Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), led by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, is projected to secure an easy victory in Sunday’s early parliamentary election, according to local media reports. Multiple surveys by Kyodo News indicate that the main opposition Centrist Reform Alliance may lose a significant number of seats in the House of Representatives election. The alliance was formed in January when members of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and the Komeito Party joined forces, following Komeito’s split from the LDP last October after a 26-year coalition.

NHK forecasts that the LDP could win between 274 and 328 of the 465 seats in the lower house, up from its current 198. Voting began at 7 a.m. local time despite heavy snowfall in some regions and continued until 8 p.m. Over 104 million registered voters were eligible to cast ballots, with more than 20 million participating in early voting between January 28 and February 7.

Analysts suggest the outcome could significantly reshape Japan’s political landscape. A party or coalition needs at least 233 seats to form a government.

The funeral and burial of Huzaifa Afnan, a child from Teknaf’s Hwaikyang Union who died after being injured by gunfire from Myanmar’s Arakan Army, were completed on Sunday, February 8, 2026. The funeral took place at the family graveyard in the Lambabil Techchibridge area of Cox’s Bazar’s Teknaf upazila. Local residents, along with political figures including former MP Shahjahan Chowdhury and Jamaat leader Maulana Nur Ahmad Anwari, attended the prayer service.

Huzaifa had been under treatment for 27 days after being critically wounded in the head by a bullet fired from Myanmar’s Rakhine State on January 11. He was initially treated at an MSF hospital, later transferred to Chittagong Medical College Hospital, and finally to the National Institute of Neurosciences and Hospital in Dhaka, where he died on February 7.

After the funeral prayers, local residents and political leaders urged stronger border surveillance and patrols to prevent further loss of innocent lives in the border area.

Analysts say Bangladesh’s national election, scheduled for February 12 under Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus’s interim government, could redefine South Asia’s geopolitical balance. The vote follows the August 2024 student-led uprising that ended former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s authoritarian rule. Dhaka’s anger over India granting asylum to Hasina has reportedly pushed Bangladesh closer to China and Pakistan.

Experts note that while Bangladesh maintained strong trade and defense ties with China during Hasina’s tenure, India had long been its main strategic partner. That balance now appears to be shifting. Yunus’s first state visit was to China, and a new defense pact signed in January includes plans for a drone production facility near India’s border. Despite tensions, economic ties with India remain stable, with only one bilateral agreement canceled.

Regional analysts suggest Bangladesh’s growing alignment with China does not necessarily mean hostility toward India. They argue Dhaka may continue pragmatic engagement with both powers while normalizing relations with Pakistan, as evidenced by the recent resumption of direct flights after more than a decade.

Bangladesh Bank has announced temporary restrictions on mobile financial services (MFS) and internet banking to prevent misuse of funds ahead of the 13th National Parliamentary Election. The restrictions will be in effect from midnight on Sunday until 11:59 p.m. on February 12, covering a total of four days. During this period, customers of MFS providers such as bKash, Rocket, and Nagad will be allowed to send a maximum of 1,000 taka per transaction and up to 10,000 taka per day. Person-to-person transfers through internet banking and bank apps will remain suspended.

According to the central bank’s directive, the decision aims to curb potential abuse of MFS and interbank fund transfer (IBFT) systems under the National Payment Switch Bangladesh during the election period. Merchant payments and utility bill transactions will continue as usual, but other MFS services will be temporarily unavailable. Each MFS provider must establish an emergency response cell to handle complaints and monitor all transactions closely.

The directive also instructs MFS providers and banks to cooperate with the Election Commission and law enforcement agencies as needed during the restricted period.

Hasnat Abdullah, the chief organizer of the southern region of the Nationalist Citizens Party (NCP), warned that those attempting to steal votes or use illicit money in the upcoming election would find no place to hide. He made the remarks on Sunday afternoon at a rally organized by the 11-party electoral alliance at Shahjadpur Government College field in Sirajganj.

Abdullah said the forthcoming 13th National Parliament election would determine the future direction of Bangladesh, shaping the nation’s administrative structure, police behavior, and judicial system for the next century. He criticized past elections, alleging that money had to be allocated for police officials, including SPs, OCs, SIs, and constables, before and during voting.

The rally also featured speeches by Jamaat-e-Islami central assistant secretary Maulana Rafiqul Islam Khan and NCP candidate for Sirajganj-6, Saif Mustafiz, as part of the alliance’s campaign activities.

