Absence of main opposition remains the biggest challenge
Although this new US visa policy is proving expedient, it would not be wise to believe that the country is intent on fostering democracy in Bangladesh.
It is quite intriguing how the RPA amendment can be so accommodating to defaulters who are desperate to gain political power.
It appears, then, that the Awami League’s bold rhetoric of development and prosperity, transparency and good governance, and fostering democracy is rendered hollow by its own partymen – unwittingly or not.
Just as BNP was about to come up with fresh programmes, Ramadan arrived, rendering all politics to the confines of the iftar table.
The BNP will go tough on its leaders and activists who will run for councillor in the city polls and those who will patronise them.
Sumon, a crime reporter at Agami News, was attacked while taking photos of a gathering of Awami League activists in Rayerbazar area on Dhaka city corporation election day.
While we are happy that the three city mayoral elections have come to an end with little violence, they were, as we had feared, simply the iteration of the Khulna and Gazipur polls. They bear nearly all the hallmarks—from ballot stuffing to expelling election agents—of a heavily manipulated election.
Voting in Barisal, Sylhet and Rajshahi city corporations begins this morning with all the mayoral candidates except for the ones from the Awami League casting doubt about fair polls amid arrests and harassment of their supporters.
Just four hours into the start of voting, BNP’s boycott over irregularities, vote rigging and intimidation of BNP-backed candidates and their workers made the city corporation elections irrelevant.
Presiding officer looks helpless as BCL men enter all the six polling booths of Dhaka College polling centre and stuff ballot boxes at their will.
With the withdrawal of all three BNP backed mayoral candidates from the Dhaka city north, south and Chittagong city corporation elections by noon, the national politics is back to square one.
Activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League, the student wing of the ruling party, Awami League, threaten a presiding officer for barring them from entering a polling centre in Dhaka University.
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia will hold a press briefing tomorrow about the city cooperation polls and overall political developments in the country.
BNP criticises Election Commission’s strategy over army deployment for the upcoming city elections to Dhaka and Chittagong city corporations.
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia blames the activists of ruling Awami League and its student front Bangladesh Chhatra League for the deadly bank robbery attempt earlier in the afternoon at Ashulia.
The Election Commission has decided to deploy army from April 26 to April 29 in Dhaka and Chittagong city corporations to maintain law and order during the April 28 city polls.
BNP alleges that the Election Commission has failed to create a level-playing field for all candidates of the upcoming Dhaka and Chittagong City Corporations elections.
United Nations Development Programme will host youth dialogue with the mayoral candidates of Dhaka North City Corporation on Apr 15.
