The non-political social organization Mulyabodh Andolon has demanded that voters be given three options—'Yes', 'Yes with objections', and 'No'—in the referendum scheduled for the day of the 13th National Parliamentary Election. The demand was announced at a press conference held on Wednesday at the Maulana Akram Khan Hall of the National Press Club. The organization’s chairman, Dr. Mohammad Sarwar Hossain, an associate professor at Independent University, Bangladesh, presented the written statement.

According to the group, the interim government’s current referendum plan forces voters to either accept or reject all provisions of the July Charter in full. Mulyabodh Andolon argued that this approach is unjust and fails to reflect public aspirations. The organization expressed concern that the charter lacks references to Islamic values and faith in Allah, while giving undue prominence to Western pluralistic and secular ideologies. It also warned that undefined terms such as 'equality' and 'social justice' could open the door to values contrary to religious beliefs.

The group further urged the government to restore faith in Allah as a constitutional principle and to ensure that no law contradicting the Qur’an and Sunnah is enacted. If these demands cannot be met, it proposed excluding certain disputed articles from the referendum or adding the 'Yes with objections' option.

Bangladesh’s interim government has decided to temporarily suspend the issuance of on-arrival visas ahead of the upcoming national election. Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain announced the decision on Wednesday at an event in Dhaka, stating that the move aims to prevent any unwanted situations before the election period.

According to statements released by Bangladeshi embassies in countries whose citizens previously received on-arrival visas, the suspension will be in effect from January 15 to February 15. The Bangladesh High Commission in the Maldives confirmed the one-month suspension through a notice on its official Facebook page. The measure applies to all countries whose nationals were eligible for on-arrival visas.

The decision reflects the government’s precautionary approach to maintaining stability and security during the sensitive pre-election period, as reported by BBC Bangla.

Leaders of Khelafat Majlis have called for a fair and just seat-sharing arrangement within the 11-party alliance to maintain unity ahead of Bangladesh’s 13th National Parliament Election. The remarks came during an emergency session of the party’s central Majlis-e-Shura held in Shahjahanpur, Dhaka, where the current situation surrounding the alliance’s seat negotiations was reviewed. The party emphasized that unity among Islamic political forces remains one of its key priorities.

Khelafat Majlis leaders noted that despite their active participation in previous alliances of five, eight, and now eleven Islamic-minded parties, many of their important candidates and constituencies have been excluded from the latest discussions. They warned that such exclusions could harm both the party and the alliance. The party submitted 74 nomination papers nationwide, of which 72 were declared valid by the Election Commission.

The leaders also criticized the government for deteriorating law and order, alleging that the administration has failed to take effective measures. They urged the Election Commission to ensure a level playing field and enforce electoral rules strictly to guarantee a free and fair election on February 12.

BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman is scheduled to visit Cumilla on January 24 as part of his election campaign, confirmed Cumilla South District BNP General Secretary Ashiqur Rahman Mahmud Wasim. On January 14, BNP leaders, along with a CSF team, inspected the historic Town Hall ground in Cumilla to review preparations for the event, including stage setup, security arrangements, and crowd management.

Local BNP leaders expressed optimism that Rahman’s visit would energize party activists and strengthen the campaign momentum in the district. Cumilla Metropolitan BNP General Secretary Yusuf Molla Tipu noted that this would be Rahman’s first major rally in Cumilla since 2003, predicting that his presence would boost the prospects of BNP candidates in the district’s 11 constituencies. Cumilla Metropolitan BNP President Udbatul Bari Abu said extensive preparations were underway to welcome the party chief.

BNP leaders further stated that all levels of party members were working together to ensure the success of the program and expected spontaneous participation from the people of Cumilla.

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairperson Tarique Rahman has expressed his gratitude to popular cartoonist Uday after receiving a framed cartoon titled 'I Have a Plan for the People of My Country, for My Country'. The artwork was presented to Rahman at his political office in Gulshan on Tuesday night. The event was confirmed to the media on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, by BNP Chairperson’s political adviser Mahdi Amin.

During the handover, Uday shared that presenting a cartoon of Tarique Rahman to him had long been a dream, and he felt great joy in fulfilling it. Rahman accepted the framed artwork and thanked Uday warmly for his creative effort.

The exchange highlighted a moment of appreciation between a political leader and an artist, reflecting mutual respect and recognition of artistic expression within Bangladesh’s political and cultural landscape.

Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus has reaffirmed that Bangladesh’s 13th national parliamentary election and referendum will be held on February 12, without any change to the schedule. He made the statement on Tuesday night during a meeting with former senior US diplomats Albert Gombis and Morse Tan at the state guesthouse Jamuna in Dhaka. Yunus emphasized that the interim government is determined to hold the election on time and transfer power to a democratically elected government afterward.

According to the Chief Adviser’s press wing, the visiting diplomats served under former US President Donald Trump and came to Bangladesh ahead of the crucial election. Yunus said the polls would be free, fair, peaceful, and festive, with the administration remaining neutral and ensuring equal opportunity for all political parties. He added that the government is campaigning for a “Yes” vote in the referendum on the July Charter, which he said would mark a new chapter in democratic governance.

