In today’s episode of ‘The Election Talks 2018’, noted economist Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman, a former adviser to a caretaker government, talks with The Daily Star about the election to be held tomorrow.

Dr Zillur Rahman said, "Although hope was created due to the participation of all the political parties, but we stumbled when the campaigning began."

The attacks carried out reportedly on behalf of the ruling party were more in number, he said.

Capturing the field became more important than securing people's vote during the electioneering, he added.

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A local leader of Bangladesh Nationalist Party was killed allegedly in a bomb attack in Bagerhat's Rampal upazila yesterday, police said.

The dead is Khaza Mainuddin Akhter, 52. He was the organising secretary of Rampal upazila unit BNP.

“A group of unidentified miscreants, riding on a motorcycle, hurled a bomb on Mainuddin from behind around 7:30pm in a lane inside Bhoroshapur Bazar,” said Pankaj Chandra Roy, superintendent of police in Bagerhat, adding that they fled the scene immediately after the attack.

Locals rushed him to Khulna Medical College Hospital where duty doctors pronounced him dead, the SP said, adding that the situation of the area was under control and extra forces were deployed.

“No one has been arrested in this connection and police are yet to find any clue to the murder,” he also said.

The type of the bomb could not be confirmed, however, the eyewitnesses said it was a locally made crude bomb.

Talking to The Daily Star, President of Rampal upazila BNP Hafizur Rahman Tuhin demanded immediate arrest of the attackers.

The chamber judge of the Supreme Court today refused to stay a High Court order that granted bail to BNP leaders Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Mirza Abbas in a case filed over Nayapaltan clashes.

Justice Jahangir Hossain Selim, chamber judge of the Appellate Division of the SC, however, ordered the counsels for the BNP leaders not to furnish bail bonds for them before the lower court concerned till January 8.

Justice Jahangir also sent the state's petition to its full bench for a hearing of the matter on January 8.

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Bail for Fakhrul, Abbas: state challenges HC order

BNP Secretary General Fakhrul and the party's standing committee member Abbas cannot be released from jail till January 8, Additional Attorney General Mohammad Mehedi Hassan Chowdhury told The Daily Star.

The apex court chamber judge passed the order following a petition filed by the state seeking a stay on the HC's bail order .

Attorney General AM Amin Uddin appeared for the state while senior lawyer Zainul Abedin argued for Fakhrul and Abbas during the hearing of the petition.

The HC yesterday granted six months ad-interim bail to Fakhrul and Abbas and issued a rule asking the state to explain why they should not be granted permanent bail in this case.

Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) has opened a Facebook page titled 'Rab Cyber News Verification Centre' to make people aware of false news and rumour spread during the upcoming general election.

Director General (DG) of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) Benazir Ahmed revealed it at a press conference regarding the elite force's preparation for the 11th parliamentary election at its media center in Dhaka's Karwan Bazar today.

If anyone becomes confused about any news, he/she will have to share it on the Facebook page and the Rab team will instantly reply it after verifying the truth, said the Rab DG.

Rab officials will work round the clock, he added.

He also said the Facebook page will remain open to counter all lies, rumours and false news centering the election slated for December 30.

A total of 10,000 Rab members have been deployed across the country ahead of the election, said the Rab DG.

"If anyone dares to carry out violence in any place, we will obstruct them and the force is ready to resist them," he added.

Two army helicopters will remain standby on the election day, he said adding, "A special force will be kept standby for travelling to any part of the country if needed."

Benazir also requested all to inform them any kind of violent incidents so that they can take instant action.