Former Prime Minister and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia passed away on Monday morning at 6 a.m. at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka. The veteran politician, widely known as the 'uncompromising leader', took her last breath surrounded by family members and close associates.

Her death has cast a deep shadow over the country’s political landscape, marking the end of an era in Bangladesh’s democratic history. Khaleda Zia was a central figure in anti-military movements and the restoration of democracy, and she became a symbol of female leadership in national politics. As a three-time former prime minister, her political legacy remains deeply intertwined with the country’s democratic journey.

The nation mourns the loss of a leader who played a defining role in shaping Bangladesh’s modern political identity, leaving behind a void in both her party and the broader political sphere.

BNP Chairperson and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia remains in a highly critical condition while undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka, according to her personal physician and party standing committee member Dr. A.Z.M. Zahid Hossain. Speaking to reporters outside the hospital early Monday night, he said Khaleda Zia has been admitted since November 23 and continues to face a severe health crisis. He added that only time will tell how much she can recover from this condition.

Dr. Zahid stated that a medical board comprising doctors from home and abroad is monitoring her treatment around the clock. The board met again on Monday morning to review her condition. He requested prayers from the public on behalf of Khaleda Zia’s family. On Monday night, BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman, his wife Dr. Zubaida Rahman, and other family members visited her at the hospital.

Khaleda Zia is suffering from multiple health complications, including diabetes, kidney, heart, and lung problems. Plans to take her abroad for advanced treatment could not proceed as her condition was deemed unfit for air travel, so her treatment continues in Bangladesh.

BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia remains hospitalized at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka due to multiple health complications. On the night of December 29, Acting BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman, his wife Dr. Zubaida Rahman, and other close family members visited her to check on her condition. BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir also accompanied them, according to BNP Media Cell member Shairul Kabir Khan.

Khaleda Zia has been under treatment at Evercare Hospital since November 23. Her personal physician, Dr. AZM Zahid Hossain, stated that her condition remains critical and unchanged. The report did not mention any new medical developments or treatment updates.

The situation continues to draw concern within the BNP leadership, as the party’s top figures gather around their ailing chairperson during her prolonged hospitalization.

According to the Election Commission, a total of 248 nomination papers were submitted across 20 constituencies in Dhaka district on Monday, December 29, the final day for submission under the announced schedule of the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election. Returning officers and assistant returning officers received the documents from candidates between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.

The data shows varying numbers of submissions across constituencies. Dhaka-1 received 8 nominations, Dhaka-2 received 3, Dhaka-3 and Dhaka-5 each received 16, Dhaka-4 received 8, Dhaka-6 received 7, Dhaka-7 received 15, Dhaka-8 received 12, Dhaka-9 received 14, Dhaka-10 received 13, Dhaka-11 received 11, Dhaka-12 received 18, Dhaka-14 received 13, Dhaka-15 received 9, Dhaka-16 received 13, Dhaka-17 and Dhaka-18 each received 17, Dhaka-19 received 11, and Dhaka-20 received 7.

The submission marks the completion of the nomination phase in Dhaka district as part of the broader national election process scheduled under the Election Commission’s timetable.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has nominated businessman Jasim Uddin Ahmed, known for his close ties with former inspector general of police Benazir Ahmed, as its candidate for the Chattogram-14 (Chandanaish–part of Satkania) constituency. The nomination, announced on Sunday and filed on Monday at the Chattogram Divisional Commissioner’s office, has sparked intense criticism on social media and discontent within the party. Local BNP leaders allege that the decision was made centrally without consulting the district unit.

Jasim, previously elected as an independent chairman in the 2024 upazila polls that BNP boycotted, is accused by local leaders of having links with influential figures from the former Awami League government. He faces multiple legal cases, including attempted murder and loan default allegations. Senior BNP figures in the district argue that nominating a businessman with such a background undermines the party’s moral and ideological stance.

BNP’s south district convener Idris Mia defended the decision, saying the party needed a financially strong candidate to challenge rivals and that Jasim had no formal political affiliation before. However, grassroots leaders have urged Tarique Rahman to reconsider the nomination.

