The Election Commission (EC) has fixed the maximum campaign expenditure for candidates in the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election at between 2.5 million and 8 million taka, depending on the number of voters in each constituency. According to EC officials, constituency-based voter lists have already been prepared, and candidates collected CDs of these lists when submitting nomination papers. Spending must remain within the legal limits based on these lists, and violations could result in up to seven years of imprisonment and fines.

Under Article 44(b), clause 3 of the Representation of the People Order, a candidate’s total election expenditure, including that of the nominating political party, cannot exceed 10 taka per voter or 2.5 million taka, whichever is higher. The highest voter count is in Gazipur-2 constituency, where 804,333 voters allow a spending limit of 8,043,330 taka. Dhaka-19 follows with 747,070 voters and a limit of 7,470,700 taka, while Gazipur-1 and Noakhali-4 have limits of 7,209,390 and 7,003,390 taka respectively.

The EC emphasized that all candidates must adhere strictly to these expenditure ceilings during the election period.

Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López has condemned the US-led operation that captured President Nicolás Maduro, calling it a “cowardly abduction.” López said several of Maduro’s bodyguards were killed “in cold blood,” along with Venezuelan soldiers and civilians. The operation reportedly took place late Friday night in Caracas and surrounding areas, during which US forces detained Maduro and his wife. According to the report, Maduro is being held in a New York prison and is scheduled to appear in court Monday on charges of drug trafficking and illegal possession of weapons.

In a televised statement on Sunday, López expressed support for the Supreme Court’s decision to appoint Vice President Delcy Rodríguez as acting president. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump warned that Rodríguez would face serious consequences if she refused to cooperate with the United States.

The developments mark a sharp escalation in tensions between Venezuela and the United States, with leadership transition and legal proceedings now unfolding under intense international scrutiny.

Venezuelan interim president Delcy Rodríguez has formed a special commission to secure the release of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. The announcement was made on Sunday following Maduro’s ouster after a U.S. military operation in Caracas, according to AFP. The interim government initiated the move soon after the operation.

Rodríguez appointed her brother and National Assembly president Jorge Rodríguez, along with Foreign Minister Iván Gil, as vice presidents of the commission. Information Minister Freddy Ñáñez was also named as a member. The commission’s formation marks the interim government’s first formal step toward negotiating Maduro’s release.

Maduro, accused of drug trafficking and terrorism, was detained last Saturday in a New York prison. Authorities stated that he is scheduled to appear in court on Monday.

A Dhaka court has ordered the seizure of three cars worth Tk 4.62 crore and 17 bighas of land valued at Tk 1.63 crore belonging to former law minister Anisul Haque, who served under the deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The order was issued on Monday by Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge Md Sabbir Foyez, according to court bench assistant Md Riaz Hossain.

The Anti-Corruption Commission’s Deputy Director Jahangir Alam had sought the seizure, alleging that Haque acquired assets worth Tk 146.19 crore between January 12, 2014, and December 16, 2024, inconsistent with his known income. The petition also cited suspicious transactions involving deposits of Tk 349.15 crore and withdrawals of Tk 316.48 crore across 29 bank accounts, allegedly linked to money laundering and concealment of illicit wealth.

The court ruled that the seizure was necessary to ensure a fair investigation, noting that failure to do so could lead to the sale or transfer of the assets, making future confiscation by the state impossible and causing irreparable loss.

More than one hundred leaders and activists from the banned Awami League and its affiliated organizations have joined the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in Saidpur, Nilphamari. The formal joining took place on Sunday night at a meeting in Kamarpukur Union, attended by Abdul Gafur Sarkar, president of the Saidpur organizational district BNP and parliamentary candidate for Nilphamari-4. Local observers view the mass defection as a sign of significant change in the region’s political landscape.

BNP leaders said the inclusion of a large number of former Awami League members would strengthen the party’s organizational base and benefit it ahead of the upcoming national election. Abdul Gafur Sarkar stated that people were turning to the BNP due to repression, loss of voting rights, and anti-democratic actions by the banned Awami League government. He added that the exact number of new members would be confirmed after receiving the final list.

The development has sparked widespread discussion in Saidpur and surrounding areas, with local observers suggesting it could reshape future political alignments in the district.

