Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar announced that Islamabad intends to enhance engagement with Dhaka from February following Bangladesh’s 13th national election. Speaking at a year-end press conference in Islamabad on December 27, Dar referred to his August visit to Bangladesh, the first by a Pakistani foreign minister in 13 years, as a key step toward revitalizing bilateral relations. Dar described his meetings with leaders of the National Citizen Party, BNP, and Jamaat-e-Islami as positive and productive. He noted that past governments, including those led by the Awami League, had not maintained strong bilateral ties, but expressed optimism about future cooperation. The visit focused on expanding trade, investment, cultural and educational collaboration, and regional cooperation under SAARC. Dar emphasized that post-election political realities could open new opportunities for diplomatic and cooperative progress between the two South Asian nations.

The National Citizens Party (NCP) has announced its decision to join an eight-party alliance that includes Jamaat-e-Islami to participate in the upcoming national election. NCP Convener Nahid Islam made the announcement on Sunday night, December 28, 2025, during an emergency press conference at the party’s temporary office in Banglamotor, Dhaka. He said the alliance was formed to ensure a fair election and promote broader political unity. The final list of candidates is expected to be announced on Monday. Nahid Islam explained that the NCP had initially planned to contest all 300 constituencies independently and had sought nominations nationwide. Later, the party reached an understanding with two other groups to form a reform-oriented coalition. However, the political situation changed following the killing of Sharif Osman Bin Hadi, spokesperson of Inqilab Mancha, prompting the NCP to expand its alliance to include more like-minded parties. According to Nahid Islam, the decision to join the alliance with Jamaat was made based on majority consensus within the party.

The National Citizen Party (NCP) began an emergency press conference on Sunday night, December 28, at its temporary central office in Rupayan Tower, Banglamotor, Dhaka. The event focused on issues related to the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election. Earlier the same day, at 5 p.m., Jamaat-e-Islami announced at a press conference at the National Press Club that two new parties had joined its eight-party alliance. The newly joined parties are the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), led by Colonel (Retd.) Oli Ahmed, and the National Citizen Party (NCP). The announcement was made by Jamaat-e-Islami’s Amir, Dr. Shafiqur Rahman, though no NCP leaders were present at that event. The NCP’s emergency briefing later in the evening came amid its formal inclusion in the alliance, signaling its alignment with the coalition ahead of the 13th parliamentary election.

A Palestinian woman was killed and several of her family members were injured when a building collapsed during a severe storm in Gaza City on Sunday, according to medical sources cited by Anadolu Agency. The wall of a damaged house in the Al-Rimal area fell onto the woman’s tent. The house had previously been damaged in an Israeli airstrike. Heavy rain and strong winds overnight flooded or destroyed thousands of tents sheltering displaced people across Gaza, eyewitnesses and reporters said. In southern Gaza’s Khan Younis coastal area, hundreds of tents were inundated by high waves caused by a low-pressure system. The harsh weather has created serious danger for displaced Palestinians living in fragile tents or damaged buildings, many of which were hit repeatedly since October 2023. International organizations have accused Israel of blocking aid and essential supplies from entering Gaza since the start of its military operations. The report said more than 71,200 people have been killed and over 171,200 injured in Gaza since October 2023, most of them women and children.

The National Citizen Party (NCP) has joined the Jamaat-e-Islami-led alliance ahead of Bangladesh’s upcoming 13th national parliamentary election. Jamaat Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman confirmed the development, prompting a Facebook reaction from Abdul Kader, former coordinator of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, on Sunday evening. In his post, Kader congratulated those who worked on the process but criticized Nahid Islam and others for allegedly deceiving people’s emotions. The Jamaat-led coalition now includes eight parties, with the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) also joining alongside NCP. During a press conference, Dr. Rahman stated that while several other political parties had expressed interest in joining, it was not possible to include new members under the current circumstances. Senior leaders from the eight parties, including Colonel Oli Ahmed Bir Bikram, Ashraf Ali Akon, Ahmad Abdul Kader, and Rashed Pradhan, attended the event. The announcement marks a significant expansion of the Jamaat-led alliance as political alignments intensify ahead of the national election.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has postponed its previously announced mass rally scheduled for January 3, 2025. The decision was announced through a statement by Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar on the party’s verified Facebook page at 7:28 p.m. Sunday. The statement said the rally was deferred considering the interests of students who will sit for undergraduate admission tests at nine agricultural and agriculture-focused universities on the same day. Earlier, Jamaat-e-Islami had declared that the rally would be held in the capital to demand the arrest and trial of those responsible for the killing of Inqilab Moncho convener Sharif Osman Bin Hadi, as well as the recovery of illegal weapons and the arrest of terrorists. The party has not yet announced a new date for the rally, and the statement did not specify when it might be rescheduled.

