Mohammad Al-Masum Molla

“I never imagined that I would have a heart problem.”

Considering its recent demonstrations “a success”, the BNP now plans to hold public rallies in 10 divisional headquarters from October 8.

The BNP top brass has decided not to go for any tougher action like hartal or blockade for now as they believe the government is intent on provoking violence on the street, which is a trap the opposition party should not walk into.

The BNP has finalised the draft of a nine-point demand, aiming to wage a “simultaneous movement” with different opposition parties and platforms to force the government to step down and pave the way for a free and fair election.

With yet another general election coming up, BNP is trying to warm up its ranks.

The Election Commission’s roadmap for the next parliamentary polls is very much “conventional” and it does not detail how the challenges of holding a free, fair and inclusive election will be addressed, say experts.

According to the Election Commission, 17 parties during their talks with the EC opined in favour of using EVMs in the next national polls but The Daily Star found that at least four of them actually spoke against using EVMs.

The Election Commission plans to tap into modern technologies in the next national election as part of its efforts to win back people’s confidence in polls, say EC officials.

Considering the ongoing countrywide protest programmes a “success”, the BNP now mulls over spreading the demonstrations to cities, divisional headquarters and districts to keep their presence on the streets.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s four-day visit to India brought some positive outcomes like the offer of free transit through India to third countries and the Kushiyara water-sharing MoU.

Dhaka and Delhi are likely to sign seven MoUs during Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to India.

Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen did not accompany Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on her four-day state visit to India, sources said.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today begins a four-day New Delhi visit, which is expected to take the 50-year diplomatic ties between India and Bangladesh to a new height amid global and regional crises fuelled by the Ukraine war and the Covid pandemic.

With the ruling Awami League and opposition BNP unwavering in their stances, the country’s politics seems set on a path towards confrontation, one and a half years away from the next general election.

Planting of Aman seedlings has suffered a setback this season as it is so far 14 percent less than the target set by the government.

Inflation, and food and energy insecurity, triggered by the war in Ukraine, have become major concerns for Bangladesh and many countries across the world.

The average maximum temperature in Bangladesh for the month of August was a three-decade high.

After a long time, the BNP seems determined to shake off its inertia as leaders and activists are turning up in droves to protest the recent hike in prices of fuel and daily essentials.

Instead of making the 20-party alliance functional, the BNP plans to forge a “greater unity” among the opposition forces to realise the demand for the next national election under a non-partisan administration.

Police have been used regularly to muzzle the opposition in Bangladesh