The directive was issued through a circular released today by Mohammad Monir Hossen, deputy secretary (Polls Operation-2) of the EC secretariat. Senior district or district election officers will distribute the banners, centre-wise, to presiding officers at the local level. The presiding officer concerned will be responsible for ensuring that the banner is displayed in a clearly visible location at each polling centre. The required financial allocations for printing the banners will be provided to senior district or district election officers. In addition, two special envelopes will be supplied to each polling centre.

On the first day of school during Cait Haynes’ junior year, her teacher asked students to go around the room and rattle off their names. “What we know about bullying is it’s not just that one-on-one interaction,” said Adam Collins, the Colorado education department’s statewide bullying prevention manager. If children haven’t processed all their trauma, Collins said, it follows them to school and can encourage more bullying. During the last school year, bullying ranked as the second-biggest concern, with 2,673 bullying reports passed along to Safe2Tell. Students learn the difference between conflicts and bullying — bullying is anchored in an “imbalance of power,” Haynes said, with harassment or assault that is often, but not always, repeated.

MEXICO CITY, Jan 9, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaumsaid Friday her government wanted closer security coordination with theUnited States after Donald Trump threatened ground attacks against drugcartels. Sheinbaum told reporters she asked her foreign minister to contact USSecretary of State Marco Rubio and, if needed, speak directly with Trump tostrengthen cooperation under the bilateral security framework. Trump earlier said in a Fox News interview that land attacks against cartelswould follow recent US maritime operations in the Pacific and Caribbean,without specifying where or when. Mexico extradited dozens of cartel leaders to the US in 2025 and reinforcedborder cooperation, but Sheinbaum has repeatedly voiced opposition to anymilitary intervention from outside. She said Mexico maintains a "security understanding" with Washington and thatRubio had praised the "good coordination" on security between the twocountries.

DHAKA, Jan 9, 2026 (BSS) - The Election Commission (EC) today dismissed media reports claiming that it has decided to suspend elections in the Pabna-1 and Pabna-2 constituencies, saying the information is incorrect. In a clarification message, the EC said the reports circulated in the media quoting the commission on the alleged suspension are inaccurate. The commission urged the media to withdraw such reports and refrain from publishing misleading information in this regard.

The directive, signed by Deputy Secretary Mohammad Monir Hossain, emphasized the absolute secrecy of ballot papers and the protection of security-coded seals. According to the circular, officials are required to meticulously verify all election materials- including forms, packets, and envelopes-against the distribution list provided in the previously issued Circular-13. The EC has laid out rigorous steps for the management of ballot papers once they are received from the government security presses. Returning Officers are tasked with cross-checking the ballot papers against Form-5 to ensure that candidate names and symbols are accurate. A major component of the new directives involves the management of official and brass seals, which contain unique security code marks.

A total of 640 appeals have been filed with the Election Commission (EC) against returning officers’ decisions on nomination papers for the parliamentary polls. EC Secretary Akhtar Ahmed and officials from the law wing will also attend. Md Arifur Rahman, an officer of the EC’s law wing, said hearings will be held in the commission auditorium, with at least 70 appeals scheduled on the first day. The law applies equally to everyone and must be respected.”According to the schedule, appeals will be resolved between Jan 10 and Jan 18. Voting for the parliamentary election, along with a referendum on the July Charter implementation, will take place on Feb 12.

As Bangladesh prepares for the 13th national election on February 12, the interim government has intensified security measures to ensure a peaceful, orderly, and credible vote. The election will involve approximately 127.5 million voters across 300 constituencies, with around 2,60,000 booths in nearly 43,000 polling stations. In metropolitan areas, general stations will have three armed police and three Ansar, and important stations four armed police and three Ansar. Each presiding officer in CHT and remote areas will also receive one armed Ansar member for personal security. Additionally, all polling stations will have 10 Ansar personnel (four women and six men) equipped with sticks to assist in maintaining order.

File PhotoDHAKA, Jan 9, 2026 (BSS) – In the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary election, a maximum of three persons, including the appellant, will be allowed in the Election Commission’s (EC) appeal hearing room during hearings against nomination acceptance or rejection orders issued by returning officers. The information was disclosed today in a letter signed by EC Senior Assistant Secretary (Law-2) Md. The letter stated that appeal hearings on matters filed with the Election Commission will be held from January 10 to January 18, covering a total of nine days. To ensure smooth proceedings, all concerned appellants have been requested not to allow more than three persons, including themselves, in the hearing room for each appeal. The appeal hearings will take place at the Election Commission auditorium (Basement-2) from January 10 to 18 and the full commission will guide it.

