The rift between Awami League’s mayoral candidate Abul Khair Abdullah and his nephew Serniabat Sadiq Abdullah, the incumbent mayor of Barishal, has turned into a violent face-off ahead of the city polls slated for June 12.

The ruling Awami League yesterday drew heavy flak from its left-leaning allies for ignoring them in taking many crucial political decisions  and also for already starting “electioneering” for the next national polls.

Vote counting begins in the fifth phase of the Union Parishad (UP) elections held in 717 unions of 47 districts.

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia skips electioneering for today in favour of her party-backed mayoral candidates in two Dhaka city corporations as repairing to her damaged SUV is underway.

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia blames the activists of ruling Awami League and its student front Bangladesh Chhatra League for the deadly bank robbery attempt earlier in the afternoon at Ashulia.