The nomination of Jamaat-e-Islami candidate Dr. Mosleh Uddin Farid for Jessore-2 (Jhikargacha-Chowgacha) constituency in the 13th National Parliamentary Election has been cancelled due to a credit card-related bank clearance issue. The district returning officer and Jessore Deputy Commissioner Asheq Hasan confirmed that Farid’s CIB report showed an old unpaid credit card balance, though he submitted payment proof. The delay in repayment led to the cancellation. Farid may appeal to the election appellate court and could regain candidacy if required documents are resubmitted.

In the same constituency, five other candidates faced nomination issues, including BNP leader Mohammad Ishaq, who failed to submit a party nomination. Independent candidates Mehedi Hasan and Zahurul Islam lost nominations due to signature mismatches, while BNPF candidate Shassul Haque’s nomination was kept pending. Jatiya Party candidate Firoz Shah’s nomination was cancelled following an Agrani Bank objection.

In Jessore-1 (Sharsha), BNP candidate Nuruzzaman Liton’s nomination was kept pending due to inconsistencies in case and dependent information. Candidates have until January 4 to correct errors and resubmit documents for final approval.

Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman conveyed his condolences to BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman and his bereaved family following the death of BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia. On Thursday evening, he visited the BNP Chairperson’s office in Gulshan, Dhaka, where he met Tarique Rahman and other BNP leaders to express sympathy. He also signed the condolence book kept at the office.

Begum Khaleda Zia passed away on Tuesday while undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka. Her funeral prayer took place on Wednesday in the Parliament area, described as a historic event, and she was later buried beside her husband, former President Ziaur Rahman, at the Zia Udyan in Dhaka.

The condolence visit by the Jamaat chief reflects continued political and personal ties between the two parties during a period of mourning for the BNP leadership.

Mohammad Mamunul Haque has submitted his nomination papers to contest the national parliamentary election from Dhaka-13 constituency (electoral area no. 186). According to the affidavit filed with the Election Commission on December 28, 2025, his current profession is teaching. He reported an annual income of 1,315,334 taka, of which 656,890 taka comes from teaching and consultancy, and the rest from business. His 2025–26 tax return shows an annual income of 876,890 taka, for which he paid 59,034 taka in taxes. He declared cash holdings of 8,302,837 taka, bonds worth 100,000 taka, furniture valued at 200,000 taka, and non-agricultural land and other assets totaling 8,188,558 taka.

The affidavit states that three criminal cases are currently pending against him. One case under the Explosives Act of 1908 is being tried in the Senior Metropolitan Special Tribunal-5, Dhaka; another case in the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court is stayed by the High Court; and a third case under the Anti-Terrorism Act 2009 is under investigation in the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court, Chattogram. He also mentioned that out of 38 previous cases filed at Paltan Police Station, 32 were withdrawn, he was acquitted in five, and discharged in one.

The affidavit lists his date of birth as September 3, 1973, age 53, with a master’s degree. His father is Maulana Azizul Haque, mother Chhara Begum, and wife Amina Taiyeba. He has four sons, all students. His current address is in Mohammadpur, Dhaka, and his permanent address is in Azimpur, Dhaka.

National Citizen Party (NCP) member secretary Akhtar Hossain has declared total assets worth Tk 2.7 million in his affidavit submitted for the 13th National Parliamentary Election. The affidavit shows that he owns no house or car, and his annual income from agriculture, business, and employment amounts to Tk 505,000. He is contesting from the Rangpur-4 (Kaunia-Pirgacha) constituency.

According to the affidavit, Akhtar Hossain identified himself as an apprentice lawyer and his wife, Sanjida Akter, as a homemaker. He holds Tk 1.3 million in cash, while his wife has Tk 400,000. The couple also has Tk 299,426 deposited in banks. Additionally, Akhtar owns jewelry worth Tk 700,000, and his wife owns jewelry valued at Tk 1 million. His immovable assets include 18 percent of agricultural land valued at Tk 23,000.

The affidavit provides a detailed breakdown of both movable and immovable assets, reflecting transparency in the candidate’s financial disclosure ahead of the upcoming election.

US President Donald Trump said he is seriously considering selling F-35 fighter jets to Turkey following a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida. The discussion took place during Netanyahu’s fifth visit to the United States since Trump’s second term began, centered on the second phase of a Gaza ceasefire plan. When asked whether the US would approve the sale, Trump said the matter was under serious consideration.

