United News of Bangladesh

The Election Commission on Thursday (January 15, 2026) announced a fresh election schedule for Pabna-1 and Pabna-2 constituencies to hold polls on February 12 next in line with the order of the Appellate Division. The election schedule was declared cancelling the previous schedule announced on December 11 last as per the court order passed on Thursday, said a notification issued by the EC. According to the new schedule, the deadline for the submission of nomination papers is January 18, while the scrutiny of the nomination papers is on January 19 and the last date for the withdrawal of candidature is January 26. 60 more candidates reinstated on day 6 of appeals process The appeals can be submitted with the Election Commission from January 20 to 24, challenging the decisions of the returning officers over acceptance or cancellation of nomination papers. The EC will hear and dispose of the appeal petitions, if any, on January 25. The symbols will be allocated on January 27. The voting will be held from 7:30am to 4:30pm on February 12, simultaneously with the election to the country’s rest 298 constituencies and referendum. The Election Commission recently suspended the election in Pabna-1 and Pabna-2 constituencies until further directives from the court. Jamaat-led Alliance: NCP holds on to 30 seats, but IAB absent from press conference An EC circular was issued on January 6 but made public on January 10, suspending the election to the two constituencies in line with an order issued by the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on January 5 over a dispute regarding the demarcation of the two constituencies, the national parliamentary constituencies No 68 (Pabna-1) and No 69 (Pabna-2). On January 15, the Appellate Division cleared the way for holding the elections in Pabna-1 and Pabna-2 constituencies on February 12 in accordance with the boundaries specified in the Election Commission’s September 4 gazette. An Appellate Division bench led by Chief Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury passed the order. As per the order, Sathia upazila will constitute Pabna-1 constituency while Sujanagar and Bera upazilas will form Pabna-2. Read more: No evidence of postal ballot irregularities found: EC Sanaullah

A total of 1,533,682 voters have registered to cast their votes through postal ballots, as registration for postal voting ended on Monday, Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam said on Tuesday (January 06, 2026). “A total of 1,533,682 voters have registered for postal voting. Of them, 761,140 are from within the country, while 772,542 are members of the Bangladeshi diaspora,” he told reporters at a media briefing held at the Foreign Service Academy. Voters inside the country registered for postal ballots as they will be engaged in election duties and therefore unable to vote at their designated polling stations, he said. Alam said members of the Bangladeshi diaspora are participating in the postal voting process for the first time. Read more: Bangladesh Polls: 164 file appeals over nomination decisions in 2 days The Press Secretary said the country has witnessed an unprecedented response to its first-ever online postal ballot registration, marking a significant step toward inclusive and participatory elections, particularly for expatriate voters. Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus described the response as a ‘historic event’, Alam said. Noting that the global average inclusion rate for diaspora voting in countries with long-standing systems is 2.7 percent, Alam said Bangladesh has surpassed 5 percent participation in its very first year. He said the Election Commission’s postal voting model is now being closely observed by international stakeholders, including the European Union, UNDP, and several European countries. The Election Commission has stated that postal ballots will be sent out and cast starting January 21, once the final list of candidates is confirmed. The Chief Adviser emphasised that this initial experience will be crucial for expanding diaspora participation in future elections, Alam said, adding that with an estimated 1.5 crore Bangladeshis living abroad, the long-term goal is to ensure voting access for all eligible expatriates. Regarding government initiatives to raise public awareness about the polls, particularly the referendum, Alam said the ‘Super Caravan’ campaign began on December 20 with a convoy of 10 vehicles under the title ‘Vote’r Gari’. Citing an overwhelming public response, he said the number of vehicles will be increased from 10 to 30, and coverage will expand from 300 to 495 upazilas, including hard-to-reach island districts such as Bhola and Hatiya, where feasible. The newly added vehicles in the ‘Super Caravan’ will operate from January 9 to January 31 and will screen 30 television commercials (TVCs) related to the elections and the referendum, he added. Noting that the Election Commission’s preparations are progressing in full swing, Alam said training for 75 percent of security personnel, including police, Ansar, Coast Guard, and Border Guard Bangladesh, has already been completed, with the remaining training to conclude soon. “We hope all concerned will remain fully prepared for voting,” he said, adding that training on CCTV monitoring and body-worn cameras is underway and expected to be completed by January 31. To ensure rapid responses to any election-related disruptions, the Ministry of Home Affairs is developing a dedicated mobile app that will allow incidents of violence or irregularities to be reported instantly from anywhere in the country. Monitoring control rooms will be established at the upazila, district, and divisional levels, along with a central control room in Dhaka, he added. Alam said that Religious Affairs Adviser Dr AFM Khalid Hossain informed the Chief Adviser that his ministry recently held a meeting with 500 eminent Islamic scholars to involve mosque imams in election-related awareness campaigns, particularly focusing on the referendum. At a meeting with the Chief Adviser at the State Guest House Jamuna, Dr Khalid said initiatives have been taken to encourage imams across the country to inspire people through their Friday sermons to cast a ‘Yes’ vote in the referendum. Over 15 lakh people register for postal voting: EC The initiative has received positive feedback, Alam said, noting that the meeting emphasized involving teachers from around 77,000 maktabs, imams from approximately 400,000 mosques nationwide, and priests from other places of worship, including temples and churches. In addition, the Ministry of Religious Affairs is printing thousands of informational leaflets for distribution across the country, he added.  

