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.

The Directorate of Primary Education has opened the online portal for downloading admit cards for the government primary school assistant teacher recruitment written examination. The process began on Saturday, December 27, 2025, at 10 a.m. Applicants can access their admit cards through the website http://admit.dpe.gov.bd/applicant/login using either their user ID and password or their SSC roll, board, and year. The written examination is scheduled to take place on Friday, January 2, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in each candidate’s respective district.

According to the official notice, candidates will receive an SMS from the number 01552-146056 with instructions for downloading their admit cards. Participants must bring a color printout of the downloaded admit card along with their original national identity card (NID or smart card) to the examination center. The admit card will also contain instructions for filling out the OMR sheet and other exam-related details.

The Directorate emphasized that only candidates with valid printed admit cards and identification will be allowed to sit for the examination.

A graffiti unveiling ceremony was held in Chatmohar, Pabna, on Friday, December 26, to commemorate revolutionary martyr Sharif Osman Al Hadi, spokesperson of Inquilab Mancha. The event took place near the Shaheed Minar in the Chatmohar Upazila premises, where murals of Hadi, Saeed, Abrar, and Mir Mugdho were painted by local students.

According to organizer Md. Hasanuzzaman Sabuj, the initiative, arranged under the banner of Amolin, aimed to inspire the public with Hadi’s spirit of sacrifice for the country and his courage to stand against Indian dominance. The artwork was created by students including Shishir, Faisal, Swapan, Masud Rana, Sabuj, and Gopal from various educational institutions.

The organizers expressed hope that the graffiti would serve as a lasting reminder of Hadi’s ideals and motivate younger generations to uphold national dignity and resistance against external influence.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) detained former Shibir upazila president Md. Atik Hasan, aged 25, along with a motorcycle and local weapons at Auliar Hat near the India border in Sreerampur Union of Patgram upazila, Lalmonirhat. The arrest took place on Saturday during an anti-smuggling operation conducted by the 61 BGB Teesta Battalion. The seized items and the detainee are in the process of being handed over to Patgram Police Station.

According to Patgram Police Station Officer-in-Charge Nazmul Haque, BGB filed a smuggling case and transferred the suspect with the seized weapons and motorcycle to the police. Patgram upazila Shibir president Khorhshed Alam confirmed that Atik Hasan had been expelled from the organization in 2022 for lack of dedication to party activities.

The BGB continues its anti-smuggling operations along the Lalmonirhat border, and legal procedures regarding the current arrest are underway.

A sit-in was held in Sylhet on Saturday, December 27, 2025, demanding justice for slain activist Sharif Osman Hadi. The event took place at the Sylhet Central Shaheed Minar, organized by Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) and the Sylhet Inquilab Mancha. Participants carried placards reading 'We are Hadi, We want justice' and called for the killers to be brought to trial.

Leaders and members of the SUST Inquilab Mancha, including Hafizul Islam, Hira Akter, Mahbub Hasan Anu, and others, joined the program along with a large number of students and people from various professions. The participants chanted slogans demanding justice for Hadi, who was described as an anti-hegemony July fighter and spokesperson of the Inquilab Mancha.

During the sit-in, Inquilab Mancha leaders urged the interim government to identify and prosecute those responsible for Hadi’s killing without delay.

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.

A mobile court in Baliakandi upazila of Rajbari district fined three individuals Tk 200,000 on December 27 for illegally cutting and selling soil to brick kilns. The operation took place in the Amtala area of Baliakandi Sadar Union, led by Upazila Assistant Commissioner (Land) Ehsanul Haque Shipon. The fined individuals were identified as Touhid Biswas, son of Moslem Biswas; Hasan Molla, son of Shukur Molla; and Rashed Sheikh, son of Sadek Sheikh. Police personnel from Baliakandi Police Station were present during the operation.

According to the Upazila Assistant Commissioner, the offenders violated Section 7(a) of the Balumahal and Soil Management Act 2010 and were penalized under Section 15(1) of the same law. He stated that similar drives would continue against anyone involved in illegal soil or sand extraction within the upazila.

The enforcement action underscores the local administration’s ongoing efforts to curb unauthorized soil extraction and protect land resources in the Rajbari region.

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.

The Bangladesh Navy detained 11 individuals along with a motorized boat, 1,000 liters of diesel, and 650 sacks of cement allegedly being smuggled to Myanmar. The operation took place on Friday in the Kutubdia outer anchorage area of the Bay of Bengal during a routine patrol aimed at ensuring maritime security and sovereignty.

According to the report, the Navy acted on secret intelligence about a smuggling ring using sea routes to evade customs duties and transport cement to Myanmar. The naval ship Shahid Mohibullah identified a suspicious fishing boat about 42 miles from the Kutubdia lighthouse. When signaled to stop, the boat attempted to flee but was intercepted and seized. The detained individuals reportedly admitted they were transporting the goods to Myanmar for higher profits.

The seized materials and detainees were later handed over to the Patenga Model Police Station for legal action. The Navy stated that its patrols and operations against smuggling, terrorism, and other maritime crimes will continue in coastal and sea areas.

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.

The Sylhet district administration honored 103 expatriate Bangladeshis for their contributions to remittances and professional success. The ceremony took place on Saturday afternoon at the Kabi Nazrul Auditorium in Rikabibazar, Sylhet city. The recognition was divided into six categories: successful professionals, businesspersons, community leaders, women entrepreneurs, achievers in sports, and importers of Bangladeshi products abroad. Abdul Nasher Khan, Secretary of the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, presented the awards as the chief guest.

The event was attended by senior officials including the Divisional Commissioner Khan Md. Reza Un Nabi, Sylhet Metropolitan Police Commissioner Abdul Quddus Chowdhury, Deputy Commissioner Md. Sarwar Alam, Superintendent of Police Kazi Akhtarul Alam, and Additional Deputy Commissioner (Education and ICT) Masud Rana. The program began with a rally in honor of the remittance contributors, joined by expatriates, government officials, and people from various professions.

According to the district administration, 582 applications were submitted over the past 20 days, and after verification, 103 individuals were selected for the honor.

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.