to a question about former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Mir Shahe Alam said she has no opportunity to return to Bangladesh without facing legal consequences.

“If she returns to the country, she will have to be arrested. Judgments have already been delivered in cases against her. She will have to go to prison, and those verdicts will be enforced,” he said.

He further added, “As far as we understand the law, Sheikh Hasina has no opportunity to return to the country like an ordinary citizen. Regardless of how she enters Bangladesh, she will be arrested immediately under the law.”

Among others present during the visit were Sylhet-3 MP M.A. Malek, Sylhet City Corporation Administrator Abdul Kaiyum Chowdhury, and Sylhet Metropolitan BNP General Secretary Emdad Hossain Chowdhury.