The deadline for filing nominations ended on Wednesday (Nov 28) with a little over 3,000 candidates submitting documents to election officials across the country.
A total of 3,056 aspirants submitted nomination papers for the races in 300 seats, EC Secretary Helaluddin Ahmed told the media.
The highest number of aspirants is in Dhaka 17, a total of 27 people while the lowest was at Magura 2 with only four nominations filed, said the EC official.
He said that 361 people filed documents in Rangpur Division while 361 in Rajshahi, 351 in Khulna, 182 in Barishal, 236 in Mymensingh, 708 in Dhaka, 177 in Sylhet and 678 in Chattogram.
Many candidates, including those from two major political coalitions — Awami League-led Grand Alliance and Dr Kamal Hossain-led Jatiya Oikya Front — filed their nomination papers on the last day amid festivity.
Election Commission officials said that nearly all of the 38 registered political parties have floated candidates for the 11th parliamentary election. However, most of them are taking part as an ally in the coalitions led by the Awami League and the BNP.
According to unofficial figures, a total of 265 aspirants have submitted nominations for the 20 constituencies in Dhaka at the offices of the divisional commissioner, who is the returning officer in Dhaka for the polls slated Dec 30.
Election officials will scrutinise the nominations on Dec 2 while the last day to pull out from the race has been set at Dec 9 as.
In a televised address to the nation on Nov 8, Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda scheduled Dec 23 for the voting in the general election.
Amid calls from political parties, the Commission on Nov 12 pushed it back to Dec 30.
Despite the Commission barring processions while filing nominations, aspirants in Dhaka were seen going to the returning officers’ offices in procession.
However, no more than seven people were allowed to enter with the candidates as the Dhaka divisional commissioner’s office.
Commissioner Ali Azam, the returning officer for Dhaka, told Bangla Tribune, “I can’t say what happened outside, but I did not find any candidates with more than seven people in my office.”
