At least 70 candidates, including five former lawmakers, across seven districts have forfeited their deposits in the 13th national parliamentary election after failing to secure the minimum required votes, according to results announced by returning officers.
Under Election Commission rules, candidates must secure at least one-eighth of the total valid votes cast in their constituency to retain their deposits.
Narayanganj recorded the highest number, with 35 candidates - including four former BNP lawmakers - losing deposits in five constituencies. In Laxmipur, 21 out of 29 contestants across four constituencies failed to meet the threshold. In Pabna-3 (Chatmohar, Bhangura, Faridpur), five candidates forfeited deposits, while Joypurhat reported four, including nominees from the AB Party, BSD, BSD (Marxist), and an independent contender.
NARAYANGANJ: A total of 35 candidates, including four former Members of Parliament (MPs) from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), lost their election deposits in five parliamentary constituencies of Narayanganj after failing to secure the minimum required votes.
Among them, one former MP contested in two constituencies and lost his deposit in both. Their deposits were forfeited as they failed to obtain at least one-eighth of the total votes cast in their respective constituencies.
In Narayanganj-1 (Rupganj), a total of 261,481 votes were cast at 129 centres. Candidates needed more than 32,000 votes to retain their deposits. Five out of seven candidates lost their deposits, including Md Imdadullah of Islami Andolan Bangladesh( IAB) (7,186 votes), Wasim Uddin of Gono Odhikar Parishad (GOP) (219 votes), Moniruzzaman Chandan of the Communist Party of Bangladesh (261 votes), Md Rehan Afzal (207 votes), and independent candidate Md Dulal Hossain (463 votes).
In Narayanganj-2 (Araihazar), where 233,906 votes were cast at 118 centres, five of seven candidates lost deposits, including former BNP MP (expelled) Ataur Rahman Angur, who received 18,744 votes.
In Narayanganj-3 (Siddhirganj-Sonargaon), 340,616 votes were cast at 210 centres. Nine out of 11 candidates failed to retain deposits, including former BNP MP Muhammad Gias Uddin and former state minister Rezaul Karim, both expelled from BNP.
In Narayanganj-4 (partly Fatullah and Sadar), 269,088 votes were cast at 177 centres. Ten out of 13 candidates lost deposits, including former BNP MPs Muhammad Gias Uddin and Mohammad Ali, as well as candidates from various parties including the Jatiya Party.
In Narayanganj-5 (Sadar-Bandar), where 274,250 votes were cast at 163 centres, seven out of 10 candidates lost their deposits, including candidates from IAB, Communist Party of Bangladesh, and GOP.
LAXMIPUR: A total of 21 candidates out of 29 who contested in four parliamentary constituencies in Laxmipur lost their deposits in the 13th national parliamentary election, as they failed to secure the minimum required votes.
The information was confirmed after reviewing the official election results signed by the district returning officer and Deputy Commissioner SM Mehdi Hasan on Saturday (February 14).
Among the notable candidates who lost their deposits are: Senior Vice-President of the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal Tania Rob, Maulana Khaled Saifullah of Islami Andolan Bangladesh (IAB), Mahmudur Rahman Mahmud, District President of the Jatiya Party (JaPa), and Zakir Hossain Patwari, Vice-President of IAB District unit.
Laxmipur-1 (Ramganj): Seven candidates contested in this constituency. Shahadat Hossain Selim of the BNP won unofficially with 86,811 votes. His nearest rival, Mahbub Alam of the NCP, who contested with the water lily symbol under the 11-Party Alliance, secured 59,265 votes.
Other candidates received significantly fewer votes, including Mahmudur Rahman Mahmud of Jatiya Party (414 votes), Zakir Hossain Patwari of IAB (11,156 votes), Alamgir Hossain of NDM (106 votes), Kawsar Alam of Ganadhikar Parishad (115 votes), and Billal Hossain of BASAD (203 votes).
Out of 281,302 registered voters, 162,962 cast their votes, resulting in a turnout of 57.93 percent. Candidates needed at least approximately 20,370 votes to retain their deposits.
