Information Minister Hasan Mahmud, today termed the Transparency International Bangladesh's report on the formation of the Election Commission as “politically motivated”.

The BNP yesterday alleged that the government’s attempt to “hurriedly” and “secretly” enact a law on the Election Commission formation was nothing but a blueprint to cling on to power illegally.

A Dhaka court yesterday rejected a bail petition of Ayesha Akhter, mother of expelled Jubo League leader GK Shamim, and sent her to jail in a graft case.

LGRD Minister Md Tazul Islam yesterday said all of Dhaka’s grabbed canals will be recovered to save residents from the woes of waterlogging.

The parliamentary standing committee on the law ministry yesterday finalised the Election Commission bill after recommending some changes, including in the criteria for appointment of the chief election commissioner and other commissioners. 

Awami League joint general secretary Mahbul Ul Alam Hanif yesterday said BNP is opposing the proposed law to form an Election Commission to embarrass the government.

The Election Commission bill that was placed in parliament yesterday is akin to election engineering, said speakers at a webinar on EC formation law.

Law Minister Anisul Huq yesterday placed a bill in parliament seeking to give a legal shield to the current and previous Election Commissions formed through search committees, amid opposition from a BNP lawmaker.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday asked police personnel to discharge their duties with the utmost professionalism and uphold democracy in the country apart from maintaining peace and stability.

A Dhaka court yesterday exempted BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia from personal appearance for the hearing on the Gatco graft case.

BNP MP Rumeen Farhana yesterday told the parliament that the fall of the present government is just a matter of time, after the recent reports of different international organisations against them were published.

BNP MP Rumeen Farhana today told the parliament that the fall of the present government is just a matter of time after reports of different international organisations against them.

BNP senior leader Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain yesterday described the government’s move to enact a law on the formation of the Election Commission (EC), after the president’s dialogue with political parties, as just another “joke”.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Hasan Mahmud today said the government has evidences that BNP hired lobbyists abroad to work against the country.

BNP yesterday demanded a proper investigation, alleging that Awami League, not them, spent public money to hire lobbyists abroad.

Turning down the allegation of hiring any lobbyist in the USA, BNP today categorically said it is Awami League that spent huge public money by appointing lobbyists abroad to hush up its “misdeeds and repressive acts”.

The ongoing parliament session is set to pass a law aiming to give legal cover to the chief election commissioners and other commissioners appointed through search committees in the past.

Defeated Narayanganj City Corporation (NCC) independent mayoral candidate Taimur Alam Khandakar, who was expelled from BNP, said he wants to work as an activist of the party.

BNP yesterday termed the government’s allegation of recruiting lobbyists abroad to campaign against Bangladesh “baseless” and “fabricated”. 

Taimur Alam Khandakar, the defeated independent mayoral candidate of the recent Narayanganj City Corporation (NCC) polls and an expelled BNP leader, today said he wants to work as a BNP activist.