Bangladesh's total voter count rises to 12.86 crore

The total number of registered voters in Bangladesh has reached 12,86,32,555 as of 31 July, said the Election Commission today (9 August).

"The number of voters has increased by 309,315 between 14 May and 31 July," EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed told reporters at the Election Commission building in Agargaon.

The EC last updated the voter list in May when the total number of registered voters stood at 12,83,23,240.

The latest update was carried out ahead of the local government elections, with the EC allowing voter registration until 31 July.

Voters registered by that date will be eligible to cast their ballots in the upcoming local government elections.

Akhtar said that if the schedule for the local government elections is changed or the commission takes any further decision regarding voter registration, the changes would be incorporated through a supplementary voter list.

He also said the EC has sent draft electoral codes of conduct for the city corporation, district council, upazila council, municipality and union council elections to the Ministry of Law.

"The recommendations for amendments to the law have not yet been sent. The document is being processed, and once it is completed, it will also be sent," he said.

Meanwhile, the distribution of nomination forms for the presidential election has begun.

According to the EC senior secretary, a delegation from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) visited the commission today and collected two nomination forms.

"No other party has collected nomination forms from us so far," he said.