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 Dhaka Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education has issued an urgent directive regarding the 2026 Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examinations. According to a notice signed by Examination Controller Professor S M Kamal Uddin Haydar, test or selection exams for students intending to sit for the 2026 HSC will begin in February. The results of these tests must be published by March 10. The notice, described as 'highly urgent,' was released on Sunday in a revised form.

While the board confirmed that the test exams will start in February, it did not specify an exact date. The notice further stated that the HSC form fill-up process will begin on March 11. A detailed schedule and full instructions for form submission will be published later on the board’s official website.

The directive aims to ensure timely preparation and administrative readiness for the upcoming HSC examinations, maintaining the academic calendar for 2026 as planned.

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.

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.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting of Bangladesh has ordered all television channels in the country to suspend the broadcast of Indian Premier League (IPL) matches and related programs. The directive, issued on Monday, January 5, 2026, and signed by Assistant Secretary Firoz Khan, follows the exclusion of Bangladeshi cricketer Mustafizur Rahman from the Kolkata Knight Riders team. The ministry’s letter stated that the decision by the Indian cricket board to drop Rahman lacked a clear justification and had deeply hurt and angered the people of Bangladesh.

According to the official notice, the suspension will remain in effect until further instructions are issued. The ministry’s communication emphasized that the move was a response to widespread public sentiment over the perceived unfair treatment of the Bangladeshi player. The order was sent directly to top executives of television channels to ensure compliance.

The directive marks a rare government intervention in sports broadcasting, reflecting the sensitivity surrounding national representation in international cricket tournaments.

Unauthorized brick kilns are reportedly increasing in Nageshwari upazila of Kurigram district. According to the report, there are 18 brick kilns in the area, of which 13 are operating without approval. These unlicensed kilns are using topsoil from agricultural land to produce bricks and burning coal mixed with wood from various trees as fuel. The practice is said to be harming local biodiversity and public health.

Despite the growing number of illegal kilns, there appears to be no visible administrative action to stop them. The report notes that these operations continue openly, raising doubts among residents about the effectiveness of local authorities. The unregulated expansion of such kilns is contributing to environmental degradation and public concern.

The situation highlights a lack of enforcement of existing rules and the need for stronger oversight to protect farmland and community well-being in Nageshwari.

Home Affairs Adviser Lieutenant General (Retd.) Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury announced that the charge sheet in the Shaheed Sharif Osman Hadi murder case will be submitted soon. He stated that the government is giving the highest priority to ensuring justice in the case. The statement was made on Monday afternoon.

According to the adviser, the government is committed to expediting the legal process surrounding the murder of Shaheed Sharif Osman Hadi. His remarks indicate a focus on accountability and timely judicial proceedings. The announcement was reported by Amar Desh Online on January 5, 2026.

Further details about the investigation or timeline were not provided in the report, which noted that more information would follow.

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.

A major burglary took place early Monday at New Rana Jewellers in Chandrima Bazar, Mohammadpur, Dhaka. According to the shop owner, Masud Rana, thieves broke into the store and stole 70 bhori of gold, 600 bhori of silver, and Tk 4 lakh in cash. The estimated value of the stolen gold is Tk 1.54 crore, while the silver is worth Tk 21.6 lakh. The incident was discovered when the owner opened the shop around 10 a.m. and found the locks broken and the store ransacked.

Tejgaon Division Deputy Police Commissioner Ibne Mizan confirmed that police have been informed and multiple teams have already started working at the scene. The burglary occurred after the shop was closed around 11 p.m. on Sunday night. Authorities are investigating the case to identify and apprehend those responsible.

Police operations are ongoing at the crime scene, but no further details about suspects or arrests were provided in the report.

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.

Members of the Lalmonirhat Battalion (15 BGB) detained one person and seized a large consignment of Indian mobile phone displays smuggled into Bangladesh. Acting on intelligence, the BGB learned that the items had been secretly stored for trafficking through the Kulaghat checkpoint. During a late-night operation on Sunday, they intercepted a suspect traveling by easy bike, searched the vehicle, and recovered 1,048 Indian mobile displays. The suspect, identified as Md. Sohag, was arrested on the spot.

According to the battalion authorities, the seized goods are valued at 22 lakh 800 taka. The detainee and the confiscated items have been handed over to Lalmonirhat Sadar Police Station, where a case has been filed. The BGB is continuing efforts to identify and take legal action against other members of the smuggling network.

Lieutenant Colonel Mehedi Imam, PSC, commanding officer of the 15 BGB, stated that smuggling harms the national economy by disrupting market balance, depriving the government of revenue, and fostering criminal activity in border areas.

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.

Members of the central executive committee of Jamaat-e-Islami convened a meeting on Monday morning to review the country’s current situation and make organizational decisions. The meeting began at 10 a.m. at the party’s central office in Moghbazar, Dhaka, under the chairmanship of party Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman.

Senior leaders including Nayeb-e-Ameer Professor Mujibur Rahman, Dr. Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher, ATM Azharul Islam, and Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar were present at the session. The gathering focused on assessing ongoing national developments and determining the party’s next steps in response to the prevailing circumstances.

No further details about the specific agenda or outcomes of the meeting were disclosed in the report.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has recovered 114 unidentified bodies of those killed during the July uprising. Among them, eight victims have been identified, according to information released by CID on Monday morning. The identified individuals include Faisal Sarkar, Parvez Bepari, Rafiqul Islam (52), Mahim, Sohel Rana, Asanullah, Kabil Hossain, and Rafiqul Islam (29).

Earlier, on August 4, Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammad Mostafizur Rahman ordered the exhumation of the bodies following a police petition filed by Sub-Inspector Mahidul Islam of Mohammadpur Police Station. The exhumation process began on December 7.

The 114 victims had been buried anonymously at the Rayerbazar cemetery in Mohammadpur after being killed during last year’s anti-discrimination movement. The CID’s identification effort marks a significant step toward recognizing the victims of the July uprising.