Sajjad Hossain

Although the successors of two political parties are competing for the Munshiganj-1 constituency, their campaign has fallen short in gaining traction among the voters compared to their rivals from the Awami League and an independent candidate from within the AL.

In Munshiganj town, the Awami League leader running for parliament as an independent seems to have more party leaders rallying behind him than the party nominee.

The outcome that the BNP and its allies are hoping for is what the AL had achieved in 1996

A few months ago, much speculation surrounded the roles of “king’s parties” (allegedly created or sponsored by strong actors to further their cause) in the upcoming national polls.

Speculation surrounding seat-sharing with lesser-known parties in the upcoming January 7 polls concluded yesterday as the Awami League finalised agreements only with Jatiya Party and three partners from its 14-party alliance.

An illegal sand business is being run in Char Hogla village under Shambhupura union of Narayanganj by allegedly encroaching a portion of the Meghna.

BNP’s first nationwide public event since October 28 was obstructed and foiled by police in nine districts yesterday.

The newly registered political parties -- the Trinamool BNP, Bangladesh Nationalist Movement (BNM), and Bangladesh Supreme Party -- have fielded only 29 nominees in 18 of Dhaka city’s 20 constituencies.

Sagar Hossain came to Dhaka from Munshiganj with his unwell mother on November 23 to avail treatment for her at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

Six-year-old Siyam stood in front of the Jatiya Press Club with his mother yesterday, showing everyone a photo of his father and pleading, “Release my father.”

Leaving his chicken shop to his salesman, Abul Kashem rushed to gate-1 of New Market around 11:00am yesterday to buy essentials from a mobile shop of the government’s Open Market Sale programme.

The BNP office has been abandoned, heavily guarded and padlocked for a month now.

The BNP office has been abandoned, heavily guarded and padlocked for a month now.

Little-known parties are planning big for the January 7 polls and a number of them are selling nomination forms to anyone willing to buy so that they can field candidates in all 300 constituencies.

Scenes at the Awami League and BNP offices could not be more contrasting.

Mohammad Alauddin, who drives a CNG-run three-wheeler on hire for a living, had waited to no avail for passengers at Pallabi of Dhaka yesterday during the usual peak hours from 10:00am to 12:27pm.

Two-year-old Mehreen Akter was seen waiting with her mother in front of the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) court in Dhaka for more than seven hours yesterday, just to have a glimpse of her father.

Families continue to throng the court premises to have a glimpse of their loved ones

Student attendance was significantly lower in most educational institutions in Dhaka on the first day of the three-day blockade called by BNP and Jamaat.

There were no signs of life on the Meghna river as our engine boat cut through the darkness on the night of October 5. It was around 12:30am.