The first day of the Election Commission鈥檚 hearing on the draft delimitation of constituencies for the 13th National Parliamentary Elections was marred by chaos on Sunday as two groups of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party from Brahmanbaria clashed during the hearing at the EC auditorium in the capital.
The altercation broke out minutes after 12:00 noon during proceedings on objections and suggestions related to Brahmanbaria-2 and Brahmanbaria-3 constituencies.
The hearing, chaired by Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin, began at about 12:00 noon on Sunday. Other election commissioners and the EC secretary also took part.
Following the publication of the draft, applications were filed both in support of and against the new boundaries.
BNP assistant international affairs secretary Rumeen Farhana presented arguments in favour of the draft proposed by the EC.
In contrast, several other participants voiced opposition, particularly to the inclusion of Budhanti,聽 Chhanduya and Harashpur unions from Bijoynagar upazila within the Brahmanbaria-2 constituency.
As the debate intensified, tempers flared and a scuffle ensued between the two sides.
EC officials eventually managed to restore order, after which EC Secretary Akhtar Ahmed concluded the hearings on Brahmanbaria-2 and Brahmanbaria-3 and asked those present to leave the auditorium.
Coming out of the hearing, National Citizen Party joint chief organiser Mohammad Ataullah alleged that he and his party leaders came under attack.
Ataullah claimed that the assault was carried out by the supporters of BNP leader Rumeen Farhana.
However, without mentioning any name, Rumeen said that the potential candidate of BNP for Brahmanbaria-3 entered the EC building with a group of thugs.
When she (Rumeen) stood up to speak, she was pushed in an attempt to knock her down, Rumeen alleged.
鈥榃hat has not happened in the past 15 years happened today. The very BNP leaders and activists for whom I fought for 15 years are now the ones who pushed me,鈥� she said.
Regarding the attack on NCP leader Ataullah, Rumeen said that she did not know whether he had come from the NCP or from Jamaat.
She explained that what happened first was that a man in a Panjabi had pushed her, after which her supporters naturally did not sit idle but responded.
Following the incident, NCP chief organiser for the southern region Hasnat Abdullah at a press briefing said that the chaos witnessed at the EC office offered a clear indication of what the forthcoming national election could look like.
Hasnat alleged that the clash inside the EC building exposed how the BNP might attempt to seize polling stations on election day, describing the incident as a 鈥榯est match鈥� and a glimpse of how events could unfold.
He said that the way the EC was working in line with the agenda of one party had become an obstacle to the electoral process.
The NCP later lodged a complaint with the EC against Rumeen Farhana.
In the complaint, NCP leader Ataullah urged the EC to take prompt legal action against Rumeen and her group, calling on the commission to uphold its role as a true representative of the people.
In 2024, Brahmanbaria-2 consisted of Sarail and Ashuganj upazilas.
In the proposed delimitation, three unions of Bijoynagar upazila 鈥� Budhanti, Chhanduya and Harashpur 鈥� have been added to these two upazilas.
In 2024, Brahmanbaria-3 consisted of Brahmanbaria Sadar and Bijoynagar upazilas.
This time it has been defined as Brahmanbaria Sadar and the unions of Ishapur, Champanagar, Patton, Dakshin Singarbil, Bishnupur, Char Islampur and Paharpur in Bijoynagar upazila.
After the hearing on Brahmanbaria-2, 3 and 5, the EC heard objections to Comilla-1, Comilla-2, Comilla-6, Comilla-9, Comilla-10 and Comilla-11 constituencies, as well as Noakhali-1, Noakhali-2, Noakhali-4 and Noakhali-5, Chandpur-2, Chandpur-3, Feni-3, and Lakshmipur-2 and Lakshmipur-3 constituencies.
The Election Commission released a draft delimitation notification for all 300 Jatiya Sangsad constituencies on July 30.
To balance voter numbers, Gazipur district gained an additional seat, increasing its total to six, while Bagerhat鈥檚 seats were reduced from four to three.
Adjustments were also proposed in 39 other constituencies.
The commission invited objections to the draft by August 10 and received 1,760 objections covering 83 constituencies.
Hearings to review these submissions are scheduled to continue until 27 August.