Dr. Hamidur Rahman Azad, the Jamaat-e-Islami nominated candidate for the Cox’s Bazar-2 (Maheshkhali–Kutubdia) parliamentary constituency, has had his nomination paper canceled due to complications related to ongoing legal cases. The decision followed a review process on Friday, during which his nomination was initially suspended and later rejected. Returning Officer and Deputy Commissioner Abdul Mannan confirmed that the cancellation was made in accordance with Election Commission regulations after case details surfaced during scrutiny.

According to the Returning Officer’s office, the decision was based on unresolved legal issues from cases filed during the Awami League’s tenure. Dr. Azad currently serves as Jamaat’s Assistant Secretary General and has a long history in student and party politics, having joined Islami Chhatra Shibir in 1977 and Jamaat-e-Islami in 1995. He was previously elected as a Member of Parliament from the same constituency in the 2008 national election.

Dr. Azad stated that a document related to a “false case” was not submitted with his nomination papers, leading to the cancellation. He plans to appeal the decision by submitting the necessary documents, expressing hope of regaining his candidacy.

The nomination paper scrutiny for the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election in Shariatpur-2 (Naria-Sakhipur) constituency has been completed. Out of ten candidates, four were declared valid while six were disqualified due to inconsistencies in information and failure to comply with election rules. The decision was confirmed on Friday morning by District Returning Officer and Deputy Commissioner Tahsina Begum at her office.

The disqualified candidates include Imran Hossain of Islami Andolan Bangladesh, Akteruzzaman Samrat of Gono Odhikar Parishad, Parvez Mosharraf of Jonotar Dal, and three independent candidates—Farhana Kadir Rahman, Md. Alamgir Hossain, and Md. Nasir. The returning officer stated that they have until January 9 to appeal the decision.

Imran Hossain, the Islami Andolan candidate, told Amader Desh that his nomination was rejected because he failed to mention the opening date of his bank account in the submitted form. He said he intends to appeal the decision.

Bangladesh’s government has confirmed that no illegal or cloned mobile phones will be deactivated within the next 90 days following the official launch of the National Equipment Identity Register (NEIR) on January 1. The clarification came from Faez Ahmad Tayyeb, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser for the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology, who addressed public confusion over multiple phone registrations under single national IDs.

Tayyeb explained that the NEIR system, which links all mobile devices’ IMEI numbers to a national database, received over three billion data sets from operators, including historical records. This caused some users’ national IDs to show an unusually high number of active devices. The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) and mobile operators are jointly working to archive old data and display only currently active handsets. He also noted that the system had been initially developed in 2021 and recently upgraded with additional features.

According to the government, the NEIR will help identify stolen and illegal phones, raise public awareness, and allow citizens to monitor SIM and device usage linked to their national IDs, enhancing transparency and security in mobile communications.

Defending champions Mohammedan Sporting Club started the new year with a disappointing goalless draw against Brothers Union in the ongoing football league. The match, held on Friday at the Bir Sreshtho Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Stadium in Munshiganj, ended without goals despite several close chances from both sides. With this result, both teams shared the points.

Mohammedan’s struggle to regain form continued as they remained winless in their last few outings. After nine matches, the team has collected only 10 points, placing them sixth on the league table with two wins, four draws, and three losses. Coach Alfaz Ahmed’s side began the match aggressively but failed to convert opportunities, including a missed chance by Hafizur Rahman and a disallowed goal by Samuel Boateng for offside. Brothers Union also had a goal from Anjan Bista ruled out for offside.

The league continues today with four scheduled matches: Abahani vs Arambagh, Bangladesh Police vs Rahmatganj, Fakirerpool vs Bashundhara Kings, and Fortis vs PWD, all kicking off at 2:30 p.m.

On Friday, prayer gatherings were held across Bangladesh seeking forgiveness for the soul of BNP Chairperson and three-time former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia. The events took place in mosques and community venues in districts including Chattogram, Dhaka, Bagerhat, Madaripur, Pirojpur, Bogura, Natore, and Lakshmipur. Devotees, party leaders, and local residents participated in Quran recitations, milad, and special prayers following Jumma prayers, praying for her eternal peace.

Local BNP units, affiliated organizations, and civic groups organized the programs as part of broader mourning activities. Reports from various districts described an atmosphere of grief, with participants recalling Khaleda Zia’s political life and leadership. In several places, journalists, social leaders, and members of different political parties joined the gatherings, offering prayers and distributing food among attendees.

