1,760 petitions filed to redraw 83 constituencies
NN Online:
The Election Commission (EC) has received a total of 1,760 petitions regarding the redrawing of parliamentary constituencies, according to a report prepared by its election management division.
Officials said the applications relate to changes in 83 constituencies. The highest number of petitions came from Cumilla, with 683, while Rangpur recorded the fewest, with just seven.
Among individual constituencies, Comilla-1 received the most petitions at 362. In Pirojpur-1, Pirojpur-2 and Pirojpur-3, a total of 287 applications were filed. Sirajganj-5 and Sirajganj-6 together drew 220 petitions. In Dhaka, the highest number was filed in Dhaka-1, with 79 submissions.
On July 30, the EC published a draft of the revised boundaries for all 300 constituencies. To balance the number of voters, it proposed increasing Gazipur’s constituencies from five to six, while reducing Bagerhat’s from four to three. Changes were also proposed in 39 other constituencies. These include Panchagarh-1 and 2; Rangpur-3; Sirajganj-1 and 2; Satkhira-3 and 4; Shariatpur-2 and 3; Dhaka-2, 3, 7, 10, 14 and 19; Gazipur-1, 2, 3, 5 and 6; Narayanganj-3, 4 and 5; Sylhet-1 and 3; Brahmanbaria-2 and 3; Comilla-1, 2, 10 and 11; Noakhali-1, 2, 4 and 5; Chattogram-7 and 8; and Bagerhat-2 and 3. Objections to the draft were invited until August 10.
The EC said the petitions were submitted within the stipulated timeframe and that hearings would be held before publication of the final list. Previously, Bagerhat had four constituencies: Bagerhat-1 (Mollahat-Fakirhat-Chitalmari), Bagerhat-2 (Bagerhat Sadar and Kachua), Bagerhat-3 (Rampal and Mongla), and Bagerhat-4 (Morrelganj and Sharankhola). Under the new draft, no changes are proposed for Bagerhat-1. Bagerhat-2 would comprise Bagerhat Sadar, Kachua and Rampal, while Bagerhat-3 would consist of Mongla, Morrelganj and Sharankhola.
Election Commissioner Anwarul Islam Sarkar told reporters that the average number of voters across the 64 districts has been set at 420,500. “Based on this, one seat has been added in Gazipur. Since Bagerhat falls below the average, one seat has been reduced to maintain balance. Both districts have been affected, but there is no other complication. Adjustments have been made in 39 constituencies,” he said.