Trump described Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as a “very good friend” and assured that Turkey would not use the aircraft against Israel. He also said there would be no problems between the two nations. The US had previously suspended Turkey from the F-35 program in 2019 after Ankara purchased the Russian S-400 air defense system, imposing sanctions on several Turkish defense entities under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).

Trump added that he would discuss Turkey’s potential participation in a multinational Gaza mission with Netanyahu and maintained that his relationship with Erdogan remained strong.

President of Bangladesh has appointed Additional Attorney General Mohammad Arshadur Rouf as the acting Attorney General. The appointment was announced through a gazette signed by Law Ministry Secretary Liakat Ali Molla on Thursday, January 1, 2026. The order stated that Rouf will assume additional responsibility for the post of Attorney General with immediate effect.

The position became vacant after Attorney General Md. Asaduzzaman submitted his resignation to the President on December 27, citing personal reasons. His resignation was processed through the Law Ministry. According to the report, Asaduzzaman stepped down to contest in the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election as a BNP candidate from Jhenaidah-1 constituency.

Previously, following the fall of the Hasina government on August 5, 2024, then-Attorney General A. M. Amin Uddin resigned on August 7, and Asaduzzaman was appointed as the 17th Attorney General on August 8. Rouf will now temporarily hold this key constitutional position until further appointment.

The Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) administration has confirmed that the central student union (ShakSU) election will be held on January 20, following the previously announced roadmap. The confirmation comes after Jagannath University postponed its own student union election due to the death of former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia. Despite the national election approaching, SUST officials stated that preparations for the ShakSU vote are continuing as planned, with nominated candidates already campaigning.

Professor Dr. Md. Nazrul Islam, spokesperson for the ShakSU Election Commission, said there is no reason to doubt the timely organization of the election. He emphasized that the commission is working even during university closure periods to ensure the process remains on schedule. According to him, the upcoming national election will not affect the university’s internal electoral process.

The university administration reiterated that all activities are proceeding according to the announced roadmap, aiming to hold the election without disruption on the scheduled date.

Businessman Jasim Uddin Ahmed, once known as a close associate of former IGP Benazir Ahmed during the Awami League era, has been nominated by the BNP to contest from Chattogram-14 constituency. His election affidavit shows Tk 15.01 crore in cash and his wife’s legal savings of Tk 14.57 lakh. The declaration lacks clear explanations about the source, banking records, or income consistency behind such large cash holdings, sparking debate over whether old political influences still persist.

BNP insiders said Jasim was nominated at the last moment by the party’s central leadership without consulting the South District BNP, prompting internal criticism. Local sources claim he had close ties with former ministers and ex-IGPs Benazir Ahmed and Shahidul Haque. Photos of his meetings with them have circulated on social media. Jasim was previously elected as an independent chairman in the 2024 upazila polls, which BNP boycotted, and was once jailed in a 2024 attempted murder case.

South District BNP convener Idris Mia said the party likely chose Jasim for his financial capacity to challenge rival candidates, adding that local leaders would now support the central decision.

A funeral in absentia for BNP Chairperson and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia was held in Bhangura, Pabna, on Thursday, January 1. The prayer took place after Asr at the Government Haji Jamal Uddin Degree Honors College field in the municipal area. The event was organized by the upazila and municipal units of the BNP, drawing hundreds of party leaders, activists, and local residents. The prayer was led by Hafiz Maulana Ashraf Ali.

Before the prayer, brief speeches were delivered by several local BNP leaders, including former upazila president Mojibur Rahman, convenor Nur Mojahid Swapon, member secretary Sardar Zafar Iqbal Hirok, senior joint convenor Abdul Aziz, former organizing secretary Abdul Matin Raju, municipal BNP president Rafiqul Islam, and general secretary Saidul Islam Buruj.

The gathering reflected local BNP members’ participation in honoring their party leader through the religious ceremony organized at the upazila level.

The Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir Rajshahi University (RU) branch has announced its new committee for the 2025–26 session. Mujahid Faisal was elected president, and Hafiz Mehedi Hasan was appointed secretary general. The announcement was made on Thursday afternoon through an official statement on the organization’s Facebook page. The election took place during a members’ assembly at the university, where voting was conducted using ballot papers signed by the central president.