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has begun closely examining the election affidavits of all candidates participating in the 13th national parliamentary election, ACC Chairman Dr Mohammad Abdul Momen said on Monday (January 05, 2026). “The asset declarations submitted by the candidates would be thoroughly scrutinised to identify any inconsistencies or suspicious information,” he said while addressing a views-exchange meeting with the newly elected committee of Reporters Against Corruption (RAC) at the ACC headquarters in the capital as the chief guest. Dr Momen said the commission would independently scrutinise candidates’ affidavits, request the Election Commission to flag any suspicious assets, and, if necessary, prioritise this task over other activities. He also urged journalists to play an active role by analysing and verifying affidavit information and bringing credible findings to public attention. No election campaign before symbol allocation: EC to parities Responding to a question about the newly-enacted law, Dr Momen reiterated the ACC’s zero-tolerance stance against corruption. “Our position is very clear—there will be no compromise with corruption. If any provision in the new law suggests compromise, we will maintain our previous stance and, if necessary, discuss the matter with the government,” he said. Speaking at the meeting, ACC Commissioner (Investigation) Mia Muhammad Ali Akbar Azizi said the commission would assist judges by presenting strong and credible evidence to prove corruption cases. Under the law, he said, the ACC has the authority to take into cognisance verified information published in newspapers and urged journalists to ensure their reports are fact-based and properly verified rather than based on hearsay. ACC Commissioner (Investigation) Brigadier General (retd) Hafiz Ahsan Farid said the ACC and RAC are closely intertwined in the fight against corruption. “If RAC closes its eyes for a day, the ACC will become blind for a week,” he said, adding that RAC’s credibility is not only its own honour but also the honour of the ACC. Election disruption attempts to be met with iron hand: Home Adviser The meeting began with a welcome address by ACC Secretary Mohammad Khaled Rahim. RAC President Shafi Uddin Ahmed and General Secretary Tabarul Haque spoke on behalf of the organisation, pledging to work as partners of the ACC in anti-corruption efforts. Former RAC President Alauddin Arif also addressed the meeting. The event, moderated by ACC Director General (Prevention) Md Akhtar Hossain, was attended, among others, by senior ACC officials, members of the newly elected RAC executive committee and other RAC members.

