Ashraful Hossen Alam (Hero Alam), who contested yesterday as an independent candidate from Bogura-4 (Kahalu and Nandigram upazilas), was beaten allegedly by AL men while he was visiting a polling center in Chakolma Govt Primary School in Nandigram upazila.

The foreign ministry has described the joint statement of ANFREL-affiliated organisations, issued on Saturday, as "premature" and criticised it for comments based on "misinformation and premeditated assumptions".

Hopes of a fair election in the country faded as irregularities -- ballot stuffing, casting of fake votes and driving out opposition polling agents -- began to surface.

Indian navy divers yesterday launched an operation to find 15 men trapped for more than two weeks in a flooded "rat-hole" coal mine in remote northeast India, police said.

Around noon yesterday, Salma Islam was wiping away tears while her husband and campaign manager Nurul Islam Babul announced they were boycotting the election.

An unspecified number of voters had to give up their voting right and go back home in anger and frustration yesterday, as polling officials refused to help them find their voter serial number.

Director General of the Bangladesh Coast Guard Rear Admiral Aurangzeb Chowdhury yesterday said his force had discharged its duties in a manner so that the people of the coastal areas can cast vote in a free, fair and peaceful atmosphere.

Polling agents of BNP-led alliance candidates were barred from entering the voting centres and BNP supporters were driven out from the area in all 16 constituencies in Chattogram during yesterday's election.

Constituency MAP

Rejecting the 11th parliamentary election, several leftist political parties yesterday demanded a “re-election” under a “non-partisan caretaker government” as early as possible.

Jamshed Ali had to cast his vote for “boat” openly in front of the polling officials and agents, which is a blatant violation of the electoral code of conduct.

The ruling party supporters were seen stuffing ballot boxes from 1:45pm to 2:15pm at Gulshan Model School and College in Dhaka yesterday.

Awami League believes in democracy and has faith in the people, the party's president Sheikh Hasina said yesterday morning, after casting her vote. “We will accept whatever decision the people will make.”

HT Imam, co-chairman of the Awami League polls steering committee, yesterday said this election has proved that a free, fair and neutral one is possible under a partisan government.

Jamuna TV was not available in many places of the country last night.

Hours before the nation goes to polls, a Jubo League leader was hacked and beaten to death allegedly by BNP-Jamaat activists in Patiya upazila of Chattogram last night, police said.

Three garment employees were killed and at least 40 others injured when a bus ploughed into staffers getting off another bus at Korean Export Processing Zone in Anwara upazila yesterday.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Brazil's President-elect Jair Bolsonaro yesterday announced a nascent "brotherhood" between their countries that will boost economic, military and technological cooperation.

Four members of an extremist Jewish sect based in Guatemala have been arrested in New York on charges of kidnapping two children, federal prosecutors have said.

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, now in jail, is not casting her vote though her party is taking part in today's polls.