Hasan Al Mamun has been appointed as the new General Secretary of Gana Odhikar Parishad. He confirmed the appointment himself on Sunday, according to a report by Amar Desh published on December 28, 2025. The position became vacant after former General Secretary Rashid Khan recently joined the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).

Rashid Khan’s move to the BNP reportedly stemmed from the belief that contesting the national election under the party’s ‘paddy sheaf’ symbol would increase his chances of winning. His departure created speculation within Gana Odhikar Parishad about who would succeed him. Hasan Al Mamun, who previously served as the party’s Senior Joint General Secretary, has now taken over the role.

Before joining Gana Odhikar Parishad’s leadership, Hasan Al Mamun was known for his role as a convener of the 2018 quota reform movement. His appointment marks a leadership transition within the party following Rashid Khan’s defection.

Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury was sworn in as the 26th Chief Justice of Bangladesh on Sunday morning at Bangabhaban. President Md. Shahabuddin administered the oath at 10:30 a.m., with Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus and outgoing Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed present. The ceremony was broadcast live on Bangladesh Television and Bangladesh Betar. His appointment, made on December 24, took effect following the oath.

According to an earlier presidential order issued on December 20 under Article 95(1) of the Constitution, Justice Chowdhury was appointed from the Appellate Division. He began his legal career in 1985 at the Judge Court and joined the High Court Division in 1987. He became an additional judge of the High Court Division on August 27, 2003, and was confirmed two years later. On August 12, 2024, he was appointed as a judge of the Appellate Division.

Justice Chowdhury holds LLB (Hons) and LLM degrees from the University of Dhaka and a master’s degree in international law from the United Kingdom.

Somalia has demanded that Israel withdraw its recognition of Somaliland, the self-declared republic that broke away from Somalia in 1991 following a civil war. Somaliland has operated independently with its own currency, flag, and parliament, though it remains unrecognized by any United Nations member state and faces territorial disputes in its eastern regions. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the recognition as part of the spirit of the Abraham Accords and announced plans to advocate for Somaliland’s cause during an upcoming meeting with United States President Donald Trump. Somaliland’s leader Cirro has accepted Netanyahu’s invitation to visit Israel.

The United States has recently voiced frustration with Somalia’s government, criticizing its failure to improve national security despite substantial international aid. At a UN Security Council meeting, Washington signaled it may end funding for a costly peacekeeping mission. Somalia’s relations with Israel have long been strained, rooted in Israel’s historical military and intelligence support for Ethiopia, Somalia’s regional rival. The 1977 Ogaden War, in which Somalia was defeated, deepened this animosity and contributed to decades of instability.

The diplomatic developments highlight shifting alliances in the Horn of Africa and could further complicate Somalia’s internal and regional politics.

Several extremist Hindu organizations staged a violent protest on Saturday near the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Guwahati, India. According to a diplomatic source cited by the report, hundreds of protesters under the banners of Hindu Yuva Chhatra Parishad, Rashtriya Hindu Front, and Hindu Ekta Manch attempted to enter the mission premises while carrying saffron flags and chanting anti-Bangladesh slogans. Police intervened before they could reach the mission, after which the protesters blocked a nearby road and held a rally. During the rally, effigies of Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus were burned, and a memorandum was later submitted to the mission.

The demonstration followed a series of violent incidents targeting Bangladeshi missions across India, including an attack on the Bangladesh High Commission in Delhi on November 20. The report alleged that the attack occurred with the encouragement of the Modi government and included threats against High Commissioner Riaz Hamidullah. In response, Bangladesh summoned the Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka and demanded stronger security for its missions.

Subsequent unrest spread to Mumbai, Kolkata, and Agartala, with extremists setting fire to the Bangladesh visa center in Siliguri. Bangladesh has since suspended visa issuance for Indian nationals, heightening diplomatic tension between Dhaka and New Delhi.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has demanded the immediate and unconditional release of A.K.M. Shahidul Islam, who was arrested on charges of making derogatory remarks about the party’s acting chairman, Tarique Rahman. The demand was made through a press statement issued on Saturday night by BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Advocate Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.

According to the statement, Tarique Rahman visited the graves of Inqilab Mancha spokesperson Shaheed Osman Hadi and national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam on Saturday. During that time, police arrested Shahidul Islam under Section 54 of the Code of Criminal Procedure and later produced him before a court, which ordered his imprisonment.

The BNP stated that freedom of expression is a fundamental human and civic right in a democratic country and argued that Shahidul Islam’s arrest and imprisonment solely for expressing his opinion were unjustified. The party urged the authorities to release him immediately and uphold citizens’ democratic rights.