The aspirants from 51 out of 59 registered political parties, along with hundreds of independent candidates, submitted nominations to contest the upcoming 13th national parliamentary election, according to the data compiled by the Election Commission. Among the parties, the highest 331 aspirants from Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) submitted nomination papers (multiple candidates in some constituencies) to run the election scheduled for February 12, 2026. Besides, 276 aspirants from Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, 268 from Islami Andolon Bangladesh, 224 from Jatiya Party (JaPa), 104 from Gano Odhikar Parishad, 94 from Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish, 65 from Communist Party of Bangladesh CPB), 53 aspirants from AB Party, 44 from National Citizen Party-NCP, 42 from Insaniat Bangladesh and 41 aspirants from Basod. The other political parties who joined the race have less than 40 aspirants each. Read more: Bangladesh Polls: Registration time for postal voting extended till Jan 5 Several registered parties, including Samyabadi Dal (ML), Krishak Sramik Janata League, NAP, Workers Party, Bikalpadhara Bangladesh, Bangladesh Tarikat Federation, Trinamool BNP and BNM have no aspirants in the election. A total of 2,569 aspirants, including 478 independent candidates, filed nomination papers in the country's 300 constituencies. The Election Commission is now scrutinising the nomination papers before finalising the list of valid candidates for the polls. Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin on December 11 last announced the schedule to arrange the 13th parliamentary election and the referendum on the July National Charter (Constitutional Reform) Implementation Order simultaneously on February 12 next. Read more: Election season kicks off in Bangladesh; 2,582 candidates submitted nomination papers According to the election schedule, the deadline for the submission of nomination papers was December 29, while the last date for the withdrawal of candidature is January 20. The election campaign will start on January 22 and continue till 48 hours before the balloting period (7:30am on February 10). The time for the scrutiny of nomination papers is on December 30-January 4, while the appeals against the decisions of the returning officers can be filed from January 5 to 9 and the appeals will be settled from January 10 to 18.

A total of 166 nomination papers have been submitted as of 5:00pm on Sunday, while 3,144 nomination papers were collected nationwide, according to the Election Commission’s (EC) Central Coordination Committee, formed ahead of the upcoming national election. The EC has set the deadline for submission of nomination papers at 5:00pm on Monday (December 29, 2025). Ahead of the polls, the commission has divided the country into ten electoral regions: Rangpur, Rajshahi, Khulna, Barishal, Faridpur, Dhaka, Mymensingh, Sylhet, Cumilla, and Chattogram. According to EC statistics, Dhaka recorded the highest number of collected nomination papers at 596, but only 22 were submitted by Sunday. No approval needed for repair, renovation of polling stations: EC Rangpur saw the lowest submission rate, with only six papers filed out of 258 collected. Cumilla came second in terms of collection, with 462 nomination papers, while 28 were submitted by Sunday evening. Other regions reported the following figures for collected nominations: Rajshahi 305, Khulna 347, Barishal 182, Faridpur 155, Mymensingh 383, Sylhet 169, and Chattogram 287. The EC on December 11 last announced the schedule to arrange the 13th parliamentary election and the referendum on the July National Charter (Constitutional Reform) Implementation Order simultaneously on February 12 next. According to the election schedule, the deadline for the submission of nomination papers is December 29, while the last date for the withdrawal of candidature is January 20. The election campaign will start on January 22 and continue till 48 hours before the balloting period (7:30am on February 10). Strengthen cyber security ahead of election: Prof Yunus Regarding the submission of dependents’ tax information, the EC clarified that providing the income tax information of an aspirant's spouse, children and dependents in the nomination form would be considered as optional. The EC issued the clarification in a letter sent to 69 returning officers, including two divisional commissioners, three regional election officers, and 64 district deputy commissioners, hours after a demand for clarification from BNP.

