Ahmed Deepto

With the 13th parliamentary election now over, the Election Commission (EC) has begun preparations for elections to three major metropolitan local government bodies.

Twelve young lawmakers are set to join the national parliament formed in the wake of the July mass uprising, with their oath-taking scheduled for this morning at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban.

The BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami recorded significant gains in vote share and seats compared to 1991, each rising by nearly 20 percentage points.

Bangladesh has been without a competitive election for so long that almost a third of the electorate has never witnessed genuine polls in which voters elect parliamentarians of their choosing.

The Election Commission had claimed that it would monitor the campaigns of political parties and candidates on social media ahead of the 13th National Parliamentary Election and referendum scheduled for February 12.

Ballot counting for the 13th parliamentary election may take longer than usual, with the unofficial results expected not before the following morning.

Voters can text or call 105 hotline from Feb 8, call 333 hotline, or visit the EC website to get polls-related info

The Election Commission and the government are at loggerheads over whether employees of the republic can campaign for a “yes” vote in the referendum, scheduled to be held along with the February 12 general election.