In Nilphamari-4 (Kishoreganj-Saidpur) constituency, Awami League leader and anti-terror case accused Faruk Hossain was seen leading the election campaign of Jatiya Party’s candidate Siddikul Alam. A video posted on Siddikul Alam’s Facebook page on Sunday afternoon showed Faruk walking alongside the candidate, raising his hands to seek votes from the public. Faruk is the president of a local Awami League unit, a former union parishad chairman, and the 38th accused in an anti-terror case filed with Kishoreganj Police Station.

Upazila Jamaat-e-Islami chief Abdur Rashid Shah expressed concern, saying Awami League activists were actively participating in the Jatiya Party candidate’s campaign. When asked, Kishoreganj Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md Lutfor Rahman said he was unaware of the matter but would act if evidence was provided, noting that an accused person does not carry a visible label.

The anti-terror case was filed on June 4, 2025, accusing 44 named and 150–200 unnamed individuals of spreading hostility against the state and government and conspiring against the chief adviser.

A military-backed political party in Myanmar has claimed victory in the junta-run national election, according to a report from Yangon by AFP on Monday. A senior official from the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) told AFP that the party had already secured a majority, though he requested anonymity because preliminary results had not yet been released.

The official stated that the USDP was now in a position to form a new government. The election was organized under the direction of the military authorities currently governing Myanmar. No official results or independent verification of the party’s claim were available at the time of reporting.

The absence of published results leaves uncertainty about the scale of the USDP’s claimed majority and the broader political response within Myanmar.

Israeli Settlement Affairs Minister Orit Strock has called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to take control of Gaza, dismissing former U.S. President Donald Trump’s recently signed ‘Peace Board’ as a “bad plan.” Speaking to an Israeli radio station on Sunday, Strock said the plan should not endanger Israeli soldiers. Her remarks came just days after Trump signed the peace initiative during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Strock opposed transferring Gaza’s administration to the Palestinian Authority, warning that such a move would come at a high cost. She stated that after disarmament and the defeat of Hamas, only Israel should have authority over Gaza. The second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement reportedly includes disarming Hamas and other Palestinian groups, withdrawing additional Israeli forces from the enclave, and beginning reconstruction efforts.

The minister’s comments highlight divisions over post-war governance in Gaza and reflect ongoing debate within Israel about the future of the territory following the ceasefire process.

Former U.S. Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton have expressed deep concern over the killing of American citizen Alex Pretty by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Minneapolis. They described the incident as a wake-up call to defend the nation’s core values and urged citizens to speak out. Pretty, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, was shot during a scuffle on Saturday, just weeks after another local resident, Renny Good, was killed in a separate shooting.

The Trump administration claimed Pretty tried to harm federal agents and was armed, but verified social media footage showed he did not draw a weapon before being shot within seconds of being pinned down. President Donald Trump blamed Minnesota’s Democratic leadership for the unrest, while Pretty’s parents denounced the administration’s account as a “vile falsehood.” Protests erupted in Minneapolis on Sunday, with demonstrators chanting against ICE.

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche called for a full investigation, and Republican senators urged cooperation with local authorities. The incident occurred amid “Operation Metro Surge,” which deployed thousands of ICE agents in the Democrat-led city, sparking growing voter dissatisfaction, according to recent polls.

At an election campaign event in Goaldihi Union of Khansama upazila on Sunday night, BNP-nominated candidate for Dinajpur-4 (Khansama–Chirirbandar) constituency, Alhaj Akhtaruzzaman Mia, stated that party leader Tarique Rahman was compelled to go abroad due to prolonged persecution and for medical reasons. He described the move not as fleeing the country but as a form of ‘Hijrat’, meaning migration for safety and growth.

Mia argued that migration under oppression enhances knowledge and wisdom, asserting that Allah has sent Tarique Rahman back to Bangladesh with intellect and insight. He rejected claims by the Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer that Rahman left the country after signing a bond, saying such accusations were false. Mia also criticized Jamaat leaders for allegedly infiltrating ruling party organizations instead of joining street movements.

He challenged opponents to produce evidence of their so-called ‘July fighters’, claiming that 450 BNP activists had embraced martyrdom during political struggles. Several local BNP leaders also addressed the gathering.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami leaders have launched a two-day campaign tour in the country’s southwest region as part of the 13th parliamentary election drive. Party chief Dr. Shafiqur Rahman is scheduled to address public rallies organized by the 11-party electoral alliance in eight districts. On Monday, he will attend rallies in Kushtia, Meherpur, Jhenaidah, and Chuadanga, beginning at 10 a.m. at Kushtia’s Shaheed Abrar Fahad Stadium.

