Political parties are accelerating preparations for the coming polls, with aspirants nearly finalised, alliances taking shape, and seat-sharing talks at full throttle.

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus yesterday reaffirmed Bangladesh’s “steadfast commitment to upholding human rights and fundamental freedoms of all”, as guaranteed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the UN Charter.

With three more dengue deaths reported yesterday, the total number of fatalities this year has risen to 401 – the third-highest since Bangladesh began recording dengue deaths in 2000.

Illegal hill cutting continues on a massive scale in two remote areas of Nabiganj upazila of Habiganj, putting thousands at risk of landslides, despite repeated drives, fines and arrests by the administration.

FAME, a theatre troupe in Chattogram, is set to stage the fifth and sixth performances of Rabindranath Tagore’s drama “Valmiki Protibha” at Theatre Institute Chattogram auditorium on December 11 and 12.

The Eastern Zone of Bangladesh Railway (BR) has revised pontage charges for the first time in nearly 43 years, resulting in fare increases ranging from Tk 5 to Tk 226 per ticket, depending on seat category. The new rates will take effect from December 20.

Police recovered the body of an unidentified man from outside the east gate of Chattogram Medical College Hospital yesterday morning.

The Department of Environment seized around 375 kilogrammes of banned polythene during an enforcement drive in Chattogram yesterday.

The local administration has enforced Section 144 in Ajmiriganj upazila of Habiganj district following a clash between two rival groups that left one man dead and several injured.

At least four people were killed and 14 others injured in road accidents in three districts in the last two days.

A katla fish, a local carp variety, weighing a staggering 23 kilogrammes, was caught from the Karnaphuli river in Kaptai upazila of Rangamati on December 8.

Tension between Jamaat-e-Islami and the BNP over election campaigning in the Sirajganj-1 (Kazipur) constituency erupted into violence on Monday night, injuring around 15 Jamaat activists, said party sources.

The Andromeda Space & Robotics Research Organization (ASRO) of Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology successfully concluded its flagship event, ASRONOVA’23, on December 8.

Civil society-level dialogue between Bangladesh and Myanmar is essential for improving bilateral relations and finding a solution to the Rohingya crisis, said analysts from both countries at a discussion in Dhaka yesterday.

Speakers at programmes marking International Anti-Corruption Day yesterday stressed that strong political commitment is crucial to reducing corruption in Bangladesh.

Brig Gen (retd) Abdullahil Amaan Azmi, son of former Jamaat-e-Islami ameer Ghulam Azam, was not held at the Joint Interrogation Centre (JIC) known as “Aynaghar” but in a 21-by-17-foot air-conditioned room, a defence lawyer told the International Crimes Tribunal-1 yesterday.

Around 10 candidates are expected to compete for each seat at medical and dental colleges this year, with the admission test scheduled for Friday.

BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman yesterday called upon everyone to come forward in the journey to establish true democracy while protecting human rights.

NCP leader says she fears contesting election

District-level reporters to receive election coverage training under “Ballot” project with international support