DHAKA: Bangladesh will hold a national election on Dec 23 despite bitter wrangling between the government and opposition, authorities announced on Thursday.

Chief Election Commissioner Nurul Huda said in a nationally broadcast speech that preparations have been made for “fair” polls.

The opposition has expressed fears that the election will not be democratic and has threatened protests.

Detained opposition leader Khaleda Zia was sent back to jail a few hours before the announcement, after a month of treatment in hospital.

Zia, 73, has virtually no time to appeal her sentence for corruption and will almost certainly be banned from contesting the election.

Published in Dawn, November 9th, 2018