National Budget 2026-27: EC likely to get Tk 2,900cr

The Election Commission (EC) is likely to get an allocation of around Tk 2,900 crore in the National Budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year for its operations, including holding local government polls.

In 2025-26 fiscal year, the EC was allocated Tk 3,150 crore. Of the amount, around Tk 2,256 crore was spent on the 13th national parliamentary election and referendum held on February 12.

“We demanded over Tk 5,500 crore. We may get a little over Tk 2,900 crore. The final figure will be known on budget day,” said Shamsul Hoque Fouzder, EC senior assistant secretary (budget).

Asked whether the EC could hold local government elections with Tk 2,900 crore in the upcoming fiscal year, Election Commissioner Abdur Rahmanel Masud said, “Measures will be taken to ensure the elections are conducted at lower cost. Public money cannot be wasted.”

EC officials noted that the demand was made considering the upcoming elections due for upazilas, union parishads, municipalities, city corporations, and district councils.

“We calculated the likely expenditure for 495 upazilas, 330 municipalities, and 13 city corporations before placing the demand,” Fouzder said.

He added that Union Parishad polls cost almost as much as national elections, as those are held in four to five phases.

“Within the remaining four months of ongoing fiscal year, the EC may conduct polls to municipalities, city corporations, district councils, and pending upazilas. If held in two phases, more than 250 upazilas could be covered within this allocation,” he also said.

Breakdown of EC’s demand

Of the Tk 5,500 crore sought from the government, the EC asked for Tk 2,900 crore for Union Parishad polls, Tk 330 crore for city corporation elections, Tk 300 crore for municipalities, and Tk 2,000 crore for Upazila Parishad elections.

EC officials said polls for large city corporations require Tk 30–35 crore each, while smaller ones cost Tk 20–22 crore.

Bangladesh currently has 13 city corporations, 500 upazila parishads, 61 district councils, and 4,581 union parishads.

No local government elections have been held in more than two years, leaving the commission with a significant backlog as the tenures of many bodies have already expired.

According to EC data, 3,632 union parishads will be up for elections by the end of August, while 343 more are set for polls by December.

Due to various complications, 104 union parishads are currently unfit for elections, including 79 over legal disputes, 18 due to boundary issues, and seven due to complications with voters’ lists.

Meanwhile, the EC is drafting uniform rules for elections to the five tiers of local government bodies since existing codes of conduct differ across these tiers.

The process is expected to be completed by mid-June, and the EC will finalise the code of conduct within June.