ATM Azam Khan, the Jamaat-e-Islami candidate for Rangpur-4 (Pirganj and Kaunia), has withdrawn from the election to support Akhtar Hossain, the member secretary of the National Citizen Party (NCP). He confirmed the decision on Monday, citing alliance consensus as the reason for his withdrawal. In a Facebook post, Khan said he was stepping aside in the interest of broader national unity and expressed full support for the alliance-nominated candidate.

Khan described his decision as a necessary organizational step to strengthen collective efforts for the rights of the people of Pirganj and Kaunia. He thanked local residents for their support and expressed gratitude to his colleagues and supporters, including those living abroad. He also apologized for any unintended offenses during his campaign duties and urged everyone to work together to ensure the victory of the alliance candidate.

The decision reflects internal coordination within the alliance in Rangpur-4, aiming to consolidate support behind a single candidate for the upcoming election.

The 1320-megawatt coal-based power plant located at Gondamara in Banshkhali, Chattogram, will cease operations from January 1, 2026. A project official confirmed the development on December 29, citing that the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) owes more than Tk 3,000 crore to the plant operator, SS Power. Due to the unpaid dues, SS Power lacks sufficient funds to book coal imports from Indonesia, forcing the company to halt electricity generation.

According to the report, SS Power currently supplies 1,224 megawatts of electricity to the Chattogram region, where total demand stands at 1,600 megawatts. The shutdown is expected to cause a severe power crisis in the region and significant losses nationwide. The plant, operated by China’s SEPCO III, had been connected to the national grid in January 2023 and began supplying power in May of that year.

The project, initially developed under a 2016 agreement between BPDB and SS Power, was later taken over by SEPCO III from Bangladesh’s S. Alam Group, according to officials cited in the report.

Former information adviser Mahfuz Alam has confirmed that he will not participate in the upcoming national parliamentary election. Speaking to BBC Bangla on Monday, he said that although nomination papers had been collected on his behalf for the Lakshmipur-1 constituency, he had decided from the beginning not to run. Alam explained that his resignation from the government was not linked to any electoral ambition but rather to concerns raised about neutrality if student representatives remained in government during the election period.

He further clarified that his brother, Mahbub Alam, joint convener of the National Citizen Party (NCP), had already collected nomination papers for the same constituency and would contest based on his own decision. Mahfuz Alam stated that he had nothing to comment on his brother’s choice. Earlier, in a Facebook post, he announced that although he was involved in forming the Citizen Committee and the NCP, he would not be part of the NCP.

Explaining his stance, Alam said Bangladesh is currently in a “cold war” phase of history, and it is best to remain steadfast in one’s principles without taking sides.

The National Citizen Party (NCP) has submitted nomination papers in 47 constituencies for the 13th parliamentary election, according to its convener Nahid Islam. Former adviser Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan has formally joined the party as its spokesperson and head of the election management committee but will not contest this time. The announcement came during an emergency press conference at the party’s temporary central office in Banglamotor on Monday evening.

Nahid Islam said the NCP joined the Jamaat-led alliance to strengthen its electoral prospects, though the final seat-sharing arrangement has not yet been determined. He explained that the party submitted more nominations than expected to allow for possible disqualifications or errors. The NCP has no candidates in Dhaka-10 and Comilla-3, where it will support alliance nominees. Islam emphasized that all party members will work collectively for the alliance’s chosen candidates in the interest of unity.

Discussions on seat-sharing within the ten-party alliance, which includes Jamaat-e-Islami and the newly joined AB Party, are ongoing. Reports suggest the NCP may receive around 30 constituencies, with final decisions expected soon before the January 20 withdrawal deadline.

The government has appointed Supreme Court senior lawyer Ehsanul Haque Samaji as the special legal adviser in the murder case of Shahid Sharif Osman Hadi, spokesperson of Inquilab Moncho. The appointment was announced on Monday night through an order signed by Mofizul Islam, assistant secretary of the Ministry of Law.

According to the order, Samaji will serve as a special prosecutor adviser with the rank equivalent to that of the Attorney General. His role will be to ensure proper and prompt legal assistance to the investigating officer and the prosecution team handling the murder case filed at Paltan Police Station.

The appointment aims to strengthen the legal process surrounding the high-profile murder case and ensure that the investigation and prosecution proceed efficiently under expert legal guidance.

Former adviser to the interim government Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan has joined the National Citizens Party (NCP) and has been appointed as the party’s spokesperson. The announcement was made by NCP convener Nahid Islam at a press conference on Monday evening.

