Mohiuddin Alamgir

Relatives and friends were desperately waiting to know the fate of five Bangladeshis missing since Friday's terror attack on two Christchurch mosques.

Lying on a bed in Christchurch Hospital, Mohtasim Billah said he did not know how he survived yesterday's terror attack that left at least 49 people dead.

The day began with high hopes of a square Ducsu election pending for nearly three long decades.

Some former Ducsu leaders hope that today's election and the leadership it will create will play a positive role in bringing about a qualitative change in the future national politics.

In the first phase of upazila election, 78 of the local government bodies go to the polls today amid a lack of enthusiasm and festivity.

Ahead of the much-anticipated Ducsu polls on March 11, one burning question has been making the rounds.

On this day in 1952, many brave sons of this soil laid down their lives to establish Bangla as a state language. But when it comes to the Language Movement, the country's young generation only knows the names of Salam, Jabbar, Barkat, Rafique, and Shafiur, mainly due to indifference by successive governments in this regard.

The Awami League and its Grand Alliance partners contested the December 30 election together, but the allies of the ruling party would sit on the opposition bench in the 11th parliament which begins its journey today.

Left Democratic Alliance and several Islamist parties may boycott the upcoming upazila polls as they do not see any prospect of a free and fair election.

By-polls to Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) mayoral post will be held on February 28, the Election Commission said yesterday.

Ekushey book fair, the country's largest book festival, is getting bigger every year in terms of participating publication houses, number of new books unveiled at the fair as well as sales.

Politicians, rights activists and academics have demanded steps against Shah Ahmed Shafi for his comment on girls' education as they find it conflicting with the spirit of the Liberation War and the constitution.

Awami League President Sheikh Hasina yesterday asked her party's newly elected lawmakers not to misuse their position to make a fortune or serve their personal interests.

The number of local observers in the December 30 election decreased significantly as the NGO Affairs Bureau has not granted the No Objection Certificate to 15 Election Working Group members until yesterday.

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.