Adilur Rahman Khan, adviser to the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives, said that any attempt to disrupt the upcoming election will be firmly resisted. He made the remarks on Saturday at Matherbazar in Madaripur Sadar upazila after paying respects at the grave of July Movement martyr Naimur Rahman. He stated that patriotic citizens will work together to ensure a fair, free, and impartial election.

According to Adilur Rahman, the interim government is working to ensure the safety of July Movement participants and all citizens ahead of the election, while fascist forces are trying to obstruct the process. Earlier, he visited Ghatmajhi area to meet the family of July martyr Mamun Sardar and paid tribute at the July Memorial near Shakuni Lake in the morning.

Senior district officials, including Deputy Commissioner Jahangir Alam and Additional Deputy Commissioner Al Noman, were present during the visit, reflecting administrative engagement in the adviser’s activities.

Somalia has strongly condemned Israel’s decision to formally recognize Somaliland, calling it an act of state aggression and demanding its immediate withdrawal. The reaction came a day after Israel announced its recognition of the breakaway region. Somali Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Omar told Al Jazeera that the move constitutes direct interference in Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. He said the government would use all diplomatic means to counter what it described as Israeli intervention in its internal affairs.

The announcement has sparked widespread criticism across African and Arab nations, many of which expressed concern that Israel’s move could be linked to plans for the forced displacement of Palestinians. Somalia’s government reiterated that such actions are unacceptable to its people and urged Israel to comply with international law and reverse its divisive decision.

Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 after a civil war but has not been recognized by any UN member state. Despite having its own currency, flag, and parliament, its sovereignty remains internationally unacknowledged.

A total of 184 central committee members of the National Citizens Party (NCP) have supported a seat-sharing agreement with the eight-party alliance that includes Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami. However, 30 members of the 214-member committee have opposed the arrangement. The figures indicate that 86 percent of the NCP’s central leadership favor the deal, while 14 percent remain against it. The information was confirmed on Saturday by several central leaders of the party.

The development highlights internal divisions within the NCP over joining the alliance led by Jamaat-e-Islami. While the majority of the leadership supports the move, a notable minority has expressed reservations about aligning with the Islamist party and its coalition partners. The report did not specify the reasons behind the dissent or identify the opposing members.

The confirmation of the seat-sharing stance suggests that the NCP is moving closer to formalizing its participation in the eight-party bloc, though internal opposition could influence future negotiations or party unity.

Former interim government adviser Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan has collected nomination papers for the Cumilla-3 (Muradnagar) constituency as an independent candidate. The papers were collected on his behalf by Ramzanul Karim, a worker of the National Citizen Party (NCP), from the office of the Cumilla District Commissioner and Returning Officer on December 24. The matter became public on the night of December 26, and was confirmed to the media the following day by administrative officer Md. Saheb Ali.

According to the nomination register, Asif Mahmud’s current address is listed in Dhaka South City Corporation’s New Market area, while his permanent address is in Akbpur, Muradnagar. NCP’s Muradnagar coordinator Minhajul Haque stated that Asif had sent his national ID to the party and that they were hopeful he would contest from Muradnagar. He added that multiple nomination papers were collected due to possible alliance decisions, and final choices would depend on the evolving situation.

Earlier, on December 10, Asif Mahmud resigned from his advisory post in the interim government and announced his candidacy for Dhaka-10, where he has already begun campaigning.

Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury will be sworn in as the 26th Chief Justice of Bangladesh on Sunday. The oath-taking ceremony is scheduled for 10 a.m. at Bangabhaban, where President Md. Shahabuddin will administer the oath. The information was confirmed on Saturday by Md. Shafiqul Islam, Public Relations Officer of the Supreme Court’s Appellate Division.

President Md. Shahabuddin appointed Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury as the 26th Chief Justice on December 23. Justice Chowdhury earned his LLB and LLM degrees from the University of Dhaka and later obtained an LLM in International Law from the United Kingdom. He began his legal career in the district court in 1985 and joined the High Court Division as an advocate in 1987. He was appointed an additional judge of the High Court Division on August 27, 2003, and became a permanent judge two years later. He took oath as a judge of the Appellate Division on August 13, 2024.

According to the report, Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury is expected to retire on May 17, 2028.

