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.
Awami League and Bangladesh Chhatra League activists allegedly carry out an attack on BNP activists in Chittagong during inauguration of BNP’s election offices.
The polls-symbol allocation for forthcoming city corporation elections has started off with candidates for Chittagong city getting theirs first.
Ruling Awami League has finalised lone councilor hopefuls for most units for the upcoming city corporation elections to the two halves of Dhaka city, to be held on April 28.
Two days into BNP chief Khaleda Zia’s return to her house, she meets British High Commissioner Robert Gibson and discusses Dhaka city corporation polls.
BNP- and Bikolpo Dhara Bangladesh-backed mayor aspirants Mirza Abbas and Mahi B Chowdhury formally start their campaign today for the Dhaka city polls.
