A High Court ruling yesterday apparently dealt a blow to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia's bid to contest the December 30 polls as it rejected five applications seeking suspension or a stay on conviction and sentences.

Awami League President Sheikh Hasina yesterday cancelled the AL nominations for Disaster Management Minister Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya and incumbent Mohammed Shamsul Hoque Bhuiyan of Chandpur, AL sources said.

Thirty aspirants of Workers Party including the party President Rashed Khan Menon submit their nomination papers to the returning officers.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has criticised the High Court order that stops the path of the convicts with more than two years in jail from participating in the election.

Prof Abu Sayeed, former Awami League state minister for information, joined the Gonoforum, a component of the Jatiya Oikyafront, yesterday and collected the party's nomination form to contest the upcoming national polls from Pabna-1.

Electronic voting machines will be used in Dhaka-6 and-13, Chattogram-9, Rangpur-3, Khulna-2 and Satkhira-2 constituencies in the upcoming parliamentary election.

Golam Maola Rony, who was Awami League lawmaker of the Patuakhali-3 constituency, joins BNP to contest the 11th parliamentary election under the party banner.

The Supreme Court yesterday stayed for eight weeks a High Court order that halted the Bangladesh Bank and Sonali Bank's decisions to allow M/S Patuakhali Jute Mills, owned by ruling Awami League Chief Whip ASM Feroz, to reschedule its loans of Tk 26.80 crore for the ninth time.

In a surprise move, the BNP may leave most of the parliamentary seats in the capital to top leaders of its allies for contesting the upcoming election.

Bangladesh ODI captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza receives confirmation from ruling Awami League to contest the seat from Narail-2 in his home district.

Jatiya Oikyafront, led by Dr Kamal Hossain, will finalise its candidates for all 300 constituencies before Wednesday based on consensus of all of its alliance partners.

Awami League distributes party nomination letters among its candidates for 230 constituencies for contesting the 11th parliamentary election to be held December 30. Take a look who will run polls from which constituency.

Political and security experts yesterday said credibility of the upcoming parliamentary election depended on the Election Commission, but its performance so far was not satisfactory.

Ruling Awami League will announce its election manifesto after the fixation of symbol for next Jatiya Sangsad polls slated for December 30.

Jatiya Oikyafront has demanded withdrawal of 92 officials of the civil and police administrations, including the secretaries of the Election Commission, home and public administration ministries, for ensuring a level playing field for all candidates in the national election.

The chief election commissioner yesterday said the role of police is most important in holding a free, fair, and acceptable election and the law enforcers must remain alert so that no questions arise over the December 30 polls.

Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda instructs law enforcers “not to harass” presiding officers ahead of the upcoming elections. “We did not instruct you to do this. Don’t do this. This is embarrassing. We did not want this,” the CEC says.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir alleges that some police high-ups are conspiring to rig elections to ensure victory for the ruling party.

Around 25 lawmakers from the ruling Awami League may not get party tickets to contest the December 30 national election.

Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik (Shujan), a civil rights body, urges the Election Commission to exercise its full authority to make sure that the forthcoming 11th parliamentary elections are held in a credible and participatory manner.