During the verification process for the 13th National Parliamentary Election, two candidates’ nomination papers for the Madaripur-3 constituency were canceled, while four were declared valid. The announcement was made on Saturday afternoon at the Madaripur District Commissioner’s office hall by Returning Officer and District Commissioner Jahangir Alam.

According to the returning officer, a total of six candidates had submitted nomination papers for the constituency. Among them, four were accepted as valid after scrutiny. The nominations of Aminur Islam from the Bangladesh Socialist Party (BASAD) and independent candidate Md. Asaduzzaman were canceled due to discrepancies in required documents. Specifically, the one percent voter consent forms and party nomination papers did not meet the Election Commission’s standards.

The four valid candidates are Anisur Rahman of BNP, Md. Rafiqul Islam of Jamaat, Md. Azizul Haque of Islami Andolon, and Nitai Chakraborty of Bangladesh Supreme Party. The two disqualified candidates may appeal to the Election Commission to regain eligibility.

The Bangladesh Election Commission (EC) has announced that any voter who shares photos or videos of their postal ballot on social media will face punitive action, including the blocking of their National Identity Card (NID). The directive, disclosed through EC sources, emphasizes that maintaining the secrecy of postal votes is both a right and a responsibility of voters. Sharing any information, images, or video footage of ballots online constitutes a punishable offense under existing law.

The EC’s message urges voters to refrain from posting or sharing any content related to postal voting on social media platforms. The commission reiterated that such actions compromise the confidentiality of the electoral process and will trigger legal measures, including NID suspension and other lawful penalties.

The announcement underscores the EC’s effort to preserve the integrity and secrecy of postal voting ahead of upcoming electoral activities, warning that violations will be met with strict enforcement.

In Habiganj, the district returning officer and deputy commissioner Abu Hasnat Mohammad Arifin declared 19 out of 29 nomination papers valid after scrutiny across four constituencies on Saturday morning. The verification took place at the district administration conference room in the presence of senior officials including the additional district magistrate and the district election officer. Ten candidates’ nominations were canceled for various procedural and documentation errors.

In Habiganj-1, one candidate’s paper was rejected for missing affidavit and signature. In Habiganj-2, three candidates were disqualified for incomplete voter lists, concealing case information, and missing signatures. In Habiganj-3, one candidate’s paper was canceled for faulty application and missing tax return. In Habiganj-4, five candidates were disqualified due to inconsistencies in party nominations, missing signatures, incomplete voter lists, and lack of bank account proof.

The district returning officer stated that candidates whose nominations were canceled may appeal by January 9.

Bangladeshi newspaper Amar Desh has announced it will boycott all coverage of the Indian Premier League (IPL) following the exclusion of Bangladesh’s fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman from the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) squad. The decision came after India’s cricket board, the BCCI, instructed KKR to release Mustafizur. The newspaper’s editorial board confirmed the boycott soon after the player’s removal was made public.

According to the report, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) had granted Mustafizur permission to play in the IPL at the BCCI’s request, following Bangladesh’s ODI series against New Zealand. KKR had purchased Mustafizur for 92 million rupees in the recent auction, making him the highest-priced Bangladeshi player in the league. However, the BCCI has not yet formally notified the BCB about the release order.

BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia told Indian media that the decision was made due to recent events, while other Indian figures, including a religious leader and a BJP politician, had earlier criticized KKR’s signing of Mustafizur. The BCB indicated it has limited options beyond appealing to the BCCI.

The nomination of BNP candidate Morshed Milton for the Bogura-7 (Gabtali-Shajahanpur) constituency, previously held by Khaleda Zia, has been declared valid for the 13th National Parliamentary Election. The announcement was made on Saturday by Bogura Deputy Commissioner and Returning Officer Toufiqul Rahman after verifying five submitted nomination papers, of which three were approved.

The nominations of Begum Khaleda Zia, due to her death, and Muslim League leader Ansar Ali were cancelled for not meeting the required criteria. The two other valid candidates in the constituency are Golam Rabbani of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and Md. Shariful Islam of Islami Andolan. This marks the first time a BNP candidate outside the Zia family, Morshed Milton, who is the district BNP vice-president and Gabtali Thana BNP president, has been nominated for this seat.

Local reports indicate that Milton’s nomination as the BNP’s young candidate under the party’s ‘sheaf of paddy’ symbol has generated widespread enthusiasm in the Bogura-7 constituency.

