Dhaka: The first-ever District Council elections in Bangladesh will be held on December 28.

Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad on Sunday announced the election schedule at a press briefing at the media centre of the Election Commission Secretariat.

As per the schedule, the deadline for the submission of nomination papers is December 1, while the date for the scrutiny of the nomination papers is December 3-4 and the last date for the withdrawal of candidature is December 11.

The electoral symbols will be allocated on December 12.

The District Council polls will be held in 61 districts across the country while there will be no election in the three hill districts - Rangamati, Khagrachhari and Bandarban.

According to the District Council (Amendment) Bill, 2016, the District Council will comprise of a chairman and 20 members, including five from reserved seats.

Elected public representatives of different local government bodies, including city corporations, municipalities, union parishads and upazila parishads will vote in the polls.

Anyone breaching the election code of conduct can face up to six months in jail or fine Tk 50,000 or both. 

Meanwhile, BNP and Jatiya Party have already announced not to join the polls.