Campaign Silence Begins Ahead of National Poll

Electioneering for Bangladesh’s thirteenth Jatiya Sangsad election and the accompanying referendum will formally come to an end at 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday, ushering in the legally mandated period of electoral silence. The Election Commission (EC) has reiterated that all forms of campaign activity must cease 48 hours before polling begins, in line with existing electoral law. With this deadline, nearly three weeks of intensive campaigning—launched on 22 January—draws to a close across the country.

According to Article 18 of the Political Parties and Candidates’ Code of Conduct 2025, no registered political party, nominated candidate, independent contender, or their supporters may commence campaigning more than three weeks before the scheduled polling day. The same provision clearly requires that all campaign-related activities end 48 hours prior to the opening of the polls. Tuesday morning’s cut-off marks the full enforcement of this regulation, which the EC considers essential to safeguarding a fair and orderly voting environment.

Senior Secretary of the EC Secretariat, Akhtar Ahmed, said the decision to enforce the campaign ban strictly was aimed at ensuring neutrality, discipline, and public confidence in the electoral process. He cautioned that any breach of the code of conduct after the deadline would invite legal action, stressing that the Commission would not hesitate to act against individuals or parties found violating the rules.

Polling is scheduled for Thursday, 12 February, and will take place simultaneously nationwide from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Voting will be conducted using ballot papers placed in transparent ballot boxes. The election and referendum will cover 299 parliamentary constituencies. The total number of seats was reduced from 300 following the cancellation of the Sherpur-3 constituency election due to the death of a Jamaat-e-Islami candidate.

This election has drawn participation from 51 political parties, reflecting a broad and competitive field. In total, 2,034 candidates are contesting, including 275 independents, a factor observers say has added further intensity to the race.

Among political parties, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has fielded the highest number of candidates, with 291 contenders running under the sheaf of paddy symbol. Islami Andolan Bangladesh follows with 258 candidates using the hand fan symbol. Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has nominated 229 candidates under the scales symbol, while the Jatiya Party is contesting 198 seats with the plough emblem. The National Citizen Party (NCP) has entered 32 candidates, contesting under the lotus bud symbol.

Independent candidates have also displayed notable diversity in symbols, with 76 independents contesting under the football emblem alone.

Candidates at a Glance

With campaigning now concluded, the country enters the final phase of electoral preparation. The EC has emphasised that the period of silence is intended to allow voters to reflect freely and cast their ballots in a calm and pressure-free atmosphere, ensuring the integrity of both the parliamentary election and the referendum.