United News of Bangladesh

In a boost for their hopes ahead of Bangladesh’s national election, 51 aspirants regained their candidacies on Saturday (January 10, 2026), including independent candidate Tasnim Jara from Dhaka-9 and Jamaat-e-Islami’s AHM Hamidur Rahman Azad from Cox’s Bazar-2. The Election Commission, led by Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin, declared them valid candidates, hearing the appeal petitions filed by them, at Nirbachan Bhaban in the city’s Agargaon area. “A total of 52 appeal petitions were accepted, while 15 other rejected and the rest three ones remain pending,” said EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed after the first-day hearing of the petitions filed by aggrieved aspirants against the decisions of the returning officers over the nomination papers. Among the 52 granted petitions, one appeal was submitted by a BNP candidate for Brahmanbaria-1 MA Hannan, challenging the acceptance of the nomination paper of an independent candidate in his constituency. Read more: Tasnim Jara regains candidacy in appeal for Dhaka-9 With the EC’s decision, independent candidate SAK Ekramuzzaman lost his candidature. A total of 645 aspirants filed appeal petitions with the Election Commission before the deadline expired on Friday, challenging returning officers’ decisions on the rejection and acceptance of nomination papers. Most of the petitions were submitted against the cancellation of nomination papers during the scrutiny. The Election Commission will hear and dispose of all the petitions by January 18. Tasnim Jara to seek ‘Football’ as electoral symbol: Regaining the candidature, Tasnim Jara in an instant reaction told reporters “The appeal I submitted to the Election Commission has been accepted. As an independent candidate for Dhaka-9, my nomination paper has been declared valid.” Describing the past week as a different experience, Tasnim Jara said she received overwhelming support and prayers from people both at home and abroad. “When I spoke to people on the streets, many expressed disappointment and pain, but also offered prayers (for me),” she said, thanking everyone involved in the struggle. The independent candidate said she would now apply for an election symbol. “As an independent candidate, we will apply for our preferred symbol — the football. The final decision will rest with the Election Commission,” she said, extending thanks to the EC for listening to their arguments. “Above all, we firmly believe that with public support we will be able to contest the upcoming election,” said Tasnim Jara. Earlier, the 69 returning officers – two divisional commissioners (Dhaka and Chattogram), 64 district deputy commissioners and three regional election commissioners (Dhaka, Chattogram and Khulna) – declared that the nomination papers of a total of 1,842 candidates valid and that of 723 others invalid during the five-day nomination paper scrutiny from December 30 to January 04. During the scrutiny, the nomination paper of Tasnim Jara for Dhaka-9 was rejected on ground of inconsistency in the required 1% of voter signatures to qualify for nomination, while that of Hamidur Rahman candidate for Cox’s Bazar-2 (Maheshkhali-Kutubdia) was turned down due to case related issues. A total of 2,568 aspirants submitted nomination papers for the country’s 300 constituencies by the December-29 deadline to contest the 13th parliamentary election. The Election Commission on December 11 announced the election schedule to arrange the national election and the referendum on the July National Charter (Constitutional Reform) Implementation Order simultaneously on February 12, 2026. Read more: Cox's Bazar-2: Jamaat’s Hamidur Rahman Azad gets candidacy back According to the schedule, the last date for the withdrawal of candidature is January 20. The election campaign will start on January 22 and continue till 48 hours before the balloting period (7:30am on February 10).

The Supreme Court on Sunday will hear the appeal petition filed against the  High Court order that had cancelled the process of appointing 6, 531 candidates as assistant teachers of government primary schools in Dhaka and Chattogram divisions. The three-member bench of the Appellate Division, led by Senior Justice Md. Ashfaqul Islam passed the order to hear the petition filed against the teachers after Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman filed a time petition regarding the issue. On February 6, the HC bench consisting of Justice Fatema Najib and Justice Shikdar Mahmudur Raji, cancelled the process of appointing 6, 531 candidates as assistant teachers of government primary schools in Dhaka and Chattogram divisions. Appointment of administrator to Nagad legal: High Court Challenging the HC order, the Directorate of the Primary Education filed an appeal petition on February 18. The Chamber Judge of the Appellate Division fixed March 2 for hearing the petition. On June 14 in 2023, the government issued a circular for recruiting assistant teachers for the primary schools in both divisions. On October 31 last year, the government published the final results of the recruitment test declaring 6, 531 candidates as successful. Later, 30 candidates submitted a petition with the HC challenging the legality of the recruitment following the abolition of the job quota system. Primary school teachers protest at Shaheed Minar, demand implementation of 10th grade salary scale After the primary hearing on November 19, the court stayed the recruitment process for six months. Moreover, the court issued a rule asking as to why the recruitment process should not be declared illegal. Challenging the order, the Directorate of Primary Education submitted a leave-to-appeal with the Appellate Division. The court upheld the HC order and ordered to settle the petition within January 25.  

Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain on Monday fixed the High Court bench of Justice Soumendra Sarker and Justice Shahed Nuruddin for hearing the death reference and appeal petition in Nusrat Jahan Rafi murder case.