Ruling Awami League lawmaker M Dabirul Islam today in parliament said UNOs and DCs, not the people's representatives, are running the country.

Former BNP leader and missing Brahmanbaria-2 constituency candidate Abu Asif Ahmed was found today. 

With overt blessings from the ruling Awami League, expelled BNP leader Abdus Sattar Bhuiyan won as an independent by a wide margin in Brahmanbaria-2 by-polls, which saw a voter turnout of less than 16 percent.

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader yesterday said democracy has won as the by-elections to six constituencies were held in a free and fair manner.

The government has taken an anti-people decision by increasing the electricity price twice in a month without holding any mass hearing, said Dr Kamal Hossain, president of Gano Forum.

The family members of Brahmanbaria-2 candidate Abu Asif Ahmed, who has been missing for six days, have sought Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s help in finding him.

Awami League candidate Ragebul Ahsan Ripu has won Bogura-6 by-elections by securing 49,336 votes, according to unofficial results.

Abdus Sattar Bhuiyan, former adviser to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, has won Brahmanbaria-2 by-elections as an independent candidate by securing 40,817 votes.

By-elections to six constituencies started this morning with a low turnout in Brahmanbaria-2, and a chase and counter-chase between supporters of the Awami League candidate and those of an independent candidate's in Chapainawabganj-3.

There are some 30 MPs in the parliament who are followers of Ahle Hadith but they choose not to disclose it, said Awami League lawmaker AKM Rahmatullah in parliament yesterday.

By-elections to six constituencies are being held today, but the Brahmanbaria-2 has become the centre of attention with an independent candidate “missing” for five days.

Leaders and activists of BNP’s Dhaka north city unit marched towards  the capital’s Mirpur from Gabtoli yesterday, to press home their  10-point demand, including holding the next general election under a  non-party caretaker government.

Mujibul Huq Chunnu, a Jatiya Party lawmaker, said in parliament today that if a segment of JP leaders had not betrayed and revolted with HM Ershad and had not participated in the 2014 election under Raushan Ershad, the nation may have got into an "unconstitutional situation".

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir claimed that the Awami League was conspiring to ensure the victory of expelled BNP leader Abdus Sattar Bhuiyan in the Brahmanbaria-2 by-polls slated for tomorrow.

Top leaders of the ruling Awami League yesterday called upon the BNP to participate in the next general election and said they did not want to have a walkover.

Election Commissioner Rashida Sultana yesterday said the commission is yet to finalise their decision on installing CCTV cameras in the polling centres in all 300 constituencies in the next national election.

The Election Commission has ordered the administration officials and police to probe the allegations that a candidate of Brahmanbaria-2 by-polls has been “missing”.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said people voted the Awami League to power in 2014 and 2018 national elections as her government worked for the development of the people.

The ruling Awami League alleged that the BNP was trying to destabilise the country through its movement, as a rally of the ruling party was under way in front of the its central office in Gulistan this afternoon.

Former BNP lawmaker Shamsul Alam Pramanik died at a hospital in Rajshahi early today.