After vote counting, Secretary General Sibgatullah declared Mujahid Faisal as the new president and administered his oath. Based on members’ consultation, Faisal nominated Mehedi Hasan as the branch secretary. According to Shibir sources, Faisal previously served as secretary in the outgoing committee and is a student of the Islamic Studies Department from the 2016–17 session, currently pursuing an MPhil. Mehedi Hasan is a student of the Arabic Department from the 2018–19 session.

The newly elected leaders are expected to announce the full committee soon. The assembly was attended by the central education secretary Ibrahim Hossain, outgoing president Mostakur Rahman Zahid, and branch members.

Khan Muhammad Mursaleen, the central joint chief coordinator of the National Citizens Party (NCP), has resigned from all his party positions. He announced his resignation on Thursday, January 1, through a Facebook post, stating that he was stepping down from his responsibilities effective immediately.

In his post, Mursaleen mentioned that he had served as the central joint chief coordinator of the NCP and had also worked in the party’s media, publicity, and publication cells. Recently, he had been serving as the secretary of the party’s election-time media subcommittee for a short period. He confirmed that he was resigning from all duties and posts within the NCP from that day.

The report did not specify the reasons behind his resignation or any official response from the party leadership regarding his departure.

Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar will visit Beijing from January 3 to 6, 2026, to co-chair the seventh round of the Pakistan-China Foreign Ministers’ Strategic Dialogue. The visit comes at the invitation of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, according to statements from both countries’ foreign ministries. The dialogue is described as the highest consultative framework between the two nations, serving as a structured platform to review bilateral cooperation and regional and international issues of mutual interest.

The meeting takes place as Pakistan and China prepare to mark 75 years of diplomatic relations amid changing regional and global dynamics. The Pakistani Foreign Ministry said the visit is part of regular high-level exchanges and reflects both countries’ commitment to expanding their all-weather strategic partnership while reaffirming their shared dedication to regional peace, stability, and sustainable development.

The previous, sixth round of the dialogue was held in Islamabad in August, where Wang Yi met with Dar, Prime Minister Sheikh Habib Sharif, and President Asif Ali Zardari. China then reiterated its pledge to work with Pakistan for regional peace and development.

Dhaka University Central Students' Union (Daksu) Vice President Sadiq Kayem signed the condolence book opened for the late BNP Chairperson and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia. The signing took place on Thursday evening at the BNP Chairperson’s office in Gulshan, Dhaka.

During the visit, several Daksu representatives were present, including Literary and Cultural Secretary Musaddiq Ali Ibn Mohammad, Social Welfare Secretary A.B. Zubair, and Executive Members Raihan Uddin and Shahinur Rahman. The condolence book was opened to honor the memory of the late leader.

The event reflected participation from student leadership in paying respects to the deceased political figure, highlighting continued engagement between student representatives and national political developments.

Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman will visit BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman and his bereaved family to offer condolences. The visit is scheduled for Thursday at 7 p.m. at the BNP Chairperson’s office in Gulshan, the day after the burial of former Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia. The information was confirmed through an urgent message from Jamaat-e-Islami’s central publicity department.

Earlier, on the day of Khaleda Zia’s death, Jamaat’s Naib-e-Ameer Dr. Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher and a delegation visited the Gulshan office to sign the condolence book and meet BNP leaders. Jamaat’s top leadership, including its Ameer, also attended the funeral prayer held on Wednesday.

The condolence visit underscores continued political communication between Jamaat-e-Islami and BNP leadership following the passing of Khaleda Zia, as both parties maintain engagement during the mourning period.

Bangladesh’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Md. Touhid Hossain said it is too early to determine whether Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s visit to Dhaka will ease existing tensions between the two countries. Speaking to reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday, Hossain described the visit as a courteous gesture rather than a political event, noting that Jaishankar’s trip was brief but he attended the entire ceremony before departing.

Hossain clarified that there was no one-on-one meeting between him and Jaishankar, as the occasion did not allow for bilateral discussions. He added that Jaishankar also exchanged greetings with other South Asian dignitaries, including Pakistan’s National Assembly Speaker, calling such interactions a matter of diplomatic courtesy. The adviser emphasized that their brief conversation contained no political content.

Jaishankar, along with representatives from Pakistan, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, visited Dhaka on December 31 to pay last respects to former Bangladeshi Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia. Hossain said Zia enjoyed broad respect across South Asia, and participation by regional leaders in her funeral was natural.