The Jatiya Oikyafront and the BNP-led 20-party alliance will initially field multiple candidates all the 300 constituencies to avoid the risk of going to the polls without their contenders in some seats.

Top leaders of the Jatiya Oikyafront yesterday said the atmosphere in the country is not at all congenial for holding a free and fair election but it will not quit the electoral race regardless of the situation.

A federal judge yesterday ordered the White House to reinstate the press credentials of CNN reporter Jim Acosta, whose pass was revoked after a heated exchange with President Donald Trump.

Jatiya Oikyafront wants to take full advantage of growing discontent among nomination seekers from the Awami League and its allies and gives special attention to the constituencies where the 14-party alliance, led by the ruling AL, is facing the problem.

Clean image, popularity and acceptability -- these are the key selection criteria the ruling Awami League has set for candidates in the December 30 national election.

It's a sorry picture, and it represents the state of thousands of government primary schools in the country.

Four people were killed and at least 16 others injured in separate clashes between two factions of Awami League over establishing supremacy in Raipura upazila of Narsingdi yesterday.

Election Commissioner Kabita Khanam yesterday said it would not be possible for the Election Commission to hold a “hundred percent fair” election.

Expressing serious concerns at the deteriorating human rights situation in Bangladesh, the European Parliament yesterday regretted the government's decision to enact the Digital Security Act ahead of the national election.

The much-awaited launch of the Rohingya repatriation was cancelled at the last moment yesterday as the refugees refused to return to Rakhine for fear of fresh persecution.

Despite the platform being set for Bangladesh coming into the final day of the second Test, the home side's bowlers needed to put in a clinical approach to stave off embarrassment against Zimbabwe as even a draw would have been enough for the visitors to register their third away Test series win.

The BNP did not let its grassroots leaders primarily select its contenders in the polls, ignoring the electoral law and its own charter.

Languishing in jail for 103 days, noted photographer Shahidul Alam obtained permanent bail from the High Court yesterday.

The Election Commission yesterday said it would not defer any further the parliamentary polls scheduled for December 30.

Plastic banners are everywhere -- on lampposts, walls, flyover pillars and footbridges. Politicians use them for their publicity.

The Election Commission seems to have misread the electoral code of conduct and issued discriminatory instructions to police, resulting in Wednesday's clashes between BNP men and the law enforcers.

Awami League nomination-seekers are in a fierce competition among themselves to get the much-coveted ticket to run in the election, with dozens of aspirants lobbying ministers and influential leaders hard for their blessings.

The peaceful electoral atmosphere that prevailed in the country for the last two weeks was suddenly marred by yesterday's clash between BNP activists and police in front of the party's Naya Paltan central office.

Jatiya Oikyafront yesterday demanded that the Election Commission defer the election, set for December 30, by three more weeks. But the ruling Awami League termed the proposal illogical and urged the commission to stick to its schedule.

The first batch of Rohingyas is all set to be sent back to Myanmar today amid reports that many of the refugees listed for return are hiding in fear of forcible repatriation.