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).

Independent candidate Tasnim Jara has regained the validity of her nomination for the Dhaka-9 constituency in the 13th national parliamentary election after her appeal was accepted by the Election Commission on Saturday. Her nomination was earlier declared invalid during the preliminary scrutiny phase. However, following a hearing on appeals seeking validation of candidacies at the Election Commission office in Agargaon, Jara’s nomination was reinstated, clearing the way for her to contest the election as an independent candidate. Read More:  Tasnim Jara calls for easier election process for independent candidates Reacting immediately after the decision, Jara thanked the Election Commission for accepting her appeal. She also expressed gratitude to supporters at home and abroad who stood by her over the past few days. Jara said she has initially expressed her intention to contest the election with the football as her electoral symbol, adding that the final decision on the symbol rests with the Commission. Earlier, on January 3, the district returning officer announced after scrutiny that discrepancies were found in the signatures of voters supporting Jara’s nomination, which is mandatory for independent candidates. Of the signatures verified, two were found not to be voters of the Dhaka-9 constituency. Citing electoral rules, the returning officer had declared her nomination invalid. Commenting on the issue at the time, Jara said many voters are unaware of their voter numbers or specific constituencies, and technical problems in the Commission’s voter verification systems led to the discrepancies. She had then announced her decision to appeal against the ruling. Following the appeal hearing, Jara ultimately regained the validity of her candidacy for the Dhaka-9 seat. Read More: Tasnim Jara’s Dhaka-9 nomination scrapped, plans to appeal Initially, she was set to contest the election as a candidate of the National Citizen Party (NCP). However, after the party joined an alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami and like-minded groups, Jara resigned from the party and announced her decision to run as an independent candidate. In Dhaka-9, Jara will face BNP candidate Habibur Rashid Habib and NCP candidate Javed Rasin.

The nomination paper of Tasnim Jara, an independent candidate and former leader of the National Citizen Party (NCP), for the Dhaka-9 constituency was cancelled on Saturday (January 03, 2026). Dhaka’s Deputy Commissioner and Returning Officer Md Rezaul Karim announced the decision around 11:30am. Read more: Tasnim Jara quits NCP; to contest as independent candidate Talking to reporters, Jara said she would file an appeal with the Election Commission (EC) challenging the cancellation. “The nomination paper I submitted as an independent candidate for Dhaka-9 has not been accepted at this stage. However, we will appeal. I have already started the appeal process,” Jara told journalists at the Divisional Commissioner’s office in city's Segunbagicha. Explaining the grounds for the cancellation, Jara said her nomination was rejected due to discrepancies involving the voter information of two signatories among the required one percent of voters’ signatures for independent candidates. “One voter lives in Khilgaon. Since Khilgaon falls under both Dhaka-9 and Dhaka-11, he was unaware that he was not a voter of Dhaka-9, and there was no way for him to know. He checked the website but could not find his voter number. Based on his NID, he believed he was a Dhaka-9 voter and signed accordingly,” she said Tasnim Jara declares assets worth Tk 19 lakh, annual income Tk 7 lakh In the second case, she said, the address mentioned on the voter’s NID hard copy indicated Dhaka-9, leading the person to believe he was a voter of the constituency. “However, according to Election Commission records, he is not a Dhaka-9 voter, which again was beyond his knowledge,” she said. Describing the cancellation as a challenge in her electoral journey, Jara said she is prepared to face it through the legal process.

National Citizen Party (NCP) Senior Joint Member Secretary Dr Tasnim Jara resigned from the party on Saturday. In a message sent to the NCP's WhatsApp central group, Tasnim Jara wrote: “Dear comrades, I have resigned from the party. I have learned a great deal from you over the past one and a half years, for which I am sincerely grateful. Best wishes to you all.” Earlier in a Facebook post on her verified Facebook page, she announced her decision to contest the national election from Dhaka-9 constituency as an independent candidate. In a post on her verified Facebook page on Saturday, Tasnim Jara addressed residents of Khilgaon, Sabujbagh and Mugda, saying she was born and raised in Khilgaon and had dreamed of entering parliament under the banner of a political party to serve her constituency and the country. “However, considering the practical realities, I have decided not to contest the election as a candidate of any particular party or alliance,” she wrote. She said she remained committed to her promise to people to work for a new political culture and she would contest the election independently from Dhaka-9. “I promised you and the people of the country that I would fight for you and work to build a new political culture. No matter the circumstances, I am determined to keep that promise,” the post reads. Tasnim Jara said party-backed candidates usually benefit from organisational support, local offices and channels to communicate with the government and administration on issues such as security. “As I am not affiliated with any party, I will not have those advantages,” she said. “My only hope is you. If you support me considering my honesty, dedication and unwavering determination to practise new politics, only then will I get the opportunity to serve you,” she added.  

First Senior Joint Member Secretary of the National Citizen Party (NCP) Dr Tasnim Jara has said that women’s ‘active and safe’ participation is essential in rebuilding Bangladesh, warning that progress will be stalled if women's participation is sidelined. “If women’s participation is not ensured in Bangladesh’s march forward, the country’s progress will ultimately be sidelined,” she said, while sharing her vision of a future Bangladesh. Despite women’s crucial role during the July Uprising, Dr Tasnim said many continue to face cyber-bullying and harassment. “However, we have not stopped,” she said. Dr Tasnim was speaking at an event titled ‘NRB Connect Day: Empowering Global Bangladeshis’ which was jointly hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA). Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus attended the event as chief guest. Prof Yunus urges NRBs to help reshape nation’s future Prominent political figures, including BNP Secretary-General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman's Foreign Affairs Adviser Humayun Kabir, Nayeb-e-Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Syeed Abdullah Muhammad Taher, Jamaat US spokesperson Mohammad Nakibur Rahman, and NCP Member Secretary Akhter Hossen also spoke at the event. Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain, Law Adviser Dr Asif Nazrul, Special Envoy on International Affairs Lutfey Siddiqi, National Security Adviser Dr Khalilur Rahman and BIDA Executive Chairman Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun delivered remarks. Dr Tasnim said they envision building a country where differences of opinion are respected, but without a return to the old politics of violence. Expressing satisfaction with the institutional efforts to engage non-resident Bangladeshis (NRBs), she said, “Today, I believe, marks a very key moment. Together, we hope to build a Bangladesh where everyone has a voice and dignity.” Dr Tasnim acknowledged the challenges ahead but remained optimistic. “The path is long and full of challenges. But when people rise, history changes. Together, we will change history.” Highlighting the role of the youth, she urged that their political interest be nurtured. “I visited almost every district in July this year and witnessed firsthand the youth’s determination to build a better Bangladesh. Steps must be taken to help them realide their dreams,” she said, warning that neglecting these aspirations could lead to another crisis which they do not want to see.

British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Sarah Cooke has met National Citizen Party (NCP) leaders Nahid Islam and Tasnim Jara, and discussed political issues, reiterating its support for Bangladesh’s democratic and inclusive future. The British High Commission in Dhaka on Wednesday said the meeting was part of a series of discussions with political parties.  NCP delegation to meet Prof Yunus following BNP-Jamaat meetings The meeting centred around the UK’s continued support to Bangladesh and pathway towards a ‘democratic, inclusive and prosperous’ future, said the High Commission.