Before this tour, Dr. Rahman conducted campaign visits across eight northern districts on January 23 and 24. During the current southwest visit, he is accompanied by Jamaat Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar, Jessore-Kushtia regional director Mobarak Hossain, Khulna regional director Muhaddis Abdul Khalek, and other local leaders and activists.

The southwest campaign marks Jamaat’s second major outreach outside Dhaka in the ongoing election season, reflecting the party’s continued efforts to mobilize regional support through alliance-based rallies.

Israel has extended its ban on Al Jazeera Media Network’s operations and offices in the country for another 90 days. The order, signed by Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi and announced on Sunday, prolongs restrictions first imposed in May 2024 when Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet voted to shut down the network’s activities during the Gaza war.

The move follows a 2024 Knesset law allowing temporary closure of foreign broadcasters deemed threats to national security. In September that year, Israeli forces raided Al Jazeera’s Ramallah office, seizing equipment and documents. In December, the Knesset extended the law’s validity for two more years, a measure widely referred to as the “Al Jazeera law.” According to Al Jazeera Arabic’s bureau chief Walif al-Omari, Israeli authorities claim the network’s broadcasts harm national security.

Al Jazeera has long faced Israeli restrictions, including threats to close its Jerusalem office in 2017 and the destruction of its Gaza building in 2021. The network has also lost several journalists in Israeli attacks, including reporter Shireen Abu Akleh in 2022.

In the Chattogram-12 (Patiya) constituency for the 13th National Parliamentary Election, Jamaat-e-Islami candidate Dr. Faridul Alam withdrew his candidacy on Saturday night to support Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) nominee M. Ayakub Ali. The decision was made at an emergency meeting of the Chattogram South District Jamaat office, where leaders confirmed that the move aimed to preserve the unity of the 11-party alliance. Although Dr. Alam will withdraw, the Election Commission stated that his symbol, the balance scale, will remain on the ballot as symbols have already been allocated.

Earlier, the Election Commission had declared M. Ayakub Ali’s nomination invalid, prompting him to seek legal recourse. Following a High Court directive on January 22, his candidacy was reinstated, and he received his election symbol the next day. Dr. Alam had already begun campaigning before the alliance’s central decision to support the LDP candidate.

Local Jamaat and LDP leaders said the decision was taken in the broader interest of the alliance, pledging to work together to secure victory for the LDP in Patiya.

Venezuelan interim president Delcy Rodríguez stated on Sunday that she has received 'enough' instructions from Washington, following the United States’ attack against ousted president Nicolás Maduro and his subsequent detention. Rodríguez made the remarks during a speech to oil workers in the eastern state of Anzoátegui.

In her address, Rodríguez emphasized that Venezuelan politicians have already received sufficient directives from Washington and called for an end to foreign interference. She urged that internal disagreements and political differences in Venezuela should be resolved domestically without external involvement.

Her comments, reported by AFP, come amid heightened tensions following U.S. actions against Maduro, signaling a call for national sovereignty and reduced foreign influence in Venezuela’s political affairs.

Large protests broke out in Minneapolis, Minnesota, after the fatal shooting of U.S. citizen Alex Pretty during a federal immigration enforcement operation. Governor Tim Walz renewed his call for President Donald Trump to withdraw federal agents from the state, describing the moment as a turning point. Demonstrators gathered in the city center, chanting against federal immigration officers and vowing to continue until the agents leave. Vehicles passing by honked in support of the protesters.

The Minnesota Department of Corrections rejected claims by federal officials that the operation targeted a man with a criminal record, saying the individual had no connection to state custody or convictions. Border Patrol Commander Graig Bovino stated that all agents involved remain on duty but have been relocated for safety. President Trump, in a social media post and later in an interview, praised the agents’ work and hinted they would eventually leave Minneapolis, though he gave no timeline.

The University of Minnesota expressed sorrow over Pretty’s death, calling it a painful time for the community and offering condolences to his family and loved ones.

