Awami League leader Syed A K Ekramuzzaman, also known as Sukhan, has been declared a valid independent candidate for the Brahmanbaria-1 (Nasirnagar) constituency in the 13th National Parliamentary Election. The decision was announced on Friday, January 2, by District Commissioner and Returning Officer Sharmin Akter Jahan after verifying his nomination papers. Ekramuzzaman was not present during the scrutiny, and police sources confirmed he is currently absconding in multiple criminal cases.

Local sources and the Election Office stated that Ekramuzzaman was once an adviser to the BNP chairperson but was expelled from the party for contesting independently in the 2024 general election. After winning that election, he joined the Awami League in February 2024. His affidavit lists seven ongoing cases, most linked to the July 2024 mass uprising. The decision to validate his nomination has sparked mixed reactions locally and criticism on social media.

BNP candidate Abdul Hannan has demanded the cancellation of Ekramuzzaman’s nomination, calling him a fugitive. The Returning Officer said the documents were legally sound but noted that complaints have been forwarded to the Election Commission, where appeals can be filed under election rules.

The returning officer and Dhaka District Commissioner Md Rezaul Karim has cancelled the nomination of Jamaat-e-Islami’s candidate Colonel (Retd.) Abdul Haque for the Dhaka-2 constituency. The decision was announced on Saturday morning during the scrutiny of nomination papers for the 13th National Parliamentary Election at the Dhaka District Commissioner’s office. According to a Bangladesh Bank Credit Information Bureau (CIB) report, Abdul Haque was identified as a loan defaulter.

The district commissioner stated that Abdul Haque had taken a loan in the name of an organization called National Development Organization while serving as one of its directors. Based on this information, his nomination was declared invalid. In the same constituency, the nominations of BNP candidate Aman Ullah Aman and Islami Andolan Bangladesh candidate Zahirul Islam were declared valid.

The cancellation narrows the field of candidates for Dhaka-2 ahead of the upcoming national election, leaving the BNP and Islami Andolan contenders cleared to continue their campaigns.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has written a letter expressing support for Umar Khalid, a former Jawaharlal Nehru University student and human rights activist currently imprisoned in India. The handwritten letter was delivered to Khalid’s parents and became public on Thursday, though it had been written several days earlier. In the letter, Mamdani reflected on Khalid’s difficult experiences and praised his resilience, noting his meeting with Khalid’s parents.

Umar Khalid has been held in Delhi’s Tihar Jail for nearly six years under anti-terrorism charges related to alleged conspiracy in the 2020 communal violence in Delhi. Although the Delhi High Court released him from one case, he remains detained in another, with multiple bail requests denied.

Separately, eight members of the U.S. Congress sent a joint letter to India’s ambassador to the United States, Vinay Kwatra, expressing concern about Khalid’s situation. These lawmakers also met with Khalid’s parents in December 2025.

The nomination paper of Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman for the Dhaka-15 constituency has been declared valid for the 13th National Parliamentary Election. The decision was announced on Saturday by the regional election officer in Dhaka.

Earlier, on December 25, a delegation led by Jamaat’s Assistant Secretary General Ehsanul Mahbub Zubair collected the nomination paper from the returning officer’s office in Agargaon on behalf of the party chief. From the same constituency, BNP’s local organizer and former Jubo Dal general secretary Shafiqul Islam Khan Milton also collected a nomination form.

Alongside the main candidates from Jamaat and BNP, six other political parties and one independent candidate submitted nomination papers. They include representatives from the Communist Party of Bangladesh, Gano Forum, Jatiya Party, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, Janatar Dal, Bangladesh Supreme Party, and independent candidate Md. Tanjil Islam.

The verification process for nomination papers in the Bagerhat-1 constituency has been completed, with a total of eleven candidates submitting their papers. Among them, three nominations have been canceled. The canceled candidates include Mojibur Rahman Shamim of Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis for loan default, independent candidate Mushfiqur Rahman due to voter mismatch, and Golam Sarwar of the Jatiya Party for being a loan defaulter.

According to the district correspondent, the scrutiny of nomination papers for the remaining three constituencies in Bagerhat district is still ongoing. The report did not mention any objections or appeals following the cancellations.

The completion of verification in Bagerhat-1 marks a key step in the electoral process for the constituency, while the ongoing scrutiny in other constituencies indicates that the overall nomination review process in the district is still in progress.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has appointed former secretary A B M Abdus Sattar as the private secretary to its acting chairman Tareq Rahman and former Dhaka Reporters Unity general secretary A A M Saleh (Saleh Shibli) as press secretary. The announcement was made on Saturday afternoon through a press release signed by BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.

