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

BNP leaders and activists have started gathering at Jatrabari Ideal School ahead of their march to Jurain rail gate to press home their 10-point demand, including election under a non-partisan interim government..Party men have been gathering in the area since noon. BNP Secretary General M

As BNP leaders and activists will march from Dhaka's Jatrabari to Shyampur today to press home their 10-point demand, ruling Awami League men, as usual, have taken to the streets with their "counter" programme.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today said Bangladesh has witnessed a tremendous progress only because of the continuation of democracy and elected governments.

Abu Asif Ahmed, an independent candidate in the Brahmanbaria-2 (Sarail-Ashuganj) by-polls, has been missing for the last three days.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir yesterday said election under a caretaker government is the most suitable system for a country like Bangladesh, and urged eminent personalities and political parties to raise their voices for its restoration.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said Awami League leaders and activists never flee the country. Rather, they stay with the people for their welfare.

Abu Asif Ahmed, an independent candidate in the Brahmanbaria-2 (Sarail-Ashuganj) by-polls, has been missing for the last two days.

A Munshiganj court has granted bail to 42 leaders and activists, including BNP's Organising Secretary advocate Abdus Salam Azad, in a sabotage case.

Commuters in Natore are suffering due to a shortage of buses that usually go through the town as a majority of the vehicles were hired to take Awami League leaders and activists to Rajshahi for the ruling party's divisional rally there.

Over 10,000 AL men went to Rajshahi city on eight special trains hired from the railway authorities.

Awami League leaders and activists have been heading to the Madrasa Maidan in Rajshahi since 6:00am to join the party's rally today.

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader said the party chief and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will detail her vision of Smart Bangladesh and seek people's support from today's rally in Rajshahi.

At its “silent march” yesterday, the BNP once again asked the government to step down without wasting time.

Terming the BNP’s four-day programme a death march, Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader yesterday said the opposition party would face “political death” in the next general election.

The 15th constitutional amendment, which abolished the caretaker government system allowing national elections under partisan government, had devastating impacts on the last two parliamentary polls, eminent citizens said yesterday.

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader today described BNP's road march as its "funeral procession" and said the party's backward journey has begun with this programme.

Rajshahi is all ready to welcome Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina tomorrow for her first public rally in the district in five years.

Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud has invited BNP leaders to see the prime minister's divisional rally in Rajshahi tomorrow from helicopter to witness people's participation.

As part of BNP's four-day programme, BNP leaders and activists started marching towards capital's Abul Hotel area in Malibagh from Shahjadpur to press home their 10-point demand, including holding the next general election under a non-party caretaker government.