Bangladesh’s joint forces are set to begin a nationwide operation aimed at maintaining law and order ahead of the upcoming national election. Election Commissioner Brigadier General (Retd.) Abul Fazl Md. Sanaullah announced the initiative on Sunday during a special meeting organized by the Cox’s Bazar district administration. He said the operation will focus on three primary objectives and that a circular from the Ministry of Home Affairs is expected to be issued soon.

According to Sanaullah, the first goal of the operation is to recover illegal weapons and prevent their misuse during the election period. The second objective is to arrest identified criminals and bring them under legal action. The third is to ensure compliance with the electoral code of conduct, with joint forces intervening in major violations while routine committees handle minor issues. He also instructed law enforcement agencies to seal Rohingya camps and strengthen surveillance along land and sea borders to prevent criminal activities.

The Election Commission has already held meetings with all force chiefs, and all headquarters have been informed about the operation’s scope and directives.

BBC interviewed Mark Weller, director of the International Law Program at Chatham House, regarding the legality of the process by which Nicolás Maduro was removed and detained. Weller explained that the United States claims it can take legal action under its judicial system against drug trafficking, even when such activities involve foreign nationals. However, he questioned the legality of the operation that led to Maduro’s detention, describing the Friday night raid as an act of armed aggression.

Weller argued that there is no lawful justification for using force to detain someone in this manner and that the only legitimate procedure would have been through a United Nations mandate, which the United States did not have. He further described the idea that the United States could run Venezuela as a strange notion.

The discussion highlights ongoing international legal concerns surrounding the US approach to foreign interventions and the boundaries of jurisdiction in cross-border criminal enforcement.

NCP Member Secretary Akhtar Hossain said the party plans to contest the upcoming national election in alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami to build a corruption-free and reformed Bangladesh. He made the remarks on Sunday after a meeting between NCP representatives and senior officials of the US Embassy at the party’s temporary central office in Banglamotor, Dhaka. Hossain explained that the NCP and Jamaat share similar reform goals, which led to a natural alignment between them.

During the meeting, the NCP delegation briefed the US officials on the political and law-and-order situation, including recent killings and the lack of a level playing field. Hossain said the US representatives viewed the people’s democratic choices positively. He added that the NCP aims to maintain Bangladesh’s long-standing friendly relations with the United States while safeguarding national interests in foreign policy.

Hossain also mentioned that seat-sharing discussions within the alliance are ongoing and final decisions will be announced soon. The NCP expects to cross the electoral threshold with support from its 11-party coalition.

A court in Habiganj has granted bail to Mahdi Hasan, the member secretary of the district branch of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement. He was brought to court under strict security on Sunday after being arrested on charges of obstructing police duties and issuing threats. The bail was approved by Judicial Magistrate Abdul Mannan following a hearing, with two guarantors and a bond of 200 taka.

According to local sources, advocates M.A. Majid and Abdul Malek filed the bail petition on Mahdi’s behalf. His arrest followed an incident on January 2, when police detained a student named Nazmul Hasan Noyon, an active member of the same movement. Mahdi went to the police station to seek his release, during which his remarks reportedly angered the police. He was arrested the next day, January 3.

Following Mahdi’s detention, protests were reported in Habiganj, Dhaka, and other parts of the country. He was formally charged with obstructing police work and making threats before being presented to the court.

NCP member secretary Akhtar Hossain described the Election Commission’s decision to allow the Jatiya Party to contest in the upcoming polls as an 'agency game'. Speaking to reporters on Sunday at the party’s temporary central office in Banglamotor after a meeting with senior officials from the US Embassy, he urged the commission not to permit the Jatiya Party, which he said had created autocracy, to take part in the election. He alleged that the commission was exploiting legal loopholes to facilitate the party’s participation.

NCP joint convener Sultan Mohammad Zakaria said the United States viewed positively the alliance between NCP and Jamaat-e-Islami, which he described as 'natural allies' sharing common reform and justice goals. He detailed that a four-member NCP delegation had earlier met US Embassy officials to discuss election preparations, political risks, and possible technical assistance from the US side.

Zakaria added that the hour-long discussion also covered mutual cooperation as development partners and that the US diplomats appreciated NCP’s stance against dominance and for ensuring justice after the election.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir announced that the party’s acting chairman, Tarique Rahman, will formally assume the position of chairman within the next few days. He made the statement on Sunday evening during an exchange with journalists in Sylhet, following visits to the shrines of Hazrat Shahjalal and Shah Paran.

