DHAKA: Elections to 83 upazila parishads will be held in the third phase on March 15.

Election Commissioner Shah Nawaz announced the schedule for the third phase of the fourth upazila polls at the media centre of the EC secretariat on Thursday afternoon.

The last date for filing nomination papers is February 15 and the last date for withdrawal of candidacy is February 24 and the nomination papers would be scrutinized on February 17.

The election commissioner told journalists that all measures have been taken to hold the polls in free and fair manner.

In the first phase, elections will be held to 98 upazila parishads on February 19, and in the second phase polls will be held to 117 upazilas on February 27.

Elections to 487 upazila councils will complete by May 3. Voting will take place in 74 upazilas on March 15, in 72 upazilas on March 25, in 65 upazilas on March 31 and 57 upazilas on 3 May.

The first upazila polls were held in 1995 while the second and third in 1990 and 2009 respectively.

BDST: 1920 HRS, FEB 06, 2014