Sheikh Hasina registers landslide win in Bangladesh polls, opposition cries foul

Agencies
December 31, 2018

Dhaka, Dec 31: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina cruised to victory for a third consecutive term in Bangladesh's general election on Sunday, following a tense vote that saw at least 17 people killed in poll-related violence and demands of a fresh election by the opposition, according to media reports.

According to media reports, the ruling Awami League-led coalition won over 260 seats in the 300-member House.

Private DBC TV aired results of 299 seats out of 300. The ruling Awami League-led grand alliance bagged 266 seats and its ally Jatiya Party secured 21, while the opposition National Unity Front (UNF) with BNP being its key partner got only seven seats, according to the channel.

Independent candidates won in two seats, according to the local media. The election was postponed in one seat due to the natural death of a candidate.

The Election Commission confirmed the complete result of the constituency in southwestern Gopalganj from where Hasina won bagging 2,29,539 votes, while her BNP opponent got only 123 votes.

Bangladesh's opposition NUF alliance, with BNP as its key partner, rejected the outcome of the general election and demanded fresh polls under a neutral caretaker government.

The National Unity Front (NUF) is a coalition of parties, including BNP, Gono Forum, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-JSD, Nagorik Oikya and Krishak Sramik Janata League.

"We reject the results and demand a new election under a neutral government," NUF convenor and veteran lawyer Kamal Hossain, who heads the Gono Forum party, told reporters after early results suggested a win for AL-led Grand Alliance.

"We ask that you cancel this election right away," Hossain urged the Election Commission, claiming, "we have reports that fraudulence took place in almost all centres".

BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, who steered the party in Zia's absence and won from his northeastern constituency, described the polls as a "cruel farce".

While Hasina is seeking re-election for a fourth term as the prime minister, her chief rival Zia, who is reportedly partially paralysed, faces an uncertain future in a Dhaka jail.

The voting started at 8 AM and ended at 4 PM. The results are expected by Monday morning which would be announced by the commission headquarters in the capital, the EC said.

EC officials said they have received over a hundred complaints from candidates throughout the country amid reports of violence.

At least 17 people, including a member of a security agency, have been killed in eight districts, and several others were injured in poll-related violence, the Daily Star newspaper reported. The build-up to the election has already been marred by violence.

Reports said most of the dead were ruling party activists, while others were workers of opposition BNP or its allies.

Over 600,000 security personnel including several thousand soldiers and paramilitary border guards were deployed across the nation for the election in which 10.41 crore people were eligible to vote.

"Barring some unwanted incidents, the polling so far was smooth and peaceful," Chief Election Commissioner Nurul Huda said.

Citing security reasons, authorities temporarily blocked mobile data services and slowed down the internet.

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News Network
December 19,2025

Mangaluru: The Mangaluru CEN police have arrested a 23-year-old man for allegedly posting provocative and misleading content on an Instagram page named “mr_a_titude”, targeting the Bajpe police.

Mangaluru Commissioner of Police Sudheer Kumar Reddy C H identified the arrested as Abhishek M, a resident of Katipalla in Mangaluru.

A case has been registered at the Bajpe Police Station under Sections 353(1)(c), 353(2), 56, and 57 read with Section 189 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) in connection with the post.

According to police, the accused uploaded a photograph of a hotel on the Instagram page and alleged that accused persons in a murder case under the Bajpe police jurisdiction were being given “royal treatment” by the police, including being served beef meals daily from the hotel.

The post further accused the police of supporting criminals, misusing their authority, and betraying public trust. Police said the content was provocative in nature and aimed at inciting public outrage against the police.

Following the post, a case was registered at the Bajpe police station, and further investigation was transferred to the CEN police station.

Police records indicate that the accused has a criminal history, with multiple cases registered against him, including murder, attempt to murder, assault, and robbery at the Surathkal Police Station, and one case at the Kaup Police Station.

The Commissioner said the accused was traced and arrested using technical evidence.

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News Network
December 19,2025

Mangaluru: Public transport in Mangaluru is set for a state-led transformation as the government moves to deploy 100 new electric govt buses to replace unreliable private services. The initiative aims to provide a dependable alternative to private operators who have been frequently "cutting trips," leaving thousands of commuters stranded.

The announcement was made by Deputy Commissioner and MCC Administrator Darshan HV during a public phone-in session. The move specifically targets routes where private bus service has become erratic, ensuring that citizens no longer have to rely on a fluctuating private sector for their daily commute.

Restoring the Govt Presence

The transport crisis was brought to the forefront by Ramayya, a resident of Bajal, who highlighted a growing trend of private buses skipping morning and night trips. With the previous KSRTC (govt) services discontinued, residents have been left without a fallback option.

To fix this, the DC confirmed that the PM-eBus Sewa Scheme will bring 100 government-owned electric buses to the city:

•    Phased Deployment: The first 50 of the new 100 government buses are scheduled to arrive by March 2026.

•    State Infrastructure: Two new government depots, including one at Mudipu, are being prepared for operations.

•    Recruitment: The state has already begun training a new batch of government bus drivers to ensure the fleet is operational the moment it arrives.

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News Network
December 7,2025

SHRIMP.jpg

Mangaluru, Dec 7: A rare bamboo shrimp has been rediscovered on mainland India more than 70 years after it was last reported, confirming for the first time the presence of Atyopsis spinipes in the country. The find was made by researchers from the Centre for Climate Change Studies at Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, during surveys in Karnataka and Odisha.

The team — shrimp expert Dr S Prakash, PhD scholar K Kunjulakshmi, and Mangaluru-based researcher Maclean Antony Santos — combined field surveys, ecological assessments and DNA analysis to identify the elusive species. Their findings, published in Zootaxa, resolve decades of taxonomic confusion stemming from a 1951 report that misidentified the species as Atyopsis moluccensis without strong evidence.

The shrimp has now been confirmed at two locations: the Mulki–Pavanje estuary near Mangaluru and the Kuakhai River in Bhubaneswar. Historical specimens from the Andaman Islands, previously labelled as A. moluccensis, were also found to be misidentified and actually belong to A. spinipes.

The rediscovery began after an aquarium hobbyist in Odisha spotted a shrimp in 2022, prompting systematic surveys across Udupi, Karwar and Mangaluru. Four female specimens were collected in Mulki and one in Odisha, all genetically matching.

Researchers warn the species may exist in very small, vulnerable populations as freshwater habitats face increasing pressure from pollution, sand mining and infrastructure development. All verified specimens have been deposited with the Zoological Survey of India for future reference.

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