In Patuakhali-3 constituency, covering Galachipa and Dashmina, BNP grassroots leaders have declared Hasan Mamun as an independent candidate opposing the alliance nominee Nurul Haque Nur, president of Gono Odhikar Parishad and former DUCSU vice president. The decision followed BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir’s December 24 announcement endorsing Nur as the joint candidate of the BNP-led alliance. Local BNP leaders, angered by the nomination, collected nomination papers for Mamun, with Galachipa BNP president Md. Siddiqur Rahman leading the effort.

At an extended meeting in Dashmina, BNP activists rejected the alliance’s choice, pledging unified support for Mamun in the upcoming 13th national election. Mamun, a former president and general secretary of the Dhaka University Chhatra Dal and a BNP national executive member, said he would contest based on grassroots demand, noting that BNP had not won the seat in 46 years. Both BNP and Gono Odhikar Parishad have collected nomination papers for their respective candidates.

As of the report’s filing, Mamun and his supporters were in Dhaka seeking a meeting with BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman.

Widespread irregularities and corruption have been reported in a Tk 500 crore project aimed at preventing erosion, rebuilding embankments, and protecting slopes along the coastal areas of Banshkhali in Chattogram. The project, divided into six packages, includes major works in Chhanua, Khan Khanabad, and Sadhanpur. Reports indicate that local syndicates, allegedly operating under political influence, have divided project work among themselves, while contractors have been accused of using substandard materials such as low-quality sand, dirty stones, and saline water in concrete block construction.

Field visits revealed that blocks were being made with local Betagi sand instead of the specified Sylheti sand, and that vibration machines were not used during block production. Locals claimed that the blocks often broke during installation due to poor quality. Officials from the Water Development Board (Paubo) stated that saline water use had been stopped and deep tube wells were now supplying fresh water for construction. The project, approved by ECNEC on 28 May 2024, is scheduled for completion by June 2027.

Political infighting and alleged mismanagement have slowed progress in several areas, raising concerns that the embankment’s durability and the safety of coastal residents could be at risk.

Myanmar has begun voting in a general election despite ongoing civil conflict and widespread doubts about its legitimacy. This is the first national election since the military seized power in 2021 by ousting the elected government. The junta claims the vote will help revive the country’s politics and economy, which have suffered years of instability.

Critics, including the United Nations, several Western governments, and human rights groups, argue the process is neither free nor credible because anti-junta parties are excluded. The military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) is participating, while the National League for Democracy (NLD), led by imprisoned Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, has been dissolved by the junta.

The election will take place in three phases, with the first round now underway and subsequent rounds scheduled for January 11 and 25. Voting is planned in 265 of 330 townships, though the junta lacks full control in many areas. No date has been announced for vote counting or results, and analysts warn the election may only serve to extend military rule.

Election activities have intensified across Madaripur ahead of the upcoming national polls, with candidates from various parties reaching out to voters. The district, long dominated by the Awami League, is witnessing renewed competition as opposition groups seek to capitalize on public discontent. However, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is struggling with internal divisions in two of the district’s three constituencies, where disputes and rebel candidacies have disrupted its campaign momentum.

In contrast, the eight-party Islamist alliance, including Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Andolon Bangladesh, appears more organized and confident. Their candidates have completed preparations to campaign jointly. In Madaripur-1 and Madaripur-2, BNP’s nomination disputes have led to protests and independent bids, while the Islamist bloc’s nominees are actively campaigning. Only in Madaripur-3 has the BNP managed to maintain unity, with its official candidate running unopposed within the party.

The developments mark a shift in a region historically controlled by the Awami League, as opposition parties intensify efforts to attract voters through meetings and local outreach programs.

Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury will be sworn in today as the 26th Chief Justice of Bangladesh. According to Supreme Court Public Relations Officer Md. Shafiqul Islam, the oath-taking ceremony will take place at 10 a.m. at Bangabhaban, where President Md. Shahabuddin will administer the oath. The appointment was made under Article 95(1) of the Constitution through a presidential order issued on December 20, signed by Law Secretary Liaqat Ali Molla. The appointment takes effect from the date of the oath.

Justice Chowdhury began his legal career in 1985 at the Judge Court and became an advocate of the High Court Division in 1987. He was appointed as an additional judge of the High Court Division on August 27, 2003, and became a permanent judge two years later. On August 12, 2024, he was elevated to the Appellate Division.

