The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has issued the Shipping Agent Licensing Regulations 2025, introducing several procedural relaxations. According to a notification released on December 30 and announced on Friday, applicants will no longer need prior approval from the NBR to determine the number of shipping agent licenses per customs station. This change is expected to allow licensing authorities to issue licenses more quickly.

Under the new regulations, applicants are no longer required to take written or oral examinations conducted by the Customs, Excise and VAT Training Academy. Licenses will now be granted within a maximum of 30 working days upon proper submission of required documents. Previously, licenses were valid only for the specific customs station that issued them.

The updated rules now allow license holders to operate their shipping agent businesses at any seaport or river port across Bangladesh, expanding operational flexibility and simplifying the licensing process nationwide.

Biman Bangladesh Airlines has received official approval to operate direct flights between Dhaka and Karachi, marking the resumption of air connectivity between Bangladesh and Pakistan. According to Geo News, the authorization will remain valid until March 30, 2026, and may be reviewed later. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) of Pakistan stated that Biman must strictly follow the approved route and provide detailed flight information to Karachi airport authorities before departure, ensuring operational coordination and safety compliance.

The decision comes amid increasingly close relations between Pakistan and Bangladesh, which have paved the way for restoring direct air services. Currently, travelers between the two countries transit through Dubai or Doha. Bangladesh’s High Commissioner to Pakistan, Iqbal Hossain Khan, earlier confirmed that Biman is preparing to operate three weekly flights to Karachi.

Flights are expected to begin by the end of January, potentially strengthening bilateral connectivity and facilitating easier travel between the two nations.

BNP-nominated candidate Dr. Redwan Ahmed has declared total assets worth Tk 55.19 crore, while his wife owns Tk 27.50 crore, according to an affidavit submitted to the Comilla District Returning Officer on December 29. The former LDP secretary general, now contesting from Comilla-7 (Chandina) constituency, reported owning 11.73 acres of agricultural land valued at Tk 1 crore, a house and apartment worth Tk 68 lakh, and 29 bhori of gold. His wife holds 3.10 acres of land, including 0.96 acres of non-agricultural property, and a 5,600-square-foot house valued at Tk 11.5 lakh.

The affidavit also lists Tk 4.62 crore in cash for Redwan and Tk 45.5 lakh for his wife, along with a licensed firearm worth Tk 3 lakh and a car valued at Tk 39 lakh. His income source is business, with capital income of Tk 4.78 crore and an income tax return of about Tk 24 lakh for fiscal year 2025–26. The document notes three past cases against him, including one by the Anti-Corruption Commission, with one case still ongoing.

Redwan will contest the upcoming 13th parliamentary election from Comilla-7 as a BNP candidate, where a three-way race is expected with independent and Jamaat contenders.

Islami Andolan Bangladesh has postponed its planned national rally that was scheduled for January 9 in Dhaka. The rally had been announced to demand the arrest of those responsible for the killing of Inqilab Mancha convener Shahid Sharif Osman Hadi, along with calls for improved law and order and a level playing field. The decision to postpone was made at a regular meeting of the party’s central committee on Friday, chaired by party chief and Charmonai Pir Mufti Syed Muhammad Rezaul Karim.

The party stated that the rally was deferred out of respect for the primary school recruitment examination and the prevailing election environment. The earlier decision to hold the rally had been taken on December 25. Senior leaders including Mufti Syed Muhammad Faizul Karim, Maulana Syed Mosaddeq Billah Al Madani, and Secretary General Principal Maulana Yunus Ahmad attended the meeting.

The party did not announce a new date for the rally, leaving its future schedule uncertain.

The nomination papers of two candidates, including the Khelafat Majlis nominee, were canceled in Barishal during the scrutiny process for the 13th parliamentary election. The verification took place on Friday across three constituencies—Barishal-4 (Hijla and Mehendiganj), Barishal-5 (Sadar), and Barishal-6 (Bakerganj). According to Barishal District Returning Officer and Deputy Commissioner Khairul Alam, the cancellations were due to missing voter signatures and submission errors.

In Barishal-5, independent candidate Touhidul Islam’s nomination was rejected for lacking signatures from one percent of general voters, while Khelafat Majlis candidate A.K.M. Mahbub Alam’s paper was invalidated for submission errors. The nomination of Bangladesh Socialist Party (BASAD) candidate Dr. Monisha Chakraborty was kept pending due to a missing signature on her affidavit. In Barishal-6, Jamaat-e-Islami candidate Mohammad Mahmudunnabi’s nomination was also held pending for missing documents.