With the deadline for submitting nomination papers for the upcoming national election falling on Monday, nearly 99 percent of aspirants who collected the forms have yet to file them as they are waiting for the last day. “A total of 2,780 nomination papers were collected to contest the election from the country’s 300 constituencies and only 31 papers were submitted till 2:30pm on Sunday,” said Election Commission Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed on Sunday evening. The deadline for the submission of nomination papers will expire at 5:00pm on Monday (December 29, 2025), said EC officials. Read more: National Election: Only 166 nominations filed out of 3,144 till Sunday; deadline Monday Md Yunus Ali, the returning officer for Dhaka-13 and Dhaka-15 constituencies, said a total of 29 nomination papers were collected in the two constituencies, but only three papers were submitted till Sunday. “Most of the nomination papers will be submitted tomorrow (the last day),” he said. The EC on December 11 last announced the schedule to arrange the 13th parliamentary election and the referendum on the July National Charter (Constitutional Reform) Implementation Order simultaneously on February 12 next. According to the election schedule, the deadline for the submission of nomination papers is December 29, while the last date for the withdrawal of candidature is January 20. The election campaign will start on January 22 and continue till 48 hours before the balloting period (7:30am on February 10). Submission of Dependents’ Tax Information Optional The Election Commission on Sunday clarified that providing the income tax information of an aspirant's spouse, children and dependents in the nomination form would be considered as optional. The EC issued the clarification in a letter sent to 69 returning officers, including two divisional commissioners, three regional election officers, and 64 district deputy commissioners, hours after a demand for clarification from BNP. “Regarding income tax information in serial 10 of the affidavit: providing the income tax related information of the spouse, children, and dependents mentioned in columns 2, 3, and 4 of the income tax return section shall be considered optional,” the commission said in the letter. Read more: No approval needed for repair, renovation of polling stations: EC The Commission, however, said the statement of the sources of income, assets, and liabilities of fully dependent family members, which are mentioned in the serials 6 and 7 of the affidavit, must be submitted as this requirement is in accordance with the Clause 12(3)(ka)(c) of the Representation of the People Order (RPO), 1972. The clarification came after a three-member delegation of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by Standing Committee member Nazrul Islam Khan, met Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin on Sunday to raise concerns about the provision. Talking to reporters after the meeting, Nazrul Islam Khan said although the Representation of the People Order (RPO) does not mention children, the nomination form requires aspirants to submit income tax details of their children, which has created widespread confusion. “There is a question everywhere because many candidates’ children are not dependent on them. Many are self-earning, some live abroad, and many pay taxes independently. This has created complexity, which is why we wrote to the Election Commission and also discussed the matter today,” he said. Tarique, Ziama in Voter List Meanwhile, the Election Commission on Sunday incorporated BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman and his daughter Zaima Rahman in the country’s voter list to be used in the February-12 election. “They (Tarique Rahman and Zaima Rahman) have been included in the voter list that will be used in the February-12 elections,” EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed told UNB on Sunday evening. Earlier in the day, the Commission approved the inclusion of their names in the electoral rolls, a day after Tarique Rahman and his daughter Zaima Rahman completed the necessary process for National Identity Card (NID) registration and voter enlistment. Read more: Providing dependents’ income tax info in nomination form optional: EC They went to the Election Commission’s National Identity office in the city to complete their NID registration and enlist them as a voter. Their biometric data and photographs were taken in the NID office. Besides, the Election Commission asked the Home Ministry to recover illegal arms, prepare level-playing field, provide security to election offices and materials, containing misinformation and disinformation. “In order to conduct the elections in a fair and peaceful manner, it is necessary to recover illegal arms from the electoral area; maintain communal harmony and provide security to minorities; plan for the deployment of law and order forces; formulate an advance budget for the deployment of law and order forces; control illegal infiltrators and prepare a level playing field for the elections; provide security for postal ballot transportation and storage sites; prevent the spread of misinformation and disinformation; and provide clearance and security for foreign observers and journalists on the occasion of their arrival in Bangladesh,” says the letter sent on Saturday. the letter, the EC also drew attention to take necessary measures to ensure security in the transportation, storage and distribution of election materials, take effective measures to ensure the security of the office of the Returning Officer and all field-level election-related departments, and plan to deploy law enforcement forces at polling stations on election day and in the election area a few days before the election to maintain overall peace and order. Besides, the EC also sent letters to the Cabinet Division, the Foreign Ministry, the Local Government Division, the Information and Broadcasting, the Posts and Telecommunications Division and the Cultural Affairs Ministry asking them to take necessary measures on different election activities. Read more: Asif Mahmud picks up nomination paper for Cumilla-3

BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman on Sunday (December 28, 2025) collected his nomination paper to contest the upcoming national election from the Dhaka-17 constituency. On behalf of Tarique, BNP Chairperson’s Private Secretary ABM Abdur Sattar collected the nomination form from the office of Dhaka Divisional Commissioner Sharf Uddin Ahmed Choudhury at around 11:10am, said BNP media cell member Sayrul Kabir Khan. Earlier on Saturday night, BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed told UNB that Tarique Rahman will contest the 13th parliamentary election, scheduled for February 12 next year, from two constituencies—Bogura-6 and Dhaka-17. Snubbed Rumeen Farhana collects nomination form “Our party’s Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman will contest the election from two seats. One is Bogura-6 and the other is Dhaka-17. This is a party decision,” Salahuddin said. Responding to questions about campaign activities suggesting that Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP) Chairman Barrister Andaleeve Rahman Partho, a BNP ally, would contest from Dhaka-17, Salahuddin said Partho will not run from that seat. “He will contest the election from his home constituency, Bhola-1, using his party’s own election symbol,” the BNP leader said. Read more: Tarique Rahman to contest polls from Bogura-6, Dhaka-17

In response to a formal invitation by Bangladesh authorities, the High Representative/Vice President of the European Commission Kaja Kallas has decided to deploy an EU Election Observation Mission (EOM) to observe the parliamentary elections scheduled for 12 February 2026.  The High Representative has appointed Ivars Ijabs, Member of the European Parliament, as its chief observer.  Read more: IRI pre-election observation team meets EC Sanaullah "I am honoured to lead this EU Election Observation Mission to Bangladesh, which will deliver an independent and impartial assessment of the electoral process," Chief Observer Ijabs said on Tuesday. 

The Election Commission (EC) has allowed the celebration of the national and international days and arrangements of social and religious events during pre-campaign period with prior permission or consent from the returning officers concerned. The directive was issued through a circular released on Sunday night (December 14, 2025) to ensure the maintenance of a conducive electoral atmosphere during the pre-election period. The circular mentions that the schedule for the 13th parliamentary election and the referendum was announced on December 11, 2025, and the polls will be held on February 12, 2026. According to the Section 18 of the Code of Conduct for Political Parties and Candidates in Parliamentary Elections Rule, 2025, the electioneering can be conducted from three weeks before the polling day until 48 hours prior to the start of voting, subject to compliance with the prescribed conditions. Read more: UN briefs Bangladesh’s political parties on election commission support “Outside the stipulated campaign period, national and international days can be observed as well as religious, social and similar events can be organised without hampering the electoral environment and in compliance with the code of conduct. However, prior consent or permission from the returning officer concerned must be obtained,” says the circular signed by EC Deputy Secretary Mohammad Monir Hossain. The election campaign will start on January 22 and continue till 48 hours before the balloting period (7:30am on February 10), according to the schedule announced by Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin. This circular was sent to all the 69 returning officers – Dhaka and Chattogram divisional commissioners, Dhaka, Chattogram and Khulna Regional Election Officers and 64 district deputy commissioners. As per the schedule, the deadline for the submission of nomination paper is December 29, while the scrutiny of nomination paper is on December 30-January 4 and the last date for the withdrawal of candidature is January 20. Read more: Bangladesh national election, referendum on Feb 12; schedule announced The last date for submission of appeal against the decisions of the returning officers is January 11 and the appeals would be disposed of on January 12-18. The returning officers will publish the final lists of candidates and allocate electoral symbols on January 21. The balloting will be held from 7:30am to 4:30pm without any break on February 12.

President Mohammed Shahabuddin expressed satisfaction over the preparations undertaken by the Election Commission (EC) ahead of the upcoming 13th parliamentary election and the national referendum, EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed said on Wednesday (December 10, 2025). “The President expressed satisfaction after we informed him in detail,” Akhtar Ahmed said while talking to reporters after a meeting between Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin, four election commissioners and the EC Secretary with the President at Bangabhaban. CEC briefs President on polls preparations announcement The Secretary said they informed the President about extending the balloting hours by one hour—now set from 7:30am to 4:30pm. “When we said that we extended the balloting hour by one hour from 7:30am to 4:30pm, he termed the decision logical and expressed his satisfaction,” he said. During the meeting, he said, they apprised the President of various preparatory activities, including the updating of electoral rolls and the registration of new political parties. The President was also briefed on the Commission’s plan to use two types of ballot papers—one for the national election and another for the referendum—to be held simultaneously on the same day, said Akhtar Ahmed. Election Commission to meet President Dec 10