The Awami League and Jatiya Oikyafront will formally start their electioneering today, with top leaders of both the sides attending the campaigns. 

Leaders of other political parties, including the main opposition Jatiya Party, will also launch their election campaigns today.

AL President Sheikh Hasina will kick off her party's polls campaign from Gopalganj.

She will first pay homage to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at his mausoleum in Gopalganj's Tungipara, AL Joint Secretary Abdur Rahman told a press conference at the AL chief's Dhanmondi office yesterday. 

He added that Hasina would place a wreath at the grave of Bangabandhu and join a munajat and offer fateha.

At 8:00am today, she will leave Dhaka for Gopalganj by road from the Gono Bhaban, Rahman said. 

She will address a rally at Sheikh Lutfar Rahman Government Degree College ground in Kotalipara around 3:00pm, said an AL press release.

The prime minister will stay overnight at her ancestral home in Tungipara, the release added. 

On her way back to Dhaka, Hasina will speak at roadside rallies at seven places -- Bhanga intersection in Faridpur, Faridpur intersection, Rajbari intersection, Paturia ghat in Manikganj, Manikganj bus stand, Rabeya Medical College and Hospital premises in Dhamrai and Savar bus stand, Rahman told the briefing. 

AL sources said Hasina would not enjoy government privileges during the campaign.

After spending a couple of days in the capital for the Victory Day celebration and unveiling the party's election manifesto, Hasina may visit Sylhet to offer prayers at the shrines of Hazrat Shahjalal (RA) and Hazrat Shah Paran (RA).

The party is scheduled to announce the manifesto on December 18, PM's Political Affairs Adviser HT Imam told reporters at a city hotel on Monday night.

For Oikyafront, an alliance of BNP and several other political parties, a delegation led by Dr Kamal Hossain will begin its polls campaign from Sylhet today after offering prayers at the shrines of Hazrat Shahjalal (RA) and Hazrat Shah Paran (RA).

The team, comprising of Kader Siddique, Nazrul Islam, Mahmudur Rahman Manna and Zafrullah Chowdhury, will go to Sylhet by air in the afternoon, said Syrul Kabir Khan, a staffer of BNP chairperson's media wing.

The BNP, a major component in the Oikyafront, for the first time starts its electioneering without party chief Khaleda Zia, who used to kick off her party's election campaign after offering munajat at the two shrines in Sylhet. 

Talking to our Sylhet correspondent yesterday, Ali Ahmed, district coordinator of Oikyafront, said Dr Kamal and other alliance leaders are slated to address a roadside rally near the shrine of Hazrat Shahjalal (RA) in Sylhet-1 constituency.

They will also speak at two other roadside rallies each in Sylhet-3 and Sylhet-4 constituencies, added Ali, also general secretary of Sylhet district unit BNP. 

After staying overnight in Sylhet, the Oikyafront leaders will return to Dhaka on Thursday.

In JP Chairman HM Ershad's absence, his Special Assistant Ruhul Amin Hawlader will start the party's election campaign from the capital's Korail Bosti (slum) in favour of Ershad, who is contesting in Dhaka-17, the party said in a Facebook post.

Workers Party of Bangladesh chief Rashed Khan Menon, who is contesting in Dhaka-8, will hold a view exchange meeting at the city's Abu Jar Gifari College in Malibagh today.

He will also inaugurate his election office in Kakrail, party sources said.