According to the release, Abdus Sattar, who previously served as private secretary to former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, will now assist Tareq Rahman in his official duties. Saleh Shibli, who has earlier worked as Tareq Rahman’s press secretary and held other key responsibilities within the party, recently returned to Bangladesh from the United Kingdom on December 25.

The appointments mark a continuation of experienced leadership within the BNP’s central operations, as both appointees have long-standing ties with the party’s top leadership.

On January 1, 2026, Zohraan Mamdani was sworn in as the new mayor of New York City in a special ceremony. Immediately after taking office, he signed an executive order canceling several directives issued by former mayor Eric Adams, including measures supporting Israel. According to the order, all directives signed on or after September 26, 2024, and effective through December 31, 2025, have been revoked, while earlier executive orders will remain in force until amended or withdrawn.

This decision effectively nullifies several of Adams’s policies, including one that prohibited New York City agencies from boycotting or disengaging from Israel. However, the Office for Combating Anti-Semitism, established under the previous administration, will continue to operate.

Following the announcement, Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs accused Mamdani on social media of inciting anti-Semitism, marking an early diplomatic tension in his tenure.

Nomination papers for the Nilphamari-4 (Kishoreganj-Saidpur) constituency were scrutinized on Friday afternoon ahead of Bangladesh’s upcoming 13th national parliamentary election. Out of 12 submitted nominations, eight were declared valid, while four independent candidates’ nominations were canceled due to inconsistencies in information and inaccuracies in the required one percent voter signatures. The verification was conducted at the conference room of the district administration and returning officer’s office, confirmed by Returning Officer and Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Nayiruzzaman.

The eight valid candidates represent various political parties, including Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, Bangladesh Nationalist Party, Islami Andolan Bangladesh, Jatiya Party, Bangladesh Socialist Party (Marxist), and Liberal Democratic Party. The four disqualified independent candidates are Jobaydor Rahman (Hira), Md. Riad Arfan Sarkar, S.M. Mamunur Rashid, and Md. Shahriar Ferdous. According to the returning officer, these candidates may appeal for validation of their nominations until January 9.

The decision finalizes the initial list of eligible contenders for Nilphamari-4, pending any appeals by the disqualified independents.

NCP Member Secretary Akhtar Hossain has objected to the validation of a Jatiya Party candidate’s nomination during the scrutiny process at the Rangpur DC office on January 2, 2026. He demanded that the Jatiya Party be declared ineligible for the upcoming national election, alleging that the party helped institutionalize fascism and supported authoritarian rule in Bangladesh. Akhtar claimed that despite his objections, the returning officer declared the nomination valid under legal technicalities.

Akhtar argued that the Jatiya Party’s actions over the past 16 years contributed to sustaining authoritarianism and that those who legitimized fascism should not be allowed to contest elections. He stated that the NCP would pursue legal action if necessary and criticized the authorities for not informing them earlier about the opportunity to submit written objections. He also mentioned that seat-sharing discussions between the NCP and Jamaat-e-Islami within their eight-party alliance were still ongoing.

In response, Mahbubur Rahman, the Jatiya Party candidate for Rangpur-4, said that relevant authorities had already given their considered opinion and that law enforcement agencies would investigate any allegations.

In the verification process for the 13th National Parliamentary Election, Islamic preacher Kamrul Islam Saeed Ansari’s nomination for the Madaripur-2 constituency was canceled. Another independent candidate, Md. Reyazul Islam, was also disqualified. The decision was made on Friday afternoon by Madaripur Deputy Commissioner and Returning Officer Jahangir Alam after reviewing the required documents of all ten candidates.

According to the returning officer, Ansari’s nomination was canceled because a mismatch was found between the national identity card and the name of one supporter listed in the one percent voter endorsement required for independent candidates. However, Ansari retains the right to appeal the decision. During the verification session, officials from the district administration, police, National Board of Revenue, rural electricity authority, and banks were present.

Ansari stated that the supporter in question had been willing to appear in person, yet his nomination was still rejected. He announced his intention to appeal, expressing hope for justice in the next stage.

The Southern Transitional Council (STC), a separatist armed political group in Yemen, has announced plans to hold a referendum within two years to decide on the independence of South Yemen from the north. STC President Aidarous al-Zubaidi made the announcement in a televised speech on Friday, declaring the start of a two-year transitional period and urging the international community to sponsor dialogue between the northern and southern parties. He warned that if no dialogue occurs or if the south faces renewed attacks, the STC would immediately declare independence.

