BNP has fielded the highest candidates 288 while Jamaat-e-Islami is contesting the February 12 parliamentary election with 224 candidates across the country.
A total of 1,732 contenders from 51 registered political parties and 249 independent candidates are competing in the national election from the country's 300 constituencies, according to the Election Commission’s latest statistics released on Wednesday night.
Of the total candidates, 1,972 are contesting in 298 constituencies and nine have been declared valid candidates in Pabna-1 and Pabna-2.
Among other participating parties, 253 candidates are from Islami Andolan Bangladesh, while 192 from Jatiya Party, 90 from Gono Odhikar Parishad, 65 from Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), 42 from Insaniat Biplap Bangladesh, 39 from Basad, 34 from Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish and 32 from National Citizen Party-NCP.
This time Awami League is out of the electoral race as its registration remains suspended since the interim government slapped a ban on its activities.
Besides, eight other registered political parties didn't join the election.
The eight parties included Bangladesh Workers Party, Bikalpadhara Bangladesh, Trinimul BNP, Bangladesh Tarikat Federation, Krishan Sramik Janata League, Bangladesher Samybadi Dal (ML), NAP and BNM.
Fifteen candidates are vying for the Dhaka-12 seat in the polls, the highest from a constituency in the country, while only two contenders, from BNP and Jamaat, are running in Pirojpur-1, the lowest.
The total number of contesting candidates stands at 1,972 in 298 constituencies (except Pabna-1 & 2).
But, the figure is expected to rise further once the candidates from Pabna-1 and Pabna-2 are finalised and if the court would direct the EC to allow any other to run in the election.
According to the EC statistics , 305 candidates withdrew from the race by the final deadline.
In the election, the lowest two candidates -- BNP’s Alamgir Hossain and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami’s Masud Sayeedi-- are running from Pirojpur-1 constituency.
Besides, three contenders are in the electoral race from 14 other constituencies --Thakurgaon-1, Joypurhat-2, Naogaon-2, Meherpur-2, Chuadanga-1 and 2, Khulna-2,Tangail-7, Netrakona-5, Manikganj-2, Dhaka-2, Sunamganj-1 & 2, Chattogram-15 and Cox’s Bazar-1.
At least 10 contestants are running from 32 parliamentary seats.
Dhaka-12 leads with 15 candidates, followed by Narayanganj-4 with 13. Khulna-1, Dhaka-9, Dhaka-14 and Gazipur-2 each have 12 contenders.
According to the EC statistics released on Wednesday (which differed with its previous statistics), a total of 2,580 aspirants submitted nomination papers to contest the election by the December 29, 2025 deadline.
Among them, the returning officers declared 1,855 nomination papers valid and rejected 725 others during the scrutiny from December 30 to January 04 last.
Following the disposal of appeals filed challenging the decisions of the returning officers, though 436 invalid candidates regained their candidacies, five valid candidates lost their candidatures. Later, 305 candidates withdrew their candidacies by the January-20 deadline.
Highest Candidates in 30 Years
Ultimately the number of contesting candidates stood at 1,972 for 298 constituencies (nine valid candidates for Pabna-1 and 2 not included here), beating out the last five general elections.
Even without them though, the number of candidates making it onto the ballot this time will be the highest since 1996, despite the absence of the Awami League and some other parties staying away of their own accord.
As many as 1,896 contesting candidates and 28 political parties were in the race in the 12th parliamentary election (held on January 7, 2024), while 1,861 candidates and 39 political parties in the 11th parliamentary election ( December 30, 2018).
In the 10th parliamentary election held in 2014, only 390 candidates and 12 political parties contested from 147 constituencies, while 153 other parliamentary seats went uncontested.
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Earlier, a total of 1,567 candidates and 38 political parties contested the 9th parliamentary election (December 29, 2008), while 1,939 candidates and 54 political parties in the 8th parliamentary election (October 1, 2001) and 2,574 candidates and 81 political parties in the 7th parliamentary election (June 12, 1996).
The Election Commission on December 11 announced the schedule to hold the 13th parliament election and the referendum on the July National Charter (Constitutional Reform) Implementation Order simultaneously on February 12 next.