Mufti Syed Muhammad Rezaul Karim, Amir of Islami Andolan Bangladesh and Pir of Charmonai, presented his party’s vision and commitments for the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election in a televised address on Bangladesh Television and Bangladesh Betar on Sunday evening. He proposed replacing existing governance principles with new ones rooted in Islamic values, describing Shariah as a comprehensive system encompassing faith, culture, and law. He said implementing Islamic principles in state governance would lead Bangladesh toward prosperity.

Rezaul Karim outlined the party’s manifesto, divided into five sections, emphasizing adherence to Islamic principles in governance, democratic power transfer, protection of minority rights, good governance, transparency, anti-corruption measures, and women’s rights. He also pledged reforms including balanced power distribution, efficient administration, expanded revenue, and a self-reliant defense system. Citing Islamic teachings on voting, he urged citizens to vote responsibly, warning that supporting unethical candidates could bear moral consequences.

Concluding his address, the Charmonai Pir called on youth to cast their first votes for Islam and change, and urged public officials to act above fear or temptation in service of the nation.

Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman stated that an honest, competent, and dedicated person would become the next president if his party came to power. He made the remarks on Sunday evening during a press briefing in his Dhaka-15 constituency while responding to a question about who would be the next president under a Jamaat government. The event took place after he offered Maghrib prayers at Baitus Salat Jame Mosque in the Kafrul area and began a public outreach campaign.

During the campaign, Dr. Rahman interacted with local residents, listened to their concerns, and discussed issues such as civic services, commodity prices, employment, and security. The gathering drew enthusiastic crowds who greeted him and pledged support for the party’s electoral symbol. He sought prayers and votes from the public.

Dr. Rahman emphasized that the people of Bangladesh have long awaited justice, good governance, and the establishment of rights. He said leadership selection would prioritize honesty and merit, adding that national leadership is a trust that must be given to sincere and capable individuals.

Ganosanghati Andolon has announced its manifesto ahead of Bangladesh’s 13th parliamentary election, pledging to establish a truly democratic state system, ensure fair distribution of resources, and guarantee the rights of working people. The manifesto was unveiled on Sunday at the party’s central office in Hatirpool, Dhaka, by its executive coordinator Abul Hasan Rubel.

The manifesto emphasizes democratic governance through the elimination of corruption and the establishment of good governance. It outlines commitments to protect workers, farmers, and marginalized groups, and to end discrimination based on race, religion, class, or gender. The party also prioritizes transforming the economy by formalizing the informal sector, creating new employment, and promoting agricultural development while safeguarding farmers’ interests.

Additional pledges include universal healthcare, women’s empowerment, environmental protection, recognition of ethnic diversity, and the participation of youth and expatriates in national development. The manifesto presents itself as a roadmap for rebuilding Bangladesh in line with the spirit of equality and justice envisioned during the Liberation War.

Former Bangladesh Army Chief General Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan testified before International Crimes Tribunal-1, alleging that officers sent from the army to the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) returned as professional killers. He made the statement on Sunday before a two-member judicial panel led by Justice Md. Golam Mortuza Mojumdar, during testimony against Ziaul Ahsan in a case involving the disappearance and killing of over a hundred people.

In his deposition, Bhuiyan said he was deeply disturbed that professional officers from the army were turning into killers after serving in RAB. He introduced interviews for officers before and after postings to RAB, DGFI, and BGB, and tried to motivate them by emphasizing that killing was a grave sin. He also recounted that after hearing horrifying accounts of killings from returning officers, he became concerned about the army’s future and appealed to the Prime Minister to bring army officers back from RAB. The Prime Minister reportedly acknowledged RAB was worse than the former Rakkhi Bahini but took no further action.

Bhuiyan added that he encouraged officers to contact him directly if ordered to join any killing mission, promising honorable reinstatement in the army.

The Election Commission (EC) of Bangladesh has announced that all election campaigning for the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election and referendum must end by 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday. According to EC rules, political parties and candidates are prohibited from conducting any campaign activities within 48 hours before voting begins. The announcement was made on Sunday by Akhtar Ahmed, senior secretary of the EC Secretariat.

The 13th National Parliamentary Election and referendum are scheduled for Thursday, February 12. Voting will take place nationwide from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. across 299 constituencies using transparent ballot boxes and paper ballots. To ensure proper conduct, 1,050 executive magistrates will be deployed from February 8 to 14 to oversee mobile courts, while judicial magistrates will also be stationed in the field. The Electoral Enquiry and Adjudication Committee is already active in monitoring the process.

These measures are part of the EC’s preparations to maintain order and compliance with election laws during the final phase leading up to the national vote.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has said that ending the ongoing war requires a face-to-face meeting between the leaders of Ukraine and Russia to resolve the most difficult issues in peace negotiations. He claimed that only U.S. President Donald Trump has the authority to secure an agreement capable of stopping the conflict. Sybiha expressed Kyiv’s eagerness to accelerate the end of the four-year-long war and to use the current momentum in U.S.-mediated talks before the upcoming midterm congressional elections in November.

