Bangladesh

The parliamentary polls’ symbol allocation began across the country on Monday. Returning officers started the allocation at each constituency’s office at 10am. It will continue till 4pm. According to the schedule, the candidates can campaign till January 5 and the election will be held on January 7.  

Bangladesh is observing state mourning day on Monday following the death of Kuwait’s Emir Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Sabah. The national flag is being kept at half-mast at all government, semi-government, and autonomous institutions, all government and non-government buildings, including educational institutions and Bangladesh missions abroad, in observance of the state mourning. Special prayers are being offered at all mosques.

As many as 347 contenders have withdrawn of their own accord from contention in the next general election, with the deadline for withdrawal passing on Sunday. It leaves the number of valid contestants at 1896 for the January 7 poll. “A total of 347 candidates withdrew candidacy… now the total number of valid candidates is 1896,” said Election Commission’s Secretary ...

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday said BNP and its allies would not be able to win the hearts of people through arson terrorism and killing people. “It is not possible to win the hearts of people through arson terrorism and killing. They should know this and they should act accordingly,” she said, reports UNB. The prime minister was speaking ...

Jatiya Party (JaPa) Chairman GM Quader has withdrawn his nomination from the Dhaka-17 constituency for the 12th Parliamentary elections. JaPa Office Secretary MA Razzak Khan submitted the withdrawal letter to Returning Officer Sabirul Islam on Sunday. Razzak said according to the party’s decision Quader withdrawn his candidature. Meanwhile, GM Quader is also the Jatiya Party nominee for Rangpur-3 constituency. The ...

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has deferred its Monday’s countrywide dawn-to-dusk hartal to Tuesday (December 19) as Bangladesh will observe one-day state mourning day tomorrow following the death of Kuwait’s Emir Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Sabah. BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi announced this on Sunday noon. Earlier on Saturday, the party called the hartal for Monday (December 18). ...

Just a day before assigning electoral symbols to MP aspirants, Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader on Sunday said that they will share seats with Jatiya Party in the upcoming 12th national election. “Jatiya Party has its own demand, they (JaPa) will be given seats, and there will be no boat candidates vying for those seats,” he said, reports UNB. ...

President Mohammed Shahabuddin on Sunday agreed to the deployment of the army to ensure that the upcoming parliamentary election is conducted freely and fairly. Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal met with President Shahabuddin at Bangabhaban in the morning, formally requesting the deployment of the army. The president subsequently approved the request, reports UNB. President’s Press Secretary Joynal Abedin said ...

India’s former State Minister for Foreign Affairs MJ Akbar on Sunday said that Bangladesh has become a nation of opportunities today under the leadership of Bangabandhu’s daughter, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. “Bangladesh is the emerging power of Asia,” he said, highlighting PM Hasina’s development efforts towards ensuring an inclusive growth. MJ Akbar said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina should be celebrated ...

The High Court on Sunday again set January 3 for a rule hearing on BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir’s bail in a case filed over the attack on the Chief Justice’s residence. Today was scheduled for holding the hearing. An HC bench of Justice Md Salim and Justice Shahed Nuruddin set the new date for holding the hearing. ...