Jamaat-e-Islami has announced it will contest 215 constituencies in the upcoming 13th parliamentary election as part of a 10-party alliance, leaving 85 seats for allied parties. The decision was confirmed on Tuesday, the final day for withdrawal of nomination papers. Earlier, Jamaat had planned to contest 179 seats, reserving 47 for Islami Andolan, but the latter did not join the alliance.

Following Islami Andolan’s absence, the previously reserved seats were redistributed among other partners including the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis, Khelafat Majlis, LDP, AB Party, BDP, and Nezame Islam Party. According to reports, NCP received 30 seats, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis 23, and Khelafat Majlis 12, with some additional seats still open. Jamaat’s Assistant Secretary General Ehsanul Mahbub Zubair stated that final details would be announced after the nomination withdrawal deadline.

Political analysts noted that although Jamaat’s seat share increased due to Islami Andolan’s withdrawal, the party allocated a significant number of constituencies to partners to maintain balance within the alliance.

Sports adviser Asif Nazrul announced that Bangladesh will not participate in any World Cup matches held in India. Speaking to reporters at the Secretariat on Tuesday, he stated that the International Cricket Council (ICC) cannot compel Bangladesh to play in India through what he described as unreasonable pressure. He emphasized that Bangladesh would not bow to what he called India's unjust interference.

Nazrul explained that there have been precedents for venue changes in the past, citing Pakistan’s refusal to play in India, which led the ICC to alter venues. He said Bangladesh’s request for a venue change was based on logical grounds and that the government had no information suggesting Scotland would replace Bangladesh in the World Cup squad.

The adviser’s remarks indicate Bangladesh’s firm stance on the issue, while the government awaits further developments from the ICC regarding the tournament’s venue decisions.

Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis candidate Mofazzal Hossain has formally withdrawn his nomination for the Comilla-4 (Debidwar) constituency to support Hasnat Abdullah, the Jamaat–NCP alliance candidate and chief organizer of NCP’s southern region. The withdrawal took place on Tuesday morning when Hossain submitted his application to Assistant Returning Officer and Debidwar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Rakibul Islam.

Following the withdrawal, Mofazzal Hossain stated that his decision followed the central directive to strengthen unity within the ten-party alliance. He described Hasnat Abdullah as a qualified leader whose leadership contributes to a democratic environment. Hossain also urged party members to vote for Hasnat under the ‘Shapla Koli’ symbol on the upcoming 12th.

The event was attended by leaders and activists from Jamaat, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis, and NCP, including Saiful Islam Shahid, the Jamaat candidate who had earlier withdrawn from the same constituency.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has alleged that a political party is making provocative statements surrounding the upcoming national election. He made the remarks on Tuesday afternoon, emphasizing that the BNP supports reform and the 'yes' vote, while accusing another party of spreading misinformation.

According to Mirza Fakhrul, the chief adviser has launched a campaign under the banner of reform, but certain groups are engaging in propaganda. He also stated that those who once refused to recognize Bangladesh are now causing the most trouble. The BNP leader described the forthcoming national election as a decisive moment to determine whether the country will remain under liberal democratic leadership or fall into the hands of extremist, anti-state elements.

The comments come amid heightened political activity and competing narratives ahead of the national polls, reflecting growing tension between major political forces in Bangladesh.

Bihar legislator Nitin Navin has been elected as the new national president of India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The announcement was made on Tuesday, January 20, 2026. Following the nomination process, 37 nomination papers were submitted in his favor, and no other candidate contested, leading to his unopposed election to the top party post.

Navin, aged 45, previously served as the acting national president of the BJP. He has been elected five times as a legislator from Patna West (Bankipur) in Bihar and has also held ministerial positions in the Bihar government. Analysts view his appointment as a signal of organizational renewal within the BJP and a step toward advancing the party’s future strategic goals.

The formal ceremony for Nitin Navin’s assumption of office is scheduled for January 21, while senior party leaders have already extended their congratulations.

A high-speed train operated by Irio derailed and collided with an oncoming train in Adamuz, Andalusia, on Sunday night, killing 40 people and injuring more than 120. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced three days of national mourning following what has become the country’s deadliest rail disaster since 2013.

