Photo : BSSJASHORE, Jan 3, 2026 (BSS) - The scrutiny of nomination papers for the 13th National Parliament election took place on January 3, with the District Returning Officer declaring the nomination papers of six candidates invalid in the Jashore-5 and 6 constituencies. The scrutiny process, which began at 10 am in the meeting room of the Deputy Commissioner’s office, revealed several errors and discrepancies in the nomination papers. Among the affected candidates were those from the Jatiya Party, Islami Andolan Bangladesh, and independent candidates. Of these, the nomination papers of four candidates were declared invalid due to various issues identified during the scrutiny. Iqbal Hossain (Independent, BNP leader)In Jashore-6 constituency, five candidates submitted their nomination papers, two of which were declared invalid.

The protests began on Sunday as an expression of discontent over high prices and economic stagnation, but have since expanded to include political demands. "The president and high-ranking officials are working to resolve" the economic difficulties in the sanctions-battered country, Khamenei said in a speech marking a Shiite holiday. But Khamenei nonetheless warned that while "authorities must have dialogue with protesters, it is useless to have dialogue with rioters. At least 25 cities have seen protest gatherings of varying sizes, according to an AFP tally based on local media. However, local media do not necessarily report on every incident, and state media have downplayed coverage of protests, while videos flooding social media are often impossible to verify.

DHAKA, Jan 03, 2026 (BSS) - The admission test for the first-year (honours) programmes of 2025-26 academic sessions under the agricultural cluster of nine public Agricultural Universities was held today in a peaceful manner. The test held in MCQ system had began at 2:00 pm and continued till 3:00 pm, sources said. This admission test was held simultaneously at 20 sub-centers across the country, including nine universities at present. The Gazipur Agricultural University was in charge of coordinating all administrative and technical aspects of the examination. The nine universities currently operating under the Agricultural Cluster are: Bangladesh Agricultural University, Gazipur Agricultural University, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Chittagong Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Sylhet Agricultural University, Khulna Agricultural University, Habiganj Agricultural University and Kurigram Agricultural University.

Operation Devil Hunt Phase-2 nets 98 in Dhaka in 24 hoursDHAKA, Jan 3, 2026 (BSS) - The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) arrested 98 people in the last 24 hours under Operation Devil Hunt Phase-2 through coordinated drives conducted by Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Mirpur Model, Jatrabari, Darus Salam and Rupnagar police stations. Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police arrested the highest number of suspects, 50, followed by Darus Salam with 14, Jatrabari 12, Mirpur Model 11 and Rupnagar 11. During the operations, police seized marijuana, knives and mobile phones from the detainees. The arrests were made in connection with regular cases, execution of warrants and involvement in various criminal activities. All the arrested individuals were produced before the court.

President Donald Trump posted a photo Saturday of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro in custody on a US naval ship and wearing both a blindfold and handcuffs. “Nicolas Maduro on board the USS Iwo Jima,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform, along with a picture showing Maduro hours after he was snatched by US forces. The Venezuelan leader had on what appeared to be noise-canceling ear muffs and grey Nike-branded sweatpants and jacket.

In a move condemned by global leaders as a blatant violation of international law, US forces stormed Caracas in a nighttime bombing raid before abducting Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Attorney General Pam Bondi said Maduro and his wife will face the “full wrath” of the courts on drugs and terrorism charges. Maduro -- in power since 2013 after taking over from Hugo Chavez -- long accused Trump of seeking regime change in order to control Venezuela’s huge oil reserves. We can’t take a chance at letting somebody else run and just take over where he left, left off,” Trump told Fox News. However, he told Fox News yesterday that he had spoken with Maduro just last week and told him “You have to give up.

The Election Commission has issued seven instructions to file an appeal, challenging the decision of the returning officer concerned over the acceptance or rejection of a nomination paper during the security. According to the instructions, appeals must be submitted in the form of a memorandum addressed to the Election Commission using the prescribed format. Candidates shall submit the appeals at the designated booths set up at the Election Commission Secretariat, based on their respective electoral regions. The scrutiny of nomination papers started on December 30 and is set to be concluded on Sunday (January 04). The Election Commission on December 12 last declared the schedule to arrange the 13th national election and the referendum on July National Charter (Constitutional Reform) Implementation Order simultaneously on February 12, 2026.

