Election campaigning concludes for candidates

Campaigning by candidates contesting the 13th national parliament election, scheduled for 12 February, has officially concluded.

Campaigning ended at 7:30 am on Tuesday. Candidates began their campaigns on 22 January.

Under the electoral code of conduct, candidates must end all campaigning 48 hours before the start of polling. In line with this requirement, the campaign period has now formally closed.

Clause 18 of the Political Parties and Candidates Code of Conduct Rules 2025, issued by the election commission (EC), states that no registered political party, its nominated candidate, an independent candidate, or any other person acting on their behalf may begin election campaigning earlier than three weeks before the designated polling day.

The rules further require all campaigning to cease 48 hours before polling begins.

In this regard, the election commission announced on Monday that campaigning by political parties would stop at 7:30 am on 10 February, exactly 48 hours before polling.

The 13th national parliament election and referendum will take place on Thursday, 12 February.

Polling will run from 7:30 am to 4:30 pm across the country, using ballot papers and transparent ballot boxes. Voters will cast their votes simultaneously in 299 parliamentary constituencies.

Following the recent death of a candidate from Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh, the election commission cancelled the election in the Sherpur-3 constituency. As a result, voting will take place in 299 constituencies, excluding Sherpur-3.

In a press release issued on Monday evening, the EC also announced that from 7:30 am on Tuesday until 4:30 pm on 14 February, authorities will prohibit all public meetings, rallies and processions in the election areas.

According to a report by Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS), a total of 51 political parties are participating in the 13th parliamentary election. The election features 2,034 candidates, including 275 independent candidates.

Among the political parties, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has fielded the highest number of candidates. A total of 291 BNP candidates are contesting the election using the Sheaf of Paddy symbol.

Islami Andolan Bangladesh follows with 258 candidates, contesting under the hatpakha (hand fan) symbol.

Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh has nominated 229 candidates, contesting with the daripalla (scale) symbol. The Jatiya Party has fielded 198 candidates using the Langol (plough) symbol.

Meanwhile, the National Citizen Party (NCP) has nominated 32 candidates, contesting under the Water lily Bud symbol. Among the independent candidates, 76 are contesting the election using the football symbol.