Regional leader Juan Manuel Moreno said rescue operations were still underway and that it could take 24 to 48 hours to confirm the final death toll. Heavy machinery was deployed to remove damaged carriages. Irio stated that the train had been inspected three days earlier and was nearly new, while Renfe president Álvaro Fernández Heredia suggested the cause was likely a mechanical or track fault rather than human error or excessive speed.

Survivors described the crash as a terrifying experience, and local residents rushed to assist with water, blankets, and rescue tools. Pope Leo XIV and French President Emmanuel Macron expressed condolences to the victims and their families.

A Rapid Action Battalion (RAB-7) member, Naib Subedar Abdul Motaleb of the Border Guard Bangladesh, was beaten to death on Monday afternoon in Jungle Salimpur, Sitakunda, about 12 kilometers from Chattogram city. Three others, including two RAB members and a source, were severely injured and admitted to the Combined Military Hospital in Chattogram. The attack occurred when a 16-member RAB team launched an operation to arrest three wanted criminals, including a notorious figure named Yasin, during the opening of a political office.

According to RAB officials and eyewitnesses, four RAB members entered the office where around 150 people were present. After detaining two suspects, about 300 attackers surrounded and assaulted the officers with sticks and bricks. The attackers later abducted the injured officers to Nizampur, three kilometers away, where Motaleb was fatally beaten. Police later rescued the survivors. Authorities confirmed there were no gunshot wounds on the victims.

RAB-7 officials said the area has long been a haven for armed groups and that efforts are underway to identify those involved in the attack.

Farmers in Nilphamari district are reporting a bumper yield of early varieties of mustard during the 2025–2026 fiscal year. Harvesting is in full swing as growers take advantage of favorable weather, improved seeds, and government incentives. The Department of Agricultural Extension set a target of 9,023 hectares for mustard cultivation, but actual cultivation exceeded 11,000 hectares. Many farmers, previously affected by potato losses, have turned to mustard due to lower costs and higher profits.

Local farmers, including women entrepreneurs, said they achieved strong yields from early mustard varieties such as BARI-09, 14, 15, 18, and Tori-07. They noted that mustard requires less irrigation and labor, and its byproducts serve household fuel and cooking oil needs. The district’s deputy director of agriculture confirmed that quality seeds were distributed under government incentive programs, helping farmers achieve high productivity.

The success of early mustard cultivation has encouraged more farmers to adopt the crop, potentially expanding its acreage further in coming seasons if favorable conditions continue.

The Jagannath University Central Students’ Union (JAKSU) has strongly condemned the court-ordered suspension of the Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) Central Students’ Union (SACSU) election, calling it undemocratic and conspiratorial. In a statement signed by JAKSU’s Assistant General Secretary Masud Rana and published on the union’s official Facebook group, the organization alleged that a political party had influenced the court to deprive students of their voting rights. The election, originally scheduled for January 20, was postponed for four weeks by court order.

JAKSU stated that the suspension violated students’ democratic rights and undermined their long struggle for representative leadership on campus. It claimed that a political student organization used power and influence to halt the democratic process. The statement described the incident as part of a broader pattern of interference in student union elections across universities, aimed at weakening student governance.

JAKSU urged the Election Commission, university administration, and all relevant authorities to act responsibly and ensure a fair, transparent, and inclusive SACSU election within the shortest possible time.

Jamaat-e-Islami has strongly condemned the killing and injuries of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) members in a terrorist attack during an operation in Sitakunda, Chattogram. The incident occurred on Monday afternoon, and the party’s Secretary General and former MP, Mia Golam Porwar, issued a statement on Tuesday expressing grief and protest.

In the statement, Porwar said one RAB officer was killed and three others were injured when armed assailants opened fire during an operation to arrest terrorists in the Jungle Salimpur area. He expressed condolences to the family of the deceased officer, DAD Md. Motaleb, and prayed for the recovery of the injured. Porwar also voiced concern over the deteriorating law and order situation and urged law enforcement to take firm action against terrorists.

He further stated that the attack indicated attempts by terrorists to regroup ahead of the upcoming 13th national election to create fear and disrupt a fair electoral environment. Porwar called on authorities to enforce a zero-tolerance policy, recover illegal weapons, and ensure a thorough investigation to bring those responsible to justice.

