The National Board of Revenue (NBR) announced that it registered 131,000 previously unregistered businesses for Value Added Tax (VAT) during a special campaign conducted across Bangladesh in December. According to an NBR press release issued on Saturday, the campaign was carried out by 12 VAT commissionerates, which worked daily, including holidays, to identify and register new entities. Before the interim government took office, the number of VAT-registered businesses stood at 516,000, which has now risen to 775,000.

NBR’s public relations officer Md. Al Amin Sheikh said the campaign coincided with VAT Day on December 10 and VAT Week from December 10 to 15, followed by a special registration drive from December 10 to 31. He noted that VAT contributes the largest share of total revenue, accounting for 38 percent last year. To expand the VAT base, the government has amended the VAT law, lowering the annual turnover threshold for mandatory registration from 30 million to 5 million taka.

NBR has also introduced measures to simplify VAT registration and payment, including online submission of VAT returns and automated refunds directly to bank accounts.

During the state-run Operation Devil Hunt Phase-2, aimed at preventing possible sabotage and violence ahead of the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election, joint forces continued special drives across Bangladesh. In Chuadanga’s Darshana area, police arrested two local Jubo League figures—Begumpur Union Jubo League General Secretary Shahin Ahmed and former leader Saiful Azam Mintu—on January 1 during a special raid at the Hijolgari camp.

Police sources said both detainees were known as active leaders of the ruling party’s youth wing and had been involved in local influence and alleged subversive activities. However, on January 2, while Shahin was sent to court, Saiful was released by police. The release sparked widespread criticism and human chains in Darshana.

Officer-in-Charge Mehedi Hasan stated that both men were brought in for questioning, but Saiful was freed because he held no current organizational post. Locals have questioned whether a police officer alone has the authority to release a political figure under such circumstances, fueling debate in Begumpur and Darshana.

Sharaf Uddin Azad Sohel, vice president of Ramgati Upazila Awami League, has submitted his nomination to contest as an independent candidate in the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election for the Lakshmipur-4 (Ramgati-Kamalnagar) constituency. His candidacy has sparked strong reactions among local groups, particularly the July Movement’s student and citizen activists, who questioned his eligibility and past conduct.

Leaders of the July Movement and local BNP activists accused Sohel of past involvement in violence, vote manipulation, and misuse of political influence during his tenure as upazila chairman. They alleged that he maintained a private armed group that intimidated opponents and attacked BNP offices. The groups demanded the cancellation of his nomination and his immediate arrest, citing multiple reports of misconduct that authorities allegedly ignored.

Assistant Returning Officer Nilufa Yasmin Nipa confirmed that Sohel collected his nomination papers from Ramgati but submitted them at the district office. Attempts to contact the district returning officer for comment reportedly went unanswered.

Bangladesh Shooting Sports Federation has temporarily suspended national shooter Kamrun Nahar Koli. The decision was communicated on January 1 to her employer, the Bangladesh Navy, through a letter signed by federation general secretary Ferdous Ara Begum. The letter cited violations of sections 5, 12, 13, and 14 of the federation’s code of conduct, accusing Koli of speaking to the media without permission, discouraging fellow shooters, and engaging in politics and grouping. She was asked to respond within three working days explaining why the suspension should not be made permanent.

Koli had earlier accused the federation’s joint general secretary, G.M. Haider Sajjad, of sexual harassment and filed a general diary at Gulshan Police Station on November 26. Several other shooters also protested the alleged misconduct. Sajjad was later relieved of his duties by the National Sports Council on the same day Koli received her suspension letter. Koli claimed she was targeted for raising her voice against harassment and alleged that the federation acted under Sajjad’s influence.

The suspension puts Koli’s participation in national and international competitions in doubt, threatening the career of Bangladesh’s first female World Cup shooting finalist.

A mild cold wave has swept across Kurigram district, located near the Himalayas, severely disrupting daily life. The district recorded a minimum temperature of 10 degrees Celsius with 99 percent humidity on January 3, according to the local agricultural meteorological office. Dense fog and cold winds have reduced visibility, halting agricultural work, slowing long-distance transport, and causing frequent accidents. Boat passengers in riverine areas have faced severe hardship as fog causes boats to lose direction.

Kurigram, home to about 2.5 million people, has a poverty rate of 71 percent. Many low-income residents are struggling to buy warm clothes, relying instead on cheap roadside garments. The Civil Surgeon’s Office reported that in December alone, 1,400 people were hospitalized with diarrhea and about 3,000 with fever, cold, and pneumonia, mostly children and the elderly. Authorities have advised special care for vulnerable groups.

