Seven BNP candidates yesterday filed separate election petitions with the High Court challenging the legality of the December 30 national election to their constituencies, citing widespread irregularities.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir yesterday alleged that people's voting rights were snatched again during the December 30 parliamentary polls.

The UN Human Rights Office yesterday expressed concern over the allegations of violence in Bangladesh centring the election and called for immediate investigation into the incidents.

The UAE president, vice president and Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi yesterday congratulated Bangladesh Prime Minister and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina on securing landslide victory in the 11th national election.

At least 15 people were injured and 13 others arrested over violence in two districts yesterday, two days before the 11th parliamentary polls.

The number of local observers in the December 30 election decreased significantly as the NGO Affairs Bureau has not granted the No Objection Certificate to 15 Election Working Group members until yesterday.

Even the last day of electioneering was marred by attacks on three aspirants from BNP and Jatiya Party yesterday, leaving at least 15 people injured.

Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission has asked the mobile operators and international internet gateways to be ready for immediate implementation of its instructions regarding internet speed and content from December 29 to 31.

Blue-collar constituents, sympathy vote, and parochialism are likely to play a pivotal role in the city's three major constituencies, Chattogram-9, -10 and -11.

Though Lalmonirhat-3 has been a stronghold of the Jatiya Party, a partner in the Awami League-led grand alliance, since 1991, the Jatiya Oikyafront, led by the BNP and several other parties, is eyeing a win this time.

With the 17-day electoral campaigns ending tomorrow morning, the Awami League-led alliance candidates are campaigning at full throttle while contenders from the BNP-led combines are struggling due to “arrests, police harassment and attacks by opponents”.

Voters in Netrokona-4 had high hopes for a tough race as three women with graduate degrees were running for parliament from there.

Abdul Awal, 58, cannot hold back his excitement as for the first time in his life he would be voting in the 11th parliamentary polls on December 30.

The officer-in-charge of Kolaroa Police Station in Satkhira allegedly sought vote for Awami League's electoral symbol “Boat,” violating the electoral code of conduct.

Currently, people's top priority is employment, followed by transport and education, finds a Brac survey ahead of the December 30 polls.

Children in Jashore's Malopara village still have nightmares of people coming to attack them. And with the election on the horizon, panic has spread even among the adults.

Picking a comparatively new face for Jhalakathi-2 and attacks on the candidate have hampered the BNP's election campaign in the constituency, comprising Sadar and Nalchity upazilas.

Nomination of Shameem Sayedee, son of convicted war criminal and Jamaat-e-Islami leader Delawar Hossain Sayedee, for Pirojpur-1 has left local BNP leaders in a tight corner and made their fight against archrival Awami League tough.