Defying the electoral code of conduct, many Awami League and BNP leaders yesterday submitted nomination papers in processions across the country.

Two things come easy in Bangladesh -- getting big bank loans and blissfully failing to repay. The money in the vaults seems to be the easiest prey today.

The BNP has nominated 25 leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami, a key component of the 20-party alliance, to contest the upcoming parliamentary polls.

Dr Kamal Hossain, a key leader of the Jatiya Oikyafront, yesterday said he would not participate in the upcoming parliamentary election, ending all speculations over his joining the polls.

A man was killed and more than 40 others were injured in violence over nomination in several districts yesterday.

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia cannot contest the upcoming parliamentary election as the Supreme Court yesterday upheld the High Court ruling barring a person sentenced to more than two years in jail from taking part in elections even if an appeal against the conviction is pending.

Four people, including a child, were killed and five others were injured when a train collided with a passenger bus in Feni yesterday evening.

A High Court ruling yesterday apparently dealt a blow to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia's bid to contest the December 30 polls as it rejected five applications seeking suspension or a stay on conviction and sentences.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday had her nomination papers submitted for Rangpur-6 and Gopalganj-3.

Awami League President Sheikh Hasina yesterday cancelled the AL nominations for Disaster Management Minister Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya and incumbent Mohammed Shamsul Hoque Bhuiyan of Chandpur, AL sources said.

The call for suspending the operations of the Accord, an inspection and remediation platform of more than 200 global clothing retailers and brands, has been getting louder as garment factory owners are being forced to spend several billion dollars to improve workplace safety.

The police and Rapid Action Battalion have sought more than half of the total election budget of Tk 700 crore for maintaining law and order during the upcoming national polls.

Jamaat has finally decided that its aspirants will contest the December 30 parliamentary election with "sheaf of paddy", the electoral symbol of BNP, party insiders said.

Around 60 new faces got BNP tickets for the December 30 parliamentary election and most of them are former student leaders and family members of veteran or deceased party leaders.

Around 1,700 aspirants from alliances led by Awami League and BNP are filing nominations in 300 constituencies as both the camps failed to pick a single contender in every seat for the upcoming parliamentary election.

Jatiya Party and other parties of the Awami League-led alliance would now field MP candidates separately, leaving the seat-sharing issue to be solved later, as the deadline for filing nomination papers expires tomorrow.

The government agencies will soon start monitoring social media sites, including Facebook, YouTube and Twitter, round-the-clock to check any smear campaign ahead of the December 30 parliamentary election.

The BNP picked two candidates each for almost every constituency as it started handing out nomination letters to aspirants for 240 seats yesterday.

Electronic voting machines will be used in Dhaka-6 and-13, Chattogram-9, Rangpur-3, Khulna-2 and Satkhira-2 constituencies in the upcoming parliamentary election.

Aggrieved supporters of Awami League leaders who were not nominated by the party, blocked roads and attacked homes while demonstrating in several districts yesterday.