Laxmipur-2 (Raipur and part of Sadar): Seven candidates contested in this constituency. BNP candidate Abul Khair Bhuiyan, an adviser to former prime minister Khaleda Zia, won unofficially with 146,321 votes. His nearest rival, Jamaat-e-Islami candidate SUM Ruhul Amin Bhuiyan, received 133,698 votes.
Other candidates included Abul Bashar of Ganadhikar Parishad (424 votes), Rezaul Karim of Nagorik Oikya (253 votes), Ibrahim Mia of Bangladesh Supreme Party (1,780 votes), Farhad Mia of Bangladesh Kalyan Party (288 votes), and Helal Uddin of IAB (6,774 votes).
Out of 494,026 registered voters, 297,270 cast their votes, with a turnout of 60.17 percent. Candidates required at least approximately 37,158 votes to retain their deposits.
Laxmipur-3 (Sadar): Six candidates contested in this constituency. BNP Joint Secretary General Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie won unofficially with 135,612 votes. His closest rival, Jamaat candidate Rezaul Karim, secured 122,802 votes.
Other candidates included AKM Mohiuddin of Jatiya Party (1,339 votes), Ibrahim of IAB (5,051 votes), Shamsuddin of LDP (488 votes), and Selim Mahmud of NPP (289 votes).
Out of 444,473 registered voters, 272,430 cast their votes, resulting in a turnout of 61.29 per cent. Candidates needed at least approximately 34,053 votes to retain their deposits.
Laxmipur-4 (Ramgati and Kamalnagar): Nine candidates contested in this constituency. BNP candidate ABM Ashraf Uddin Nizan won unofficially with 115,199 votes. His nearest rival, Jamaat candidate AR Hafiz Ullah, secured 73,756 votes.
Other candidates included independent candidate ANM Manjur Morshed (396 votes), Khaled Saifullah of IAB (21,103 votes), Tania Rob of JSD (22,040 votes), independent candidate Nurul Huda Chowdhury (422 votes), Milon Krishna Mondal of BSD (440 votes), Redowan Ullah of Gono Odhikar Parishad (259 votes), and independent candidate Sharaf Uddin Azad Sohel (411 votes).
Out of 418,158 registered voters, 240,967 cast their votes, resulting in a turnout of 57.63 percent. Candidates needed at least approximately 30,120 votes to retain their deposits.
CHATMOHAR (PABNA): Five candidates in Pabna-3 constituency have forfeited their deposits after failing to secure the minimum required votes. In Pabna-3, 332,446 valid votes were recorded, meaning each candidate needed 33,245 votes to qualify.
District Returning Officer and Deputy Commissioner Dr. Shahed Mostafa confirmed the figures after analyzing the results in line with Election Commission directives.
The seat, comprising Chatmohar, Bhangura, and Faridpur upazilas, was won by Jamaat-e-Islami's Maulana Ali Asgar, who secured 145,837 votes with the 'Scales' symbol. His closest rival, BNP candidate Agriculturist Hasan Zafir Tuhin, polled 143,540 votes with the 'Sheaf of Paddy'.
The five candidates who lost their deposits are Mahbubur Rahman Joy Chowdhury of Bangladesh Sunni Jote, who received 1,420 votes with the 'Ektara' symbol; Mohammad Dabul of Jatiya Party, who polled 1,057 votes with the 'Plough'; Abdul Khaleq of Islami Andolan Bangladesh, who secured 1,758 votes with the 'Hand Fan'; Hasanul Islam Raja of Gono Odhikar Parishad, who obtained 982 votes with the 'Truck'; and Sardar Asha Parvez of Gono Forum, who managed only 172 votes with the 'Rising Sun'.
JOYPURHAT: Four candidates, including nominees from the AB Party, BSD, BSD (Marxist), and an independent contender, lost their deposits in the 13th national parliamentary election across Joypurhat's two constituencies.
According to results from the district returning office, three candidates forfeited deposits in Joypurhat-1 (Sadar and Panchbibi), while one candidate did so in Joypurhat-2. A total of eight candidates contested across the two seats.
