Dhaka, Jan. 23 -- The final phase of campaigning for the general election have begun in earnest with a sharp exchange of accusations, as the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Jamaat-e-Islami and the National Citizen Party (NCP) took centre stage in a contest marked more by rhetoric than restraint.

Candidates and activists fanned out across constituencies on Thursday, a day after election symbols were formally allocated, launching the last leg of the campaign with pledges, counter-claims and rival narratives aimed at winning over undecided voters.

BNP sought to unsettle its opponents through a barrage of allegations, prompting swift counter-attacks from Jamaat and the NCP, who accused the party of distortion and political opportunism....