Sumon Corraya

The ruling coalition takes 276 seats out of 300. Outside the capital, clashes leave 18 people dead. The opposition calls the election a “farce’, demands for a new poll. Bangladesh’s only Catholic lawmaker, Jowel Areng, is re-elected.

The election is set for next Sunday. The two main camps want to boost democracy, the balance of powers and fight corruption. Jesus “taught us love for [other] human beings.”

Thousands came from India in search of work in the 1950s. The first generations worked as street cleaners or tea pickers. Today their youth are studying and looking for better jobs. Landless, the community lives in slums.

Voting will take place on 30 December. Hundreds of protesters from both sides have been hurt; at least a thousand opposition sympathisers have been arrested. Opinion polls give the ruling party a 66 per cent lead. Soldiers will be deployed at polling station as of 24 December.

This year’s surplus comes to seven million tonnes. Researchers developed 94 new varieties. To increase output, farmers received 120 tonnes of seeds.

The Caritas Internationalis president heard the stories of refugees who fled from Myanmar. Refugees do not want to return, as long as Myanmar does not guarantee them safe repatriation. Card Tagle told Caritas workers that through them the Rohingya see the “face of Jesus Christ".

The country has no Catholic museum. The first exhibit, which shows the objects used by the pope, will keep the memory of last year's pastoral journey alive.

The Italian missionary founded an association "to serve street children" in Bangladesh with some 50 volunteers from different religious and social background. Thanks to his work, abandoned children can “dream again”.

Eight members of the religious minority to run in the vote, scheduled for December 30, 2018. Christians demonstrate a renewed interest in political issues. The Catholic Church encourages lay people to participate actively "to affirm Christian values".

The last two cases of sexual violence in Mymensingh and Rajshahi. Women of the religious minority often do not have the courage to report. Activist: "Christians appear weak and easy targets for persecution".

More than 104 million voters will go to the polls on 23 December. The election period is usually marked by protests and unrest. During the Christmas period, Christians are very busy: they return to their villages of origin, visit relatives and friends.

The premier states that in the country "there is no place for Islamic militancy, terrorism and corruption". The government recognizes the educational qualifications achieved in the madrassas on a par with those of public schools.