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).

Everyone must work together for social change, justice: RizwanaSYLHET, Jan 03, 2026 (BSS) - Information and Broadcasting Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan today called on everyone to work together to achieve social change and justice. Everyone should approach their work with a sense of responsibility towards their family, society and country," she said. Rizwana Hasan made the remarks while addressing the 4th convocation of Leading University in South Surma Upazila, Sylhet. Rizwana Hasan, also Environment, Forest, and Climate Change adviser emphasized the importance of haors in maintaining environmental balance and biodiversity. A total of 6,193 students were awarded degrees this year, including one student awarded the Chancellor's Gold Medal and four students receiving the Vice-Chancellor's Gold Medal for outstanding academic achievements.

US President Donald Trump yesterday offered an expansive vision of Washington’s role in Venezuela following the dramatic military operation that saw US forces storm Caracas and abduct President Nicolás Maduro. In a lengthy press conference, Trump praised the raid as a “spectacular assault” and outlined political, economic, and military steps that he said would reshape the country’s future. Oil and economic plansBeyond the battlefield, Trump made clear that Venezuela’s vast oil reserves were central to Washington’s next moves. “The oil business in Venezuela has been a bust for a long period of time,” Trump said. “We’re going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition,” Trump said.

Photo : CollectedMOSCOW, Jan 3, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Russia on Saturday condemned the US attack on Venezuela urged it to release its leader Nicolas Maduro, who was grabbed during a military operation in and around Caracas. "We strongly urge the American leadership to reconsider its position and release the legally elected president of the sovereign country and his wife," the Russian foreign ministry said. In a series of statements, the ministry called for dialogue between Washington and Venezuela's leftist government and expressed "solidarity" with Venezuela's people. Venezuela is Russia's closest partner in South America and a major buyer of Russian military hardware. Moscow on Saturday rejected as "fake" reports that Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez was in Russia.

The US military operation that led to the abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Saturday sparked alarm across the international community, with allies and foes of Washington and Caracas expressing disquiet. The Venezuelan government decried what it termed a “extremely serious military aggression” by Washington and declared a state of emergency. Countries such as Russia and Iran, which had longstanding ties with Maduro’s government, were quick to condemn the operation but their alarm was also shared by Washington’s allies including France and the EU. MexicoMexico, which Trump has also threatened with military force over drug trafficking, strongly condemned the US military action in Venezuela, saying it “seriously jeopardises regional stability.”ColombiaColombian President Gustavo Petro -- whose country neighbors Venezuela -- called the US action an “assault on the sovereignty” of Latin America which would lead to a humanitarian crisis. BrazilBrazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva slammed the US attacks as a “serious affront” to Venezuela’s sovereignty.

Chaos, irregularities, not road shortage, main cause of accidents: FouzulAdviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan today inaugurated a pilot project for three-wheeled, low-speed, battery-powered e-rickshaws in Aftabnagar under Dhaka South City Corporation. The ultimate goal is to establish a disciplined urban transport system by controlling uncontrolled battery-powered rickshaws and easy bikes, he added. Chief Adviser's Special Assistant Sheikh Moinuddin said, "E-rickshaws are not just vehicles; they are part of a planned urban transport system. Special Assistant for defense and national reconciliation affairs Lieutenant General (retd) Abdul Hafiz said, "Safety is the top priority in urban transport. This e-rickshaw will serve as a smart urban transport model using geo-fencing and digital control systems."

Photo : CollectedDHAKA, Jan 3, 2026 (BSS) - A shipment of liquefied natural gas (LNG) imported from the international spot market has arrived in Bangladesh to ensure normal gas supply to the country's industries and power plants. According to a summary from the Advisory Council Committee on Government Procurement, the total cost of the shipment, including VAT and taxes, is Taka 489.88 crore. Engineer KM Zahirul Islam, another Deputy General Manager of RPGCL, said this was the last LNG shipment of the year. He noted that the government imports LNG from the international spot market to maintain stable gas supply for the country's industrial and power sectors. Additional LNG from the spot market is imported to meet growing domestic demand and support industrial production.