He holds an LLB (Honours) and LLM from the University of Dhaka and later earned an LLM in International Law from the United Kingdom.

A total of 170 central leaders of the Nationalist Citizens Party (NCP) have sent a letter to the party’s convener, Nahid Islam, expressing support for forming an alliance with Jamaat. The letter, issued on Saturday, emphasized that the decision was made considering political realities ahead of the upcoming election and called for a unified and pragmatic approach under Nahid’s leadership.

The move followed internal tension after a separate letter from 30 leaders opposing the alliance was made public, despite an understanding that it would remain confidential. This disclosure led to disagreement within the party, prompting pro-alliance leaders to begin collecting counter-signatures. According to several sources, the number of signatories supporting the alliance could exceed 170.

In their letter, the supporting leaders expressed confidence in Nahid Islam’s leadership and political foresight, stating that his decisions would strengthen the NCP organizationally and reinforce public trust in the party.

Syeda Rizwana Hasan, adviser to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change under the interim government, has assured that the trial of those responsible for killing Shaheed Sharif Osman Hadi will be completed during the interim government’s tenure. She made the statement late Saturday night at the Inquilab Mancha sit-in program at Shahbagh in Dhaka.

Hasan said the government is in regular contact with Hadi’s family and is working tirelessly to identify and prosecute everyone involved in the murder. She noted that the charge sheet will be submitted after January 7, 2025, and the trial will proceed swiftly. She also mentioned that if any accused have fled abroad, they will be tried in absentia, and diplomatic efforts are underway to bring them back, with India expressing cooperation.

She added that the government aims to prepare a flawless and strong charge sheet, drawing on past experience of completing trials within a few working days. Police are scheduled to hold a press conference on Sunday morning to share further details about the investigation.

The National Citizen Party (NCP) is facing internal division as its alliance or seat-sharing arrangement with Jamaat-e-Islami and seven like-minded parties nears finalization. According to party sources, around 90 percent of the executive council and 80 percent of the central committee members supported the move, and a formal announcement could come on Sunday. However, 30 central leaders submitted a letter to convener Nahid Islam expressing principled objections, citing concerns over the party’s ideals and the historical role of Jamaat. Senior joint member secretary Dr. Tasnim Zara resigned from the party on Saturday to run as an independent candidate in Dhaka-9.

The dissenting leaders argued that joining Jamaat would weaken NCP’s moral position and contradict the spirit of the July uprising. Some signatories later claimed their names were added without consent. NCP leaders said the decision followed failed seat-sharing talks with the BNP and was driven by the need to ensure representation of July revolution supporters in the next parliament. Jamaat’s leadership also indicated that a final announcement on seat-sharing among eight parties could come today.

The alliance decision comes just before Monday’s nomination submission deadline, making finalization urgent for both parties.

The Inqilab Mancha has announced a new round of blockade programs across eight divisional cities, following a temporary suspension of its ongoing sit-in at Shahbagh in Dhaka. The movement, demanding justice for the killing of Shaheed Sharif Osman Hadi, was briefly eased on Saturday night after the arrival of Syeda Rizwana Hasan, adviser to the interim government on environment, forest, and climate change. Protesters paused slogans and blockades after hearing her remarks, but declared that demonstrations would continue until visible progress in the trial process.

Rizwana Hasan assured demonstrators that the interim government was actively pursuing justice, stating that a specific and accurate charge sheet would be submitted in early January and that the trial would be completed within the government’s tenure. She also mentioned diplomatic efforts regarding fugitives and said India had been formally informed. The adviser urged calm and announced that the Dhaka Metropolitan Police would brief the media on the investigation’s progress the following morning.

Inqilab Mancha confirmed that no one would remain at Shahbagh overnight and that the next phase of protests would begin at 2 p.m. after reviewing the DMP press conference.

National Citizen Party (NCP) member secretary Akhtar Hossain stated that agreement on reform points among NCP, Jamaat, and other parties is being considered the main factor in forming an electoral alliance. He made the remarks on Saturday in a post on the NCP’s official Facebook page.

Hossain explained that during discussions in the Consensus Commission, differences were observed between the BNP and other parties regarding reform issues. However, NCP, Jamaat, and several other groups naturally reached agreement on those reform points. He emphasized that the commitment to rebuilding the country and reshaping Bangladesh’s state structure through reform-oriented politics is the most important consideration in forming alliances or understandings for elections.

The post reflects NCP’s focus on political reform as the foundation for cooperation with like-minded parties ahead of upcoming electoral arrangements.