Mohammad Al-Masum Molla

Bangladesh steps into the New Year under the shadow of persistent economic turmoil and political crisis over the January 7 national election.

Except 3, no other party participating in Jan 7 polls could obtain even 1pc votes in 2008, 2018 elections

It is the EC’s role to ensure a congenial atmosphere for people to cast their votes freely.

The outcome that the BNP and its allies are hoping for is what the AL had achieved in 1996

The BNP and like-minded political parties are likely to start campaigns on Friday to dissuade voters from casting ballots on January 7, said party sources.

The ruling Awami League is desperately trying to showcase the polls as inclusive and competitive.

After enforcing a series of blockades and hartals, BNP is now planning to bring all political parties boycotting polls under a single platform to press home its demand for general election under a non-party neutral government.

The BNP wants to hold a rally in Dhaka on Victory Day.

Sudden temperature drops in winter, sweltering and frequent heatwaves in summer, poor rainfall during monsoon, and four cyclones marked this year, and the experts blame it on climate change.

BMD ill-equipped, still relies on manual system with no seismologist or geologist involved

It appears that all of the ruling party’s efforts revolve around the next election, not considering longer-term ramifications for itself.

BNP leaders say the ruling Awami League’s desperate attempt to cause a large-scale defection from their party has failed because only one prominent leader jumped ship.

Struggling to bring its oust-government movement to a climax, the BNP now plans to resist the January 7 parliamentary election.

The youths have turned away from politics out of frustration.

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.

Little-known parties are planning big for the January 7 polls and a number of them are selling nomination forms to anyone willing to buy so that they can field candidates in all 300 constituencies.

Given the attitudes of Awami League and BNP as Bangladesh election draws closer, there is no reason for one to feel hopeful about having a peaceful and participatory election.

The political crisis deepens with the Awami League apparently slamming the door on talks and the BNP and its allies pressing ahead with their oust-the-government movement, experts say.

Bangladesh’s political climate appears to be in a perpetual stalemate considering how things stand in 2023 and how they were 10 years ago.

The BNP activists will  take to the streets once the Election Commission unveils the polls schedule, party insiders said.