Kolkata, Feb. 12 -- Sitting in the reception area of a guest house at Mukundapur in east Kolkata, 39-year-old Partha Pratim Mukherjee was busy scrolling his mobile phone, looking for the latest developments in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh is gearing up for general elections on Thursday. This is the first parliamentary election in the country after around 18 months of political unrest following the exit of then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024.

"I may not be present there as I have come to Kolkata for my treatment, but I try to keep abreast of the developments. The Awami League may have been banned from the polls but there is no doubt that its voters will be the deciding factor this election," said Mukherjee.

A garment-merchant in ...