Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus has extended New Year 2026 greetings to Bangladeshis at home and abroad, as well as to people around the world. In a message issued on Wednesday ahead of the English New Year, he wished happiness, peace, and prosperity for all, calling for strengthened bonds of harmony, friendship, and brotherhood in the coming year.

Yunus described the New Year as a time for new dreams, hopes, and possibilities, urging everyone to move forward with renewed inspiration and dedication to building a better future. Expressing optimism for a democratic Bangladesh, he called on citizens to unite in overcoming challenges and to work toward a just, equitable, and discrimination-free nation.

Referring to the post-July uprising context, Yunus said the coming year holds special significance for the nation. He noted that the journey toward democratic transition would reach fulfillment through a national election and a referendum on the July Charter Implementation Order, expressing hope that these steps would further strengthen Bangladesh’s democratic advancement.

Pakistan’s National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq met Bangladesh’s interim government Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus in Dhaka on Wednesday. The meeting took place at the state guesthouse Jamuna, according to information released by the Chief Adviser’s press wing.

Earlier, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq arrived in Dhaka to pay respects to former Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, who passed away early Tuesday. On the same day, Nepal’s Foreign Minister Bhol Nanda Sharma also met with Chief Adviser Yunus, as confirmed by the press wing.

Following Khaleda Zia’s death, Bangladesh declared three days of national mourning starting Wednesday, with a public holiday announced for the day of her funeral. She was buried with state honors after a large public funeral attended by many mourners.

Bobby Hajjaj, former chairman of the National Democratic Movement (NDM) and recently joined member of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), has submitted his election affidavit as the BNP-nominated candidate for Dhaka-13 constituency. According to the affidavit, he owns no land, house, or apartment. He declared cash holdings of Tk 15,693,872, 35 bhori of gold in his name, and 120 bhori of gold belonging to his wife. His wife also has Tk 1,450,845 in bank deposits and Tk 1.2 million in savings certificates.

The affidavit lists Hajjaj’s annual income as Tk 2,755,529 from his profession, Tk 89,895 from shares, and Tk 690,369 from a joint business. He has Tk 465,579 deposited in banks and no loans from any financial institution. Hajjaj holds an MBA degree, has no pending cases, and works as a teacher at a private university. He is also a director at Detco Private Company, managing director of Gnyani IT Limited, and managing partner of Veritas Academy.

The affidavit further identifies his mother as Taniz Fatema Chowdhury, with the family home located in Gulshan, Dhaka.

Gono Odhikar Parishad president and former DUCSU vice president Nurul Haque Nur has disclosed his income and assets in an affidavit submitted to the Election Commission ahead of Bangladesh’s 13th national parliamentary election. According to the affidavit, Nur, a businessman by profession, declared total assets valued at Tk 8,982,841, while his wife, teacher Maria Akter, holds assets worth Tk 1,266,818. Nur’s annual income amounts to Tk 2,040,048, including Tk 1,585,426 from business and Tk 454,622 from other sources. He possesses over Tk 2.8 million in cash and has mentioned bank deposits, shares, and inherited property.

The affidavit further states that Nur owns 82 decimals of agricultural land, while his wife owns three acres. He has liabilities amounting to Tk 388,160 but no bank loans. Six cases are currently pending against him, though he has been acquitted in eight previous ones. Both he and his wife regularly file income tax returns.

Nur is contesting from the Patuakhali-3 (Galachipa–Dashmina) constituency under the ‘Truck’ symbol. The BNP did not field a candidate there due to an alliance understanding. The Election Commission’s schedule sets voting for February 12, 2026.

India has expressed deep respect over the death of former Bangladesh Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia. On Wednesday, December 31, Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar handed over an official condolence message from the Government of India to BNP’s Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman at the National Parliament complex in Dhaka. The message described Khaleda Zia as a symbol of courage and struggle, honoring her steadfast commitment to Bangladesh’s independence and sovereignty.

Earlier in the day, Jaishankar arrived in Dhaka at 11:55 a.m. on a special Indian Air Force flight and was received at the Bashar Air Base by Foreign Ministry Secretary M. Forhad Hossain and Indian High Commissioner Pranab Verma. Following his meeting with Tarique Rahman, Jaishankar wrote on his verified Facebook page that Khaleda Zia’s ideals and values would continue to guide the partnership between the two nations. He also delivered a personal letter from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Tarique Rahman and conveyed condolences on behalf of the Indian government and people.

