Staff Correspondent:

The Election Commission (EC) will take decision on whether to cancel the third phase of the upazila polls scheduled for May 29.

The EC Secretary Jahangir Alam revealed the information on Sunday.

“We are keeping communication with the ground. A decision regarding voting will be made after the cyclone makes landfall. We pray that it does not hit hard,” he said while talking with reporters at the EC office.

A total of 112 upazila is scheduled to go for polls on May 29.

Bangladesh Meteorological Department said Cyclone Remal may make landfall between 6pm and 10pm.

Cyclone Remal is accelerating and heading towards the coast; currently, the cyclone is about 335km southwest of Chittagong Port, 315km southwest of Cox’s Bazar Port, 220km south of Mongla Port, and 200km south of Payra Port.

Under the peripheral effect of the severe cyclone, gusty or squally wind with rain is continuing over coastal regions of Bangladesh.

Meanwhile, over 800,000 people have so far been evacuated to shelters as Cyclone Remal, said State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Md Mohibur Rahman.