Leaders and activists of the central Anti-Discrimination Student Movement staged a sit-in at Shahbagh on Saturday night demanding the immediate release of Mahadi Hasan, the Habiganj district member secretary and a self-proclaimed July fighter. The protest began around 10 p.m., following an announcement made on the organization’s Facebook page at 9 p.m. Earlier that evening, police detained Mahadi from a lawyer’s residence in Habiganj town. According to the district convener Arif Talukdar, the reason for Mahadi’s detention was not clear, though police said it was for questioning.

The organization issued a one-hour ultimatum for Mahadi’s unconditional release, warning of nationwide action if the demand was not met. After the deadline passed without response, the group announced the Shahbagh sit-in at 10:15 p.m., calling on students and the public to join. The arrest followed a viral video showing Mahadi confronting a police officer in Shaistaganj over the detention of a student leader involved in the movement.

The group stated that if Mahadi was not released promptly, it would escalate its protest programs across the country.

Mahdi Hasan, member secretary of the Habiganj district branch of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, was detained by the Detective Branch (DB) police on Saturday evening from a lawyer’s residence in the district town. The branch’s convener, Arif Talukdar, said he was not yet clear about the reason for the detention, though police informed them it was for interrogation. Attempts to contact the Habiganj DB police for further details were unsuccessful.

According to reports, Mahdi may have been detained in connection with an incident on January 2, when he allegedly threatened police after admitting to burning the Baniachang police station and assaulting a sub-inspector while trying to secure the release of an accused person. Earlier on Saturday afternoon, the movement’s central office secretary, Shahadat Hossain, issued a show-cause notice to Mahdi, instructing him to respond within 24 hours and barring him from participating in organizational activities until further notice.

The report also mentioned that a former Chhatra League leader, Enamul Hasan Noyon, had been detained earlier, prompting protests from movement activists who demanded his release.

Foreign Affairs Adviser Md. Touhid Hossain stated that there is no external pressure on Bangladesh regarding the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election. He made the remarks on Saturday, January 3, in Munshiganj after a meeting with heads of government offices. Hossain emphasized that Bangladesh maintains good relations with all foreign partners, and the election process is being organized independently within the country.

He added that the government will conduct the election and hand over responsibilities to the newly elected administration by February 12. The adviser noted that how other countries choose to maintain relations with Bangladesh is their own matter. On a separate issue, he said efforts are underway to bring back those involved in the Osman Hadi murder case, though their exact location in India remains unknown.

Hossain clarified that there is no urgency in the judicial process and that once the suspects’ whereabouts are confirmed, the Indian government would be requested to assist in their capture.

The Election Commission (EC) has clarified the specific procedure for filing appeals against returning officers’ decisions on the acceptance or rejection of nomination papers for the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election. According to a directive from the EC Secretariat’s legal wing, any candidate whose nomination is rejected, or any candidate objecting to another’s acceptance, must submit an appeal following the prescribed rules. The directive emphasizes strict adherence to clause 19 of Circular-2 previously issued by the commission.

For candidates’ convenience, the EC stated that appeals must be submitted at designated booths assigned for each region, using the official format provided by the commission. The entire appeal process must be completed within the timeframe set in the announced election schedule. Returning, assistant returning, and regional officers have been instructed to promptly inform candidates about these procedures.

As in previous elections, special booths and hearing courts will be set up at the EC Secretariat, where the Chief Election Commissioner and other commissioners will conduct hearings to resolve appeals swiftly.

The 11th edition of the international photography festival ‘Chobi Mela’ will begin in Dhaka on January 16, 2026, as announced at a press conference held at DrikPath Bhaban. Organized jointly by Drik Picture Library and Pathshala South Asian Media Institute, the festival will run for 16 days across five venues, including the Bangladesh National Museum, Shilpakala Academy, Alliance Française de Dhaka, DrikPath Bhaban, and the South Plaza of the National Parliament. This year’s theme, ‘Punah’ (meaning ‘again’ or ‘anew’), reflects a spirit of renewal and fresh beginnings. The event will feature nine exhibitions with 58 participants from 18 countries across five continents.

Curators Munem Wasif and Sarker Protick highlighted key exhibitions exploring global conflicts, borders, and identity, including “But a Wound That Fights,” “Rights of Passage,” and “(Un)Learning Palestine.” Other notable displays include solo shows by Alessandra Sanguinetti, Bani Abidi, and Amanul Haque. The festival will also host workshops, public talks, guided tours, and educational outreach involving local schools. Supported by Bangladesh’s Ministry of Cultural Affairs and 16 partner organizations, Chobi Mela will continue until January 31, 2026.

