Dhaka, Aug 4 - A senior minister Tuesday said the tenures of parliament and other local government bodies should be reduced since 'five years' tenure is very long'.

Local Government and Rural Development (LGRD) Minister Syed Ashraful Islam said that the five-year duration of any form of government 'is very long', Star Online reported.

He suggested that the tenure of local government bodies should be decreased to three years. But he refrained from making a similar suggestion about parliament.

The minister, elected unopposed last week as the general secretary of the ruling Awami League, is considered close to the party chief and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

There was no indication, however, whether there has been any discussion on this within the party and the ruling alliance that swept the parliament poll in December last year.

'I think the local government should be of three years.