Dhaka: The election schedule for 400 Union Parishads is likely to be declared on Thursday or Sunday next, said Election Commissioner Md Zabed Ali on Monday.

‘Hopefully, the preparatory works for the Union Council elections will be completed by Wednesday next, and there’s a possibility to announce the election schedule on Thursday or Sunday next,’ he told reporters at his Election Commission Secretariat office.

This time election to over 400 Union Parishads will be held in the last week of March, Zabed said.

He said the Commission has taken a decision to arrange the countrywide Union Parishad election in 11-12 phases in the gaps of HSC examinations.

As many as 4,279 Union Parishads out of the country's 4,571 ones are eligible for election, and the Election Commission has legal obligation to complete the polls in the eligible Union Parishads by June next.

For the first time, election to the UP chairman post is going to be held along party line as the government amended the Local Government (Union Parishad) Act 2009.