The coordinated observances reflected a unified expression of respect and remembrance for the late leader, with prayers continuing in multiple mosques and BNP offices nationwide.

A female police officer named Razia Sultana Mim, aged 28, was found dead in a rented apartment in the Koshaibari area of Dakshinkhan, Dhaka. The incident occurred late Thursday night, when she was discovered unconscious and taken to the emergency department of Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where doctors declared her dead. Her father claimed that she had taken her own life.

According to her father, Mohammad Nasir Uddin Bachchu, Razia worked in the police force, as did her husband, Rajib Mia. The couple lived together with their daughter in the rented apartment. He alleged that a family dispute led Razia to hang herself from a ceiling fan using a scarf around 10 p.m. Her husband later found her unconscious and took her to the hospital.

Inspector Mohammad Faruk, in charge of the police camp at Dhaka Medical College Hospital, confirmed that the body was kept in the hospital morgue and that the local police station had been informed of the matter.

Manch-24 has demanded that the Jatiya Party be declared ineligible to contest the upcoming national election within 48 hours. The demand was made on Friday, January 2, 2026, during a press conference held at Dhaka University’s Madhur Canteen, where the group’s convener, Fahim Faruqi, also protested the party’s submission of nomination papers for 224 constituencies.

In a written statement, Faruqi alleged that the Awami League, along with the Jatiya Party and other allies in the 14-party coalition, had maintained an authoritarian regime over the past 16 years. He claimed that both parties share responsibility for human rights violations and that the interim government’s ban on Awami League activities should also apply to its main ally, the Jatiya Party. Faruqi further argued that no fascist or autocratic political force should be allowed to operate in post-July Bangladesh.

Manch-24 stated that two legal notices had already been sent to the government demanding action against parties accused of aiding alleged atrocities. The group warned that if the Election Commission fails to act within 72 hours, it will call for a protest to surround the commission.

Barrister Zaima Rahman, daughter of BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman, visited the graves of her grandparents, late President Ziaur Rahman and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, on Friday morning at the Zia Udyan in Dhaka. She offered floral tributes and prayed for their souls during the visit.

Family members, including Begum Khaleda Zia’s sister Selina Islam and younger daughter-in-law Sharmila Rahman, were also present at the site. The relatives were seen in tears as they offered prayers and paid their respects together.

The visit marked a moment of remembrance for the family at the resting place of two prominent figures in Bangladesh’s political history, as reported by Amar Desh Online.

Hasnat Abdullah, the National Citizen Party candidate for Comilla-04 (Debidwar) constituency, has accused the local administration of losing neutrality and leaning toward the BNP. Speaking to journalists on Friday in front of the Comilla District Commissioner and Returning Officer’s office after the scrutiny of nomination papers for the 13th National Parliamentary Election, Abdullah alleged that the administration’s partial behavior has raised doubts about the fairness of the upcoming polls.

He claimed that despite submitting written evidence against a candidate for concealing information in the election affidavit, the administration still approved that candidate’s nomination. Abdullah criticized what he described as administrative inaction over recent violent incidents, including the killing of a person named Hadi, and said such failures have undermined public confidence. He further alleged that some political parties have obstructed administrative reforms by exerting their influence.

Abdullah, who is contesting under the ‘Shapla Koli’ symbol nominated by Jamaat-e-Islami, urged Debidwar voters to exercise their voting rights on January 12. The district returning officer declared his nomination valid while rejecting 16 others in Comilla constituencies.

The historic Nalchity launch terminal in Jhalakathi has been renamed after martyr Sharif Osman Hadi by Brigadier General (Retd.) M Sakhawat Hossain, adviser to the Ministry of Shipping and the Ministry of Labour and Employment. The renaming plaque was unveiled on Friday afternoon at a ceremony in Nalchity, where the adviser paid tribute to Hadi’s memory and described him as a fearless fighter and symbol of patriotic youth.

During the event, the adviser said the government is prioritizing the development of water transport infrastructure to connect remote and island communities with the national development mainstream. He emphasized that naming the terminal after Hadi would inspire future generations with patriotism, courage, and responsibility. The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) has already completed renovation and modernization work on the newly named terminal.

