Deadline for submitting nomination forms for women’s reserved seats on Apr 21

The Election Commission (EC) has announced the schedule for the elections to the 50 reserved seats for women in the 13th parliament.

According to the schedule, nomination papers can be submitted to the returning officer at the Election Commission Secretariat by Apr 21.

The nominations will be scrutinised on Apr 22-23, with the last date for withdrawal on Apr 29.

Voting is scheduled for May 12, two weeks later.

EC Secretary Akhter Ahmed announced the schedule at the Election Bhaban in Dhaka’s Agargaon on Wednesday.

EC Joint Secretary Md Moin Uddin Khan will serve as the returning officer for this election, while Deputy Secretary Mohammad Monir Hossain has been appointed assistant returning officer.

Members of parliament elected in the general election will vote for the reserved seats.

Under existing law, the 50 reserved seats for women in parliament are allocated proportionally to the number of seats held by each party.

Accordingly, the BNP alliance will receive 36 seats, the Jamaat alliance 13, and independent MPs one.

Typically, when the number of candidates equals the seats allocated by the party or alliance, they are declared elected unopposed on the day of withdrawal.

The 13th parliamentary elections were held on Feb 12, almost a year and a half after the ousting of the Awami League government in a mass uprising on Aug 5, 2024.

On the same day, a referendum was also held on the implementation of the July National Charter.

The next day, the EC published the gazette confirming the results.

The election watchdog is legally obliged to arrange the vote for women’s seats within 90 days of that gazette.