Mirza Fakhrul stated that the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) will begin its election campaign from Sylhet, describing the upcoming election as crucial for the nation. He said that citizens have long been deprived of their voting rights. Referring to former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, he remarked that she made a dignified exit through democratic struggle and expressed hope for building the democratic Bangladesh she had envisioned.

Addressing other political parties, Mirza Fakhrul urged them to make use of the current opportunity, emphasizing that democracy and democratic culture cannot be established overnight. He also expressed determination to form a democratic parliament.

A total of 2,568 candidates submitted nomination papers for Bangladesh’s 13th National Parliamentary Election. After four days of scrutiny, the Election Commission (EC) announced on Sunday that 1,842 candidates were declared valid while 726 nominations were rejected for various irregularities. The rejected candidates include Jatiya Party faction chairman Anisul Islam Mahmud and independent candidate Tasnim Zara. Appeals against acceptance or rejection can be filed from January 5 to 9 at the EC headquarters in Agargaon, with hearings scheduled between January 10 and 18. Voting is set for February 12.

The EC cited reasons such as false or missing affidavit information, concealment of cases, loan default, dual citizenship, and inconsistencies in voter signatures for independent candidates. In Dhaka, 63 nominations were rejected, though all BNP candidates were declared valid. Several candidates, including from BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, and smaller parties, said they would appeal the decisions. Regional officials confirmed that scrutiny was completed across most constituencies by Saturday.

The appeal process may alter the final list of candidates before the February election, depending on EC rulings.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has withdrawn the no-objection certificate (NOC) previously granted to pacer Mustafizur Rahman for the Indian Premier League (IPL) season. The decision follows the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) directive to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to exclude Mustafizur from their squad citing security concerns. A BCB source confirmed that the board will not issue any further NOC for Mustafizur in this IPL season and has already informed the player of the decision.

Earlier, BCB had granted Mustafizur permission to play the entire IPL season, except during Bangladesh’s One Day International series against New Zealand. KKR had acquired Mustafizur for a record 9.2 crore rupees in the latest IPL auction. However, after BCCI’s instruction to remove him, BCB decided to revoke the NOC and ruled out issuing any new clearance for this tournament.

The development has also sparked questions about whether Bangladesh will travel to India for the upcoming World Cup, as the issue originated from security-related concerns.

Masud Saeedi, Jamaat-e-Islami’s nominated candidate for the Pirojpur-1 constituency and former chairman of Jhalokathi’s Jianagar Upazila Parishad, alleged that India is continuously conspiring to prove Bangladesh a failed state. He made the remarks on Sunday afternoon while addressing a gathering of associate members at the Jamaat-e-Islami office in Nazirpur Upazila, Pirojpur. Saeedi said that those who shed blood in July must not be betrayed, and vowed to build a united and new Bangladesh despite any conspiracies.

He urged all political parties to remain united on national issues following the recent mass uprising, emphasizing that ideological differences should not divide the country’s interests. Saeedi stated that Jamaat-e-Islami seeks a peaceful, stable, and prosperous Bangladesh and called for collective efforts to restore social harmony through the creation of a welfare-oriented state.

The event, presided over by Nazirpur Upazila Jamaat Amir Maulana Abdur Razzak, was attended by several local Jamaat leaders, including former upazila amirs and departmental heads.

The Election Commission (EC) has instructed all political parties and independent candidates contesting the upcoming national parliamentary election not to exceed the prescribed size of election symbols during campaign activities. The directive, issued through the EC’s verified Facebook page on Sunday, limits the length, width, and height of campaign symbols to a maximum of three meters. The EC also prohibited the use or display of live animals as election symbols, emphasizing that such practices are completely forbidden.

According to the election schedule, the scrutiny of nomination papers concluded on Sunday. Appeals against returning officers’ decisions can be filed from January 5 to 9, with resolution scheduled between January 10 and 18. The deadline for withdrawal of candidacy is January 20, and final candidate lists with symbol allocations will be published on January 21. Campaigning will begin on January 22 and continue until 7:30 a.m. on February 10, while voting is set for February 12.