The returning officer stated that final decisions on the pending nominations will be announced on January 4, the last day of the scrutiny process.

A doa and milad mahfil was held at Gulshan Azad Mosque in Dhaka on Friday after Asr prayers for the salvation of the soul of former Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia. The event was attended by BNP’s Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman as the chief guest. Participants prayed for Khaleda Zia’s departed soul and remembered her contributions with respect.

Senior BNP leaders, party activists, and worshippers joined the gathering, which was led by the mosque’s imam. Special prayers were also offered for the welfare of the country, the nation, and democracy. The event reflected the party’s collective remembrance and spiritual observance following the passing of its long-time leader.

The doa mahfil underscored the continued reverence within the BNP for Khaleda Zia’s political and personal legacy, as party members united in prayer for both her memory and the nation’s well-being.

Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam stated that the Awami League no longer has public acceptance and that he sees no future for the party in Bangladesh’s politics. He made the remarks on Friday morning while speaking to journalists after visiting the Gaur Gopal Seba Ashram in Magura’s Notun Bazar area.

According to Shafiqul Alam, many Awami League leaders and activists abroad are spreading false information, including claims that three thousand police officers were killed and that millions of young protesters are being portrayed as extremists. He said such statements are misleading the international community and worsening the situation, questioning why the people of Bangladesh would accept the party under these circumstances.

He further noted that the Awami League has not admitted its mistakes over the past 17 months, and with the nomination process nearing completion, it is now too late to do so. He emphasized that self-criticism and responsible behavior are essential for political survival and that regaining public trust requires acknowledging past mistakes.

Police in Kishoreganj, Nilphamari, have arrested Youth League leader Tarapada Roy in connection with an anti-terrorism case. The arrest took place on Thursday night at the Putimari Shoshan Bazar area based on a secret tip-off. Police confirmed that Tarapada, aged 40, was sent to the district jail on Friday following his arrest.

According to police sources, Tarapada Roy had been in hiding for a long time before being captured. He serves as the joint convener of the Putimari Union unit of the Youth League and is the son of Jitendra Roy from Sadhupara village in the same union. Kishoreganj Police Station Officer-in-Charge Lutfor Rahman confirmed the arrest and subsequent transfer to jail.

The report did not provide details about the specific charges or the background of the anti-terrorism case, and no further official comments were included.

Leaders and activists of Inqilab Moncho staged a blockade at Shahbagh in Dhaka on Friday, demanding the arrest and trial of those involved in the killing of their convener, Shahid Sharif Osman Hadi. The protest began after Friday prayers with a procession from the Dhaka University Central Jame Mosque to Shahbagh, where demonstrators occupied part of the road, disrupting traffic on one side while adjacent routes remained open. As of 4:30 p.m., the demonstration was still ongoing.

During the protest, participants chanted slogans calling for justice and accountability. Inqilab Moncho’s member secretary Abdullah Al Jaber attended the event and urged authorities to ensure a swift trial for Hadi’s murder. Earlier in the day, the group had invited the public via its Facebook page to join the rally at Shahid Hadi Chattar in Shahbagh.

Sharif Osman Hadi, who had announced his candidacy as an independent for the Dhaka-8 constituency, was shot by assailants on a motorcycle on December 12 while traveling by battery-run rickshaw in Purana Paltan. He later died on December 18 in Singapore while undergoing treatment.

Maulana Mohammad Mamunul Haque, Amir of Bangladesh Khilafat Majlis, visited the grave of former Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar’s Zia Udyan on Friday after Jumma prayers. During the visit, he requested visitors not to raise their hands toward the grave while praying, explaining that such gestures may appear as if one is asking something from the deceased. He emphasized that prayers should be made facing the Qibla, as per Islamic teachings.

Haque further stated that after death, a person’s only need is for their loved ones and followers to perform good deeds and send spiritual rewards for their forgiveness. He called on all Muslims to perform such acts either at home or near the grave, following the Sunnah and the guidance of the Qur’an. He also recited Surah Fatiha and other verses from the Qur’an for the souls of Khaleda Zia and her husband, late President Ziaur Rahman, praying for their forgiveness and peace in the afterlife.

More than fifty female workers of Pran Bangla Millers Company Limited in Ishwardi, Pabna, fell ill after eating food served at the factory canteen late Thursday night. The incident occurred around 3:30 a.m. on Friday at the factory located in Baraichara area of Salimpur Union. The affected workers were admitted to Ishwardi Upazila Health Complex with symptoms including abdominal pain, headache, and diarrhea.

