Sylhet buzzed with election excitement yesterday as hundreds of Awami League activists, decked out in national and party flags, gathered at Alia Madrasa field for Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s grand rally.

While the ruling Awami League nominees will face strong challenges from their party colleagues running as independents in many constituencies across the country, the picture seems to be quite different in Dhaka.

Just like twice before, the country is heading towards a “one-sided” parliamentary election, which will deepen the political and economic crisis, said speakers at a discussion yesterday.

Zafar Alam, Awami League lawmaker from Cox’s Bazar-1 and also the Chakaria AL president, has been suspended from the party post for making “objectionable remarks about party President Sheikh Hasina”.

The election inquiry committee has issued a show cause notice against Awami League candidate Shamsul Haque Tuku -- also the deputy speaker of parliament -- over allegation of violating the electoral code of conduct

The US State Department reiterated yesterday that it supports a free and fair election in Bangladesh.

Awami League President Sheikh Hasina is set to flag off the party’s electioneering today with visits to the shrines of saints Shahjalal and Shah Paran in Sylhet.

One hundred forty-eight bhoris (1.72kgs) of gold worth Tk 40,000! Twenty bighas of land worth Tk 2,000! A five-katha plot in Barishal worth Tk 400! And a Baridhara flat worth Tk 1.3 lakh!

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court yesterday restored the candidacies of Shamim Haque and Enamul Haque Babul, the ruling Awami League’s nominees for Faridpur-3 and Jashore-4.

A total of 91 noted citizens yesterday called for preventing ill-efforts being made to foil the January 7 general elections.

Election Commissioner Ahsan Habib Khan yesterday warned that if candidates repeatedly breach the electoral code of conduct, the commission will take steps against them including scrapping their candidacy.

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader yesterday said 11,000 BNP activists are in jail, instead of the 21,000 claimed by the opposition.

Memes, often dismissed as mere humour, can be powerful tools for depicting social and political issues with satire

Warns EC Ahsan Habib

Mahbubuzzaman Ahmed, younger brother of Social Welfare Minister and Awami League candidate Nuruzzaman Ahmed, today took part in the election campaign of independent candidate Sirajul Haque in Lalmonirhat-2 constituency (Aditmari-Kaliganj upazila) in the national elections

Since the foiled BNP rally on October 28, the political situation has heated up with near-constant blockades and hartals. This has resulted in sustained violence across the country, with railway passengers and infrastructure becoming major targets

At least four people were injured in a clash between supporters of Awami League candidate Mahbubur Rahman Helal and supporters of independent candidate Abdur Rashid in Jamalpur's Sarishabari Upazila this afternoon

Former chairman of the Bangladesh Human Rights Commission Prof Mizanur Rahman strongly criticised Awami League presidium member and Agriculture Minister Abdur Razzaque for his recent statement that imprisoned BNP leaders were offered release on condition of participating in the election

Ruling Awami League nominated candidates Shamim Haque and Enamul Haque Babul, have gotten permission today from the Supreme Court to contest the January 7 upcoming national election

Leaders and activists of the ruling Awami League and its associate bodies have started gathering in front of the capital's Institution of Engineers Bangladesh (IEB) to take part in the party's a Bijoy Rally