The EC’s directive aims to ensure uniformity and discipline in campaign displays ahead of the national election.

Top business leaders of Bangladesh held a meeting with BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman on Sunday at the party chairperson’s political office in Gulshan, Dhaka. The meeting brought together prominent figures from major trade and business organizations across the country.

Among those present were former FBCCI president Mir Nasir Hossain, BCI president Anwar-ul Alam Chowdhury, BKMEA president Mohammad Hatem, former BTMA president Matin Chowdhury, and MCCI president Kamran T Rahman. Also attending were BSMA president Moinul Islam Swapon, BAB president Abdul Hai Sarkar, Transcom Group and ICC Bangladesh CEO Simeen Rahman, and Uttara Motors Corporation Limited chairman Matiur Rahman, along with heads of other leading business groups.

The report did not specify the agenda or outcomes of the meeting, focusing solely on the participants and venue details.

The Non-Government Teachers’ Registration and Certification Authority (NTRCA) is set to publish its seventh mass circular to recruit more than 67,000 teachers for non-government educational institutions. According to NTRCA sources, the age calculation for applicants will be based on June 4, 2025, the same date used in the previous sixth circular. No changes have been made to this age calculation method.

However, the upcoming circular introduces significant changes in the application process. Candidates will now be allowed to select a maximum of seven preferred institutions from the list of vacancies, a sharp reduction from the previous limit of 40 institutions. Additionally, an “Other Option” will be available in the e-application form, allowing applicants to indicate whether they are willing to accept appointments outside their chosen institutions.

Officials said the new system aims to make the recommendation process simpler and more efficient for both applicants and the authority.

In Kurigram-3 (Ulipur) constituency, the nomination paper of Jamaat-e-Islami candidate Barrister Mahbubul Alam Salehi was canceled on Sunday by District Returning Officer and Deputy Commissioner Annapurna Debnath. The decision followed earlier suspension of his nomination over dual citizenship allegations. Salehi appeared at the returning officer’s office within the given deadline with required documents, but officials reportedly declared the nomination invalid without reviewing them, prompting protests from his supporters.

Witnesses said the cancellation announcement was made hastily, ignoring requests to verify the submitted papers. Around 200 to 250 Jamaat activists demonstrated outside the district administration office following the decision. Salehi told reporters that he was denied a fair opportunity to present his documents and alleged that the move might be politically motivated. Local lawyer Khaja Moin Uddin and Kurigram Press Club’s general secretary Mahfuzur Rahman also criticized the process.

Assistant Commissioner Abu Bakkar Siddique, acting officer of the district returning office, stated that inconsistencies in the submitted nomination led to its rejection, adding that the candidate could appeal within the legally prescribed timeframe.

Mahdi Amin has been appointed as the spokesperson for the Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s (BNP) central election management committee. The announcement was made on Sunday in Dhaka’s Gulshan area following a committee meeting chaired by Nazrul Islam Khan, who stated that Amin will now conduct regular briefings on behalf of the committee. Mahdi Amin also serves as an adviser to the party’s acting chairman, Tarique Rahman.

Earlier, the first meeting of the committee on managing the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election was held at the BNP’s election office on Gulshan 90 Road. The committee, formed last Thursday night, consists of 41 members. Nazrul Islam Khan, a member of the BNP Standing Committee, was appointed chairman, while Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi was named member secretary. Md. Ismail Jabirullah was assigned as the chief coordinator.

The formation of the committee marks a key organizational step for the BNP as it prepares for the upcoming parliamentary election, with Mahdi Amin now responsible for communicating the committee’s activities to the public.

The Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA) has introduced a new mobile application to make the use of Metro Rail’s Rapid Pass and MRT Pass cards more convenient. According to an announcement issued on Saturday, users can now recharge their cards directly through the Rapid Pass app. Initially, some features may face temporary issues as the app is newly launched, but DTCA’s technical team is working continuously to improve performance and ensure a smoother user experience.

Registered users of the rapidpass.com.bd website can log in to the app using their existing user ID and password. After logging in, they can recharge amounts ranging from 100 to 5,000 taka using bank cards, as well as mobile financial services such as bKash and Nagad. The app is available for download on Android devices by searching “Rapid Pass” in the app store or through the provided Google Play link.

DTCA stated that the initiative aims to enhance passenger convenience and streamline the metro card recharge process through digital means.