Partha Pratim Bhattacharjee

The Awami League has initiated a process to identify the BNP, Jamaat and Shibir men who have allegedly infiltrated the ruling party in the last few years to make a fortune or to avoid lawsuits.

India wants to deploy “armed sky marshals” on flights of Indian carriers between India and Bangladesh.

The ruling Awami League has decided to have around 6,000 party offices with modern facilities at all city, district, upazila, thana and municipalities headquarters, and at union levels to strengthen its organisational structure.

Around eight years ago, Md Ebadot Ali was promoted to acting secretary. But he was made an officer on special duty (OSD) on October 10, 2011 when he was discharging his duties as the acting secretary at the-then Railway Division under the communication ministry.

Sheikh Hasina, who is set to take oath today as the prime minister for the third consecutive term, has dropped most of her colleagues in the outgoing cabinet, aiming to inject fresh blood in her new government.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who led her party to a landslide victory in the national election, may come up with a surprise by inducting new faces into the cabinet, likely to be formed on Sunday.

The Awami League has instructed its grassroots leaders and activists to be on high alert on the voting day to thwart any attempt to foil tomorrow's election.

The ruling Awami League's election manifesto will make promises of strengthening democracy, rule of law and ridding the country of corruption under the tagline “Bangladesh on the March of Prosperity”.

The ruling Awami League is yet to finalise its seat-sharing with electoral allies despite having a series of meetings with several of them yesterday. The ruling party could not reach a consensus with its ally Jatiya Party, a major component of the grand alliance that won a landslide in the 2008 polls, insiders said.

SM Shahjada Saju, nephew of Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda, has been primarily selected as the ruling Awami League's nominee for Patuakhali-3 in the upcoming election, multiple party sources said.

Some incumbent Awami League lawmakers and top leaders are unlikely to get party nomination this time, as the ruling party has decided to part with controversial and unpopular candidates, multiple sources have said.

The Awami League is willing to offer its 14-party allies 15 seats -- the number of constituencies they currently hold -- against their demand for 120, said one of the alliance leaders.

Clean image, popularity and acceptability -- these are the key selection criteria the ruling Awami League has set for candidates in the December 30 national election.

Awami League nomination-seekers are in a fierce competition among themselves to get the much-coveted ticket to run in the election, with dozens of aspirants lobbying ministers and influential leaders hard for their blessings.

As many as 52 nomination seekers are in a race to win Awami League's ticket to contest the 11th parliamentary polls from Barguna-1.

Dr Kamal Hossain found no specific solution in prime minister's speech. BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said his party was not satisfied with how the talks went. JSD President ASM Abdur Rab said their movement would continue to realise their seven-point demand. And Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader said they would not go beyond the constitution.

Keeping in mind the last parliamentary election that saw 154 candidates elected uncontested, the ruling Awami League now considers fielding dummy contenders alongside the party nominees in all the 300 constituencies.

With multiple aspirant candidates already campaigning hard in almost all constituencies, Awami League President Sheikh Hasina last night issued a tough warning to those looking to contest the election as rebels.

The day before August 21, 2004, Dhaka city Awami League leaders had an informal meeting with party chief Sheikh Hasina for her directives on the next day's rally on Bangabandhu Avenue.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday announced an initiative to build houses for the women footballers who won the inaugural SAFF U-18 Women's Championship in Bhutan on Sunday.