The Election Commission (EC) has finalised fresh boundaries for the country’s 300 parliamentary constituencies, but at least 22 upazilas are still left divided between two electoral seats.
Despite months of hearings and revisions, the new demarcation reduced the number of “split” upazilas by only one, leaving voters in many areas still straddling constituency lines ahead of the 13th national election in early February 2026.
A gazette issued on September 4 confirmed changes to 46 constituencies across 16 districts.
Yet, administrative units such as Ranisankail in Thakurgaon, Sirajganj Sadar, Chuadanga Sadar, Jhenaidah Sadar, Jashore Sadar, Magura Sadar, Narail Sadar, Dighalia in Khulna, Manikganj Sadar, Keraniganj and Savar in Dhaka, Gazipur Sadar, Narsingdi Sadar, Bhanga in Faridpur, Kashiani in Gopalganj, Madaripur Sadar, Vedarganj in Shariatpur, Bijoynagar in Brahmanbaria, Sonaimuri and Noakhali Sadar in Noakhali, Lakshmipur Sadar, and Satkania in Chattogram remain split.
Of these, Bhanga, Bijoynagar and Noakhali Sadar have been newly divided into two seats, while four upazilas previously fragmented – Bera in Pabna, Kaliganj in Satkhira, Narayanganj Sadar and Boalkhali in Chattogram – were unified into single constituencies this time.
The EC said it relied on three principles for redrawing boundaries: administrative convenience, compactness, and voter size. Before the exercise, the commission stated that the average number of voters per constituency would be around 4.20 lakh – 4.22 lakh for Dhaka and Chittagong cities and 4.18 lakh for other regions.
As per Article 6 (2) of the Delimitation of Constituencies Ordinance 1976, “the Constituencies shall be so delimited, having regard to administrative convenience, that each constituency is a compact area and in doing so due regard shall be had, as far as practicable, to the distribution of population as given in the latest census report.”
The 2022 census put the population at about 170 million, meaning each constituency could represent more than 550,000 people. With around 126 million registered voters nationwide, the average seat still carries more than 4.20 lakh voters.
The current commission, led by Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin, redrew the borders of 46 constituencies, including Panchagarh-1 and 2, Rangpur-1 and 3, Sirajganj-1 and 2, Pabna-1 and 2, Bagerhat-1, 2 and 3, Satkhira-2, 3 and 4, Manikganj-2 and 3, Dhaka-2, 4, 5, 7, 10 and 14, Gazipur-1, 2, 3, 5 and 6, Narayanganj-3, 4 and 5, Faridpur-2 and 4, Shariatpur-2 and 3, Brahmanbaria-2 and 3, Cumilla-1, 2, 6 and 10, Noakhali-1, 2, 4 and 5, and Chattogram-7 and 8.
In this adjustment, Gazipur gained one seat, rising from five to six, while Bagerhat lost one, dropping from four to three.
Earlier, on July 30, the EC had unveiled its draft proposal affecting 39 constituencies in 14 districts, which included adding a sixth seat in Gazipur and reducing Bagerhat to three. The draft prompted 1,893 petitions, complaints and suggestions concerning 84 constituencies, which the EC reviewed during hearings held from August 24 to 27.
Delimitation has been a recurring exercise in Bangladesh: the previous commission under Kazi Habibul Awal redrew 10 constituencies before the 12th general polls, KM Nurul Huda’s team adjusted 25 seats ahead of 2018, and Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad’s commission altered 87 constituencies for the 10th parliamentary election.
The most sweeping changes came in 2008, when ATM Shamsul Huda’s commission revised 133 seats.
According to Article 7 of the 1976 Ordinance, “the validity of any delimitation or formation of constituencies, or of any proceedings taken under the authority of the Commission, cannot be challenged in any court or other authority.”
