Bangladesh Votes - 23 December 2008

The latest from the campaign trail in Bangladesh

• Khaleda has no illegal wealth
  
• Pabna DC changed
  
• BNP lambasts ACC
  
• Foreigner spilled the beans
  
• Vote for BNP to save Islam
  
• SC directive ignored
  
• It’s legally verified
  
• BNP lambasts ACC
  
• Rebel, rookie, veteran face woman factor
  
• Rebel relief in BNP    
  
• Polls fever too intense
  
• EC to blacklist observers if found biased
  
• No waving at crowds
  
• Media can use info from result sheets hung at polling centres
  
• Fuel made a little cheaper
  
• Know who you vote for
  
• Child, 2 others bullet-hit in shooting at election camp
  
• Hatirjheel gets Tk 420cr more
  
• Pintu gets bail in last case
  
• Falu freed on bail
  
• Vow to vote down war criminals

Bangladesh Votes - 22 December 2008

• 5 in the EC dock
  
• Two leaders, poles apart
  
• Trouble for AL allies in the North
  
• A wakeup call for politics
  
• Slum dwellers to decide fate of 3 generals
  
• SC rejects EC bid
  
• Hasina ready to sacrifice life for country
  
• Khaleda pledges Padma Bridge at Mawa
  
• AL asks for foolproof security
  
• Ershad begs pardon for mistakes
  
• EC ends BNP's symbol allocation drama in Comilla
  
• No rigging, no forgery to be allowed
  
• Delwar earns less, but to spend more than Jalil for polls
  
• ADP revision likely to fund Hatirjheel
  
• Evans for safe campaign, security for top leaders
  
• 4 JCD, Shibir men held for malicious campaign
  
• Grand alliance candidate attacked

APB Reader - Bangladesh Votes

APB Reader - Bangledesh

Bangladesh is one of the most densely populated countries in the world.  Historically, it is also one of the worlds most (relatively) stable Islamic democracies.  As Bangladesh heads to the poles this month we will be bringing you a special Bangladesh Votes wrap up each day.  To help put the campaign in perspective we are kicking off our Bangladesh Votes series with this background reader on the political situation in Bangladesh.

Country Profiles and Political Backgrounders

• Country Brief, Australian Government - Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade 
  
• CIA World Factbook 
  
• Political Conditions - US State Department Background Note
  
• Map - Bangladesh 

• Bangladesh: Elections and Beyond, International Crisis Group
  
• Restoring Democracy in Bangladesh, International Crisis Group
  
• Bangladesh Today, International Crisis Group
• South Asian Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA)
  

Bangladesh in the News

• Allegations of polls manipulation bid should be factual: EU team - 20 December 2008 - The Daily Star
  
• Khaleda alleges AL deal with CG to grab power - 20 December 2008 - The Daily Star
  
• CG to return power to elected govt in New Year: CA - The Daily Star 
  
• Khaleda warns of 'polls engineering' - 20 December 2008 - The Daily Star
  
• Bangladesh Deploys 50,000 Troops Before Elections - Bloomberg - 20 December 2008
  
• Australia to help observe Bangladesh elections - ABC - 19 December 2008
  
• Candidates in Jamalpur, Bangladesh Campaign for Election - 19 December 2008 - VOA 
  
• Ten days before Bangladesh elections, 21 join in poll fray 
• Safeguard vote of women, minorities: CEC to law enforcers - 18 December 2008 - bdnews24.com
  
• Bangladesh National Party Threatens to Pull Out of Elections - 24 October 2008 - VOA 
  

Security and Human Rights

• Get a grip on Dhaka, LA Times 
  
• Stemming the Rise of Islamic Extremism in Bangladesh, Harvard International Review, Harvard International Review
• Amnesty International - Bangladesh