BNP later confirmed through its verified Facebook page that India had paid tribute to Khaleda Zia, describing her as the “Mother of Democracy” and a “symbol of courage and struggle.”

Tabligh Jamaat Bangladesh (Shura-e-Nizam) has decided not to hold any gathering at the Tongi Ijtema ground following a government directive. The Ministry of Home Affairs requested that no Khurujer Jor or other assemblies take place at the Turag River site before the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election. Media coordinator Habibullah Raihan announced that participants preparing for the January 2–4 Khurujer Jor have been instructed to begin their journeys from their respective districts instead of gathering in Tongi. The group has also started dismantling the structures built for the event under police observation.

Raihan explained that the decision aligns with the group’s respect for administrative instructions. He referenced past violent incidents involving the Sad faction, including attacks in 2018 and 2024 that left many injured and several dead, which he said discredited Tabligh’s work. According to him, those responsible have lost the moral right to organize events at the Ijtema ground.

The Home Ministry stated that the restriction aims to ensure a peaceful and uninterrupted election process. It confirmed that the World Ijtema will be held in Tongi after the national election concludes.

BNP Chairperson’s adviser and Chattogram-4 constituency candidate Lion Aslam Chowdhury has declared total assets worth about Tk 456.95 crore, combining movable and immovable properties. According to his nomination affidavit, his total liabilities stand at Tk 1,700 crore, the highest among candidates in Chattogram. Of this, Tk 354.41 crore is owed to five banks and other institutions, Tk 1,059 crore as guarantor, and Tk 285 crore as director of various companies. His liabilities are 24.25 times higher than his assets, though he stated that most of the debts arose from his roles as guarantor and director.

The affidavit also shows that Aslam Chowdhury holds Tk 11 crore in cash and faces 132 legal cases, including political and financial ones. His main source of income is business, generating Tk 48.37 lakh annually. His wife Jamila Nazneen Maula and daughter Meherin Anhar Uzma also reported significant assets and incomes. The document details his shares, bonds, firearms, and other possessions, with immovable assets valued at Tk 43.78 crore and movable assets at Tk 26.16 crore.

The disclosures highlight the financial scale and legal challenges surrounding the BNP candidate ahead of the upcoming election.

In Gabtali of Bogura, members of the Gabtali Business Unity Council closed their shops for three hours on Wednesday, December 31, to pray for the soul of former Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia. Following the closure, they gathered at the Pilot High School field to participate in a special absentee funeral prayer (gayebana janaza) held in her honor.

The event was attended by the council’s president Fazlul Bari Khokon, vice presidents Badsha Mia and Abdul Khalek Munnu, general secretary Arifur Rahman Zakir, joint general secretary Nurullah Akand, cashier Shahinur Alom, and publicity secretary Zahidul Islam. Local residents also joined the traders in expressing solidarity and took part in the prayer gathering.

The collective participation reflected local respect for Khaleda Zia’s political legacy and leadership, as traders and residents united in remembrance of the former prime minister.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami chief Dr. Shafiqur Rahman has confirmed that he met an Indian diplomat earlier this year, adding that the diplomat had asked him to keep the meeting confidential. The disclosure was reported by Reuters on December 31, 2025. The report stated that India has been expanding its outreach to political parties in Bangladesh that could form the next government after the upcoming national elections.

According to the report, while diplomats from other countries met Rahman publicly, the Indian official requested secrecy regarding their meeting. Dr. Rahman said that all parties should maintain openness and that improving relations between the two countries is essential. Reuters contacted India’s Ministry of External Affairs, which did not directly confirm the meeting, though a government source acknowledged that India is engaging with various Bangladeshi political groups.

When asked about Pakistan, Rahman said Jamaat seeks balanced relations with all nations. He also commented that no government would feel entirely comfortable with current President Md. Shahabuddin, who was elected unopposed in 2023 with Awami League support.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has accused Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of causing the death of its chairperson and former prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia by keeping her imprisoned in what it called a false case and denying her medical treatment. The allegation was made during Zia’s funeral, which the report described as drawing millions of people at Manik Mia Avenue and the South Plaza of the National Parliament in Dhaka. BNP Standing Committee member Nazrul Islam Khan read out Zia’s life story before the crowd and blamed Hasina for her suffering and death.

According to the BNP statement, Khaleda Zia had been imprisoned since February 8, 2018, and her health deteriorated due to lack of medical care. The party claimed that Hasina acted out of personal vengeance and that Zia’s death was the result of prolonged neglect. Nazrul Islam Khan also recounted Zia’s political career, her leadership against autocracy, and the hardships faced by her family under Hasina’s government.

