Fifty nomination papers have been submitted for the 50 reserved women’s seats in Bangladesh’s 13th National Parliament, meaning the Election Commission (EC) will not need to conduct voting if all candidacies are validated. The announcement came from Joint Secretary and Returning Officer Md. Moin Uddin Khan at the EC headquarters in Agargaon, Dhaka, on April 21, 2026. Candidate scrutiny is scheduled for April 22 and 23, with appeals and withdrawals to follow according to the official timetable.

According to Moin Uddin Khan, 36 nominations came from the BNP-led alliance, 13 from the Jamaat-e-Islami alliance, and one from an independent candidate. Three additional independent candidates—Shamma Akter, Mosammad Mehrunnesa, and Mahbuba Rahman—also submitted papers. The final verification will determine their eligibility. The reserved women’s seat election is officially set for May 12, 2026.

The Returning Officer added that candidate qualifications and disqualifications are governed by the Representation of the People Order (RPO), which outlines eligibility criteria and restrictions for those holding profit-based public positions.