Monira Sharmin, joint convener of the National Citizens Party (NCP), announced her withdrawal from the upcoming national election despite not resigning from the party. In a verified Facebook post on Sunday evening, she stated that she had been nominated to contest from Naogaon-5 but was unaware that the party would later reach a 30-seat agreement with Jamaat. She said she had expected the NCP to contest independently in all 300 constituencies. Sharmin explained that the party’s changed position prompted her to step back from the election, emphasizing her belief in the NCP’s independent political strength. She said her commitment to the people and the spirit of the mass uprising outweighed her commitment to the party at this moment. She also announced plans to return all donations collected through crowdfunding for her campaign, noting that supporters had contributed based on the NCP’s independent stance. Sharmin clarified that she has not decided to resign from the NCP, asserting that the party does not belong to any single individual. She added that she would not compromise her ethics for political power and would continue to speak for the people and new politics.

The Ministry of Education has released the 2026 academic year holiday schedule, reducing the total number of holidays by 12 days. Several holidays, including Shab-e-Meraj, Janmashtami, and Ashura, have been canceled. According to the published list, schools will remain open for much of the holy month of Ramadan, with the Ramadan and Eid-ul-Fitr holidays beginning on March 8, 2026. As Ramadan is expected to start on February 17, depending on the moon sighting, schools will remain open until the 21st day of Ramadan. In 2025, there were 28 days of holidays for Ramadan, Doljatra, Independence Day, Jummatul Wida, Shab-e-Qadr, and Eid-ul-Fitr combined. For 2026, these holidays have been reduced to 19 days. The Eid-ul-Azha and summer vacation period has also been shortened from 15 to 12 days, and the winter vacation has been reduced by one day. The revised schedule reflects the ministry’s effort to adjust the academic calendar and maintain more instructional days within the school year.

National Citizen Party (NCP) senior joint convener Samanta Sharmin stated on Sunday that she sees no justification for resigning from the party. In a Facebook post, she said she learned from Jamaat-e-Islami’s press conference that NCP had formally allied with Jamaat, which contradicts earlier statements made during the launch of the Democratic Reform Alliance. She noted that one of the three member parties, Rashtra Sangskar Andolon, had already accused NCP of breaching agreements and moving toward seat-sharing without formal notice. Sharmin argued that such actions undermine the initiative to build a third political force and harm NCP’s core principles. She reaffirmed her support for the party’s official positions and said that while some individuals had deviated from NCP’s founding ideals in exchange for parliamentary seats, the party as a whole remained on the right path. She reiterated that she subscribes to all official NCP statements and therefore finds no logical reason to step down from her position.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has announced the postponement of its previously scheduled mass rally on January 3. The decision was confirmed through a statement by Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar, posted on the party’s verified Facebook page at 7:28 p.m. on Sunday. The statement cited the upcoming undergraduate admission tests for the 2025–26 academic year at nine agricultural and agriculture-focused universities across the country as the reason for the postponement. Earlier, Jamaat-e-Islami had declared plans to hold the rally in the capital to demand the arrest and trial of those responsible for the killing of Inqilab Mancha convener Sharif Osman Bin Hadi, as well as the recovery of illegal weapons and the arrest of alleged terrorists. The party has not yet announced a new date for the rally, and no further details were provided in the statement regarding future plans.

