A total of 27 candidates have withdrawn their nominations from 20 constituencies in Dhaka ahead of the 13th national parliamentary elections scheduled for February 12.
A referendum will also be held on the same day.
Earlier, 162 potential candidates from various parties and independents had collected nomination papers from these constituencies. Following the withdrawals, 135 candidates remain in the race.
Yesterday, the candidates submitted their withdrawal papers separately at three offices: the Dhaka Divisional Commissioner’s Returning Officer office in Segunbagicha, the Dhaka Regional Returning Officer office, and the Dhaka District Returning Officer office.
Election Commission sources said most candidates withdrew their nominations following party decisions to allow electoral alliance candidates to contest.
Among those who withdrew, Bilkis Nasima Rahman, nominated by the Ganashonghoti Andolon, withdrew her candidacy from Dhaka-18 on Monday. Tahzeeb Hasan Hridom, Chief Information Officer of the Dhaka Divisional Commissioner’s office, confirmed the information.
Other notable withdrawals include:
- Dhaka-5: Mokhlesur Rahman Kashemi (Bangladesh Nezame Islam Party), Md. Lutfur Rahman (Amar Bangladesh Party/AB Party), S.M. Shahria (National Citizens Party/NCP), Md. Atikur Rahman Nayoo Munshi (Bangladesh Khelafat Andolon)
- Dhaka-6: Gazi Nasir (AB Party)
- Dhaka-7: Tarek Ahmed Adel (NCP)
- Dhaka-9: Md. Foyez Bakhsh Sarkar (Khelafat Majlis), Kabir Ahmed (Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami)
- Dhaka-10: Ahmad Ali (Khelafat Majlis), Syed Belayet Hossain Belal (Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-JSD)
- Dhaka-12: Muhammad Mustafizur Rahman (Bangladesh Labour Party)
- Dhaka-16: Ahsanullah and Md. Rifat Hossain Malik (Khelafat Majlis)
- Dhaka-17: Md. Emdadul Haq (Khelafat Majlis)
- Dhaka-18: Muhammad Ashraful Haq (Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami), Mofizul Islam (Liberal Democratic Party/LDP), Saifuddin Ahmed Khandakar (Khelafat Majlis), Md. Neyamatullah (Amin) (Khelafat Majlis)
From the Dhaka Regional Election Officer office, Md. Murad Hossain (Islami Andolon Bangladesh) withdrew from Dhaka-13, and A.K.M. Shafiqul Islam (Ganoforum) withdrew from Dhaka-15.
From the Dhaka District Returning Officer office, Farhad Hossain (Khelafat Majlis) withdrew from Dhaka-1, A.K.M. Enamul Haq and Afzal Hossain (Jamaat-e-Islami) withdrew from Dhaka-19, and Abdur Rouf (Jamaat-e-Islami) withdrew from Dhaka-20.
Candidates will receive symbol allocations on Wednesday, after which they can start campaigning.
Under Article 16 of the Representation of the People Order, 1972, a validly nominated candidate may withdraw by submitting a signed written notice in person or through an authorized representative to the Returning Officer on the designated day or earlier.
If a registered political party has nominated multiple candidates in a constituency, the party president, general secretary, or equivalent must notify the Returning Officer in writing about the final candidate by the same day.
According to the revised election schedule, the Returning Officer will publish the final candidate list and allocate symbols on January 21. Election campaigning will begin on January 22 and continue until 7:30am on February 10. Voting is scheduled for Thursday, February 12, from 7:30am to 4:30pm.
