The Election Commission (EC) has instructed all political parties and independent candidates contesting the upcoming national parliamentary election not to exceed the prescribed size of election symbols during campaign activities. The directive, issued through the EC’s verified Facebook page on Sunday, limits the length, width, and height of campaign symbols to a maximum of three meters. The EC also prohibited the use or display of live animals as election symbols, emphasizing that such practices are completely forbidden.

According to the election schedule, the scrutiny of nomination papers concluded on Sunday. Appeals against returning officers’ decisions can be filed from January 5 to 9, with resolution scheduled between January 10 and 18. The deadline for withdrawal of candidacy is January 20, and final candidate lists with symbol allocations will be published on January 21. Campaigning will begin on January 22 and continue until 7:30 a.m. on February 10, while voting is set for February 12.

The EC’s directive aims to ensure uniformity and discipline in campaign displays ahead of the national election.

Top business leaders of Bangladesh held a meeting with BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman on Sunday at the party chairperson’s political office in Gulshan, Dhaka. The meeting brought together prominent figures from major trade and business organizations across the country.

Among those present were former FBCCI president Mir Nasir Hossain, BCI president Anwar-ul Alam Chowdhury, BKMEA president Mohammad Hatem, former BTMA president Matin Chowdhury, and MCCI president Kamran T Rahman. Also attending were BSMA president Moinul Islam Swapon, BAB president Abdul Hai Sarkar, Transcom Group and ICC Bangladesh CEO Simeen Rahman, and Uttara Motors Corporation Limited chairman Matiur Rahman, along with heads of other leading business groups.

The report did not specify the agenda or outcomes of the meeting, focusing solely on the participants and venue details.

In Kurigram-3 (Ulipur) constituency, the nomination paper of Jamaat-e-Islami candidate Barrister Mahbubul Alam Salehi was canceled on Sunday by District Returning Officer and Deputy Commissioner Annapurna Debnath. The decision followed earlier suspension of his nomination over dual citizenship allegations. Salehi appeared at the returning officer’s office within the given deadline with required documents, but officials reportedly declared the nomination invalid without reviewing them, prompting protests from his supporters.

Witnesses said the cancellation announcement was made hastily, ignoring requests to verify the submitted papers. Around 200 to 250 Jamaat activists demonstrated outside the district administration office following the decision. Salehi told reporters that he was denied a fair opportunity to present his documents and alleged that the move might be politically motivated. Local lawyer Khaja Moin Uddin and Kurigram Press Club’s general secretary Mahfuzur Rahman also criticized the process.

Assistant Commissioner Abu Bakkar Siddique, acting officer of the district returning office, stated that inconsistencies in the submitted nomination led to its rejection, adding that the candidate could appeal within the legally prescribed timeframe.

Mahdi Amin has been appointed as the spokesperson for the Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s (BNP) central election management committee. The announcement was made on Sunday in Dhaka’s Gulshan area following a committee meeting chaired by Nazrul Islam Khan, who stated that Amin will now conduct regular briefings on behalf of the committee. Mahdi Amin also serves as an adviser to the party’s acting chairman, Tarique Rahman.

Earlier, the first meeting of the committee on managing the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election was held at the BNP’s election office on Gulshan 90 Road. The committee, formed last Thursday night, consists of 41 members. Nazrul Islam Khan, a member of the BNP Standing Committee, was appointed chairman, while Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi was named member secretary. Md. Ismail Jabirullah was assigned as the chief coordinator.

The formation of the committee marks a key organizational step for the BNP as it prepares for the upcoming parliamentary election, with Mahdi Amin now responsible for communicating the committee’s activities to the public.

The International Crimes Tribunal-1 has rejected a defense request to have foreign experts examine a phone conversation between former law minister Anisul Huq and former prime minister’s adviser on industry and investment Salman F Rahman. The call record was presented by the prosecution in a case alleging that the two incited violence and imposed a curfew to kill students and civilians during the July uprising. The three-member panel, led by Justice Md Golam Murtuza Majumdar, issued the order on Sunday and scheduled the next hearing on the defendants’ discharge petition for Tuesday.

During the hearing, defense lawyers argued that foreign specialists should verify the authenticity of the call recordings to ensure fairness. The tribunal chairman ruled that the law does not permit such examination and dismissed the request. The court also discussed a pending application to appoint foreign lawyers, instructing the defense to first obtain approval from the Bar Council.

Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam opposed further delays, accusing the defense of prolonging proceedings. The tribunal granted the defense two final days to prepare, setting January 6 for the next hearing.

Members of Bangladesh’s Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances have concluded that most abductions were politically motivated. The commission submitted its final report to Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on Sunday at the state guesthouse Jamuna. The report stated that 1,913 complaints were received, of which 1,569 met the definition of enforced disappearance, including 287 categorized as “missing and dead.” The commission found evidence linking former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, her defense adviser Tariq Ahmed Siddiq, and former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan to several high-profile disappearance cases.

Commission member Nabila Idris said the total number of victims could range between 4,000 and 6,000, as many cases remain unreported. The report noted that 75 percent of those who returned alive were Jamaat-e-Islami activists, while 68 percent of those still missing were affiliated with the BNP. The commission also identified the Baleshwar River in Barishal as a major site for killings and body disposals.

Chief Adviser Yunus praised the commission’s work, calling it historic and urging that the findings be made accessible to the public. He directed further mapping of extrajudicial killing sites and recommended institutional reforms to prevent future abuses.

Venezuela’s interim president Delcy Rodríguez, known as a close ally of Nicolás Maduro, has been sworn in by the country’s Supreme Court after the United States removed Maduro from power. The court itself remains loyal to Maduro’s political movement, and his supporters continue to occupy key positions in the state apparatus. Despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s earlier claim that the United States would run Venezuela, the report notes that Maduro’s allies still hold real control over the government.

Rodríguez has stated that Venezuela will defend itself, while Trump has expressed hope that she will cooperate with Washington, particularly regarding expanded U.S. access to Venezuela’s oil resources. Although U.S. troops are not currently present in Venezuela, Trump has not ruled out that possibility. The depiction of Maduro’s detention by the United States serves as a warning to his remaining loyalists.

The report adds that while Maduro’s allies remain in office on paper, their actual ability to resist U.S. pressure is uncertain, leaving questions about the country’s true sovereignty.

Election Commissioner Brigadier General (Retd.) Abul Fazl Mohammad stated that no indirect or covert instructions for malpractice have been or will be given in the election process. Speaking on Sunday, January 4, 2026, at a meeting in Ukhiya Upazila Parishad auditorium, Cox’s Bazar, he urged election officials to remain neutral, fearless, and law-abiding in performing their duties. He emphasized that the commission’s directives are based on transparency, impartiality, and firmness.

He described the upcoming election as an opportunity to restore the image of political institutions, the Election Commission, administration, and police. Warning officials to stay alert against individuals posing as friends with malicious intent, he cited the killing of Osman Hadi as a cautionary example. He also noted that political parties are largely following the code of conduct better than in previous elections, with no major incidents except the one in Dhaka.

The commissioner instructed strict measures to prevent Rohingyas from leaving camps during the election and announced that joint forces will soon launch operations to recover illegal weapons and curb terrorism. He also called on political parties to promote awareness about the referendum among voters.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has called President Donald Trump to protest the U.S. operation in Venezuela that led to the detention of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. Speaking at a press conference in New York, Mamdani said he strongly opposes any attempt to change another country’s government. He confirmed that he personally spoke with Trump to express his objection to the operation.

Mamdani stated that his opposition is rooted in what he described as an effort to impose regime change, which he believes violates both federal and international law. Earlier, in a post on social media platform X, he said that a unilateral attack on a sovereign nation amounts to an act of war and breaches international norms. He also noted that such actions affect not only people abroad but also New Yorkers, including thousands of Venezuelan immigrants living in the city.

According to the report, Maduro and his wife were brought to New York after being detained in Venezuela and were later sent to a detention facility in Brooklyn following legal procedures.

The United States has captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores following months of surveillance and secret drills, culminating in a sudden nighttime operation. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed the detention in an interview with CBS News, describing it as a law enforcement mission. He stated that the US Congress would be kept informed and emphasized that the future course of Venezuela would be determined by its own people.

Hegseth said the operation also considered America’s security, prosperity, and oil interests. He praised former President Donald Trump for making what he called the right decision and added that peace in a dangerous world requires strength. The defense secretary expressed confidence that both the United States and the Venezuelan people could ultimately benefit from the outcome.

The remarks suggest that Washington views the operation as both a strategic and economic move, with future developments in Venezuela expected to depend on internal decisions by its citizens.

