India today said it considers the coming parliamentary elections in Bangladesh as an "internal affair" of Bangladesh and it was inappropriate to make any comment on that.

"We view the elections in Bangladesh as an internal affair of Bangladesh. I don't think it is appropriate for the MEA (Ministry of External Affairs) to comment on the internal affairs of a friendly and neighbouring country," MEA Spokesman Raveesh Kumar said.

He came up with the remarks at his weekly media briefing responding to a query on how India viewed the elections in Bangladesh.

Singer Kanak Chapa has secured BNP’s nomination to contest from Sirajganj-1 constituency in the upcoming parliamentary elections.

Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, secretary general of the BNP, declared her candidacy at a press briefing in BNP’s Gulshan office this afternoon.

Her arch contestant will be Awami League’s presidium member and senior politician Mohammad Nasim, whose father was a prime minister of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s cabinet.

There were two other BNP aspirants from this seat – Nazmul Hassan Talukdar and Selim Reza (initially declared illegal) – who will now have to withdraw their candidacy.

ABOUT THE CONSTITUENCY

Sirajganj-1 constituency comprises of Kazipur Upazila and Mechra, Ratankandi, Bagbati, Chongacha, and Bahuli Unions of Sirajganj Sadar.

It has a voter base of 345,676, according to the Election Commission, with greater number of female voters, 173,952, than male voters, 171,724.

The other candidates vying for this constituency are Al-Amin Siraji from Islami Andolan Bangladesh and an independent candidate Tanvir Shakil Joy.

WHEN IS THE ELECTION?

The 11th general election will be held on December 30. It was deferred once by the Election Commission upon demands from the opposition political parties.

As per the polls schedule, the deadline for filing the nomination papers was November 28. Since then, the commission has been engaged in hearing appeals of rejected candidates.

After December 9, the last date for nomination withdrawal, the commission will allot polls symbols to contestant and open the field for campaigning.

The newly appointed Chinese ambassador, Zhang Zuo, today said that there is no quick solution to Rohingya crisis.

Zhang Zuo said this while addressing journalists for the first time at a press briefing held at the Chinese embassy in Dhaka this afternoon.

Some seven lakh Rohingyas fled persecution in Myanmar and entered Bangladesh following a military crackdown on them in Rakhine since August 25 last year.

The Chinese ambassador said that his country hopes next parliamentary election in Bangladesh will be smooth.

Zuo replaced Ma Mingqiang, who completed his tenure in Bangladesh and already left the country for his new assignment.

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TREES, HILLS RAZED by ROHINGYAS

Zuo was born in February 1969 in Xuanwei County of Yunnan Province. He has a PhD in Management, according to the official website of the Chinese embassy.

Diplomatic sources said the newly-appointed Chinese ambassador (designated) to Bangladesh arrived in Dhaka on February 12 and presented copy of this credentials to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on February 14.

Ambassador Ma left Dhaka in December late to attend envoys conference in Beijing but he did not return to Dhaka for his farewell meetings with the president, prime minister, foreign minister and others.

Chinese embassy in Dhaka had earlier fixed the appointments, but the outgoing ambassador did not return to Dhaka, added the sources.

Major opposition BNP has nominated 11 of its candidates to contest from the 20 seats of Dhaka district, leaving the rest to be discussed for distribution with allies.

Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, secretary general of the BNP, declared the final nominations of its candidates for 202 seats at a press briefing in Khaleda Zia's Gulshan office this afternoon.

Among those kept undeclared for now is that for Dhaka-9 constituency, what Mirza Abbas’ wife Afroza Abbas is trying to bag if she succeeds in clearing her name tomorrow.

Her application was initially rejected by the Election Commission on charges of loan default. Her appeal for candidacy will be disposed tomorrow.

Leaders of major political parties used the Eid holidays to campaign for the parliamentary elections scheduled for 2019.

Believing that the Eid holidays were a key opportunity for reaching out to a large number of constituents, leaders of ruling Awami League, the BNP and main opposition Jatiya Party rushed to their constituencies before Eid and campaigned throughout the holidays, said party leaders.

This year the presence of young politicians in their constituencies was significant and hundreds of party ticket hopefuls campaigned.

The party ticket hopefuls even distributed food and clothes among their constituents.

Those not MPs expressed their eagerness to run in 2019 while the incumbent lawmakers told their constituents that it was imperative they get elected again to finish their work.

The leaders sought the voters' blessings.

Even AL President Sheikh Hasina and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia spoke about the elections in their Eid greeting speeches.

After exchanging Eid greetings at the Gono Bhaban, Hasina said, "We want cooperation from all ... we want to make the country free from hunger and poverty and make it a prosperous one as dreamt by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman."

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia while exchanging Eid greetings at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre said the next national election must be held under a supportive-government with the deployment of the army to install a pro-people administration to end public sufferings and ensure good governance.

The Election Commission has already drafted the roadmap for the next elections. The two major political parties have been internally preparing for the polls. 

Khaleda has sought votes for the BNP and had unveiled the party's Vision 2030. She said no MP would go unchallenged in the next polls.

BNP leaders believe that they would run in the next election whatever the situation.

A large number of AL leaders, especially young leaders, visited their constituencies and areas and sought people's blessing after Hasina declared that those with close ties with constituents would get party nominations.

Apart from incumbent AL MPs, young leaders like Ashim Kumar Ukil, Aminul Islam Amin, Badiuzzaman Bhuiyan Dablu, Afzal Hossain, Enamul Haque Shamim, Sujit Roy Nandi, ABM Reazul Kabir Kawsar, Marufa Akter Popy, Mahmud Hasan Ripon, Saifuzzaman Shikor, Shafi Ahmed, Ajoy Kar Khokan, Mainul Hossain Khan Nikil, Sajjad Shakib Badsha, Aktaruzzaman Babu, Sheikh Sohel Rana Tipu, Nafiul Karim Nafa, Badiuzzaman Shohagh, Zahiruddin Mahmud Lipton were seen campaigning in their areas.

Our Rangpur correspondent said a number of MP hopefuls of different parties visited constituencies of the district.

Local BNP leader Saiful Islam sought vote for BNP after the Eid congregation at Pirganj Eidgah while AL MP Ahasanul Hoque Chowdhury of Rangpur-2 sought vote for Boat in next polls. Boat is the electoral symbol of the AL.

Our Sylhet correspondent added that Khandakar Abdul Muktadir, adviser to the BNP chairperson, carried out a month-long campaign in Sylhet-1 constituency and expressed his desire to run in the next polls.

Finance Minister AMA Muhith is the incumbent MP of Sylhet-1.

Abdul Momen, younger brother of Muhith, Shahed Muhith, son of Muhith, and AL Organising Secretary Misbah Uddin Seraj also campaigned in the same constituency.

For the last few months, AL leaders Ashim Kumar Ukil, Reazul Kabir Kawsar, Badiuzzaman Bhuiyan Dablu, Afzal Hossain and Misbah Uddin Seraj have been staying mostly in their areas to campaign, sources said.