Two candidates’ nomination papers for the Moulvibazar-4 (Sreemangal–Kamalganj) parliamentary constituency were canceled following scrutiny at the Moulvibazar District Commissioner’s office on Saturday afternoon. The canceled candidates are independent aspirant Muid Ashiq Chishti and BNP nomination seeker Jalal Uddin Ahmed Zipu.

According to the scrutiny findings, Muid Ashiq Chishti’s nomination was rejected due to discrepancies in the required one percent voter signatures, while Jalal Uddin Ahmed Zipu’s nomination was canceled for lacking the party’s official authorization letter. The decision was announced after the verification process concluded at the district office.

Following the review, seven candidates were declared valid, including BNP’s Mujibur Rahman Chowdhury, independent candidate Md. Mohsin Mia Madhu, Jamaat’s Abdur Rob, NCP’s Pritam Das, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish’s Nure Alam Hamidi, BSD’s Abul Hasan, and Jatiya Party (GM Quader)’s nominee Hossain.

The nomination of BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman for the Dhaka-17 constituency has been declared valid. The announcement was made by Abdus Salam, chief coordinator of the BNP election management committee, on Saturday, January 3, at the returning officer’s office located in the divisional commissioner’s office in Segunbagicha. Salam stated that the BNP aims to restore democracy in Bangladesh and that the Zia family has historically stepped forward during national crises.

He added that the people’s right to vote had been suppressed for 17 years under autocratic rule, which has now ended. According to him, the upcoming election will allow Bangladesh to stand as a democratic nation through the people’s mandate, and the next government under Tarique Rahman’s leadership will address the country’s challenges.

Earlier the same day, Tarique Rahman’s nomination for the Bogura-6 (Sadar) constituency was also declared valid following scrutiny at the district commissioner’s office. In that constituency, the Jamaat-e-Islami candidate’s nomination was also accepted, while three other candidates, including one from BSD, were disqualified.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has withdrawn the expulsion order of VP Sarkar Zahidul Haque Mithun, former general secretary of the party’s Brahmanpara upazila unit in Comilla. The decision was confirmed through a letter signed by BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Advocate Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on January 1. Mithun had previously been expelled from all party positions and primary membership for alleged violations of party discipline and activities contrary to party principles. Following his appeal, the party reinstated his primary membership effective from January 1.

The withdrawal of the expulsion order has sparked enthusiasm and excitement among grassroots BNP leaders and activists in Brahmanpara upazila. Mithun, reflecting on his long political career, stated that he has been involved with the BNP and the Zia family since 1989, serving in various leadership roles including upazila Chhatra Dal convener, upazila Jubo Dal president, and upazila BNP general secretary.

The reinstatement marks a significant reconciliation within the local BNP structure, signaling renewed unity among its grassroots members in the region.

Awami League leader Syed A K Ekramuzzaman, also known as Sukhan, has been declared a valid independent candidate for the Brahmanbaria-1 (Nasirnagar) constituency in the 13th National Parliamentary Election. The decision was announced on Friday, January 2, by District Commissioner and Returning Officer Sharmin Akter Jahan after verifying his nomination papers. Ekramuzzaman was not present during the scrutiny, and police sources confirmed he is currently absconding in multiple criminal cases.

Local sources and the Election Office stated that Ekramuzzaman was once an adviser to the BNP chairperson but was expelled from the party for contesting independently in the 2024 general election. After winning that election, he joined the Awami League in February 2024. His affidavit lists seven ongoing cases, most linked to the July 2024 mass uprising. The decision to validate his nomination has sparked mixed reactions locally and criticism on social media.

BNP candidate Abdul Hannan has demanded the cancellation of Ekramuzzaman’s nomination, calling him a fugitive. The Returning Officer said the documents were legally sound but noted that complaints have been forwarded to the Election Commission, where appeals can be filed under election rules.

A man named Abdus Salam, aged 35 and a tube-well mechanic by profession, was killed in a wild elephant attack in Baishari Union of Naikhongchhari upazila, Bandarban. The incident occurred around 6:45 a.m. on Saturday at Titarpara Galasira area along the Alikhyong road. According to local accounts, Salam approached the elephant to take a photograph as it crossed the road near his house. The animal became agitated by barking dogs nearby and suddenly charged at him, trampling him to death on the spot.

Salam was the sole breadwinner of his family, supporting three young children and his physically disabled father, Abdus Sattar. Following the incident, the in-charge of Baishari Police Investigation Center, Inspector Md. Anwarul Islam, visited the scene and prepared an inquest report. The tragic death has cast a pall of grief over the entire area.

The report highlights the severe impact on Salam’s family, now facing deep uncertainty after losing their only source of income.