A total of 131 appeals were filed at the Election Commission (EC) on Friday as candidates sought to restore their candidacy for the upcoming national parliamentary election, with long queues continuing even after the official deadline. Friday was the final day for candidates to submit appeals against returning officers’ decisions. The appeals were submitted at booths set up at the EC building in Agargaon, Dhaka. Ahead of the election, prospective candidates submitted nomination papers, of which 1,842 were declared valid while 723 were rejected. Returning officers will publish the final list of candidates and allocate election symbols on January 21.

US President Donald Trump said Thursday that Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado will be in Washington next week, indicating he planned to meet with the Nobel Peace Prize winner. “I understand she’s coming in next week sometime, and I look forward to saying hello to her,” Trump told Fox News host Sean Hannity in an interview. Trump said last week that Machado does not have the respect or support within Venezuela to lead the country and has since suggested the US could effectively control Venezuela for years. “They wouldn’t even know how to have an election right now.”Machado has offered to share her Nobel Prize with Trump, who has said he deserved the award. He indicated Machado might give him her Nobel Prize when they meet.

Over the past 50 years, Iran has been shaken by a series of protests. Millions nationwide protested over the next months, becoming known as the “Green Movement.” A brutal security force crackdown saw dozens killed and thousands arrested. A monthslong security crackdown killed more than 500 people and saw over 22,000 detained. Protests began soon after. Iran shut down the internet and telephone networks to the outside world after demonstrators heeded a call for nighttime rallies Thursday.

Pakistan High Commissioner to Bangladesh Imran Haider on Friday met BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman at the party chairperson’s Gulshan office. They discussed issues of mutual interest, including strengthening South Asian regional cooperation, trade and business, and bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Pakistan, BNP Media Cell member Shairul Kabir Khan said. BNP central leaders welcomed the high commissioner at the office at around 4:15pm. Earlier, the high commissioner expressed shock over the death of former prime minister and BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia. On December 30, 2025, he had visited the Gulshan office and signed the condolence book.

Khamenei said US President Donald Trump’s hands “are stained with the blood of more than a thousand Iranians,” in apparent reference to Israel’s June war against the Islamic republic which the US supported and joined with strikes of its own. He predicted the “arrogant” US leader would be “overthrown” like the imperial dynasty that ruled Iran up to the 1979 revolution. The crowd could be heard chanting “death to the dictator” in reference to Khamenei, 86, who has ruled the Islamic republic since 1989. Several videos showed protesters setting fire to the entrance to the regional branch of state television in the central city of Isfahan. Flames were also seen in the governor’s building in Shazand, the capital of Markazi province in central Iran, after protesters gathered outside, other videos showed.

Nazrul Islam Khan, member of BNP’s Standing Committee and chairman of the party’s election management committee, said Friday that those contesting the 13th national parliamentary election outside the party’s decision have been urged to withdraw their candidacy. He warned that if they fail to do so within the stipulated timeframe, the party will take strict organizational measures against them. “In a large party like BNP, there are many qualified candidates. Tarique Rahman has stated that he will continue from where his mother left off. Election manifesto and student council pollsKhan said the BNP’s election manifesto drafting committee is currently at work and that the manifesto will be published soon.

They are International Master Mohammad Fahad Rahman of Bangladesh Ansar, International Master Abu Sufian Shakil of Bangladesh Police Chess Club, International Master Md. In the day's sixth round matches, IM Manon Reja Neer defeated IM Abu Sufian Shakil, FM Sakline Mostafa Sajid beat FM Tahsin Tajwar Zia, IM Mohammad Fahad Rahman drew with IM Md. Minhaz Uddin, FM Subrota Biswas split point with FM Syed Mahfuzur Rahma, WFM Warsia Khusbu drew with FM Mohammad Javed, CM Md Abu Hanid defeated Md Moniruzzaman Masud, CM Mahtabuddin Ahmed defeated Mahfuzur Rahman Shahin, CM Zoar Haque Prodhan defeated Md. Rabiul Hossain, Muhtady Tajwar Nasheed beat Tanvir Alam, WFM Noshin Anjum defeated Abrar Rezaul Ahnaf Mohammad, Mohammad Shakil defeated Md. Asadujjaman, Afzal Hossain Sacchu outclassed Din Mohammad and WCM Nusrat Jahan Alo split point with Rayan Rashid Mugdho.