District relief officials said 27,000 blankets have been distributed and each of the nine upazilas received six lakh taka in aid. The cold wave is expected to intensify in the coming days.

An analysis of affidavits submitted to the returning officer’s office in Chattogram reveals that Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) candidates possess significantly greater wealth than their rivals, while Jamaat-e-Islami nominees hold higher educational qualifications. The review, covering 15 constituencies, shows BNP contenders leading by 10 to 12 times in income, assets, and cash holdings compared to Jamaat candidates. In contrast, most Jamaat nominees rely on salaried jobs, professional services, tuition, or small businesses for income.

The data also indicate that Jamaat candidates are generally more educated, with a higher number of doctors, master’s degree holders, MPhil graduates, and individuals with advanced Islamic studies credentials. In several constituencies, BNP candidates reported multimillion-taka assets, while Jamaat contenders often declared modest financial positions. The findings highlight a consistent pattern of economic dominance by BNP candidates and academic advantage among Jamaat nominees.

The affidavit-based comparison underscores a sharp socio-economic and educational divide between the two parties’ candidates in Chattogram ahead of the upcoming election.

Bangladesh’s Food Adviser Ali Imam Majumder said on Sunday that rice prices are not expected to increase this year, citing the country’s highest-ever food grain reserves. Speaking to reporters at the Secretariat, he explained that last year’s price hike was driven by government formation and natural disasters, but current stock levels are strong enough to stabilize the market.

According to Majumder, government warehouses currently hold 2,027,420 metric tons of food grains, with the capacity to increase reserves by another 2.4 million tons. He noted that this year’s stock is the highest in the past five years. The adviser emphasized that maintaining a smooth supply chain will be key to keeping rice prices steady.

Majumder also confirmed that rice imports from India remain normal and that no political issues are affecting the trade flow.

Mahdi Hasan, the Habiganj district member secretary of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, was not released despite continuous protests in Dhaka and Habiganj. On the night of January 3, he was taken to a magistrate’s residence, raising hopes among supporters. However, his release did not occur as the court session could not be held due to the magistrate’s absence.

According to district convener Arif Talukdar, the bail process was underway, and he, along with the organization’s spokesperson Ashraful Islam Sujon and senior police officials, went to the magistrate’s residence in a microbus. Despite all preparations, the absence of the magistrate prevented the court from convening, leaving Mahdi Hasan in custody. He was detained by the Detective Branch police from a house in Shaestaganj area on Saturday evening, though police have not disclosed under which case he was arrested.

As of early Sunday morning, leaders and activists of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement continued their sit-in in front of Habiganj Sadar Police Station, demanding Mahdi Hasan’s release.

Editor of the newspaper Amar Desh, Mahmudur Rahman, visited the BNP chairperson’s office in Gulshan on Saturday night to sign the condolence book opened following the death of Bangladesh’s political leader Begum Khaleda Zia. After signing, he met BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman to express his condolences and inquire about his health. Mahmudur Rahman also recalled moments from Khaleda Zia’s political life and her illness during hospitalization.

Several senior journalists accompanied him, including Amar Desh’s executive editor Syed Abdal Ahmad, managing editor Zahed Chowdhury, and chief reporter Bashir Jamal. Senior journalist and managing director of the Journalist Welfare Trust, M Abdullah, was also present. Upon arrival at around 8:30 p.m., Mahmudur Rahman spoke with BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir before meeting Tarique Rahman, who was performing evening prayers at the time.

In the condolence book, Mahmudur Rahman wrote a message paying deep respect to Khaleda Zia, describing her as a guiding light whose principled struggle would inspire future generations.

After the launch of the National Equipment Identity Register (NEIR), alarming data has emerged about the prevalence of cloned and counterfeit mobile phones in Bangladesh. According to Fayez Ahmad Tayyeb, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser for the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology, millions of fake and duplicate IMEI numbers are currently active on national mobile networks. In a verified Facebook post on Friday night, he cited examples such as “1111111111111”, “0000000000000”, and “9999999999999”, noting that these IMEIs are not being blocked at present.

Tayyeb stated that millions of people are using low-quality counterfeit phones that have never undergone radiation or safety testing, including Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) checks. These devices are active across all four mobile operators. Instead of immediate disconnection, they will be tagged as “grey” devices. He added that over the past decade, one IMEI number alone was linked to 39,122,534 different combinations of document IDs, MSISDNs, and IMEIs. Operators currently cannot distinguish between phones, SIM-connected devices, and IoT devices, though tagging of legally imported IoT devices has begun.

