Bangladesh election: EC to release final constituency delimitation soon
NN ONLINE:
The Election Commission will soon publish the final delimitation of parliamentary constituencies ahead of the national election to be held in early February 2026, said EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed on Wednesday.
“Now we will discuss and publish the final list (of constituencies) as soon as possible,” he said while briefing reporters at Nirbachan Bhaban in the city following the conclusion of a four-day hearing on claims and objections regarding the re-demarcation of parliamentary seats.
The EC Secretary said the hearings on claims, complaints and recommendations over 84 constituencies in 33 districts were completed. He said the EC earlier received a total of 1,893 claims, complaints, appeals and recommendations regarding 84 constituencies.
Of them, 1185 petitions against the EC’s draft demarcation of constituencies, while the rest 708 ones in favour of the EC’s draft, he said.
Replying to a question, the EC Secretary said the commission won’t touch any other constituency in the final delimitation beyond 84 parliamentary seats. Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin chaired the hearing sessions held from August 24-27 at Nirbachan Bhaban in the city.
Four election commissioners — Abdur Rahmanel Masud, Tahmida Ahmad, Md Anwarul Islam Sarker, and Brig Gen (Retd) Abdul Fazal Md Sanaullah — were also present, while EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed conducted the hearings.
Earlier, on July 30, the EC had published a draft delimitation of the 300 constituencies, proposing boundary changes in 39 constituencies across 14 districts. As per the draft, the number of constituencies in Gazipur has increased from five to six, while Bagerhat’s has been reduced from four to three.
The 39 constituencies affected are: 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, Cumilla-1, 2, 10 and 11, Noakhali-1, 2, 4 and 5, Chittagong-7 and 8 and Bagerhat-2 and 3.
In response to a question over attack on a NCP leader during the hearings before raising views by former BNP MP Rumeen Farhana, the EC Secretary said it was desirable and it should not have happened. “This is a very undesirable thing for us. It was better that it did not happen and it is a sad matter for all of us,” he said.
In response to another question, he said the EC has filed a general diary with the police station in this regard and asked the police to take necessary action in this regard.
During the four-day hearing, Gazipur representatives showered praise on the EC for its initiative to increase the number of parliamentary seats in the district from five to six, while Bagerhat representatives criticised the EC for reducing the number of parliamentary seats from four to three in the recent draft delimitation.
Besides, representatives from several districts including Manikganj and Munshiganj demanded raising the number of parliamentary seats in their districts.
Among the 84 constituencies, many petitioners from some parliamentary seats including Dohar, Nawabganj, Savar and Ashulia upazilas of Dhaka sought separate parliamentary seats with their respective upazilas as the seats were before the 2001 general election.
The previous Election Commission, headed by Kazi Habibul Awal, re-demarcated 10 constituencies ahead of the 12th national election, while the KM Nurul Huda-led commission changed the boundaries of 25 constituencies ahead of the 2018 general election, Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad-headed commission redrew the boundaries of 87 constituencies ahead of 10th parliamentary election, and the ATM Shamsul Huda-led commission made significant changes to 133 constituencies in 2008 before the 9th general election.