Local residents expressed gratitude for the decision. Earlier, the adviser had handed over a water ambulance named after Hadi to Monpura Upazila in Bhola and inaugurated a new launch terminal in Durgapasha, Bakerganj, aimed at improving local transport and trade connectivity.

Bangladesh Bank has reported that the country's foreign currency reserves stand at 33.18 billion US dollars. The figure was released on Friday, February 2, based on the central bank’s latest data. The information provides an updated view of the nation’s reserve position at the beginning of 2026.

According to the International Monetary Fund’s Balance of Payments and International Investment Position Manual (BPM6) standard, Bangladesh’s reserves currently amount to 28.51 billion US dollars. The difference between the two figures reflects the variation in calculation methods used by the central bank and the IMF.

The report highlights the ongoing monitoring of Bangladesh’s reserve levels by both domestic and international institutions, underscoring the importance of transparency in financial reporting.

Jamaat-e-Islami’s central Nayeb-e-Ameer Dr. Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher stated that the aspirations of the people will be fulfilled in the upcoming national election. He made the remark on Friday afternoon during a meeting with local Jamaat leaders at the Chauddagram municipality in Cumilla. Taher said that since Bangladesh’s independence, citizens have desired to see Islamic parties in power, but that aspiration has not yet been realized.

He referred to last year’s student and public uprising and alleged that anti-hegemony activist Osman Hadi was killed by terrorists afterward. Taher added that people now want to vote Islamic parties into power to ensure justice for Hadi’s killers and to build a corruption- and extortion-free Bangladesh. He called on party members to play an active role in achieving this goal.

The meeting was presided over by Mahfuzur Rahman, the municipal election director and Upazila Jamaat Ameer, and attended by several local leaders including VP Shahab Uddin, Maulana Ibrahim, Belal Hossain, Kazi Yasin, Zainal Abedin Patwari, Mosharraf Hossain Opel, and Supreme Court advocate Al Mamun Russell.

Police in Noakhali arrested two men with a foreign-made pistol and bullets from a residential hotel in Chaumuhani market. The detainees were identified as Md. Zahid Hasan Rasel, 40, of Hajipur village under Chaumuhani municipality, and Mohammad Bosu, 42, of Rajapur village under Durgapur union. Begumganj Model Police Station Officer-in-Charge M A Bari confirmed the arrests on Friday afternoon, stating that the raid took place at Hotel Riyad on Thursday night based on a tip-off.

During the search, police recovered one foreign pistol and two rounds of 7.65-caliber live ammunition. According to the police, Rasel has six previous cases and one arrest warrant against him. The two men were reportedly staying at the hotel with the intent to commit criminal activities.

A case has been filed under the Arms Act, and the arrested individuals were presented before the Noakhali District Chief Judicial Magistrate Court following their detention.

Dr. Kamal Hossain, the constitution framer and founder of Gono Forum, has been admitted to Square Hospital in Dhaka due to physical weakness and lung complications. The party confirmed his hospitalization on Friday through a statement issued by its General Secretary, Md. Mizanur Rahman, who also requested prayers from the public for Dr. Kamal’s recovery.

According to the statement, Dr. Kamal fell ill following an incident during the funeral of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia on Wednesday. His name was not included in the guest list, leading the Special Security Force (SSF) to deny his vehicle access through the VIP route. As a result, he had to travel a long distance in a wheelchair through a large crowd, after which his health deteriorated.

The Gono Forum statement emphasized that Dr. Kamal is currently under medical care for his condition, and the party has sought the nation’s prayers for his swift recovery.

Inqilab Mancha has announced it will continue street protests until justice is served for the killing of Sharif Osman Hadi. The group warned that if justice is not ensured by January 7, it will launch a movement to topple the government. On Friday, January 2, after the Juma prayers, activists marched from Dhaka University’s central mosque to Shahbagh, where they staged a large demonstration that partially blocked traffic on one side of the road.

Speakers at the rally, including member secretary Abdullah Al Jaber, accused the government of failing to identify and arrest the real killers even after 21 days. They rejected what they described as misleading government statements and demanded that all those involved be brought under the law. Jaber said the group would remain on the streets until the murder trial is completed and called on political parties to avoid secret meetings with foreign representatives.

Sharif Osman Hadi, an independent candidate for Dhaka-8, was shot on December 12 in Purana Paltan and died on December 18 in Singapore while under treatment.