A total of 3,056 candidates have submitted their nomination papers across Bangladesh to contest the 11th general election, slated for December 30, from 300 constituencies.
These individuals and contenders of political parties filed their nomination forms to the concerned returning officers around the country by the 5pm submission deadline on Wednesday, said Election Commission Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed.
“Candidates have submitted their nomination papers across the country in festive environment,” Helal said at a press briefing in the commission office in the city’s Agargaon later in the evening.
“But we have not received any report regarding the violation of the electoral code of conduct so far,” he added.
As per their tally, of the total nomination papers submitted manually, 708 were filed in Dhaka division, 688 in Chittagong division, 353 in Rajshahi division, 177 in Sylhet division, 351 in Khulna division, 236 in Mymensingh division, 182 in Barisal division, and 361 in Rangpur division, he added.
Of the 3,056 candidates, 265 are running for office from the 20 seats of capital Dhaka.
None of the constituencies across the country has a single candidate.
The commission secretary said that 22 candidates, the highest, had submitted nomination papers from Dhaka 8 constituency, while the lowest, four candidates, was in Magura 2.
He said that total 39 nomination papers were submitted online and 16 of them were rejected for not providing all required information.
"However, we do not know whether they also submitted the nomination papers manually. So, we have not included them in the total tally,” he added.
This was the first time that parliamentary polls candidates were able to submit their nomination papers both manually and online, which became possible following the recent amendments to the Representation of the People Order.
Helal said all the numbers were provided by the returning officers over phone from across the country.
What’s next?
Many candidates, including those from the ruling Awami League-led alliance and Dr Kamal Hossain-led Jatiya Oikya Front, had filed their nomination papers on the last day amid festivity.
According to the polls schedule announced by the Election Commission, the nomination papers will be scrutinized on December 2, and the last date to withdraw candidature is December 9.
After that, the commission will distribute the electoral symbols and candidates across the country will be able allowed to begin their campaigns.
On November 8, the commission had first announced schedule for the election, fixing December 23 for the balloting.
However, the KM Nurul Huda-led commission on November 12 had deferred the polls to December 30 following demands from the opposition political parties.
Previous numbers of candidates
In the 10th parliamentary election, which was held on January 5, 2014 and boycotted by BNP, a total 1,107 candidates had submitted nomination papers in 300 constituencies before the ballot.
Later, 230 nomination papers were cancelled during scrutiny and 334 candidates withdrew candidature.
Finally, the number of contesting candidates had come down to 543, and 153 constituencies were left with single candidate.
The number of contesting candidates was 1,567 in the ninth national polls, 1,939 in the eighth, 2,572 in the seventh, 1,450 in the sixth, 2,787 in the fifth, 977 in the fourth, 1,527 in the third, 2,125 in the second, and 1,091 candidates had contested the first ever general election.
EC orders withdrawal of N’ganj SP
On Wednesday, Election Commission Secretary Helal also said that they asked the Home Ministry’s Public Security Division to withdraw Narayanganj’s Superintendent of Police (SP) Anisur Rahman, and replace him with another official.
"The decision to withdraw the SP has been taken on specific allegations," he told the press briefing.
Earlier in the day, the commission had sent a letter to the Public Security Division in this regard.
The commission’s move, however, came after the BNP-led 20-Party Alliance on Sunday submitted a written complaint demanding Anisur’s removal.
The opposition coalition had claimed that the SP was not discharging his the electoral duties neutrally as his wife Fatema Tuzzahura was a local MP from a reserved seat.
Earlier, the commission also asked the concerned authorities to withdraw the deputy commissioner of Natore, and the officers-in-charge of Louhajang and Mithapukur police stations.