In an interview with Reuters at his office on the Dnipro River in Kyiv, Sybiha stated that most points in a 20-point peace plan, developed through recent trilateral discussions among Ukraine, Russia, and the United States, have already been agreed upon. However, he noted that a few highly sensitive and difficult issues remain, which must be resolved directly by the national leaders. The main unresolved matter concerns territorial control: Russia demands that Ukraine cede the remaining 20 percent of eastern Donetsk, while Kyiv firmly rejects this and insists on regaining control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, currently under Russian occupation.

The Bangladesh Navy and the United Kingdom have signed a Government-to-Government (G2G) agreement for the purchase of the hydrographic and oceanographic survey ship HMS Enterprise. The signing took place at the Bangladesh Navy Headquarters on Sunday, with Rear Admiral Md. Shafiqul Rahman representing Bangladesh and Ms. Nanise Qalobulawasaikabara from the UK Ministry of Defence representing the United Kingdom. The Chief of Naval Staff Admiral M. Nazmul Hassan and senior officials from both countries attended the ceremony, according to an ISPR press release.

The ISPR stated that the agreement followed continuous and productive initiatives between the two nations since 2025, reflecting strong mutual trust and cooperation. It marks a significant step in Bangladesh’s defense modernization and will expand opportunities for military equipment exchange. HMS Enterprise, formerly part of the Royal Navy, is equipped with advanced hydrographic and oceanographic instruments including multibeam echo sounders and side-scan sonar.

The ship’s addition is expected to enhance Bangladesh’s hydrographic capacity, support marine research at national institutions, and strengthen maritime surveillance against illegal intrusion, smuggling, and piracy, while contributing to safe navigation and blue economy development.

Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan, spokesperson and election committee chairman of the National Citizen Party (NCP), warned that anyone attempting to prevent citizens from voting on election day would face consequences similar to those 'now in Delhi.' He made the remarks on Sunday at 5 p.m. during an election rally at Shaheed Mostafa Field in Mathbaria, Pirojpur-3 constituency, urging voters to cast their ballots on February 12 in favor of justice and welfare.

Bhuiyan emphasized that voters not only have the duty to vote but also to ensure that their neighbors can vote freely. He criticized the past rule of the Awami League, accusing it of vote rigging and authoritarianism, and called for the establishment of a just state through the 11-party alliance led by Jamaat-e-Islami. He also highlighted local underdevelopment and pledged that the alliance would end extortion and lawlessness if elected.

The rally was chaired by Mohammad Abdul Jalil Sharif, the local Jamaat leader, and attended by NCP candidate Dr. Shamim Hamidi and other party officials.

Nahid Islam, convenor of the National Citizen Party (NCP), announced that if his party is entrusted with forming the government, all legal measures will be taken to recover funds allegedly looted and laundered abroad during what he termed the fascist Hasina regime. He made the remarks in a televised address on Bangladesh Television (BTV) on Sunday, February 8, 2026, at 7:15 p.m.

Citing a white paper led by Dr. Debapriya Bhattacharya, Nahid claimed that about 234 billion US dollars, equivalent to roughly 30 lakh crore taka, were siphoned off by Hasina and her associates, causing severe harm to the national economy. He criticized the interim government for failing to recover the stolen assets due to negligence and sabotage by officials linked to the previous regime.

Nahid outlined plans to confiscate identified assets, impose taxes and fines, and place recovered wealth under a new public trust managed transparently by qualified professionals. He emphasized ending corruption and restoring state resources to the people through justice and economic equality.

Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman stated that five years would be sufficient to change the nation’s fate. He made the remarks on Sunday morning at a public rally of the 11-party electoral alliance held at the DIT field in Merul Badda, Dhaka-11 constituency, where National Citizen Party (NCP) convener Nahid Islam is contesting. Rahman pledged to fulfill only realistic promises and said his party would work with full dedication to build a just and humane Bangladesh.

He emphasized that the youth have rejected old political arrangements and called for a new political rise in Bangladesh. Rahman urged voters to show “red cards” to corrupt, extortionist, and oppressive forces in the upcoming February 12 election. He also said that if the people’s verdict favored justice, Nahid Islam could become a minister in a future government.

Rahman criticized extortion, land grabbing, and corruption, alleging that some who once suffered under oppression have now turned into oppressors. He called for unity to build a fair, corruption-free, and humane Bangladesh led by the youth.