Joint forces early today detained a panel mayor of Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) on charge of intimidating voters in Sagarpara area of the city

At least 25 crude bombs went off at 11 places in Rajshahi last night

Over a hundred crude bombs exploded in several places in Habiganj town last night, which police claimed was carried out by BNP activists

As the nation goes to polls today for a third straight time under Sheikh Hasina-led government, the outcome is already a foregone conclusion. The 12th parliamentary election will go down in history as a race between Awami League candidates and Awami League “independents”.

BNP has rejected the Commonwealth secretary general’s call for a “conducive environment” in the January 7 election, terming it a “farcical exercise” that contradicts the people’s aspirations for democracy.

At least 13 teachers were removed from the list of presiding officers for Rajshahi-6 (Charghat-Bagha) on Friday night.

Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal yesterday said they will try to hold the national election in such a manner that it gets local and international acceptance.

At least three relatives of Awami League candidate and Social Welfare Minister Nuruzzaman Ahmed are serving as presiding officers in the Lalmonirhat-2 constituency.

Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen yesterday said they will leave no stone unturned to identify the perpetrators who set fire to a moving train on Friday night.

The BNP has adopted a strategy of using social media to discourage voters from casting ballots in today’s election, said party sources.

Leaders of the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Oikya Parishad have expressed concern over growing pressure and threats targeting religious minorities centring the national election today.

At least 15 schools designated as polling centres, a Buddhist temple, and eight vehicles were set on fire yesterday, a day before the national election.

A “one-party-centred election” like the one today is not desirable at all, said former election commissioner M Sakhawat Hossain.

Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will cast her vote at Dhaka City College polling centre this morning.

BNP yesterday again urged the voters to boycott today’s election to ensure the fall of the incumbent “fascist Awami League government.”

Ballot papers for 39,061 of the 42,024 polling centres will be handed over to the presiding officers by 6:00am today, as polling begins at 8:00am and will continue till 4:00pm without any break.

This election lacks the expected competition and participation of political parties due to the differences of opinion among some parties over the institutional procedure for holding polls, Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal said yesterday.

The candidates of ruling Awami League continued electioneering  in at least four constituencies of Rajshahi till yesterday night, although polls campaigns officially ended on Thursday.

The international community will be closely watching the election today to see how peaceful and participatory it is after the boycott of the BNP and its allies, which made it a one-sided affair.

As the nation heads to the polls today, the BNP continues its two-day hartal as part of a polls-boycott movement. The party has also called for a non-cooperation movement to remove the current regime and demanded elections under a neutral administration.