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.

The returning officer and Dhaka District Commissioner Md Rezaul Karim has cancelled the nomination of Jamaat-e-Islami’s candidate Colonel (Retd.) Abdul Haque for the Dhaka-2 constituency. The decision was announced on Saturday morning during the scrutiny of nomination papers for the 13th National Parliamentary Election at the Dhaka District Commissioner’s office. According to a Bangladesh Bank Credit Information Bureau (CIB) report, Abdul Haque was identified as a loan defaulter.

The district commissioner stated that Abdul Haque had taken a loan in the name of an organization called National Development Organization while serving as one of its directors. Based on this information, his nomination was declared invalid. In the same constituency, the nominations of BNP candidate Aman Ullah Aman and Islami Andolan Bangladesh candidate Zahirul Islam were declared valid.

The cancellation narrows the field of candidates for Dhaka-2 ahead of the upcoming national election, leaving the BNP and Islami Andolan contenders cleared to continue their campaigns.

The nomination paper of Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman for the Dhaka-15 constituency has been declared valid for the 13th National Parliamentary Election. The decision was announced on Saturday by the regional election officer in Dhaka.

Earlier, on December 25, a delegation led by Jamaat’s Assistant Secretary General Ehsanul Mahbub Zubair collected the nomination paper from the returning officer’s office in Agargaon on behalf of the party chief. From the same constituency, BNP’s local organizer and former Jubo Dal general secretary Shafiqul Islam Khan Milton also collected a nomination form.

Alongside the main candidates from Jamaat and BNP, six other political parties and one independent candidate submitted nomination papers. They include representatives from the Communist Party of Bangladesh, Gano Forum, Jatiya Party, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, Janatar Dal, Bangladesh Supreme Party, and independent candidate Md. Tanjil Islam.

The verification process for nomination papers in the Bagerhat-1 constituency has been completed, with a total of eleven candidates submitting their papers. Among them, three nominations have been canceled. The canceled candidates include Mojibur Rahman Shamim of Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis for loan default, independent candidate Mushfiqur Rahman due to voter mismatch, and Golam Sarwar of the Jatiya Party for being a loan defaulter.

According to the district correspondent, the scrutiny of nomination papers for the remaining three constituencies in Bagerhat district is still ongoing. The report did not mention any objections or appeals following the cancellations.

The completion of verification in Bagerhat-1 marks a key step in the electoral process for the constituency, while the ongoing scrutiny in other constituencies indicates that the overall nomination review process in the district is still in progress.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has appointed former secretary A B M Abdus Sattar as the private secretary to its acting chairman Tareq Rahman and former Dhaka Reporters Unity general secretary A A M Saleh (Saleh Shibli) as press secretary. The announcement was made on Saturday afternoon through a press release signed by BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.

According to the release, Abdus Sattar, who previously served as private secretary to former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, will now assist Tareq Rahman in his official duties. Saleh Shibli, who has earlier worked as Tareq Rahman’s press secretary and held other key responsibilities within the party, recently returned to Bangladesh from the United Kingdom on December 25.

The appointments mark a continuation of experienced leadership within the BNP’s central operations, as both appointees have long-standing ties with the party’s top leadership.

Police in Shahrashti upazila of Chandpur recovered two pistols stolen from Dhaka’s Khilkhet police station, along with ammunition and police equipment, during a raid on Friday night. Acting on a secret tip-off, law enforcement searched the home of Alomgir Hossain in Paschim Uplata village around 8:15 p.m. and seized the weapons. The recovered items included a Taras pistol, a China-made pistol, four magazines, 30 rounds of bullets, police uniforms, belts, glasses, a body camera, and a gas mask. Alomgir’s wife, Lovely Begum, 38, and son, Foysal Hossain, 21, were detained.

According to police, Lovely Begum admitted during questioning that the seized weapons were among those looted from a police station on August 5, 2024. Additional Superintendent of Police (Crime and Ops) Md Lutfor Rahman said the operation was led by Assistant Superintendent Md A. Hai and Officer-in-Charge Mir Mahbubur Rahman after receiving intelligence about the stolen arms linked to the anti-discrimination movement.

Police said a case is being prepared in connection with the recovery and arrests.

Two men were killed late Friday night in Barishal city when a speeding truck ran over their motorcycle on the Barishal-Jhalakathi inter-district highway near Rupatali Ukilbari. The victims were identified as Jewel, 28, of Rupatali, and Russell, 25, of Ruiyar Pol. Kotwali Model Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mamun-ul Islam confirmed the incident.

According to police, the two victims worked as helpers at the ACI Animal Health store. After finishing work around midnight, they were heading to the Rupatali bus terminal for a meal when a goods-laden truck (registration number Kushtia-T 11-2545) coming from the opposite direction hit them. Russell died on the spot, while Jewel succumbed to his injuries before reaching the hospital.

The report did not mention whether the truck driver was detained or if any legal action had been initiated following the accident.