Fifteen candidates are vying for the Dhaka-12 seat in the 13th parliamentary election on February 12, the highest from a constituency in the country, while only two contenders, from BNP and Jamaat, are running in Pirojpur-1, the lowest.
The total number of contesting candidates stands at 1,972 in 298 constituencies (except Pabna-1 & 2) as more five contestants were incorporated in the final count of the Election Commission, released on Wednesday evening, a day after the deadline for withdrawal of candidacy expired.
But, the figure is expected to rise further once the candidates from Pabna-1 and Pabna-2 are finalised and if the court would direct the EC to allow any other to run in the election.
According to the EC statistics , 305 candidates withdrew from the race by the final deadline.
In the February-12 election, lowest two candidates -- BNP’s Alamgir Hossain and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami’s Masud Sayeedi-- are running from Pirojpur-1 constituency.
Besides, three contenders are in the electoral race from 14 other constituencies --Thakurgaon-1, Joypurhat-2, Naogaon-2, Meherpur-2, Chuadanga-1 and 2, Khulna-2,Tangail-7, Netrakona-5, Manikganj-2, Dhaka-2, Sunamganj-1 & 2, Chattogram-15 and Cox’s Bazar-1.
At least 10 contestant are running from 32 parliamentary seats. Among them, Dhaka-12 constituency recorded highest 15 candidates, while Narayanganj-4 has 13 contenders. Four other constituencies each with 12 candidates are Khulna-1, Dhaka-9 & 14 and Gazipur-2.
The 11 constituencies each with 11 candidates are Jhalokathi-1, Dhaka-5, 7, 8, 16 & 17, Narayanganj-3, Gopalganj-2, Feni-2, Naokhali-5 and Khagrachhari.
The 15 constituencies each with 10 contenders are Thakurgaon-3, Rangpur-5, Gaibandha-3, Khulna-3, Tangail-5, Dhaka-18, Narsingdhi-5, Narayanganj-5, Madaripur-1 & 2, Brahmanbaria-6, Cumilla-5, Noakhali-6 and Chattogram-9 & 11.
According to the EC statistics released on Wednesday (which differed with its previous statistics), a total of 2,580 aspirants submitted nomination papers to contest the election by the December 29, 2025 deadline.
Among them, the returning officers declared 1,855 nomination papers valid and rejected 725 others during the scrutiny from December 30 to January 04 last.
Following the disposal of appeals filed challenging the decisions of the returning officers from January 10 to 18 last, though 436 candidates regained their candidacies, several other lost their candidatures. Besides, several more got back their candidacies due to the court orders.
Highest Candidates in 30 Years
Ultimately the number of contesting candidates stood at 1,972 for 298 constituencies, beating out the last three elections, which were all held under a partisan government.
Even without them though, the number of candidates making it onto the ballot this time will be the highest since 1996, despite the absence of the Awami League due to an activities ban, and some other parties staying away of their own accord.
The number of contesting candidates in the 12th parliamentary election held in 2024 was 1,896. In 2018, the number of candidates who contested the 11th parliamentary election was 1,841.
In the 10th parliamentary election held in 2014, only 390 candidates contested from 147 constituencies, while 153 other parliamentary seats went uncontested.
Earlier, a total of 1,567 candidates contested the 9th parliamentary election held in 2008, while 1939 candidates in the 8th parliamentary election held in 2001 and 2,574 candidates in the 7th parliamentary election held on June 12, 1996.
The Election Commission on December 11 announced the schedule to hold the 13th parliament election and the referendum on the July National Charter (Constitutional Reform) Implementation Order simultaneously on February 12 next.