By NNN-PTI
Dhaka : The Election Commission has realigned the constituencies for Bangladesh’s 300-seat parliament, with 49 existing constituencies in 18 of the 64 districts witnessing delimitation, officials said here Tuesday.
Under the new arrangement the number of seats in Dhaka district have been increased from existing 13 to 20 seats in view of its growing population, while the southeastern Chittagong and southwestern Barisal and Khulna divisions have seen a decrease in the number of their constituencies.
The EC yesterday reallocated seats for the districts in line with the criteria set out in the delimitation ordinance considering the density of population and administrative convenience to remove the population disparities, officials said.
“At this stage, there is no need for us to discuss the issue with the political parties since the law tells us everything we need to do in this regard,” Chief Election Commissioner ATM Shamsul Huda said.
He, however, said the commission might talk to political parties once there was a draft on redrawn constituencies within the districts.
The EC decision came as the political parties’ in the past few days expressed the fear that the task might hamper the electoral roadmap to stage the polls by end of 2008.
But, Huda ruled out the fear saying “we will still be able to hold a free and fair election according to the roadmap.”