Dhaka: Fifteen candidates are vying for the Dhaka-12 seat in the 13th parliamentary election scheduled for February 12, marking the highest number of contenders from a single constituency in Bangladesh. Conversely, only two candidates, from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat-e-Islami, are competing in Pirojpur-1, which has the lowest number of candidates.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the total number of contesting candidates across 298 constituencies stands at 1,972, following the final count by the Election Commission. This figure excludes Pabna-1 and Pabna-2, where candidate numbers are yet to be finalized. The Commission’s count, released on Wednesday evening, shows an increase of five candidates after the deadline for withdrawal expired.
The figures are expected to rise further once the candidates from Pabna-1 and Pabna-2 are confirmed, and if any additional candidates are allowed to run following court directives. The Election Commission’s statistics reveal that 305 candidates withdrew by the final deadline.
In the upcoming election, the Pirojpur-1 constituency will see only two candidates, BNP’s Alamgir Hossain and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami’s Masud Sayeedi. Meanwhile, three candidates are competing in 14 other constituencies including Thakurgaon-1, Joypurhat-2, and Naogaon-2, among others.
Notably, at least 10 candidates are contesting in 32 parliamentary seats. Dhaka-12 has the highest number of contenders with 15, while Narayanganj-4 follows closely with 13 candidates. Other constituencies with a significant number of candidates include Khulna-1, Dhaka-9, Dhaka-14, and Gazipur-2, each with 12 contenders.
Eleven constituencies, including Jhalokathi-1 and several Dhaka constituencies, have 11 candidates each. Additionally, 15 constituencies, such as Thakurgaon-3 and Rangpur-5, are seeing 10 candidates each.
The Election Commission’s latest statistics indicate that 2,580 aspirants submitted nomination papers by the December 29, 2025 deadline. Of these, 1,855 nominations were deemed valid, with 725 rejected during scrutiny from December 30 to January 4. After resolving appeals from January 10 to 18, 436 candidates regained their candidacies, though some lost theirs. Court orders also reinstated several candidates.
This election marks the highest number of candidates in 30 years, surpassing the previous three elections held under a partisan government. Despite the absence of the Awami League due to a ban on activities and some parties abstaining, the number of candidates is the highest since 1996.
The previous 12th parliamentary election in 2024 saw 1,896 candidates, while the 11th parliamentary election in 2018 had 1,841 candidates. In the 10th parliamentary election in 2014, only 390 candidates contested, with 153 seats going uncontested. Earlier, 1,567 candidates participated in the 9th parliamentary election in 2008, 1,939 in the 8th in 2001, and 2,574 in the 7th held on June 12, 1996.
The Election Commission announced the schedule on December 11 to hold the 13th parliamentary election and a referendum on the July National Charter Implementation Order simultaneously on February 12.