At a press conference held at the National Press Club on Monday, Professor Dr. Mohammad Shariful Alam, member secretary of the Retired BCS Officers Forum, questioned the neutrality of several returning officers involved in candidate selection for the upcoming 13th parliamentary election. Representing the forum, the former secretary presented an eight-point demand to the Election Commission, emphasizing the need for impartial conduct by officials to ensure a fair and credible election scheduled for February 12.

The forum’s demands included immediate removal of any election officials whose neutrality has been questioned, strict enforcement of electoral laws, installation of CCTV cameras at all polling centers, and issuance of clear guidelines to ensure impartiality. They also called for prompt investigation and suspension of any accused officials, establishment of complaint boxes at key administrative offices, and post-election transfers of district and police officials through a lottery system. Additionally, the forum urged the government to declare that advisers and contract-based top officials would not be part of the next administration.

Dr. Alam stated that after three failed and fraudulent elections, the upcoming vote is crucial for democratic progress and political stability in the country.

Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir’s Dhaka University branch has completed its leadership selection for the 2026 session. In a direct vote by branch members, Muha. Mohiuddin Khan was elected as president. Ashiqur Rahman was nominated as secretary, and Mu. Sajjad Hossain Khan as organizational secretary. The election and nominations were finalized during a members’ assembly held Monday morning at Shaheed Mahbubur Rahman Auditorium.

The event was conducted by Central HRM Secretary Saidul Islam, with Central President Nurul Islam attending as chief guest and Central Publication Secretary Sadiq Kayem as special guest. Voting took place using ballot papers signed by the central president. After counting, Nurul Islam announced Mohiuddin Khan as the president-elect and administered his oath.

Following consultations with members, the newly elected president nominated Ashiqur Rahman and Mu. Sajjad Hossain Khan to their respective posts. The assembly concluded with prayers and supplications.

Arifur Rahman Dolon, a central vice president of Krishak League and member of the banned Awami League’s Faridpur district unit, has submitted nomination papers as an independent candidate for the Faridpur-1 constituency, covering Madhukhali, Boalmari, and Alfadanga. Dolon, previously a dummy candidate in the 2024 parliamentary election after being denied the party’s boat symbol, filed his papers through his wife ahead of the upcoming thirteenth national polls.

Local residents said Dolon, who faces multiple cases including murder, money laundering, and corruption, continues political activities openly despite no record of bail in some cases. He is listed as the 14th accused in a case filed over the July uprising killings, while other accused leaders remain fugitives. Dolon, a relative of former minister Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, was earlier jailed in a 2,000-crore taka money laundering case but later released on bail.

Protesters under the banner of the anti-discrimination movement recently demanded Dolon’s arrest, accusing authorities of rehabilitating banned Awami League figures by allowing them to contest elections.

Around 2,000 supporters of Venezuela’s ousted president Nicolás Maduro demonstrated in Caracas on Sunday, calling for his release from a New York prison where he and his wife are being held by U.S. forces. The protesters, waving Venezuela’s red, blue, and yellow national flags, were joined by pro-Maduro paramilitary members and motorcyclists. One placard read “Free our president,” while another declared “Venezuela is not anyone’s colony,” referencing U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent statement that Washington would “administer” Venezuela for an unspecified interim period.

Maduro is scheduled to appear in a New York court on Monday to face U.S. charges of “narco-terrorism” linked to alleged cocaine trafficking. Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López said a large part of Maduro’s security team had been “cold-bloodedly killed,” along with military personnel and civilians, though he did not specify numbers. A group of doctors told AFP that about 70 people were killed and 90 injured during the unrest.

The protests underscore deep divisions in Venezuela following Maduro’s ouster and detention, as his supporters continue to challenge U.S. actions and interim control claims.

Members of the central executive committee of Jamaat-e-Islami convened a meeting on Monday morning to review the country’s current situation and make organizational decisions. The meeting began at 10 a.m. at the party’s central office in Moghbazar, Dhaka, under the chairmanship of party Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman.

Senior leaders including Nayeb-e-Ameer Professor Mujibur Rahman, Dr. Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher, ATM Azharul Islam, and Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar were present at the session. The gathering focused on assessing ongoing national developments and determining the party’s next steps in response to the prevailing circumstances.

No further details about the specific agenda or outcomes of the meeting were disclosed in the report.

