United News of Bangladesh

A total of 166 nomination papers have been submitted as of 5:00pm on Sunday, while 3,144 nomination papers were collected nationwide, according to the Election Commission’s (EC) Central Coordination Committee, formed ahead of the upcoming national election. The EC has set the deadline for submission of nomination papers at 5:00pm on Monday. Ahead of the polls, the commission has divided the country into ten electoral regions: Rangpur, Rajshahi, Khulna, Barishal, Faridpur, Dhaka, Mymensingh, Sylhet, Cumilla, and Chattogram. According to EC statistics, Dhaka recorded the highest number of collected nomination papers at 596, but only 22 were submitted by Sunday. No approval needed for repair, renovation of polling stations: EC Rangpur saw the lowest submission rate, with only six papers filed out of 258 collected. Cumilla came second in terms of collection, with 462 nomination papers, while 28 were submitted by Sunday evening. Other regions reported the following figures for collected nominations: Rajshahi 305, Khulna 347, Barishal 182, Faridpur 155, Mymensingh 383, Sylhet 169, and Chattogram 287. The EC on December 11 last announced the schedule to arrange the 13th parliamentary 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 papers is December 29, while 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). Strengthen cyber security ahead of election: Prof Yunus Regarding the submission of dependents’ tax information, the EC clarified that providing the income tax information of an aspirant's spouse, children and dependents in the nomination form would be considered as optional. The EC issued the clarification in a letter sent to 69 returning officers, including two divisional commissioners, three regional election officers, and 64 district deputy commissioners, hours after a demand for clarification from BNP.