In the upcoming 12th Parliamentary Election, 1,34,46,783 voters across ten districts in the Khulna division are set to cast their ballots for 36 seats. There are 67,46,491 male, 67,00,205 female voters, as confirmed by Khulna Region Election Officer Md Humayun Kabir. The division will feature 4,984 polling centers. Out of 322 nomination papers submitted, 228 were accepted, 94 rejected, and 38 candidates withdrew. Supporters of Palak served show cause notices for threatening supporters of independent candidate A total of 236 candidates are contesting for the 36 seats. In Khulna district, 19,99,882 voters (10,00,084 male, 9,99,784 female, and 14 transgender) will vote at 793 centers, with 39 candidates vying for six seats. In Bagerhat, 12,81,134 voters (6,44,086 male, 6,37,040 female, and eight transgender) will participate in electing representatives for four seats from 26 candidates across 4,088 stations. Satkhira district has 30 candidates for four seats, with 17,46,224 voters (8,76,984 male, 8,69,228 female, and 12 transgender) voting in 602 stations. In Jashore, 23,39,055 voters (11,76,105 male, 11,62,953 female, and 15 transgender) will cast votes for six seats in 825 booths. Actions taken considering crime, not by party or candidate: Election Commissioner Rashida Narail district has 6,41,132 voters (3,21,000 male, 3,20,129 female, and three transgender) voting at 257 centers for two seats, contested by 14 candidates. Meherpur, with two seats, has 5,55,966 voters (2,77,049 male, 2,78,915 female, and two transgender) and 13 candidates, voting in 207 stations. Jhenaidah's 15,01,480 voters (7,54,670 male, 7,46,798 female, and 12 transgender) will select from 26 candidates for four seats in 585 stations. Kushtia district, with 16,43,912 voters (8,22,516 male, 8,21,388 female, and eight transgender), has 31 candidates for four seats, voting in 578 centers. Chuadanga has 9,50,078 voters (4,75,792 male, 4,74,278 female, and eight transgender) voting in 354 centers for two seats from 15 candidates. Magura's 7,87,920 voters (3,98,205 male, 3,89,710 female, and five transgender) will vote for two seats in 295 centers, contested by ten candidates. Faridpur-3: AL's election camp set on fire, independent candidate's supporters under attack To ensure a free, fair, and neutral election, ten returning officers, 71 assistant returning officers, 4,984 presiding officers, 30,253 assistant presiding officers, and 60,506 polling agents will be on duty. The election, scheduled for January 7, 2024, was announced by Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal on November 15, 2023. The nomination deadline was November 30, with scrutiny from December 1-4 and withdrawal by December 17.

Two staff of the Election Commission, including Sylhet Regional Election Officer (REO) Md Israil Hossain, died of Covid-19 on Sunday. The Sylhet REO breathed his last in the afternoon at a city hospital, Director (Public Relations) of the Election Commission Secretariat SM Asaduzzaman told UNB. Israil Hossain was infected with Coronavirus.  He was taken to the ICU of the hospital after deterioration of his condition. READ: Upazila election officer dies of Covid-19  Meanwhile, an EC employee Mohammad Enamul Haque, who acted as an office assistant cum computer typist at Brahmanpara Upazila Election Office in Cumilla, died of Covid at the age of 44 in the morning.  He left his wife and a son behind to mourn his death. On July 7 last, Rajnagar Upazila Election Officer in Moulvibazar Alif Laila, 46, died of the coronavirus.    With them, seven staff of the EC died of the Coronavirus.   READ: Covid-19 in Bangladesh: 200+ deaths, 11,291 new cases recorded So far, a total of 160 officials and employees of the EC got infected with coronavirus and of them 71 ones have already recovered.