Nahid Islam stated that Asif Mahmud will not contest in the upcoming election. Instead, he will work to ensure that NCP-nominated candidates win and represent the cause of the July mass uprising in parliament. For this purpose, he has been given the responsibility of heading the NCP’s election management committee. The position was previously held by NCP leader Nasiruddin Patwari, who stepped down to participate in the election.

Asif Mahmud said he considers it a greater success to help his fellow activists reach parliament rather than running himself. He pledged to make every effort to support their election campaigns.

Analysts suggest that India’s expanding role as one of Israel’s key defense partners signals a deep moral and geopolitical shift in New Delhi’s foreign policy. Once known for its non-aligned stance and vocal support for Palestinian self-determination, India is now seen as moving toward transactional alliances with powers criticized for violating international law. The shift has become more visible amid the ongoing Gaza conflict, as India quietly fills part of the supply gap left by European countries constrained by legal and political pressures on arms exports to Israel.

Under the “Make in India” initiative, joint production, technology transfer, and domestic manufacturing of Israeli weapon components have tied India more closely to Israel’s military-industrial network. Experts describe the partnership as pragmatic and mutually beneficial: Israel provides advanced military technology, while India offers production capacity, markets, and diplomatic backing. Critics, however, argue that this pragmatism comes at the cost of moral clarity and silence on international law.

Observers also note that India’s abstentions at the UN on Gaza-related votes and cautious diplomatic language reflect risk management rather than neutrality, potentially weakening its traditional Global South leadership role.

The Amar Bangladesh (AB) Party has joined the Jamaat-e-Islami-led alliance ahead of the upcoming national parliamentary election. The announcement was made on Monday afternoon after the party’s general secretary, Asaduzzaman Fuad, submitted nomination papers at the Barishal returning officer’s office. He stated that seat-sharing discussions had already taken place and that further talks were ongoing. The party plans to formally join the alliance in Dhaka following the nomination submission.

According to AB Party chairman Mojibur Rahman Monju, the party is now part of Jamaat’s eight-party electoral understanding, with discussions continuing on several constituencies. Jamaat has not fielded candidates in Feni-2, Barishal-3, and Patuakhali-1 constituencies. On Sunday, the NCP and LDP also announced their inclusion in the Jamaat-led coalition.

With AB Party’s entry, the Jamaat-led alliance will expand to a total of eleven political parties participating in the upcoming election.

China has announced a reduction in import tariffs on several categories of goods starting January 1, 2026. According to a statement from the State Council’s Customs Tariff Commission, the Ministry of Finance’s website detailed that the ‘2026 Tariff Adjustment Plan’ will take effect on the first day of the new year. The plan, guided by Xi Jinping’s socialist thought with Chinese characteristics, aims to optimize tariff classifications, implement preferential rates, and promote high-quality development.

The plan introduces temporary import tariff rates lower than the Most Favored Nation (MFN) rates for 935 products across three categories. These include key industrial components such as CNC hydraulic cushions and composite contact strips, resources like recycled black powder for lithium-ion batteries, and medical products such as artificial blood vessels and diagnostic kits for infectious diseases. However, products like micro motors, printing machines, and sulfuric acid will retain MFN rates in line with China’s WTO commitments.

China will continue reducing tariffs under 24 free trade agreements with 34 partners, adding items like intelligent bionic robots and sustainable aviation fuel to support scientific progress and circular economy goals.

Egypt has rejected several large financial proposals that were conditioned on accepting the forced displacement of Palestinians, Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Aty said in an interview with MBC Egypt’s program Al-Hekaya. He stated that accepting such offers would mean endorsing the 'law of the jungle.' Abdel Aty revealed that Egypt received three separate proposals, each offering significant economic incentives, including debt cancellation and financial rewards.

The minister emphasized that Cairo firmly rejected all offers and that Egypt’s position remains clear and unchangeable. He added that Israeli negotiators fully understand Egypt’s stance. Abdel Aty noted that Egypt and Israel, having maintained diplomatic relations for over 45 years, are aware of each other’s positions and limitations.

He further accused Israel of failing to meet its international legal obligations as an occupying power to open border crossings and allow humanitarian aid. Abdel Aty concluded that Egypt will remain steadfast in upholding international law, warning that abandoning it would lead to a world governed by the law of the jungle.