The arson attack on Hindu houses in Banshkahli's Muhuripara area nearly six years ago still haunts the villagers.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday alleged that the Jatiya Oikyafront, sensing its inevitable defeat in the election, has begun flexing muscles across the country, killing five AL leaders and activists and leaving over 400 injured.

Expressing grave concern over the ongoing spate of violence ahead of Sunday's polls, Election Commissioner Mahbub Talukdar has said violence and election cannot go hand in hand.

The election is just three days away and polls campaign ends at 8:00am tomorrow, but election violence and attacks on BNP and Oikyafront candidates are escalating even after military deployment.

With the election this Sunday, three more BNP candidates skidded off the race yesterday as the High Court disqualified them on the ground that the government did not accept their resignation as upazila chairmen.

Alleging mass discrimination to push it out of election, major political opposition Jatiya Oikyafront says it is now depending on the vote of the people.

With the 17-day electoral campaigns ending tomorrow morning, the Awami League-led alliance candidates are campaigning at full throttle while contenders from the BNP-led combines are struggling due to “arrests, police harassment and attacks by opponents”.

The BNP yesterday alleged that army deployment could not make any difference to the polls environment.

Despite army deployment, election violence and attacks on opposition candidates show no sign of abating.

Five Awami League men were killed and over 350 AL supporters were injured since the polls campaign began, claimed HT Imam, co-chairman of Awami League Election Steering Committee, yesterday.

Khulna division consists of eight districts – Khulna, Bagerhat, Satkhira,

A Jatiya Oikyafront delegation led by Dr Kamal Hossain yesterday walked out of a meeting with Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda for what they said was "discourteous behaviour" of the CEC.

Rapid Action Battalion detained three people in the capital's Motijheel and Gulshan yesterday for allegedly distributing money to influence the coming election and instigate violence.

Girls have outperformed boys in all indicators in the two biggest public examinations this year which saw the success rates in both the tests rise after a significant fall last year.

Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda yesterday said army personnel deployed for election duty would take any measures required to maintain law and order.

The army has been entrusted with a tough task to create an atmosphere for holding a free, fair and inclusive election, said Jatiya Oikyafront Convener Dr Kamal Hossain yesterday.

The Jhenidah correspondent of The Daily Star and his son, who is also a local reporter of another national daily, have been made accused in a case though the complainant doesn't know them at all.

The Christian communities in the country and elsewhere across the world will celebrate the Christmas Day today, commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ.

The BNP will extend support to Gonoforum candidates in three constituencies where its own nominees were cancelled by the Supreme Court.

Seven candidates running with the “sheaf of paddy” electoral symbol were attacked allegedly by ruling party men yesterday while 130 supporters of the Awami League and the BNP were injured across the country in polls violence.