Jamaat-e-Islami’s central executive council has stated that a free, fair, and neutral electoral environment has not yet been established in Bangladesh. The party alleged that some government officials within the administration are working in favor of a particular political party. During a meeting held on Monday at the party’s central office in Moghbazar, Dhaka, presided over by Jamaat Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman, the council demanded that the Election Commission and the government take strict measures to ensure full administrative neutrality and improve law and order ahead of the upcoming referendum and 13th national parliamentary election.

According to a press release from Jamaat’s central publicity department, the meeting discussed the current political situation and expressed concern over reports of political activists being killed in broad daylight in various parts of the country. The council emphasized that the newly achieved Bangladesh, gained through years of struggle, must not be held hostage by any group or conspiracy.

The council called on election officials and law enforcement agencies to maintain complete impartiality and avoid leaning toward any political party while performing their duties.

The Commission of Inquiry on enforced disappearances in Bangladesh has recommended the dissolution of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and extensive institutional and legal reforms to end enforced disappearances and human rights violations. The recommendations, announced Monday at the commission’s Gulshan Avenue office by Chair Justice Moinul Islam Chowdhury, also call for the withdrawal of the military from internal law enforcement, repeal or major amendment of the 2009 Anti-Terrorism Act, abandonment of militarized counterterrorism policies, and repeal of Section 13 of the Armed Police Battalion Act, 2009. The commission further urged mandatory human rights training, victim-centered justice, compensation, rehabilitation, and conversion of secret detention sites known as “Aynaghar” into museums.

Formed on 15 September 2024 under the Commission of Inquiry Act, 1956, the body investigated enforced disappearances between 1 January 2009 and 5 August 2024. It reviewed government records, coordinated with agencies including DGFI, RAB, NSI, and police units, and inspected secret detention centers. Out of 9,191 complaints, 5,568 were actively considered, with 251 people still missing and 36 confirmed dead. The commission found RAB involved in about 25 percent of cases and police in 23 percent, describing the pattern as a state-supported institutional practice.

The commission submitted interim reports naming responsible individuals and institutions and proposed new laws, including the Enforced Disappearance Prevention and Redress Act, 2025, to ensure accountability and prevent recurrence.

Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) has decided to form a nine-member steering committee to ensure free public access, proper management, and maintenance of parks, playgrounds, and public spaces under its jurisdiction. The decision was made at DNCC’s 13th corporation meeting held on Monday at the Gulshan Nagar Bhaban. The committee will monitor whether the 106 parks, playgrounds, and public spaces across 52 wards are being properly maintained and managed.

DNCC Administrator Mohammad Ejaz stated that the city’s parks and playgrounds are managed under different ownerships, which often leads to mismanagement and encroachment. The new committee will bring together all relevant authorities, including RAJUK, the Public Works Department, the National Housing Authority, Dhaka Metropolitan Police, and the district administration, along with civil society representatives. The committee will submit monthly reports, oversee safety and maintenance, and prevent any club or commercial entity from occupying public spaces.

Additionally, local citizen committees will be formed in each of DNCC’s ten regions to manage and maintain parks and playgrounds. The steering committee will coordinate with these local bodies and discuss with school and college authorities to allow community use of their fields in the evenings.

Maulana Mamunul Haque, Amir of Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis and Joint Secretary General of Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh, has expressed concern about the level playing field for the upcoming 13th national parliamentary election. Speaking at a discussion with the media on Sunday night at the Dawatul Quran Madrasa in Bhuiygar, Fatullah, Narayanganj, he said that many officials from the previous authoritarian era remain in the administration and often take opposing positions toward Islamic parties.

Haque emphasized that ensuring equal opportunities for all political parties is the government’s responsibility to guarantee a fair and transparent election. Regarding electoral alliances, he clarified that no formal coalition has been formed, only seat-sharing arrangements among several Islamic-oriented parties. He added that the final seat distribution would be announced soon and that no internal conflicts had yet arisen.

Addressing local-level announcements about candidate withdrawals, Haque stated that such declarations are personal opinions and not final. He also commented on a statement by 101 scholars, saying that many senior scholars named in it were unaware of the statement and later clarified their positions through various messages.

The government has launched a hotline for citizens and institutions to report rumors, misinformation, and disinformation. The announcement was made on Monday, January 5, through a post on the Chief Adviser’s official Facebook page. The hotline number 01308332592 and the email address notify@ncsa.gov.bd will receive complaints related to false or misleading information at national, personal, and institutional levels.