Police recovered the body of a fugitive top criminal from inside a sawmill in Morjal Union of Raipura upazila, Narsingdi, on Tuesday morning. The deceased was identified as Opu Ahmed, 45, son of Habibur Rahman from Pahar Morjal area. Opu had escaped from Narsingdi jail during the July Movement incident and had been on the run since then, though locals said he continued to visit the area regularly.

According to local sources, unidentified assailants hacked him to death sometime late Monday night. On Tuesday morning, residents discovered the bloodied body inside the sawmill and identified it as Opu’s. Police from Raipura station arrived at the scene after being informed and recovered the body.

Sub-inspector Nazmul Islam of Raipura Police Station stated that a preliminary report had been prepared and that Opu was facing eight to nine cases, including charges related to weapons, drugs, and murder. The investigation is ongoing, and legal procedures are in progress.

Jamaat-e-Islami will contest 215 constituencies in the upcoming 13th parliamentary election through a ten-party alliance, while candidates from other allied parties will compete in the remaining 85 seats. The decision was announced on Tuesday, the final day for withdrawal of nomination papers, according to party sources.

Previously, Jamaat-e-Islami had planned to contest 179 seats, reserving 47 for Islami Andolan and distributing the rest among NCP, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis, Khelafat Majlis, LDP, AB Party, BDP, and Nezame Islam Party. However, after Islami Andolan decided not to join the alliance, its allocated seats were redistributed among the remaining partners.

According to the latest information, NCP has secured 30 seats, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis 23, and Khelafat Majlis 12, with some additional seats still open. Jamaat’s Assistant Secretary General and head of the central publicity and media department, Ehsanul Mahbub Zubair, said final details would be announced later in the day after the nomination withdrawal deadline.

U.S. President Donald Trump has warned that he will fully implement tariffs on European countries opposing his plan to acquire Greenland. He announced that starting February 1, imports from the United Kingdom will face a 10 percent tariff, rising to 25 percent on June 1. The same tariffs will apply to seven NATO allies—Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Finland—until Denmark agrees to a deal for selling Greenland to the United States.

European nations have taken a united stance to defend Greenland’s sovereignty. Denmark’s Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said ownership cannot be claimed through threats, while the UK’s Foreign Minister Yvette Cooper stated that only Greenlanders and Denmark can decide Greenland’s future. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte affirmed that the alliance will continue working with Denmark and Greenland to ensure Arctic security.

The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, said the EU will not back down from its position and called an emergency meeting in Brussels on Thursday to coordinate responses. Denmark has warned that U.S. interference in Greenland could jeopardize NATO’s future.

Delegates from 30 countries, including the United States, India, China, Japan, and members of the European Union, attended the Jamaat-e-Islami Policy Summit 2026 held on Tuesday morning at Hotel Intercontinental in Dhaka. The event was organized by Jamaat-e-Islami’s foreign affairs department, which confirmed participation from representatives of 30 nations.

At the opening session, Jamaat Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman presented the keynote paper, emphasizing that Bangladesh’s main challenge is not survival but ensuring stability. He outlined a political and economic roadmap for a new and prosperous Bangladesh ahead of the 13th National Parliamentary Election scheduled for February 12. Dr. Rahman described Bangladesh’s independence as a long and unfinished struggle for political freedom, economic emancipation, and human dignity.

He further stated that over the past 17 years, governance failures and authoritarian practices have weakened democratic institutions, reduced accountability, and restricted citizens’ voices. He noted that in July 2024, people, particularly the youth, stood up again to reclaim their rights and future.

The International Crimes Tribunal-1 in Dhaka has postponed the verdict in the Chan Kharpul six-murder case to January 26, 2026. The case concerns the killing of Shahriar Khan Anas and five others during the July Revolution of 2024. The three-member tribunal, led by Chairman Golam Mortuza Mojumdar, delayed the ruling as the judgment was not yet ready. The verdict was initially scheduled after both prosecution and defense completed their arguments on December 24, 2025.

According to the prosecution, 26 witnesses and extensive documentary, audio, video, and forensic evidence were presented, including recordings and police communication data. Prosecutor Gazi Tamim stated that the evidence proved the charges beyond doubt and sought maximum punishment and confiscation of fugitives’ assets for victim compensation. Eight former police officials are accused, four of whom are in custody while the rest remain fugitives.

This will be the second verdict related to crimes against humanity committed during the July Revolution, following the tribunal’s first ruling in November 2025 against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her associates.