With the deadline for submitting nomination papers to the Election Commission only a week away, the BNP now faces two challenges: preventing defection from the party and drawing up fresh programmes to keep the anti-government movement going.

Both the ruling Awami League and its archrival BNP are likely to unveil today their final lists of parliamentary candidates, leaving out seats for their alliance partners.

Both the ruling Awami League and its archrival BNP are likely to unveil today their final lists of parliamentary candidates, leaving out seats for their alliance partners.

The BNP has finalised candidates in at least 150 constituencies and will pick contenders for the remaining seats after the Election Commission decides the fate of many of its leaders' appeals against rejection of their nomination papers.

The BNP had as many as 141 nominations rejected while their rival the ruling Awami League only had three, sources in the Election Commission said.

All eyes will be on returning officers today to know if Khaleda Zia would be allowed to run in the December 30 polls.

The BNP has been facing new difficulties since the party candidates submitted their nomination papers for the upcoming polls.

Around 60 new faces got BNP tickets for the December 30 parliamentary election and most of them are former student leaders and family members of veteran or deceased party leaders.

Around 1,700 aspirants from alliances led by Awami League and BNP are filing nominations in 300 constituencies as both the camps failed to pick a single contender in every seat for the upcoming parliamentary election.

For the December 30 election, the BNP will be banking on party nominees of 2001 and 2008 parliamentary polls. Over the last few days, the BNP nomination board has finished interviewing potential candidates and finalised around 250 runners,