Omar Hadi, elder brother of Shaheed Sharif Osman Hadi, founder and spokesperson of Inquilab Moncho, confirmed on Sunday evening that no member of their family will participate in the national election. He made the statement to the newspaper Amar Desh, ending speculation about possible family involvement in the polls. Following Osman Hadi’s death, there had been widespread speculation over who might contest from his constituency, with his elder sister’s name being mentioned in discussions. Osman Hadi was shot on December 12 in the Paltan area after Friday prayers. He was first treated in Bangladesh and later transferred to Singapore, where he died on December 18. His body was brought back to Dhaka on December 19 and buried on December 20 beside the grave of national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam at Dhaka University. The family’s decision not to contest the election appears to close speculation surrounding succession in Osman Hadi’s constituency.

The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) suspended all passenger vessel operations across the country on Sunday evening, citing dense fog as the reason. The suspension began after sunset from Dhaka’s Sadarghat terminal, halting launches bound for Chandpur and the southern regions. A special navigation notice confirmed the shutdown and instructed vessels already en route to follow the Inland Water Transport Ordinance of 1976. According to BIWTA officials stationed at Sadarghat, launches to Barishal and other southern destinations usually depart after evening, but they had not received prior warnings from the Meteorological Department about the heavy fog. The sudden suspension left many passengers stranded and facing difficulties at the terminal. The BIWTA also extended the suspension directive to other regions, indicating that all passenger launches nationwide would remain halted until visibility improves.

National Citizen Party (NCP) member secretary Akhtar Hossain said that resignations by party leaders are a normal part of political development and will not significantly affect the party. He made the remarks on Sunday afternoon while speaking to journalists at the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) Court in Dhaka, where he appeared to seek bail in two separate cases. Akhtar explained that since the formation of the NCP, many people have joined and some have resigned, which he described as a natural flow in politics. He emphasized that the party respects individual decisions and recalled that similar resignations in the past did not harm the organization despite earlier concerns. Earlier that day, Akhtar Hossain surrendered before the court in two cases filed at Shahbagh Police Station on charges of attempted murder and obstructing government work. After the hearings, two separate courts of Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrates Awlad Hossain Mohammad Junaid and Joshita Islam granted him bail.

Nagorik Oikya president Mahmudur Rahman Manna has filed an application with the Appellate Division’s chamber judge after the High Court rejected his writ seeking removal of his name from the loan defaulter list. The chamber judge, Justice Md Rezaul Haque, has kept the hearing on the petition seeking a stay on the High Court order as stand over or postponed. On December 24, the High Court dismissed Manna’s writ, creating uncertainty about his eligibility to contest in the upcoming election. Deputy Attorney General Muhammad Shafiqul Rahman told reporters that Manna had repaid part of his loan before filing the writ, requesting the removal of his name from the Credit Information Bureau (CIB) list, which would have allowed him to participate in the election. However, the court was not satisfied with the explanations provided by his lawyers and dismissed the petition. According to Bangladesh Bank regulations, a borrower must deposit at least two percent of the loan amount. Manna’s lawyers stated that he had paid more than that, but the High Court ruled that it would not direct Bangladesh Bank to remove his name from the CIB list. The court also noted that the concerned Islami Bank branch would inform the central bank about the repayment details.

Bangladeshi expatriates in France have announced continued protests demanding justice for the killing of Shahid Sharif Osman Hadi, a spokesperson of Inquilab Moncho and a frontline participant in the July uprising. At a discussion and prayer meeting held last Friday evening in the Ponta area near Paris, they warned of launching a global 'remittance shutdown' campaign if fair trial proceedings are not ensured. The event was organized by the Shahid Osman Hadi Supporters Forum and chaired by senior journalist Abdul Mannan Azad. It was conducted by forum convener and expatriate journalist Mohammad Kamaruzzaman, with several community leaders and activists addressing the gathering. Speakers highlighted Hadi’s role as a unifying figure beyond political divisions and pledged to continue their movement until justice is achieved and an equitable Bangladesh is established. The meeting concluded with a prayer session led by Maulana Badrul Bin Harun of MC Institute France, attended by numerous expatriate activists and journalists.