M Nurul Hayat Chowdhury

There were rumours in political circles over the last week that Mayor AJM Nasir Uddin would not get the Awami League ticket to contest the upcoming Chattogram City Corporation election.

Two top officials of the partner company of state-run Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation have allegedly embezzled over Tk 100 crore by transferring the money to three companies they have shares in.

In public interest, the health ministry has decided to reinstate a top child cancer specialist -- one of only three such experts in the country -- who was to be transferred from Chattogram Medical College Hospital to Rangamati Medical College Hospital (RmMC).

A top child cancer specialist -- one of only three such experts in the country -- has been transferred from Chattogram Medical College Hospital to a Rangamati hospital with no cancer treatment facilities.

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.

BNP's first-time candidates in Chattogram district have expressed confidence that their lack of experience is not a setback because party popularity would be their key to victory.

With only 10 days to go for the 11th parliamentary election, hardly any poster or banner sporting BNP electoral symbol -- “sheaf of paddy” -- can be seen in Chattogram city while those of Awami League candidates are flooding the port city's every nook and corner.

Senior politicians of both Awami League (AL) and BNP are facing challenges within their families in Chattogram, with their sons also vying for respective parties' nomination for the upcoming national election.