According to the post, the initiative aims to strengthen the government’s capacity to counter the spread of misinformation across social media and other platforms. In addition, a Central Cyber Crime Prevention Committee has been formed in connection with the upcoming national parliamentary election.

Authorities expect that the hotline and the new committee will enable more effective measures to address the growing challenge of false information during the election period and beyond.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) A M M Nasir Uddin stated that the environment for the 13th National Parliamentary Election remains satisfactory so far. He made the remark on Monday while inspecting appeal booths at the Election Commission building in Agargaon, Dhaka. The CEC expressed optimism that with cooperation from all sides, the upcoming election could be held freely and fairly.

According to the Election Commission, appeals against returning officers’ decisions on nomination papers began on January 5. Hearings on these appeals will take place from January 10 to 18 at the commission’s auditorium in Agargaon. The country has been divided into ten regions, each with a separate booth for receiving appeals. Applicants must submit one set of original documents and six photocopy sets in memorandum form.

Hearing results will be displayed immediately on monitors and sent via email as PDF copies. Hard copies of rulings will be available on specific dates: January 12, 15, and 18, depending on the hearing schedule. The commission noted that the timetable may change depending on circumstances and the number of appeals.

The Election Commission (EC) has fixed the maximum campaign expenditure for candidates in the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election at between 2.5 million and 8 million taka, depending on the number of voters in each constituency. According to EC officials, constituency-based voter lists have already been prepared, and candidates collected CDs of these lists when submitting nomination papers. Spending must remain within the legal limits based on these lists, and violations could result in up to seven years of imprisonment and fines.

Under Article 44(b), clause 3 of the Representation of the People Order, a candidate’s total election expenditure, including that of the nominating political party, cannot exceed 10 taka per voter or 2.5 million taka, whichever is higher. The highest voter count is in Gazipur-2 constituency, where 804,333 voters allow a spending limit of 8,043,330 taka. Dhaka-19 follows with 747,070 voters and a limit of 7,470,700 taka, while Gazipur-1 and Noakhali-4 have limits of 7,209,390 and 7,003,390 taka respectively.

The EC emphasized that all candidates must adhere strictly to these expenditure ceilings during the election period.

Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López has condemned the US-led operation that captured President Nicolás Maduro, calling it a “cowardly abduction.” López said several of Maduro’s bodyguards were killed “in cold blood,” along with Venezuelan soldiers and civilians. The operation reportedly took place late Friday night in Caracas and surrounding areas, during which US forces detained Maduro and his wife. According to the report, Maduro is being held in a New York prison and is scheduled to appear in court Monday on charges of drug trafficking and illegal possession of weapons.

In a televised statement on Sunday, López expressed support for the Supreme Court’s decision to appoint Vice President Delcy Rodríguez as acting president. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump warned that Rodríguez would face serious consequences if she refused to cooperate with the United States.

The developments mark a sharp escalation in tensions between Venezuela and the United States, with leadership transition and legal proceedings now unfolding under intense international scrutiny.

Venezuelan interim president Delcy Rodríguez has formed a special commission to secure the release of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. The announcement was made on Sunday following Maduro’s ouster after a U.S. military operation in Caracas, according to AFP. The interim government initiated the move soon after the operation.

Rodríguez appointed her brother and National Assembly president Jorge Rodríguez, along with Foreign Minister Iván Gil, as vice presidents of the commission. Information Minister Freddy Ñáñez was also named as a member. The commission’s formation marks the interim government’s first formal step toward negotiating Maduro’s release.

Maduro, accused of drug trafficking and terrorism, was detained last Saturday in a New York prison. Authorities stated that he is scheduled to appear in court on Monday.

A Dhaka court has ordered the seizure of three cars worth Tk 4.62 crore and 17 bighas of land valued at Tk 1.63 crore belonging to former law minister Anisul Haque, who served under the deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The order was issued on Monday by Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge Md Sabbir Foyez, according to court bench assistant Md Riaz Hossain.

The Anti-Corruption Commission’s Deputy Director Jahangir Alam had sought the seizure, alleging that Haque acquired assets worth Tk 146.19 crore between January 12, 2014, and December 16, 2024, inconsistent with his known income. The petition also cited suspicious transactions involving deposits of Tk 349.15 crore and withdrawals of Tk 316.48 crore across 29 bank accounts, allegedly linked to money laundering and concealment of illicit wealth.

The court ruled that the seizure was necessary to ensure a fair investigation, noting that failure to do so could lead to the sale or transfer of the assets, making future confiscation by the state impossible and causing irreparable loss.