Factory sources said several workers began feeling unwell shortly after eating dinner at 9 p.m. Pran Company’s admin officer Shafiul Islam confirmed that the workers were hospitalized immediately after they fell sick and are currently under treatment. Dr. Umme Kulsum of Ishwardi Upazila Health Complex stated that the illness might have resulted from food poisoning. Sixteen workers remain hospitalized, while others have returned home after receiving primary treatment.

Following the incident, anxiety spread among the workers, though hospital authorities reported that most of the affected individuals are now out of danger.

Rashed Pradhan, vice president and spokesperson of the National Democratic Party (JAGPA), has described Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as the founder of extrajudicial crossfire in Bangladesh. He made the remark on Friday at 11 a.m. after placing a floral wreath and offering prayers at the grave of Siraj Sikder in Mohammadpur Central Cemetery, marking the 51st anniversary of Sikder’s death.

Pradhan said that Siraj Sikder, one of the organizers of the Liberation War, realized after independence that Bangladesh had become a subservient state to India. He alleged that Sikder was brutally killed the day after his arrest to suppress his anti-Indian revolutionary movement. According to Pradhan, this marked the beginning of extrajudicial crossfire in the country.

He further stated that patriots like Siraj Sikder, Abrar Fahad, and Osman Hadi were martyred for protesting Indian dominance, while figures such as Major Jalil, Allama Delwar Hossain Sayeedi, and Shafiul Alam Pradhan faced persecution. Warning pro-India elements, Pradhan said that those who bow to India would face the same fate as Sheikh Mujib and Sheikh Hasina. Several JAGPA leaders were present at the event.

BNP National Standing Committee member and former minister Salahuddin Ahmed visited the home of journalist Ansar Hossain in Cox’s Bazar on Friday, January 2, 2026. Hossain, a staff reporter and office head of the daily Amar Desh in Cox’s Bazar, recently lost his wife and son within two months. Salahuddin arrived at Cox’s Bazar Airport around 1 p.m., performed Friday prayers at Uttor Nuniarchar Jame Mosque, and then visited the graves of Hossain’s wife Rokhsana Nur and their 13-year-old son Abdullah Ritaz Hossain. He offered prayers for the deceased and expressed sympathy to the grieving family.

During his visit to Hossain’s residence, Salahuddin met with family members, including the journalist’s elder son Abdullah Nur Hossain Rudra, and conveyed his condolences. He remarked that losing both wife and child in such a short time is an indescribable loss and prayed for the family’s strength and patience.

According to the report, Rokhsana Nur passed away on October 14, and their son Abdullah Ritaz died on December 27, reportedly from illness brought on by grief. The tragedy has drawn condolences from journalists and various political and social organizations.

Cumilla district police have transferred Debidwar Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Golam Sarwar in the public interest following a report published in the daily Amar Desh. The report, titled 'Student arrested claiming to be a Swechchhasebak League leader,' drew attention ahead of the upcoming national parliamentary election. According to an order signed by Cumilla Superintendent of Police Anisuzzaman on Thursday, Sarwar has been attached to the district police lines, while Mohammad Moniruzzaman, officer-in-charge of Kotbari outpost in Cumilla Sadar, has been appointed as the new OC of Debidwar. The order takes immediate effect.

Earlier, Golam Sarwar had joined Debidwar Police Station on December 8 of the previous year after a divisional reshuffle of all OCs in Chattogram Division through a lottery signed by Additional DIG Ahsan Habib. The transfer follows public criticism after student Nazmul Hasan, who participated in an anti-discrimination movement, was arrested on December 13 from his father’s grocery shop and later sent to jail in a sabotage case. Local movement representatives and residents condemned the incident.

The transfer decision appears linked to maintaining administrative neutrality before the national election, as indicated in the official order.

In the verification process for the 13th National Parliamentary Election, three out of ten nomination papers submitted for the Chattogram-1 (Mirsarai) constituency were canceled. The review took place on Friday at the office of the District Commissioner and Returning Officer. Seven candidates, including nominees from BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, Islami Andolan Bangladesh, Insoniyat Biplob Bangladesh, Jatiya Party, Muslim League, and JASAD (ASM Abdur Rob), were declared valid.

According to the report, the nomination of Shahidul Islam Chowdhury, former convener of the upazila BNP, was canceled due to the absence of party endorsement. Independent candidate Advocate Ashraf Siddiqui’s nomination was rejected after his voter signature information was found false. The nomination of Ershad Ullah, submitted on behalf of the Jatiya Party, was also canceled due to missing documents.

Mirsarai Upazila Nirbahi Officer and Assistant Returning Officer Somaiya Akter stated that three nominations were canceled for lack of required documents, and the affected candidates may appeal within four working days.