Bangladesh’s Election Commission has asked political parties and candidates not to conduct any electoral campaign before the symbol allocation for the upcoming national election scheduled to be held on February 12 next.

“No political party, candidate or any person on their behalf can’t engage in the electoral campaign before the electoral symbols are allocated on January 21,” the EC said in a media release on Monday.

The Commission urged all concerned, including contesting candidates, to strictly follow the electoral code of conduct while carrying out campaigns after the symbols are allocated.

The EC also reminded that election campaigning must end 48 hours before the start of polling, in line with the electoral code.

The Election Commission on December 12 last declared the schedule to hold the 13th national election and the referendum on July National Charter (Constitutional Reform) Implementation Order simultaneously on February 12, 2026.

The deadline for submission of nomination papers expired on December 29, while the scrutiny of nomination papers, started on December 30, concluded on Sunday (January 04).

A total of 2,568 aspirants submitted nomination papers to contest from the country’s 300 constituencies in the February-12 election, but 1,842 candidates were declared valid during the scrutiny of nomination papers.

The returning officers also rejected the nomination papers of 723 others, while they did not scrutinise three nomination papers of BNP chairperson late Begum Khaleda Zia.

Now the aggrieved aspirants can file appeal petitions with the Election Commission from Monday to January 9, challenging the decisions of the returning officers over acceptance or rejection of the nomination papers.

The Commission will hear and dispose of the petitions from January 10 to 18.

According to the schedule, the last date for the withdrawal of candidature is January 20. The election campaign will start on January 22 and continue till 48 hours before the balloting period (7:30am on February 10).