United News of Bangladesh

The submission deadline for nomination papers for Bangladesh’s upcoming national election closed at 5:00 pm on Monday, with most candidates filing their papers on time. Most of the aspirants submitted their nomination papers today as only 166 nomination papers were filed till Sunday to contest the 13th parliamentary election scheduled to be held on February 12, 2026. However, the number of aspirants who submitted nomination papers to contest from the country’s 300 constituencies will be informed by the Election Commission once the compilation is done following gleaning the data from the 69 returning officers in the election. Jamaat Sec Gen Parwar submits nomination paper According to the EC’s Central Coordination Committee, a total of 3,144 nomination papers were collected to run the polls from the country’s 300 constituencies till Sunday after the election schedule announced on December 11 last. Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin 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. No approval needed for repair, renovation of polling stations: EC 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.  

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader on Friday urged US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas not to harm the friendship with Bangladesh by making unwanted comments about Bangladesh elections and the rule of law. He said this at the first preparatory meeting of the 22nd National Council at the political office of the party president in Dhanmondi in the morning. Read more: US concerned about reports of intimidation, political violence in Dhaka “Do not make unwanted comments or interfere in any issue of Bangladesh. Election fraud is not only happening in Bangladesh, but also in the United States. There is still another party complaining about election rigging in the US,” said Quader. He said mass shootings are common in the US. “Every day two, three or five people are killed in mass shootings. But you are talking about the human rights of Bangladesh.”  “Sheikh Hasina will not listen to anybody's orders. She does not fear anyone except Allah.” "We have bitter experiences with the US. We saw their role in 1971 and 1975. Despite all these incidents, we want a good relationship with the US.” Read more: US Embassy issues alert for its citizens in Bangladesh He also said no one will benefit from this type of comment. These will only be a barrier to good relations. Bangladesh wants to maintain friendship with the US, he added. On Thursday, the US Embassy in Dhaka expressed its concern over reports of intimidation and political violence in Dhaka and called on everyone to respect the rule of law. "We are concerned about reports of intimidation and political violence in Dhaka and call on everyone to respect the rule of law and to refrain from violence, harassment, and intimidation,"  Haas said in a message through the verified Facebook page of the Embassy on Thursday. He said they encourage government authorities to investigate these reports of violence and to protect the fundamental freedoms of expression, association, and peaceful assembly.