On Thursday night, Returning Officer and Deputy Commissioner Al-Mamun Mia unofficially announced the vote counts and winners.
In Joypurhat-1, 341,556 votes were cast. BSD (Marxist) candidate Taufika Dewan Liza secured 617 votes with the 'Scissors' symbol, BSD candidate Principal Wazed Parvez polled 578 votes with the 'Ladder' symbol, and independent candidate Sabekun Nahar Shikha received 13,286 votes with the 'Horse' symbol - all losing their deposits.
Jamaat-e-Islami's District Ameer Fazlur Rahman Said won the seat with 165,192 votes under the 'Scale' symbol. His closest rival, BNP's Masud Rana Pradhan, bagged 155,309 votes with the 'Sheaf of Paddy'. Voter turnout stood at 73.25 per cent.
In Joypurhat-2 (Kalai, Khetlal, and Akkelpur), 258,160 votes were cast. AB Party candidate S.A. Zahid, contesting with the 'Eagle' symbol, lost his deposit after securing 1,555 votes.
GAURIPUR (MYMENSINGH): In Mymensingh-3 (Gauripur) constituency, two candidates received no votes in 12 polling centres during the 13th national parliamentary election.
The information was disclosed on Friday afternoon by Assistant Returning Officer and Upazila Nirbahi Officer Afia Amin Pappa. Voting was held uninterrupted on Thursday from 7:30 am to 4:30 pm across 92 centres and 538 booths.
According to the official, AKM Ariful Hasan, Convener of the Gauripur Upazila unit of BSD (Marxist) contesting with the 'Scissors' symbol, failed to secure a single vote in 11 centres. Islami Andoln Bangladesh candidate Md. Shariful Islam, contesting with the 'Hand Fan' symbol, received no votes in one centre.
Constituency 148, Mymensingh-3 (Gauripur) comprises one municipality and ten unions. Afia Amin Pappa reported that the constituency has 295,661 registered voters, of whom 172,847 exercised their franchise. Voter turnout stood at 58.46 percent, with 168,246 valid votes and 4,601 ballots declared invalid.
BARISHAL: Golam Kibria Tipu, a Presidium Member of the Jatiya Party and a three-time former lawmaker, has lost his deposit in the 13th parliamentary election, marking a dramatic political decline in Barishal-3 constituency.
Tipu, who was elected MP in three of the four elections held between 2008 and 2024, received only 14,184 votes in the latest election conducted under a non-party caretaker government, far below the minimum threshold required to retain his deposit. His sudden fall has triggered widespread discussion across the constituency, with many attributing the defeat to his alleged disconnect from voters.
According to election results, candidates needed at least 22,215 votes-one-eighth of the total votes cast in the constituency-to retain their deposits. Among the six candidates contesting Barishal-3 (Babuganj-Muladi), only contenders from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and the AB Party secured enough votes, while Tipu and three others forfeited their deposits.
Barishal district Senior Election Officer Rokonuzzaman said candidates failing to secure one-eighth of the total votes automatically lose their deposits, in accordance with Election Commission of Bangladesh regulations.
BAGHA (RAJSHAI): Two candidates in Rajshahi-6 (Bagha-Charghat) constituency have lost their deposits in the 13th national parliamentary election. The unofficial results were announced on Thursday night.
The candidates are former district Jatiya Party (JaPa) Member Secretary Iqbal Hossain, who contested with the 'Plough' symbol, and Islami Andolan Bangladesh (IAB) Abdus Salam Suruj, District Committee Freedom Fighter Affairs Secretary and Vice-President of Bagha Upazila unit, who contested with the 'Hand Fan' symbol. Iqbal Hossain received 2,930 votes, while Abdus Salam Suruj secured 1,628.
BNP's District Convenor and Central Committee Member Abu Sayeed Chand won the seat with 148,672 votes under the 'Sheaf of Paddy' symbol. His closest rival, Jamaat candidate Principal Nazmul Haque, polled 92,965 votes - a margin of 55,707.
Assistant Returning Officers Shammi Akter and Jannatul Ferdous said, the election was free, fair, and peaceful.
