Voting commenced peacefully across Bangladesh on Thursday as the country holds its 13th National Parliamentary Election and accompanying referendums. Observers from multiple international organisations are closely monitoring the process to ensure transparency and fairness.
Nana Akufo-Addo, Chairperson of the Commonwealth Observer Group and former President of Ghana, remarked that the voting had started smoothly. “I am hopeful that this peaceful process will continue across the entire country,” he told the media while observing proceedings at the Vicarunnessa Noon School and College polling station in Dhaka.
Meanwhile, Evers Izabs, Head of the European Union Election Observation Mission, highlighted the significance of the day for Bangladesh’s democratic journey. “Today is an important day for democracy in Bangladesh. Voting began on time at polling centres, and the EU expects a free and credible election,” he said.
Although polling officially began at 7:30 a.m., many voters arrived at centres before dawn, eager to cast their ballots. Voting will continue until 4:30 p.m., with citizens participating across 299 parliamentary constituencies nationwide.
The Election Commission has organised polling at 42,779 centres, comprising 247,482 polling booths. This year, a total of 50 political parties are contesting the elections.
In total, 2,028 candidates are competing, including 1,755 representing political parties and 273 independent candidates. Among them, 83 are women candidates, with 63 from political parties and 20 independents.
The electorate for this election stands at 127,711,893 registered voters, including 64,825,361 men, 62,885,200 women, and 1,232 transgender voters.
One notable exception is Sherpur-3, where the Election Commission has postponed voting due to the death of a Jamaat-e-Islami candidate. Consequently, elections are being held simultaneously in 299 constituencies.
The following table summarises key figures of the 13th National Parliamentary Election:
| Category | Number |
|---|---|
| Total parliamentary constituencies | 299 |
| Polling centres | 42,779 |
| Polling booths | 247,482 |
| Political parties participating | 50 |
| Total candidates | 2,028 |
| Party-affiliated candidates | 1,755 |
| Independent candidates | 273 |
| Women candidates | 83 (Party 63, Independent 20) |
| Registered voters | 127,711,893 |
| Male voters | 64,825,361 |
| Female voters | 62,885,200 |
| Transgender voters | 1,232 |
As the nation participates in this critical democratic exercise, international observers continue to emphasise the importance of maintaining a free, fair, and transparent voting process throughout the day.