Nicolas Maduro Guerra, son of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, has called on citizens to take to the streets against what he described as US aggression. In an audio message shared on social media, he vowed that the anti-imperialist socialist movement founded by former leader Hugo Chávez would endure. Addressing former US President Donald Trump, Guerra said Venezuelans would soon be seen marching with their national flag raised in defense of their dignity.

The call came after a US operation late Saturday reportedly captured President Maduro and took him to New York, where he and his wife, Cilia Flores, are being held in prison. Maduro is expected to appear in court on Monday. Speculation has emerged that someone from his inner circle assisted the US, a claim Guerra echoed by saying history would reveal the traitors. On Sunday, some Maduro supporters were seen protesting in Caracas, waving flags and carrying posters of the ousted leader.

US authorities have also accused Maduro Guerra of drug trafficking, though he has not been detained.

Anti-government protests in Iran have entered their second week, with at least 12 people, including security personnel, reported dead since the unrest began on December 28 in Tehran following a shopkeepers’ strike. Human rights groups and local media said fresh deadly clashes erupted between protesters and security forces across Tehran, Shiraz, and western provinces. Demonstrators reportedly chanted slogans against the country’s religious leadership.

The protests are described as the largest since the 2022–2023 movement sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody. Although the current unrest remains concentrated in Kurdish and Lur-populated western regions, it poses a new challenge to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has ruled since 1989. The situation is further complicated by recent conflict with Israel that damaged nuclear facilities and killed key security officials. In response to economic pressure, the government announced a monthly cash allowance of about seven dollars per citizen for four months.

U.S. President Donald Trump warned that if more protesters are killed, the United States would respond “very harshly.” Human rights groups reported multiple deaths and injuries in western Iran, while Iranian media confirmed casualties among both protesters and security forces.

US President Donald Trump has issued a stern warning to Venezuela’s new interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, saying she would face severe consequences if she fails to cooperate with the United States. In an interview with The Atlantic published on Sunday, Trump stated that Rodríguez’s fate could be worse than that of Nicolás Maduro if she does not act correctly. He argued in favor of regime change in Venezuela, claiming that nothing could be worse than Maduro’s government.

Meanwhile, detained Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro is scheduled to appear before a New York court on Monday to face charges of drug trafficking and weapons offenses, which he has denied. The United States reportedly carried out an airstrike in Caracas on Saturday, capturing Maduro and his wife, though Secretary of State Marco Rubio insisted the US is not at war with Venezuela.

Trump also issued a public warning to Colombian President Gustavo Petro following Maduro’s arrest and expressed concern about Cuba’s political and economic situation, hinting at possible military action against Colombia during a conversation with reporters aboard Air Force One.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) A M M Nasir Uddin stated that the environment is favorable and, with everyone’s cooperation, a free and fair election can be held. He made the remarks on Monday, January 5, while visiting the appeal booths at the Election Commission building in Agargaon, Dhaka.

According to the Election Commission, appeals against the acceptance or rejection of nomination papers by returning officers for the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election can be filed from January 5 to January 9 at 5 p.m. Aggrieved candidates, banks, financial institutions, government service providers, or authorized representatives may submit appeals in writing during this period.

To facilitate the process, a central appeal center has been set up at the Election Commission building in Agargaon, with ten region-based booths established for receiving appeals.

Former US President Donald Trump repeatedly praised Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, calling him his “favorite field marshal” and a “great warrior.” Speaking at Mar-a-Lago in December 2025, Trump claimed credit for preventing a potential nuclear war between India and Pakistan and said Munir and Pakistan’s prime minister credited him with saving millions of lives. Trump’s remarks followed his mediation claims in the May 2025 India-Pakistan conflict, which ended after four days of fighting through US-backed diplomacy.

Analysts cited in the report said Munir played a key role in revitalizing Pakistan’s diplomacy and improving relations with Washington, which had deteriorated in previous years. The brief India-Pakistan conflict and subsequent ceasefire were seen as turning points that elevated Munir’s international stature. Former defense minister Khurram Dastgir Khan and ex-foreign secretary Salman Bashir both described the episode as decisive for Pakistan’s geopolitical resurgence.

Munir’s growing influence has coincided with Pakistan’s broader outreach to Middle Eastern and Central Asian countries, as well as renewed engagement with the United States on security and economic issues.