Nicolas Maduro Moros, Venezuela’s president from 2013, rose from a working-class background to become one of the most consequential figures in contemporary Latin American politics. Born on November 23, 1962, in Caracas, Maduro grew up in a working-class family and entered public life through labor activism. In 2000, Maduro was elected to Venezuela’s National Assembly, where he served multiple terms and rose to senior leadership positions, including president of the legislature. Following Chávez’s death in March 2013, Maduro assumed the role of interim president and went on to win a closely fought special election the following month. From 2015 onward, he ruled largely by decree, backed by the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV).

Leaders of the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council met BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman on Saturday night and expressed condolences over the death of former Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia. BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and BNP Chairperson’s Advisory Council member Bijon Kanti Sarkar were also present at the meeting. “We signed the condolence book and later met BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman to convey our sympathy and solidarity,” he said. The delegation later met BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. Since then, leaders of various political, social, religious and professional organisations have been visiting the BNP office to express condolences and pay tribute to the late leader.

As winter fog tightens its grip on Dhaka, flight diversions from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport have once again become a regular occurrence, disrupting schedules, straining airline operations and causing widespread passenger suffering. ILS Category II permits safe landings with visibility between 500 and 750 metres. Why Dhaka was downgradedAccording to airport and aviation officials, Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport previously had ILS Category II capability. To maintain Category II status, three key conditions must be met simultaneously:The ILS equipment itself must be certified to Category II standards. Chittagong and Sylhet are common domestic alternatives, while Kolkata is frequently used for international flights due to its proximity and infrastructure.

One IMEI, 35227301738634, was associated with around 1.75 million devices, while 35275101952326 appeared on 1.52 million handsets. Even more strikingly, a one-digit IMEI of “0” was found to be linked to 586,331 active devices. Sources said that of nearly 1.98 million iPhones active on local networks, around 1.95 million were not imported legally. Similarly, of the 23.1 million Samsung phones in use, about 14.9 million are believed to have entered the market without paying taxes. Analysts estimate that just 10 IMEIs account for nearly five million phones, highlighting the extent to which grey-market imports dominate the handset ecosystem.

Assailants shot a BNP leader to death at Shankarpur in Jessore Saturday evening. Alamgir Hossain, 55 was the joint general secretary of Ward- 7 unit of Jessore Municipality BNP. According to local residents and police sources, Alamgir Hossain was present in the Shankarpur area on Saturday evening. He was shot on the left side of his head and collapsed on the spot. Officer-in-Charge of Kotwali Police Station, Faruk Ahmed, said police visited the scene immediately after receiving the information.

A bus driver of the ‘Victor Classic’ bus service has been accused of threatening a woman with rape in Tongi, Gazipur. The matter was confirmed on Saturday (3 January) by the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of West Tongi Police Station, Md Shahin Khan. Later, when the bus stopped at the Hossain Market area, the woman was safely helped off the bus with the assistance of passengers. Although the driver and his assistant managed to flee, another driver was detained and handed over to the police. In this incident, Md Naim Islam filed a case at West Tongi Police Station on charges of threatening rape and attempted murder.

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DHAKA, Jan 03, 2026 (BSS) - Youth and Sports Adviser Dr Asif Nazrul today expressed strong condemn and protested an instruction of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to remove Bangladeshi cricketer Mustafizur Rahman from Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) squad. "As the adviser in charge of the Sports Ministry, I asked the Bangladesh Cricket Board to explain the entire matter to ICC in written. He further said, "I have requested the Information and Broadcasting Adviser to stop broadcasting of IPL tournament in Bangladesh. We will not accept any insult to Bangladeshi cricket, cricketers and Bangladesh under any circumstances. Earlier, KKR announced that Mustafizur had been dropped from their squad following instructions from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).