More than one hundred leaders and activists from the banned Awami League and its affiliated organizations have joined the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in Saidpur, Nilphamari. The formal joining took place on Sunday night at a meeting in Kamarpukur Union, attended by Abdul Gafur Sarkar, president of the Saidpur organizational district BNP and parliamentary candidate for Nilphamari-4. Local observers view the mass defection as a sign of significant change in the region’s political landscape.

BNP leaders said the inclusion of a large number of former Awami League members would strengthen the party’s organizational base and benefit it ahead of the upcoming national election. Abdul Gafur Sarkar stated that people were turning to the BNP due to repression, loss of voting rights, and anti-democratic actions by the banned Awami League government. He added that the exact number of new members would be confirmed after receiving the final list.

The development has sparked widespread discussion in Saidpur and surrounding areas, with local observers suggesting it could reshape future political alignments in the district.

At a press conference held at the National Press Club on Monday, Professor Dr. Mohammad Shariful Alam, member secretary of the Retired BCS Officers Forum, questioned the neutrality of several returning officers involved in candidate selection for the upcoming 13th parliamentary election. Representing the forum, the former secretary presented an eight-point demand to the Election Commission, emphasizing the need for impartial conduct by officials to ensure a fair and credible election scheduled for February 12.

The forum’s demands included immediate removal of any election officials whose neutrality has been questioned, strict enforcement of electoral laws, installation of CCTV cameras at all polling centers, and issuance of clear guidelines to ensure impartiality. They also called for prompt investigation and suspension of any accused officials, establishment of complaint boxes at key administrative offices, and post-election transfers of district and police officials through a lottery system. Additionally, the forum urged the government to declare that advisers and contract-based top officials would not be part of the next administration.

Dr. Alam stated that after three failed and fraudulent elections, the upcoming vote is crucial for democratic progress and political stability in the country.

Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir’s Dhaka University branch has completed its leadership selection for the 2026 session. In a direct vote by branch members, Muha. Mohiuddin Khan was elected as president. Ashiqur Rahman was nominated as secretary, and Mu. Sajjad Hossain Khan as organizational secretary. The election and nominations were finalized during a members’ assembly held Monday morning at Shaheed Mahbubur Rahman Auditorium.

The event was conducted by Central HRM Secretary Saidul Islam, with Central President Nurul Islam attending as chief guest and Central Publication Secretary Sadiq Kayem as special guest. Voting took place using ballot papers signed by the central president. After counting, Nurul Islam announced Mohiuddin Khan as the president-elect and administered his oath.

Following consultations with members, the newly elected president nominated Ashiqur Rahman and Mu. Sajjad Hossain Khan to their respective posts. The assembly concluded with prayers and supplications.

Arifur Rahman Dolon, a central vice president of Krishak League and member of the banned Awami League’s Faridpur district unit, has submitted nomination papers as an independent candidate for the Faridpur-1 constituency, covering Madhukhali, Boalmari, and Alfadanga. Dolon, previously a dummy candidate in the 2024 parliamentary election after being denied the party’s boat symbol, filed his papers through his wife ahead of the upcoming thirteenth national polls.

Local residents said Dolon, who faces multiple cases including murder, money laundering, and corruption, continues political activities openly despite no record of bail in some cases. He is listed as the 14th accused in a case filed over the July uprising killings, while other accused leaders remain fugitives. Dolon, a relative of former minister Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, was earlier jailed in a 2,000-crore taka money laundering case but later released on bail.

Protesters under the banner of the anti-discrimination movement recently demanded Dolon’s arrest, accusing authorities of rehabilitating banned Awami League figures by allowing them to contest elections.

Around 2,000 supporters of Venezuela’s ousted president Nicolás Maduro demonstrated in Caracas on Sunday, calling for his release from a New York prison where he and his wife are being held by U.S. forces. The protesters, waving Venezuela’s red, blue, and yellow national flags, were joined by pro-Maduro paramilitary members and motorcyclists. One placard read “Free our president,” while another declared “Venezuela is not anyone’s colony,” referencing U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent statement that Washington would “administer” Venezuela for an unspecified interim period.

Maduro is scheduled to appear in a New York court on Monday to face U.S. charges of “narco-terrorism” linked to alleged cocaine trafficking. Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López said a large part of Maduro’s security team had been “cold-bloodedly killed,” along with military personnel and civilians, though he did not specify numbers. A group of doctors told AFP that about 70 people were killed and 90 injured during the unrest.

The protests underscore deep divisions in Venezuela following Maduro’s ouster and detention, as his supporters continue to challenge U.S. actions and interim control claims.