The nomination verification process for the Feni-1 constituency, covering Fulgazi, Parshuram, and Chhagalnaiya, was completed under the supervision of District Returning Officer and Deputy Commissioner Monira Haque on Sunday, December 4. Among ten parliamentary candidates, the nomination of recently deceased BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia was suspended. Three other candidates were disqualified for failing to meet documentation and procedural requirements.

According to the district returning officer, Mohammad Nazmul Alam of Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis was disqualified for not submitting an income tax copy, Md. Firoz Uddin Chowdhury of Bangladesh Congress for not paying land development tax, and independent candidate Nizam Uddin Bhuiyan for lacking one percent of required signatures. Six other candidates were declared valid, including Rafiqul Alam Majnu of BNP (Dhaka South), S.M. Kamal Uddin of Jamaat-e-Islami, Kazi Golam Kibria of Islami Andolon Bangladesh, Mahbub Morshed Majumdar of Bangladesh Muslim League, Anwar Ullah Bhuiya of Bangladesh Khelafat Andolon, and Motair Hossain Chowdhury of Jatiya Party.

The verification concluded with one nomination suspended, three canceled, and six declared valid for the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election.

China has issued a strong reaction following the detention of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife by US forces. According to a statement from Beijing’s Foreign Ministry, China called on the United States to immediately release the couple, ensure their personal safety, and resolve disputes through dialogue and negotiation. The statement was released after US forces conducted a midnight operation in Caracas, detaining Maduro and transferring him and his wife to the Brooklyn Detention Center in the United States.

Beijing’s statement described the US action as a blatant use of force against a sovereign state and expressed deep concern and condemnation. The Chinese government urged Washington to stop efforts aimed at undermining Venezuela’s governance system. In response to Maduro’s detention, Venezuela’s Supreme Court appointed Vice President Delcy Rodríguez as interim president to carry out executive duties.

The incident has intensified diplomatic tensions between China and the United States, with Beijing emphasizing respect for sovereignty and non-interference in internal affairs.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has stated that nearly 2,000 Indian nationals were pushed into Bangladesh over the past three months under a new deportation policy. The move follows rulings by Assam’s Foreigners Tribunals declaring individuals as illegal foreigners, after which they are expelled within seven days. The policy, implemented using a 1950 law, aims to prevent prolonged legal appeals. On December 31 alone, 18 people were reportedly sent across the border.

Currently, 100 Foreigners Tribunals are active in Assam to identify alleged foreigners. Critics claim many of these tribunals issue one-sided rulings, and while some individuals win appeals in the High Court, most cannot afford to challenge the verdicts and end up in detention camps. Reports suggest that some deportees have been returned by Bangladeshi border forces, while others have been jailed in Bangladesh.

Legal experts and human rights groups have questioned the legality of using the 1950 “Immigrants (Expulsion from Assam) Order,” arguing that it was created in a different historical context and is unconstitutional in today’s reality.

Information and Environment Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan stated that there is a suitable environment for elections in Bangladesh and that citizens have long been deprived of voting. Speaking at a media exchange at the Secretariat on Sunday morning, she said that those advocating for the banned Awami League to be allowed into elections are making irrelevant demands. She emphasized that the party cannot participate in elections or political activities until judicial proceedings against it are concluded.

Hasan also commented that Bangladeshi citizens have the right to express opinions about the Indian Premier League (IPL). She added that the government is considering halting IPL broadcasts based on legal grounds. Her remarks came in response to journalists’ questions during the event.

The adviser’s comments underline the government’s stance on maintaining legal restrictions on banned political entities while also reflecting sensitivity to public sentiment regarding foreign sports broadcasts.

Myanmar’s military junta has announced the release of more than 6,000 prisoners as part of a general amnesty marking the country’s Independence Day. According to a statement from the junta’s National Defense and Security Council, the acting president of the Union of the Republic of Myanmar granted pardons to 6,134 male and female inmates held in prisons, detention centers, and camps across the country.

The announcement, reported by AFP, follows a long-standing tradition in Myanmar where authorities issue general amnesties each year to commemorate Independence Day. The statement did not specify the identities or categories of those released, nor did it indicate whether any political detainees were included.

Such annual amnesties are a customary gesture by the authorities during national celebrations, reflecting a symbolic act of leniency tied to the country’s founding anniversary.