An atmosphere of fear and violence prevails across the country instead of festivity ahead of the upcoming national polls, opposition BNP has said.

The 14-party allies will demand the Awami League set aside more seats for them this time but the ruling party will assign fewer seats to them compared to the last national election, sources in the AL said.

If the BNP does not participate in the upcoming election, the polls will turn into a costume party, said a speaker at a roundtable yesterday.

Election Commissioner Ahsan Habib Khan yesterday said the EC expects the participation of all registered political parties in the 12th national election slated for January 7 next year.

A total of 643 magistrates will be deployed in the next parliamentary election.

Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader called on party Chief Patron Raushan Ershad at the latter’s Gulshan home last night.

The Election Commission does not have the means to effectively check whether people running for parliament stay within the limits for campaign spending.

After several weeks of indecision, another Islamist party, Bangladesh Khelafat Andolon (BKA), today announced to participate in the January 7 parliamentary election

Election Commissioner (Retd) Brig Gen Md Ahsan Habib Khan today said the Election Commission expects the participation of all registered political parties in the 12th national election slated for January 7 next year

Anwar Hossain Manju, joint convener of Juri Upazila Swechchhasebak Dal in Moulvibazar, has been expelled from the party for buying nomination forms of Trinamool BNP to participate in the 12th parliamentary election

At least 26 out of the 44 registered political parties have decided to take part in the January 7 national election.

Two election commissioners have differed on the rescheduling of the upcoming national election.

An independent aspirant was attacked by miscreants yesterday while he was returning home after collecting nomination form for Cumilla-9 constituency to contest the 12th national elections.

Three hundred and eighty-five retired government officials today in a statement said the recent comments made by some retired officials on polls schedule are not objective

BNP’s national executive committee member Khandkar Ahsan Habib, who was recently expelled from the party, has filed his nomination papers to contest the 12th national election for Tangail-5 (Sadar) constituency.

The Awami League will unveil the final list of its candidates on Sunday to contest the 12th national parliamentary election, the party’s general secretary Obaidul Quader said today

Election Commissioner Rashida Sultana today expressed confidence in the field-level administrations' readiness to conduct the 12th national election scheduled for January 7 next year.

Election Commissioner Anisur Rahman today said the commission has written to the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) and asked them not to shut down network on the day of the national election

At least nine upazila parishad chairmen in seven districts have resigned from their posts seeking Awami League’s nomination to contest the upcoming 12th national election, while many in other districts are in line to follow suit.

The Election Commission may consider deferring the date of the national elections if “one party” decides to participate in the polls, Election Commissioner Anisur Rahman said yesterday.