After visiting several polling centres in Dhaka, a team of foreign and local election observers find voting are taking place smoothly and peacefully.

Of Queues and Chaos

In the face of allegations that agents of BNP were hardly visible in polling centres across the country, the chief election commissioner (CEC) has claimed that they were not seen because they did not show up in the first place.

Many across the country exercised their voting rights for the first time yesterday, at the 11th national election.

Mrinal Sen, one of the towering figures of Indian cinema, passed away yesterday morning at his south Kolkata residence. He was suffering from age-related ailments and suffered a heart attack at 10.30am, his family physician said. He was 95.

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has expressed satisfaction with the overall atmosphere of yesterday's polls.

At least three journalists, including a photojournalist of this paper, were assaulted during parliamentary polls in Dhaka and Chattogram yesterday, while a number of journalists covering polls for this paper faced obstructions from activists of political parties and law enforcers in the capital.

Ashraful Hossen Alam (Hero Alam), who contested yesterday as an independent candidate from Bogura-4 (Kahalu and Nandigram upazilas), was beaten allegedly by AL men while he was visiting a polling center in Chakolma Govt Primary School in Nandigram upazila.

The foreign ministry has described the joint statement of ANFREL-affiliated organisations, issued on Saturday, as "premature" and criticised it for comments based on "misinformation and premeditated assumptions".

Hopes of a fair election in the country faded as irregularities -- ballot stuffing, casting of fake votes and driving out opposition polling agents -- began to surface.

Indian navy divers yesterday launched an operation to find 15 men trapped for more than two weeks in a flooded "rat-hole" coal mine in remote northeast India, police said.

Around noon yesterday, Salma Islam was wiping away tears while her husband and campaign manager Nurul Islam Babul announced they were boycotting the election.

An unspecified number of voters had to give up their voting right and go back home in anger and frustration yesterday, as polling officials refused to help them find their voter serial number.

Director General of the Bangladesh Coast Guard Rear Admiral Aurangzeb Chowdhury yesterday said his force had discharged its duties in a manner so that the people of the coastal areas can cast vote in a free, fair and peaceful atmosphere.

As voting for the 11th parliamentary election starts this morning, voters of some remote villages in Noakhali are passing days in fear as they doubt if they will be able to vote freely.

Police picked up at least 14 polling agents of BNP candidates in three constituencies of Natore yesterday, creating fear among the party's leaders and activists on the eve of today's election.

Egyptian police killed 40 alleged "terrorists" in a crackdown yesterday after a roadside bomb hit a tour bus claiming the lives of three Vietnamese holidaymakers and an Egyptian guide.

Every year since Roman times, it's been a pitched battle for control of the Spanish town of Ibi.

The Election Commission yesterday said the authorities concerned have taken all necessary measures to ensure the security of voters by appointing a sufficient number of polling officials, judicial and executive magistrates and law enforcers.

With the Election Commission not being able to give the number of press passes it has issued for today's election, there are allegations that many ruling party men managed the cards.