Zahidul Islam, the recently outgoing central president of Islami Chhatra Shibir, has joined Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami. The joining took place on Saturday, December 27, 2025, at the party’s office in Bashundhara, Dhaka, in the presence of Jamaat Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman. Zahidul completed the associate membership form to formally become part of the organization.

According to the report, Zahidul Islam served as the central president of Islami Chhatra Shibir for the 2025 session. Before that, he held the position of publication secretary within the same student organization. He studied in the English department at Jagannath University and hails from Cumilla district.

The report did not include any statement from Zahidul Islam or Jamaat-e-Islami regarding his future role or responsibilities within the party.

Dr. Tasnim Jara has announced her resignation from the National Citizen Party (NCP) and her decision to contest the upcoming national parliamentary election as an independent candidate from Dhaka-9. The announcement was made on Saturday, December 27, through a verified Facebook statement, where she confirmed her candidacy and outlined her motivations for running independently.

In her statement, Jara said that as a native of Khilgaon, her lifelong dream has been to serve the people of her area. Although she had planned to serve the country as a member of parliament, she decided not to represent any political party or alliance in the current context. She emphasized her commitment to building a new political culture and appealed to residents of Khilgaon, Sabujbagh, and Mugda for their support, noting that she would not have a party office or organized campaign team.

According to election regulations, an independent candidate in Dhaka-9 must collect signatures from 4,693 voters. Jara said the signature collection would begin the next day and invited local residents to participate actively. She also offered to refund donations previously made to her campaign when she was considered a party candidate.

Dr. Tasnim Jara, senior joint member secretary of the Nationalist Citizen Party (NCP), announced her decision to contest the upcoming election as an independent candidate from Dhaka-9. She made the announcement on Saturday through a verified Facebook post, stating that although she had initially planned to run under a political party’s platform, she decided not to represent any specific party or alliance due to practical circumstances.

In her post, Jara reaffirmed her commitment to serving the people of Khilgaon, Sabujbagh, and Mugda, where she was born and raised. She emphasized her determination to uphold her promise of building a new political culture despite the change in her candidacy status. Addressing supporters who had contributed to her earlier fundraising campaign, Jara expressed respect for those wishing to have their donations refunded.

She instructed donors who contributed via mobile payment service bKash to fill out a provided online form for verification and refund. Those who donated through bank transfers will be informed soon about the refund process.

Tasnim Jara, senior joint member secretary of the National Citizen Party (NCP), has resigned from her position. The resignation was confirmed by an NCP source on Saturday evening. According to senior joint convener Ariful Islam Adib, Jara submitted her resignation letter in a party WhatsApp group and immediately posted about it on Facebook without waiting for the party’s decision.

Following her resignation, Tasnim Jara announced through her verified Facebook account that she intends to contest the upcoming election independently from the Dhaka-9 constituency. She stated that due to the current circumstances, she will not participate as a candidate of any specific party or alliance. Jara reaffirmed her commitment to building a new political culture and serving the people with honesty and dedication.

In her post, Jara acknowledged the challenges of running without party support, such as lacking local offices or organized workers, but expressed confidence that public trust and affection would be her main strength in the campaign.

BNP candidate Nazmul Mostafa Amin for Chattogram-15 (Satkania-Lohagara) has said that a fair election cannot be ensured unless looted and illegal weapons from the local police station are recovered. He warned that armed groups could intimidate voters and prevent them from casting their ballots. Amin made the remarks on Saturday morning during a meeting with local journalists at the Grand Mashabi Restaurant in Lohagara.

He stated that his party had information about preparations by certain groups to control polling centers. Through the media, he urged the administration to recover the weapons in the interest of the country and the nation. The meeting was attended by Chattogram South District BNP’s joint convener Asahab Uddin Chowdhury, members S.M. Salim Uddin Chowdhury, Salah Uddin Chowdhury Sohel, Fazlul Kabir Fazlu, and other BNP leaders and activists.

Amin’s comments highlight the party’s concern about election security and the need for administrative action to ensure a peaceful voting environment in the constituency.

