Yesterday, according to TV reports, the AL general secretary and the foreign minister commented on this paper -- one was an unsubstantiated  perspective and the other a charade.

The BNP failed to reap anything effective from the huge public support that it was able to garner late last year.

We are witnessing an engineered intra-party contest as most of the independents belong to the ruling party.

Unfortunate that some foreign countries are exerting pressure on Bangladesh centring polls, he says

Says Election Commissioner Rashida Sultana

The only way out of a controversial election is dialogue

Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal yesterday urged all political parties to find a solution to end the political impasse.

The 12th general election will be on January 7, the Election Commission announced yesterday amid escalating tension between the major political parties over the polls-time government.

If the Election Commission cannot ensure free and fair elections, it could have at the very least prevented the process of “a potentially fraudulent polls”, said Badiul Alam Majumdar, secretary of Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik.

Sharmeen S Murshid, an election analyst and the chief executive officer of election observation group Brotee, told The Daily Star that she had never seen such an atmosphere before an election in her 20-year career as an election observer.

Unveiling the polls schedule, Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal urged all political parties to join the election.

Chief Election Commissioner Habibul Awal is addressing the nation to announce the schedule for the 12th parliamentary election.

Intelligence surveillance has been increased across Dhaka and at its entry points to prevent subversive activities as the Election Commission is expected to announce the election schedule soon

Chief Election Commissioner Habibul Awal will address the nation at 7:00pm today to announce the schedule of the 12th parliamentary election

Do we need more of the same police?

It needs to recognise both the challenges and the opportunities.

Coupled with its unwavering commitment to unpredictability, JaPa has been true to its sense of dedicated opportunism over the years.

Although it happens to be a prevailing practice, this culture of 'counter-programme' only indicates moral insecurity.

Promising elections similar to the UK is hardly enough to allay the concerns about the future of our democracy.

This sudden move by the Election Commission seems to be for lip service.