EC faces heat over boundary, audit issues
Staff Reporter :
The Election Commission (EC) has come under increased scrutiny after approving a draft list of 39 parliamentary constituencies in 14 districts – including key areas such as Dhaka, Chattogram, and Sylhet-for redrawing electoral boundaries, amid lingering controversy over past delimitation exercises.
In a notification issued on Thursday (31 July), the EC invited objections or comments on the draft list, allowing appeals to be filed until 10 August.
The move marks the latest phase in a complex and often politically sensitive process of constituency reconfiguration ahead of the
next general election, tentatively scheduled for early 2026.
The proposed changes affect constituencies across Dhaka, Panchagarh, Rangpur, Sirajganj, Satkhira, Shariatpur, Gazipur, Narayanganj, Sylhet, Brahmanbaria, Cumilla, Noakhali, and Chattogram.
According to the law governing constituency boundaries, redistricting must be based on the latest census data, with administrative integrity and manageable population disparities considered. The EC stated that efforts were made to preserve Upazila or Thana boundaries and limit the population difference between constituencies to no more than 30 percent.
However, past redistricting efforts have triggered controversy.
Following the fall of the Hasina-led government, objections resurfaced regarding the 2008 and 2024 delimitations. Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), in a report released in May last year, found that the 2024 elections involved the redrawing of 198 constituencies-leading to widespread disputes, legal challenges, and claims of gerrymandering.
TIB’s analysis further revealed that population disparities among constituencies in Bangladesh range from 26 to 88 percent, far exceeding the internationally recommended ceiling of 5 percent.
This has resulted in disproportionate representation, with some Members of Parliament serving over 800,000 constituents, while others represent fewer than 300,000. The report warned that such disparities complicate election expenditures and campaign management, exacerbating inequality and undermining electoral integrity.
Speaking to the media, Election Commissioner Anwarul Islam Sarkar confirmed that the EC received nearly 1,500 applications regarding redistricting concerns. A seven-member technical committee, formed on 16 July, has proposed a mix of minor and major adjustments.
The Commission has yet to finalise the date for the next general election. However, interim government head Professor Muhammad Yunus assured political parties that a schedule would be announced within a few days.
At a recent meeting, Yunus instructed officials to complete all preparations by December, indicating that the polls would likely be held in February or April. He had earlier suggested a pre-Ramadan 2026 timeline in consultations with political leaders, including BNP acting chairperson Tarique Rahman in London.
Meanwhile, the EC’s credibility has been further tested by a compliance crisis among political parties. As of the 31 July deadline, 20 of the country’s 50 registered political parties had failed to submit their mandatory annual audit reports for the 2024 calendar year, in violation of the Representation of the People Order (RPO) of 1972.
According to an EC report, only 29 parties met the reporting requirement, while 10 requested extensions. One party-Bangladesh Development Party-is exempt due to its recent registration in February 2025. The remaining 10 parties neither submitted reports nor sought extensions, raising questions about accountability and regulatory enforcement.
Among the defaulting parties are: Krishak Sramik Janata League, Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh (BDB), Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD), Zaker Party, Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal (BSD), Bangladesh Muslim League, Gono Front, Bangladesh National Awami Party (NAP), Trinamool BNP, and Ganasanghati Andolan.
Additionally, the EC has continued its administrative reshuffle ahead of the upcoming elections, transferring 52 more officials this week. Over the past 15 days, a total of 174 upazila election officers have been reassigned in three phases.
The latest circular, issued on 31 July, instructs that all transferred officers must be released from their current posts by 6 August or face automatic reassignment.
EC officials acknowledged that redistricting is inherently contentious, with shifting boundaries altering voter bases and impacting the electoral prospects of incumbents and challengers alike.
As Bangladesh moves closer to national elections, the EC’s handling of constituency delimitation, political finance transparency, and bureaucratic neutrality will remain under intense public and political scrutiny.