Delimitation Hearing Day 3: Munshiganj, Manikganj residents demand four constituencies

On the third day of the constituency delimitation hearings yesterday, residents and BNP leaders of Munshiganj and Manikganj demanded that each district retain four parliamentary constituencies as before.

The demand was raised during the hearing at the Election Commission headquarters in Dhaka, attended by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin, four commissioners, and conducted by EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed.

At the hearing, Manikganj resident Khairul Alam Chowdhury said the district had four constituencies until 2001, which were reduced to three in 2008, decreasing both representation and allocations.

Afroza Khanom Rita, convener of Manikganj BNP, echoed the demand, calling it the will of the people.

From Munshiganj, Roni Mollick of the Citizens' Rights Movement also pressed for four constituencies and raised the issue of voting rights for expatriates.

According to the EC, hearings were held yesterday on 28 constituencies across six districts, with 50 arguments in favour of the draft and 259 objections raised. Hearings for Dhaka region constituencies continue until Wednesday.

On July 30, the EC published draft boundaries for 300 constituencies, reducing Bagerhat's seats from four to three and increasing Gazipur's from five to six. By August 10, it had received 1,760 claims and objections on 83 constituencies. Final boundaries will be published after the hearings.

GAZIPUR RESIDENTS PRAISE EC

In contrast to criticism from Bagerhat, Gazipur residents welcomed the EC's decision to add one more seat in their district, increasing the total to six.

At the Dhaka regional hearing, BNP leader AKM Fazlul Haque Milon thanked the CEC and commissioners for their "honesty, dedication, and sincerity" and called the decision timely. He assured the party's cooperation in ensuring a fair election.

"We had long hoped for an increase in Gazipur's seats. We placed a few small demands politely, and whatever decision the EC takes, we will accept," said Milon, also the district BNP convener.