As the deadline for candidate withdrawals concluded yesterday, a total of 1,896 candidates have successfully navigated the intricacies of the political landscape to vie for positions in the upcoming 12th national polls scheduled for January 7 next year. The Election Commission (EC) disclosed this information during a press conference held at the EC Building in Agargaon.
Out of the initial pool, 347 candidates opted to withdraw their nominations by the stipulated cutoff date. EC Secretary Jahangir Alam unveiled that the candidates comprise representatives from 27 political parties as well as independent candidates.
Providing insights into the nomination process, the EC secretary stated, “According to the information sent by the returning officers of our 64 districts and Dhaka and Chittagong metropolitan constituencies, the total number of nominations filed was 2,716. Of these, 731 were rejected in the selection process, 560 filed appeals, 286 appeals were granted, and 274 appeals were rejected.”
Among the prominently participating parties, the Awami League leads with 263 candidates, closely followed by the Jatiya Party with 270 candidates and Trinomool BNP with around 140 candidates. Other parties, including the Bangladesh Congress and the National People Party, also present a notable presence with over a hundred candidates each.
The EC is poised to launch the campaign on Monday, initiating the allocation of electoral symbols among the candidates.