BNP candidate for Sylhet-2 constituency, Tahsina Rushdir Luna, has called on voters to cast their ballots for the party’s symbol, the ‘Sheaf of Paddy,’ on January 12 to restore the region’s development momentum. She made the appeal on Sunday evening at an election rally organized by the Umarpur Union BNP in Osmaninagar, Sylhet, where she served as the chief guest.

Luna said the BNP’s acting chairman, Tarique Rahman, has outlined a detailed plan to build a strong and prosperous state through family-centered development. She pledged that if the BNP returns to power, family welfare would be central to governance. Her proposals included introducing family cards for women-led households, agricultural cards for farmers, revitalizing community clinics, increasing salaries for imams and muezzins, and expanding skill-based training for youth employment.

Referring to past local development under missing leader Ilias Ali, Luna urged voters to support the BNP to revive that progress. The rally was attended by senior BNP leaders, local representatives, and a large number of supporters.

Candidates contesting the Sylhet-6 constituency are conducting their election campaigns with relatively low expenditures, relying mainly on donations from expatriates. According to their affidavits, all five candidates have declared that they will use contributed funds rather than personal wealth. BNP candidate Emran Ahmad Chowdhury expects to spend about 6.5 million taka, of which 1.5 million will come from his own income, while the rest will be provided by expatriate relatives and well-wishers in France and the United Kingdom.

In the same constituency, Jatiya Party’s Mohammad Abdun Noor plans to spend 2.5 million taka, including 2.2 million from expatriate relatives. Independent candidate Md. Fakhrul Islam will use 2 million taka from his brother’s overseas earnings out of a total 2.4 million budget. Jamaat-e-Islami’s Mohammad Selim Uddin and Gano Adhikar Parishad’s Zahidur Rahman will spend 2.4 million and 2.5 million taka respectively.

Local civic group leader Advocate Md. Aman Uddin noted that the Beanibazar-Golapganj area has long depended on expatriate support in both national and local elections, and this year’s contest continues that pattern.

Election campaigning has begun in the Lakshmipur-4 (Ramgati-Kamalnagar) constituency for the 13th parliamentary elections, but voters report little excitement. Unlike previous elections, the area remains free of posters, with only limited use of microphones and festoons in the afternoons. Candidates from several parties, including BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, JSD, Islami Andolon, and Gana Odhikar Parishad, are contesting the seat.

Field observations show empty campaign spaces with few visible materials. Candidates are relying on hand microphones and leaflets to reach voters, while posters—traditionally a key campaign tool—are absent. Locals, including educators and residents, note that although posters often clutter the environment, they also help create electoral enthusiasm, which is missing this time.

According to Election Commission official Abdul Wadud Suman, the commission has introduced new restrictions: campaign microphones may operate only between 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., festoon use is limited, and posters are completely banned. Digital and social media campaigning is permitted under the new rules.

Amir Hamza, the Jamaat-e-Islami candidate for the Kushtia Sadar parliamentary seat, has claimed that certain groups are engaged in a deep conspiracy against the country. He issued this warning to citizens through a post on his verified Facebook page at around 11 p.m. on Sunday, urging everyone to remain alert and not to believe in rumors.

In his message, Hamza called on the public to stay vigilant, keep their eyes and ears open, and avoid spreading or reacting to unverified information. He suggested that if people remain cautious, those spreading rumors would be frustrated. The post was intended as an advance warning to the nation, emphasizing unity and awareness among citizens.

The statement comes amid his ongoing campaign activities in Kushtia Sadar, where he continues to use social media to communicate directly with supporters and the broader public.

Maulana Mojibur Rahman, the Khelafat Majlis candidate for the Comilla-4 (Debidwar) constituency, has withdrawn from the election to support Hasnat Abdullah, the 11-party alliance candidate led by Jamaat-e-Islami and the chief organizer of the National Citizens Party (NCP) in the southern region. On Sunday, January 25, he joined Hasnat Abdullah’s campaign in several villages of Debidwar, urging voters to support the alliance’s symbol, the Shapla Koli.

Mojibur Rahman stated that although he did not officially withdraw his candidacy earlier, he is now working in the field according to his party’s decision to ensure the victory of the alliance candidate. He expressed confidence that the Shapla Koli symbol would secure victory for the coalition.

Earlier, on January 20, the final day for candidate withdrawal, Mojibur Rahman had announced his intention to continue contesting. However, he later aligned with the alliance’s decision and began active campaigning for Hasnat Abdullah.