A total of 2,582 candidates have submitted nomination papers to contest from the country’s 300 constituencies in the 13th general election slated for February 12, 2026.

As many as 3,407 aspirants collected nomination papers, but 2,582 ones filed nomination papers, according to the statistics of the EC’s central coordination committee.

Among them, 278 nomination papers were submitted in 33 constituencies of Rangpur region, while 260  in 39 constituencies of Rajshahi region, 276  in 36 constituencies of Khulna region, 166  in 21 constituencies of Barishal region, 142 in 15 constituencies of Faridpur region, 444  in 41 constituencies of Dhaka region, 311 in 38 constituencies of Mymensingh region, 146 in 19 constituencies of Sylhet region, 365  in 35 constituencies of Cumilla region, and 194  in 23 constituencies of Chattogram region.

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The candidates across the country submitted their nomination papers on Monday before the 5:00 pm deadline in a calm and orderly atmosphere for the upcoming national election.

Most aspirants submitted their nomination papers on the final day as only 166 were submitted until Sunday.

No incident of violence was reported anywhere in the country in connection with the submission of nomination papers on the final day.

BNP Chairperson and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia’s nomination paper was submitted to contest the election from Feni-1, while BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman’s nomination papers were submitted to contest from Dhaka-17 and Bogura-6 constituencies.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman’s nomination papers were filed to the returning officer concerned to contest from Dhaka-15 constituency.

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BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir submitted the nomination paper to contest from Thakurgaon-1 constituency, while Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar submitted his nomination paper to run from Khulna-5 constituency.

The number of aspirants, who submitted nomination papers, was 2,711 in the 12th general election held on January 07, 2024, what that was 3,065 in the 11th general election held on December 30, 2018.   

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.

According to the election schedule, the deadline for the submission of nomination paper is December 29, while the scrutiny of nomination paper is on December 30-January 4 and the last date for the withdrawal of candidature is January 20.

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The election campaign will start on January 22 and continue till 48 hours before the balloting period (7:30am on February 10).

This time the Commission appointed 69 returning officers –two divisional commissioners (Dhaka and Chattogram), three regional election officers (Dhaka, Chattogram and Khulna) and 64 district deputy commissioners.

The collection and submission of nomination papers started on December 12, a day after the announcement of the election schedule.