Election Commission formally declares results of 297 seats

In a significant step towards concluding the 13^th General Election cycle, the Bangladesh Election Commission (EC) has formally announced the official results for 297 parliamentary constituencies. The announcement, delivered during a concluding session at the Election Commission Secretariat in Agargaon on Friday, marks the end of the primary result-declaration phase, though a shadow of legal uncertainty remains over a handful of seats.

Election Commission Secretary Akhhtar Ahmed confirmed that while the vast majority of the nation’s 300 seats have been settled, the results for Chattogram-2, Chattogram-4, and Sherpur-2 remain officially suspended. According to the Commission, these specific outcomes are being withheld pending further directives and the completion of necessary procedural formalities.

“Following the established protocols, we have formally released the results for 297 seats,” Akhtar Ahmed stated during his closing remarks. “The Commission will deliberate on the remaining three constituencies once the requisite legal and administrative reviews are finalised. With this, the formal announcement proceedings are now concluded.”

The path to this final count has been marked by judicial intervention. On Thursday, the EC issued three separate notices suspending result declarations for Sherpur-2, Chattogram-2, and Chattogram-4, citing ongoing litigation in the courts. However, the situation saw a slight shift by Friday; the Election Commission proceeded to announce the result for Sherpur-2, although it has concurrently decided to withhold the official gazette notification for that seat for the time being.

Throughout his address, Akhtar Ahmed extended gratitude to polling officials, law enforcement agencies, the civil administration, and members of the press. He characterised the electoral period as a “test of patience” for all stakeholders, noting that the collective cooperation of these entities allowed the process to reach its current stage.

As the nation awaits the final gazette notification for the 297 seats, the focus now shifts to the judiciary. The resolution of the disputes in the Chattogram and Sherpur regions will be the final hurdle before the 13^th Parliament can be fully constituted. For now, the Commission maintains that it is strictly adhering to legal mandates to ensure the integrity of the final count.