1,841 candidates to contest in upcoming Bangladeshi general election

DHAKA, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) — The Election Commission of Bangladesh on Monday revealed that as many as 1,841 candidates would contest in the country’s upcoming general election for 300 constituencies.
According to the commission, out of total contesting candidates in the 11th national elections slated for Dec. 30, 1,745 are party candidates while 96 are independent candidates.
The commission revealed this Monday as electoral symbols were allocated among candidates. It also opened the field for candidates for election campaigning from Monday.
In the upcoming elections, the ruling Bangladesh Awami League (AL) party of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, which rose to power with a landslide election victory in early 2009 and won its second term in 2014, is facing challenges from ex-Prime Minister Khaleda Zia’s BNP (Bangladesh Nationalist Party) and its allies, which boycotted the 2014 elections.  Enditem