BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman met Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus on Thursday evening at the Chief Adviser’s official residence, Jamuna, accompanied by his wife Zubaida Rahman and daughter Zaima Rahman. According to a source, they shared dinner together following an invitation from Dr. Yunus. The meeting marked Tarique Rahman’s first visit to Jamuna since returning to Bangladesh in late December after years abroad.

The source indicated that discussions might have included the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election and the country’s current political situation, though neither the Chief Adviser’s press wing nor the BNP confirmed any details. Press wing officials said the dinner involved an exchange of greetings in a cordial atmosphere.

This was the third meeting between Dr. Yunus and Tarique Rahman since June of the previous year, when they first met in London after Yunus became Chief Adviser. Their earlier meetings included a private discussion in London and a brief encounter during Khaleda Zia’s funeral prayer at the National Parliament premises.

BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman met Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus on Thursday night, January 15, 2026, at the Jamuna State Guesthouse in Dhaka. Rahman left his Gulshan office at 6:42 p.m., visited his residence briefly, and then departed for Jamuna at 6:52 p.m. Security measures were visibly tightened in the Jamuna area ahead of his arrival.

The meeting marked the first formal discussion between the two since Rahman’s return to Bangladesh on December 25, 2025, after 17 years abroad. Upon arrival, he had spoken with the Chief Adviser by phone. They had also met briefly at the funeral of late BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia on December 31. Previously, on June 13, 2024, Rahman and Yunus held a meeting in London, after which their representatives issued a joint statement.

The renewed engagement between the BNP leader and the Chief Adviser follows a series of high-level contacts since Rahman’s return, suggesting continued political dialogue at the national level.

Dhaka University’s Sada Dal, a group of teachers aligned with Bangladeshi nationalism, has expressed deep concern and astonishment over the current activities and direction of the National Pay Commission. In a statement issued on Thursday, the group’s convenor Professor Dr. Md. Morshed Hasan Khan and joint convenors Professor Dr. Abdus Salam and Professor Dr. Md. Abul Kalam Sarkar said the commission has failed to reflect the expectations it was formed to meet.

The statement noted that the commission’s current working methods and decision-making process have disappointed the teaching community. The group praised Professor Dr. Md. Maksudur Rahman Sarkar, a Dhaka University teacher, for resigning from the commission, calling his decision a principled stance that highlights the lack of a healthy and objective environment within the body. The Sada Dal said it had earlier presented specific demands to the commission’s chairman, who had promised to consider them, but no visible action has followed.

The group demanded that the commission urgently correct its current shortcomings and submit recommendations that uphold the dignity and interests of university teachers, warning that any pay structure undermining teachers’ status would be unacceptable.

Five leaders of the banned Chhatra League were arrested in Cox’s Bazar while visiting the beach area. The group included presidents and general secretaries of the organization’s upazila units in Kishoreganj’s Katiadi and Pakundia. They were detained by Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) members on Tuesday evening around 7:30 p.m. near the Cox’s Bazar airport area, based on secret information. On Thursday afternoon, the detainees were taken into police custody and transferred to the relevant police station.

The arrested individuals were identified as Sheikh Samrat Alamgir, president of Katiadi Upazila Chhatra League; Md. Roni Khan Shuvo, general secretary; Habibur Rahman Rakib, joint general secretary; Samad Ullah; and Tofayel Ahmed Tuhin, general secretary of Pakundia Upazila Chhatra League. Although RAB-15 in Cox’s Bazar did not confirm the arrests, Katiadi Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mahbubur Rahman verified the detention and transfer of the five leaders.

The report did not mention the specific reasons behind the arrests or any subsequent legal actions following their transfer to Katiadi police custody.

National Citizens Party (NCP) convener Nahid Islam has expressed optimism about maintaining an electoral alliance under the leadership of Jamaat-e-Islami, despite internal disagreements. Speaking to reporters after a meeting of top alliance leaders at Jamaat’s central office in Moghbazar, Dhaka, on Thursday, he said efforts would continue to keep the coalition united and that the process of forming the alliance would move forward regardless of differing opinions.

Nahid Islam stated that the alliance reflects public aspirations and that the upcoming election is expected to be competitive. He added that a participatory contest would help advance democracy. According to him, the short time available for forming the alliance has led to some differences, but these are expected to be resolved soon.

He further announced that there would be no individual party candidates in the 300 parliamentary constituencies, as all candidates would represent the alliance, with each party supporting the others.

BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed has alleged irregularities and bias in the handling of postal ballots, claiming that the process favored a particular political party. He made the remarks on Thursday, January 15, after a meeting with the Election Commission (EC) secretary at the EC headquarters in Agargaon, Dhaka. Ahmed said complaints had emerged regarding the preparation, dispatch, and use of postal ballots, which he argued undermined the transparency of the electoral process.

He noted that this was Bangladesh’s first initiative to allow expatriates to exercise their voting rights, which might explain some procedural errors. However, he pointed to social media posts showing large numbers of ballots found in private homes, reports of ballot seizures, and instances of ballots being received by individuals other than the intended voters. Ahmed demanded clear explanations from the EC and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on how ballots were sent abroad, how expatriates were to vote, and who would be accountable for any irregularities.

The EC reportedly assured that it would review the issues and might provide an explanation later the same day.

Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Bangladesh, Dr. Abdullah Zafar H. Bin Abiyah, paid a courtesy call on Home Adviser Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury at the Secretariat on Thursday. The meeting covered progress on issuing Bangladeshi passports to 69,000 displaced Rohingyas living in Saudi Arabia, manpower export, trade expansion, preparations for Bangladesh’s upcoming national election, and an invitation for Bangladesh to join the World Defense Show in Riyadh.

The adviser described Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia as close friends, noting the deep emotional and economic ties between the two nations through over 3.2 million Bangladeshi expatriate workers. He requested increased manpower recruitment from Bangladesh to further strengthen bilateral relations. The ambassador inquired about the Rohingya passport process, and the adviser said significant progress had been made, with special teams sent to accelerate the work despite low enrollment attendance.

The adviser also briefed the ambassador on election security preparations, including training for law enforcement and ongoing operations to recover illegal weapons. He declined to attend the February 2026 World Defense Show due to the national election but confirmed that Bangladesh would send a representative.

Professor Ali Riaz, special assistant to the chief adviser, called on citizens to vote 'Yes' in the upcoming referendum supporting the July Charter. Speaking as chief guest at an Imam Conference held at Chattogram District Stadium on Thursday, he said the charter was prepared through nine months of open discussions with political parties and aims to ensure accountability, judicial independence, and balanced governance. He emphasized that the referendum’s symbol is a tick mark and that it seeks public consent for the foundational document guiding the country’s future.

Riaz criticized past concentration of power in one individual’s hands and alleged misuse of presidential pardon powers and partisan appointments in key institutions such as the Election Commission and Anti-Corruption Commission. He said the July Charter proposes parliamentary reforms, including opposition leadership in three committees, financial transparency, and representation for smaller parties. He also rejected misinformation claiming the charter would remove references to religion or the 1971 Liberation War.

He urged religious leaders and citizens to campaign for the 'Yes' vote, asserting that the charter reflects the sacrifices of ordinary people and must not fail.

The Indian government has closed a medical college in Kashmir after right-wing Hindu groups protested the high number of Muslim students admitted. According to Al Jazeera, the National Medical Commission (NMC) on January 6 revoked the accreditation of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Medical Institute in Reasi district, Jammu division. The college’s first MBBS batch, launched in November last year, had 50 students—42 of them Muslim, seven Hindu, and one Sikh. The institution was founded by a Hindu religious trust and partially funded by the government.

The protests began when news spread that most of the admitted students were Muslim. Hindu organizations demanded the cancellation of their admissions, arguing that the college was funded by donations from devotees of the Vaishno Devi temple. The agitation continued for weeks, with daily demonstrations outside the college gates. Several lawmakers from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party also urged the Kashmir Lieutenant Governor to restrict admissions to Hindu students only.

The NMC cited faculty shortages, low hospital bed usage, and inadequate facilities as reasons for the withdrawal of approval. Critics described the closure as a capitulation to hardline Hindu groups.

Jamaat-e-Islami nominated candidate Masum Mostafa has regained his candidacy for the Netrakona-5 (Purbadhala) constituency after an appeal to the Election Commission. The decision was announced on Thursday, January 15, 2026, following a hearing at the Election Building auditorium in Agargaon, Dhaka, chaired by Chief Election Commissioner A M M Nasir Uddin with other commissioners present. Earlier, on January 4, the district returning officer and deputy commissioner Md. Saifur Rahman had canceled his nomination.

According to the district returning office, Masum Mostafa had provided incorrect information regarding a court verdict in his nomination papers, which led to the cancellation under election law. Masum stated that the error was unintentional and expressed gratitude to the Election Commission and his constituency voters after his appeal restored his candidacy.