The BNP called on the public to pray for Khaleda Zia’s soul and asserted that Hasina would never be absolved of responsibility for the opposition leader’s death.

BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman has declared that he owns no house or car, with total assets valued at Tk 1.96 crore. The information was disclosed in his affidavit submitted with nomination papers for the 13th National Parliamentary Election. He is contesting from Bogura-6 (Sadar) and Dhaka-17 (Gulshan-Banani-Baridhara-Cantonment) constituencies. His profession is listed as politics, and his highest educational qualification is higher secondary. He stated that he is a citizen only of Bangladesh.

According to the affidavit, Rahman has Tk 31.58 lakh in cash and his wife holds Tk 66.54 lakh. He has no foreign currency or bank deposits but owns company shares worth Tk 50 lakh and fixed deposits of Tk 90.24 lakh. He possesses gold and ornaments valued at Tk 2,950 and furniture worth Tk 1.79 lakh. He owns 1.4 percent non-agricultural land valued at Tk 3.45 lakh, while his wife owns 111.25 percent land and a jointly owned two-storey building.

The affidavit also notes that Rahman has been acquitted or exempted from all 77 cases filed against him and has no loans from any bank or financial institution.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami chief Dr. Shafiqur Rahman has said the party is interested in joining a national government after the upcoming elections. In an interview with Reuters at his office in Dhaka, he stated that the party seeks a stable country for at least five years and believes that if political parties unite, they can govern together. He added that the leader of the party winning the most seats should become prime minister, and if Jamaat wins the most, the party will decide whether he will take that role.

Rahman emphasized that an anti-corruption agenda should be a shared goal for any national government. He also expressed concern over Sheikh Hasina’s stay in India after losing power, saying Bangladesh-India relations have reached their lowest point in decades. He confirmed meeting an Indian diplomat earlier this year, noting that the official requested the meeting remain confidential. India’s foreign ministry did not comment, though a government source said it maintains contact with various political parties.

Rahman further stated that Jamaat seeks balanced relations with all countries, including Pakistan, without leaning toward any single nation.

Three prominent Islamic scholars carried the coffin of BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia after her funeral prayers in Dhaka. The scholars were As-Sunnah Foundation Chairman Shaykh Ahmadullah, Islamic speaker Maulana Mizanur Rahman Azhari, and Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish Amir Maulana Mamunul Haque. The event took place on Wednesday at Manik Mia Avenue, where they joined Khaleda Zia’s relatives in carrying her coffin following the funeral prayers.

A delegation from Jamaat-e-Islami, led by its Amir Dr. Shafiqur Rahman, also attended the funeral. The delegation included senior party leaders such as Naib-e-Amir Maulana ANM Shamsul Islam, Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar, Assistant Secretary General Maulana ATM Ma’sum, and several other central and city-level leaders. The presence of these figures reflected participation from various Islamic and political groups at the ceremony.

The gathering at Manik Mia Avenue drew people from different parts of the country, marking a significant moment of farewell for the BNP leader.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has imposed restrictions across the city during the state mourning period declared following the death of former Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia. The mourning will be observed from Wednesday, December 31, to Friday, January 2. The DMP issued a public notice on Tuesday outlining several prohibitions to maintain decorum during this time.

According to the notice signed by DMP Commissioner Sheikh Md. Sajjat Ali, all forms of fireworks, firecrackers, sky lanterns, and gas balloons are banned within the Dhaka metropolitan area. Public cultural events, DJ parties, rallies, and processions are also prohibited. Additionally, residents have been instructed to refrain from loud horn use or any activities that may cause public disturbance.

The DMP urged full cooperation from city residents to ensure compliance with these directives throughout the mourning period.

Yemen has declared a state of emergency after a separatist group backed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) took control of large parts of the country. The announcement was made on Tuesday by the head of Yemen’s Presidential Council, who also declared the cancellation of the country’s security and defense agreement with the UAE.

According to an official statement, the joint defense pact with the UAE has been formally revoked. The information was confirmed by AFP from Riyadh. In a separate decree, a 90-day state of emergency was imposed, with the first 72 hours including a blockade of air, land, and sea routes as part of emergency measures.

The decisions mark a significant shift in Yemen’s security and diplomatic stance following the territorial advances of UAE-backed separatists, signaling heightened internal instability and strained regional relations.