A photo showing NCP and Jamaat alliance candidate Hasnat Abdullah sitting beside Jubo League leader Zakir Hossain during a nomination paper scrutiny event at the Comilla Deputy Commissioner and Returning Officer’s office went viral on social media, drawing widespread criticism. The event took place on Friday as part of the verification process for six constituencies in Comilla ahead of the 13th National Parliamentary Election. Hasnat Abdullah, the chief organizer of NCP’s southern region, attended the session for Comilla-4 (Debidwar) constituency with his supporters.

Zakir Hossain, joint convener of the Jubo League’s Malapara Union unit and a former member of the Comilla South District Chhatra League, was seen seated next to Abdullah. The viral image triggered strong reactions online, with local residents and opposition activists criticizing the association. A local BNP-affiliated leader recalled that Zakir Hossain had once submitted a memorandum seeking a ban on BNP politics in 2022.

When asked about the matter, Hasnat Abdullah told the daily Amar Desh that Zakir Hossain is an IDLC Bank official and that he knew nothing beyond that.

The Gazipur district administration has cancelled the nomination papers of 19 candidates across five parliamentary constituencies following the verification process for the upcoming 11th National Parliamentary Election. The decision was announced by Gazipur Deputy Commissioner and Returning Officer Mohammad Alam Hossain on Saturday, January 3, after the scrutiny session began at 10 a.m. in the Bhawal Conference Room of the district office. A total of 53 candidates had submitted nomination papers in Gazipur, of which 34 were declared valid.

According to the official review, two candidates were disqualified in Gazipur-1, eight in Gazipur-2, three in Gazipur-3, four in Gazipur-4, and two in Gazipur-5. The cancelled nominations included candidates from various parties such as the National Party, Ganofront, and several independents. In Gazipur-4, candidates from BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, Communist Party, National Party, and National Peoples Party were declared valid.

The verification process marks a key step in finalizing the list of eligible candidates for the upcoming national election in Gazipur, ensuring compliance with electoral regulations before the campaign period begins.

A local leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Alamgir Hossain, aged 50, was shot dead by unidentified assailants in Jessore on Saturday night. The attack occurred around 7:30 p.m. in front of Nayan Commissioner’s office in the Shankarpur area of Jessore town. Alamgir, son of Intaj Chowdhury, served as the joint general secretary of the BNP’s Ward No. 7 unit under Jessore Municipality.

According to his elder brother Jahangir Hossain, Alamgir was chatting near the office when unknown attackers shot him on the left side of his head and fled the scene. Locals rushed him to Jessore General Hospital, where emergency department physician Bichitra Mallik confirmed that he had sustained a gunshot wound to the head.

Inspector Muminul Haque of Jessore Kotwali Police Station said police had visited the scene to gather information and were working to identify and apprehend the perpetrators.

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman has expressed gratitude to all who extended condolences during the three-day state mourning following the death of former Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia. On Saturday, January 3, he posted a message on his verified Facebook page, acknowledging the love, prayers, and sympathy received from supporters at home and abroad. He reflected on his mother’s significance to people from diverse backgrounds and described her as a symbol of steadfastness and courage.

In his message, Rahman thanked the interim government led by Professor Muhammad Yunus and its advisory council for their leadership and coordination in organizing the funeral arrangements. He also extended appreciation to the armed forces, law enforcement agencies, ministries, and the President Guard Regiment for their roles in honoring Khaleda Zia’s final journey. Rahman expressed deep gratitude to foreign leaders, diplomats, and friendly nations for their condolences and participation in the mourning events.

He concluded by thanking the people of Bangladesh for their unity and compassion, saying their collective presence reflected the nation’s empathy and respect for the late leader.

The scrutiny of nomination papers for the 13th parliamentary election in Chandpur district has been completed. Out of 46 candidates, 15 nominations were canceled while 34 were declared valid. The verification process took place on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the conference room of the District Commissioner’s office.

In Chandpur-1 constituency, nominations of three candidates from Gano Forum, Jatiya Party, and Gono Odhikar Parishad were canceled due to missing signatures on their affidavits. In Chandpur-2, five nominations were canceled and one candidate withdrew. The canceled nominations included those from Bangladesh Labour Party, Islami Andolan Bangladesh, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, Amar Bangladesh Party, and an independent candidate. In Chandpur-3, one Gano Forum candidate’s nomination was canceled for lack of signature. In Chandpur-4, four nominations were canceled for reasons including loan default and missing voter support documents, while in Chandpur-5, one independent candidate’s nomination was canceled for insufficient voter support.

The completion of scrutiny finalizes the list of valid candidates in Chandpur ahead of the upcoming national election.