Previously, the district returning officer had validated the nominations of BNP candidate Abu Taher Talukder and Islami Andolan Bangladesh candidate Nurul Islam for the same constituency, which has a total of 290,117 registered voters, including two from the third gender.

Nahid Islam, convener of the National Citizen Party (NCP), stated that the ongoing alliance process will move forward even if some members hold differing opinions. He made the remarks on Thursday at a press briefing following a meeting of top leaders from ten parties held at Jamaat’s central office in Moghbazar, Dhaka. The meeting was part of an eleven-party seat-sharing alliance aimed at contesting upcoming elections.

Nahid emphasized that the alliance carries political significance and reflects a shared aspiration for a competitive election. He said the coalition’s agenda focuses on reform, anti-corruption, and opposition to dominance, and that all members intend to participate in the election in a united manner. He also noted that although minor differences exist as the process evolves, these are being resolved through discussion.

He added that compromise means mutual cooperation among all parties and that alliance candidates will work in support of one another to strengthen democratic participation.

A group of European Parliament lawmakers has called for the immediate suspension of the approval process for a proposed US trade deal following comments by US President Donald Trump about taking control of Greenland. In a letter sent to European Parliament President Roberta Metsola and the Conference of Presidents, the lawmakers urged a halt to the deal, which involves several EU countries. The letter was made public by Danish lawmaker Per Clausen, who expressed hope that the Parliament’s leadership would respond swiftly.

According to Anadolu Agency, the lawmakers also asked the European Parliament to clearly inform the European Commission, EU Council, and Washington that the EU would not consider agreements with partners posing threats to its territorial integrity. The letter referenced recent statements by Trump and his administration expressing intent to “take” Greenland, describing such remarks as a threat to the international rules-based order. The lawmakers warned that rewarding such behavior would be worse than remaining silent.

The trade deal, which includes tariff adjustments and quotas for US goods, was agreed last summer between European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Trump and is scheduled for full approval in February.

Bangladesh’s Law Adviser Dr. Asif Nazrul announced that the July Uprising Protection and Indemnity Determination Act has been approved. He made the statement on Thursday, January 15, 2026, during a press conference at the Foreign Service Academy auditorium. Nazrul said that any criminal cases related to political resistance during July and August will be withdrawn by the government, and no new cases will be filed. Authorities are also reviewing whether any cases exist against participants in the July uprising.

Earlier, on January 8, Nazrul had posted on Facebook that the draft of the indemnity ordinance had been finalized. He explained that the initiative aims to protect the heroes of the July revolution from associates of the former fascist government and to recognize their resistance activities. He argued that such legislation is lawful and internationally recognized, citing examples from the Arab Spring and other revolutions.

Nazrul further stated that Article 46 of the Bangladesh Constitution provides clear legitimacy for indemnity laws, recalling that a similar law was enacted in 1973 to protect freedom fighters after the Liberation War.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has proposed that both general and postal votes be conducted using the same ballot paper in the upcoming national election and referendum. The proposal was presented on Thursday, January 15, 2026, following a meeting between BNP leaders and Chief Election Commissioner A M M Nasir Uddin. BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed led the delegation, which included party advisers and legal experts.

During the meeting, BNP raised several legal and code-of-conduct issues and expressed concerns about irregularities in the distribution of postal ballots sent to expatriates. Salahuddin Ahmed said that videos circulating on social media show large numbers of postal ballots being found or seized in different locations, suggesting possible irregularities. He noted that this is the first time expatriate voting is being implemented and called for explanations from those responsible for preparing and sending the ballots.

BNP also alleged that actions appeared to favor a particular political party and urged the Election Commission and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to clarify how ballots were distributed and to address the reported irregularities.

Newly appointed United States Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent Christensen presented his credentials to President Md. Shahabuddin on Thursday at Bangabhaban. The formal ceremony marked the beginning of Christensen’s tenure as the US residential ambassador in Dhaka.

President Shahabuddin welcomed the new envoy and expressed hope that bilateral relations between Bangladesh and the United States would strengthen further in the areas of trade, investment, education, and culture. Ambassador Christensen pledged to make every effort to deepen and broaden the partnership between the two nations, emphasizing a commitment to making the relationship more productive and multidimensional.

The ambassador also sought the President’s full cooperation in carrying out his diplomatic responsibilities during his tenure in Bangladesh.