Mohiuddin Alamgir

Army personnel start election duties today to help ensure a peaceful atmosphere and maintain law and order across the country for the December 30 polls.

The number of foreign observers for the December 30 polls has come down significantly after the Asian Network for Free Elections cancelled its observation mission citing "Bangladesh government's inability to issue visas” within the required timeframe.

Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda yesterday said the commission was “embarrassed and saddened” over election violence, including Tuesday's attack on the motorcade of BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

The number of independent candidates in any parliamentary election has hit the lowest this year since 1991.

The BNP's strategy of fielding multiple candidates in almost every constituency has worked effectively. Otherwise, the party would not have any candidates in a large number of seats, say senior party leaders.

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.

The presence of observers in the upcoming election will be thinner compared with that in 2008, as both domestic and international organisations are unwilling to deploy strong workforce mainly due to fund crunch.

Separate electoral symbols were reserved for all the political parties when they registered with the Election Commission in 2008. Their candidates are supposed to run for elections with own symbols.

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

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

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

The Election Commission yesterday warned returning officers of stern action for any failure and negligence in performing polls duties.

The national polls would be held on December 30, according to the revised schedule announced by the Election Commission yesterday.

At least 10 registered political parties have informed the Election Commission that they would contest the national election with electoral symbols of the Awami League and BNP.

A candidate can spend Tk 10 per voter for electioneering in the upcoming parliamentary polls. His/her total spending, however, in no way can exceed Tk 25 lakh, the ceiling of maximum expenditure, even if the number of voters in a constituency is more than 2.5 lakh, according to a notification issued by the Election Commission.

Claiming there is a congenial atmosphere for polls across the country, Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda yesterday announced that the 11th parliamentary election will be held on December 23.

The Election Commission announces the schedule for the 11th parliamentary polls today amid support from the ruling Awami League and strong opposition from Jatiya Oikyafront, comprising the BNP and several other parties.

Leftist parties in talks with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina last night demanded that parliament be dissolved and the election be held under a neutral caretaker government.

The government has rescheduled and brought forward the dates of all primary and secondary school final exams so that students do not face any problems during the 11th national election, likely to be held in late December.

Hiyatul Ulya Lil-Zami’atil Qawmiya Bangladesh will accord a grand reception to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina tomorrow at Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka for recognising top Qawmi degree Dawra-e-Hadith as equivalent to master's in Islamic studies and Arabic.