Bangladeshi expatriates in France have declared that they will continue their movement until justice is ensured for the murder of Shahid Sharif Osman Hadi, a frontline fighter of the July uprising and convener of Inquilab Mancha. The announcement came on Friday evening at a discussion and prayer event held at a restaurant near Paris, organized by the Shahid Osman Hadi Support Forum. Participants also warned that they might call for a global remittance shutdown if justice is delayed.

The event was presided over by senior journalist Abdul Mannan Azad and conducted by Mohammad Kamaruzzaman, with several community leaders, journalists, and activists in attendance. Speakers highlighted Osman Hadi’s revolutionary life and his vision for a justice-based society. They criticized political and cultural decline in Bangladesh and urged the establishment of cultural centers in his memory.

Participants pledged to continue united resistance until the real perpetrators are brought to justice and Hadi’s ideals of an equitable, fascism-free Bangladesh are realized.

As of Saturday afternoon, a total of 800,872 voters have registered through the ‘Postal Vote BD’ app to cast postal ballots in Bangladesh’s 13th national election and referendum. According to the Election Commission’s website, the registrants include 728,617 men and 72,253 women. The app allows expatriate Bangladeshis, election officials, and government employees stationed outside their home areas to register remotely.

Among expatriate voters, the highest number of registrations came from Saudi Arabia with 162,993, followed by Qatar with 59,582, Oman with 46,143, Malaysia with 43,829, the United Arab Emirates with 30,874, and the United States with 26,073. Within Bangladesh, 244,661 voters have registered under the ‘in-country postal vote’ category. Comilla leads district-wise with 71,143 registrants, followed by Dhaka, Chattogram, Noakhali, Sylhet, and Chandpur.

The Election Commission has extended the registration deadline to December 31. The app, launched on November 18, enables expatriates from 148 countries to register, requiring them to use their local mobile numbers for verification.

BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman visited the graves of army officers killed in the 2009 Pilkhana tragedy. The visit took place on Saturday at the Banani Military Cemetery in Dhaka, where he paid respects to the fallen soldiers. He was accompanied by his chief security officer, Brigadier General (Retd.) Dr. A.K.M. Shamsul Islam.

The Pilkhana tragedy occurred between 25 and 26 February 2009, when 57 army officers, including then BDR Director General Major General Shakil Ahmed, were killed. The incident remains one of the most tragic events in Bangladesh’s military history. Before visiting the martyrs’ graves, Tarique Rahman also visited the graves of his late younger brother Arafat Rahman Koko and his father-in-law Mahbub Ali Khan at the same cemetery.

The visit highlighted Tarique Rahman’s continued engagement in commemorative activities related to national tragedies and family remembrance.

Maulana Muhammad Mamunul Haque, the Amir of Bangladesh Khilafat Majlis, will contest as a candidate for the Dhaka-13 constituency in the upcoming 13th national parliamentary election. His personal assistant, Maulana Zakir Hossain, confirmed that Mamunul Haque will submit his nomination papers at noon on Sunday at the Dhaka District Election Commission office in Agargaon. Party leaders are expected to accompany him during the submission.

The report notes that Bangladesh Khilafat Majlis is part of an ongoing eight-party electoral alliance process that includes Jamaat-e-Islami. The nomination submission marks the formal beginning of Mamunul Haque’s participation in the election under this alliance framework.

The development indicates continued coordination among smaller Islamist political groups ahead of the national polls, with Dhaka-13 emerging as one of the constituencies to watch in the alliance’s strategy.

At a roundtable discussion titled 'Upcoming National Election and the Future of Bangladesh' held on December 27, 2025, at the National Press Club in Dhaka, Amar Desh editor Mahmudur Rahman stated that India does not want a credible election in Bangladesh. He argued that a free and fair election would go against India’s interests, as it would make it harder for India to exert influence and carry out what he described as harmful activities in Bangladesh. Rahman also criticized the interim government, questioning its ability to hold a fair election within the remaining six weeks before the polls.

He urged civil society to demand written commitments from political parties to ensure fair voting practices and prevent electoral manipulation. Rahman further claimed that India had fully supported the Awami League government and would not extend similar backing to any future administration. Other speakers, including political scientist Dr. Dilara Chowdhury, emphasized the need for patriotism, the removal of illegal arms, and a level playing field for all parties.

The event was organized by the Election Working Alliance and the Fair Election Advisory Committee and chaired by Dr. Md. Shariful Alam.