The announcement comes amid escalating tensions between Saudi-backed forces and the UAE-supported STC. Fighting broke out in Hadramaut province, near the Saudi border, between forces loyal to the Saudi-backed governor and STC fighters. STC commander Mohammed Abdul Malik reported that seven people were killed and more than 20 injured in seven airstrikes on an STC camp in Al-Khasha, carried out by Saudi Arabia.

The conflict follows years of instability since the Houthi takeover of Yemen’s capital in 2014, with the country divided between Houthi-controlled north and the Saudi-recognized Presidential Council in the south.

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said the party will move forward following the ideals, commitments, and path shown by Begum Khaleda Zia. He made the remarks on Saturday, January 3, at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar’s Zia Udyan in Dhaka after the Jatiyatabadi Mohila Dal paid tribute at Khaleda Zia’s grave. Rizvi stated that Tarique Rahman would lead the country along the path shown by Ziaur Rahman and Khaleda Zia.

Rizvi described Begum Khaleda Zia as an unparalleled political figure who inspired the nation to fight against autocratic and fascist misrule for democracy. He said she demonstrated how to stand by the people even in times of crisis and never abandoned them. Rizvi alleged that Khaleda Zia was intentionally given wrong treatment in prison and that her death involved conspiracy and manipulation by malevolent forces.

He added that Khaleda Zia deeply loved the Jatiyatabadi Mohila Dal and built its current leadership. According to Rizvi, BNP and its affiliated organizations will continue to uphold her ideals, ethics, and commitments to preserve the nation’s democracy, independence, and sovereignty.

The district returning officer has declared the nomination of BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman valid for the Bogura-6 constituency in the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election. The announcement was made on Saturday morning, confirming his candidacy under the party’s electoral symbol, the paddy sheaf.

According to the report, Tarique Rahman signed his nomination papers on December 28 as the BNP candidate for Bogura-6. Party leaders collected the nomination form from District Commissioner and Returning Officer Taufiqur Rahman on his behalf. The following day, on December 29 at around 2:30 p.m., Bogura District BNP President Rezaul Karim submitted the completed nomination papers to the returning officer on behalf of Tarique Rahman.

The validation of Tarique Rahman’s nomination formally secures his position as the BNP candidate for the Bogura-6 seat in the forthcoming national election.

Kazi Reha Kabir Sigma has emerged as the only independent female candidate among six constituencies in Kishoreganj for the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election. She is contesting from Kishoreganj-4, which includes Austagram, Itna, and Mithamain upazilas. Sigma, originally from the remote haor area of Austagram, described herself in her affidavit as a researcher, entrepreneur, and long-time social worker. She declared an annual income of Tk 544,167 and total assets worth Tk 28.74 million, while her husband Sadequl Kabir reported assets of Tk 44.45 million.

According to her affidavit submitted to the returning officer, Sigma holds a postgraduate degree, runs a business, and has no criminal cases. She stated she is not a dual citizen and is over 48 years old, residing in Gulshan, Dhaka. Her declared assets include two apartments in Gulshan valued at Tk 15.5 million, gold jewelry, a jeep, and bank deposits. The Kishoreganj-4 constituency has nine candidates, including nominees from BNP, Jamaat, and other parties.

The district returning officer and deputy commissioner Mohammad Aslam Molla confirmed that nomination papers for Kishoreganj-4 were submitted by nine candidates and were scheduled for scrutiny on January 3.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has intensified patrols and surveillance along the Lalmonirhat border ahead of the upcoming 13th national parliamentary election. Rangpur Battalion (51 BGB) Commander Lt. Colonel Selim Al Din confirmed that special patrols, strict monitoring, and enhanced intelligence activities are being conducted to ensure security in the border areas. Temporary checkpoints have also been set up at key points to strengthen inspection operations.

According to BGB, the measures aim to prevent illegal infiltration and drug smuggling by criminal groups during the election period. Regular and special patrols, including coordinated operations involving multiple Border Outposts (BOPs), are being carried out in Patgram upazila. Awareness meetings are also being organized among local residents to encourage cooperation with BGB and to prevent any criminal activity.

BGB has maintained coordination with India’s Border Security Force (BSF) through flag meetings, pledging joint efforts to curb cross-border crimes. The force stated that patrols, intelligence surveillance, and public awareness programs will continue to ensure stability and peaceful elections in the border region.