Yunus also warned of misinformation and AI-generated fake videos being spread by supporters of the former authoritarian regime, but noted that citizens are becoming more capable of identifying such content.

A writ petition has been filed in the High Court seeking to postpone the upcoming national election until all weapons looted during the 2024 mass uprising are recovered. The petition was submitted on Wednesday, January 14, by lawyer Md. Mahmudul Hasan. The Cabinet Secretary, Home Secretary, Law Secretary, Election Commission Secretary, Inspector General of Police, and Director General of RAB have been named as respondents.

According to the petition, media reports indicate that 5,750 firearms and 651,609 rounds of ammunition were stolen from various police stations and law enforcement offices during the 2024 uprising. Despite government rewards for recovery, a significant portion of the weapons remains missing. The petition argues that the presence of these illegal arms poses a serious threat to voters and candidates, citing the killing of Dhaka-8 parliamentary candidate Shahid Sharif Osman Hadi as evidence of the danger.

The petition requests that the election be suspended until all looted arms and ammunition are recovered and a secure environment for voting is ensured.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has called for dialogue to address the recent situation in Iran. During a phone conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Fidan emphasized the need for discussions to ease regional tensions, according to a report citing an unnamed Turkish diplomatic source. The Anadolu news agency reported that Fidan highlighted the importance of preventing escalation through dialogue.

The call came as tensions rose following protests in Iran and threats of military intervention from former U.S. President Donald Trump. Turkish officials have reportedly been in contact with their American counterparts amid these developments. Earlier in the week, Fidan accused a foreign intelligence agency of orchestrating the protests, claiming that Israel’s Mossad was openly encouraging Iranians to rebel against their government through online platforms.

The Turkish foreign minister’s remarks reflect Ankara’s concern over regional instability and its preference for diplomatic engagement to prevent further escalation.

Dr. Reza Kibria has announced his resignation from the Gana Adhikar Parishad, stating that he cannot remain in a party allegedly funded by Israel. He made the remarks in a recent interview with a private television channel, explaining that he left after learning of alleged links between the party and Israeli interests.

Kibria said he initially joined the Gana Adhikar Parishad at the insistence of Dr. Zafrullah Chowdhury, whom he respected deeply. Before that, he was a member of Gano Forum but left due to internal divisions over parliamentary participation. He claimed he was unaware of the alleged foreign connections until media reports surfaced about meetings between party leader Nurul Haque Nur and representatives of Israel’s intelligence agency, as mentioned by the Palestinian ambassador.

Kibria reiterated that once he became convinced of the alleged Israeli involvement, he decided to leave the party immediately, emphasizing that he could not support any organization operating under such influence.

Bangladesh Bank and several commercial banks have launched campaigns supporting a 'Yes' vote in the upcoming referendum tied to the July Charter implementation, scheduled on the national election day. On Wednesday, banners promoting the referendum were displayed in front of the central bank’s headquarters, urging citizens to vote 'Yes' for change. Similar banners were also seen at the main offices and branches of state-owned banks such as Sonali, Janata, Agrani, and Rupali, as well as private banks.

The campaign follows a meeting held last Sunday between the Bangladesh Bank governor and managing directors of various banks, where instructions were given to display two banners at each branch promoting the referendum. The meeting also discussed using corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds to finance the campaign. The initiative was undertaken last week under directives from the Chief Adviser’s Office to raise public awareness about the referendum.

The promotional materials highlight themes of political cooperation, constitutional restraint, and citizen empowerment, emphasizing that the 'Yes' vote represents the key to national change.

Jamaat-e-Islami postponed its scheduled 4 p.m. press conference on January 14, 2026, after the Islami Andolon Bangladesh, led by Charmonai Pir Syed Muhammad Rezaul Karim, refused to attend due to dissatisfaction over seat allocations. Jamaat had initially offered 40 seats to Islami Andolon, later increasing the offer to 45 and keeping five additional seats open, but the party remained unsatisfied. As a result, Jamaat was compelled to delay the announcement planned for its 11-party alliance.

According to the report, Islami Andolon believes it has a strong nationwide voter base and therefore deserves more seats. The party’s Shura council meeting reportedly saw internal disagreements over whether to stay in or leave the alliance. Meanwhile, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish, led by Maulana Mamunul Haque, also demanded more seats, with Jamaat offering 15–20, though the group remained unsatisfied. Another faction, led by Maulana Abdul Basit Azad and Ahmad Abdul Kader, was offered 10 seats and is more likely to remain in the coalition.

As of 3:30 p.m., the top forums of Islami Andolon, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish, and Khelafat Majlish were still holding meetings to finalize their positions within the alliance.

Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman has called on everyone to act responsibly and demonstrate wisdom and patience in the face of the country’s current situation. He made the appeal on Wednesday afternoon through a post on his verified Facebook page, emphasizing the importance of maintaining composure and avoiding any negative behavior toward others.

In his message, Dr. Rahman described the present time as a critical turning point in the nation’s life, reached through much sacrifice and dedication. He urged his colleagues and followers to act with the highest level of responsibility and restraint, stating that their ultimate goal should be to seek the satisfaction of Allah.

The post reiterated his hope that all members of the organization and the nation would uphold responsible conduct during this significant period.

A bipartisan bill was introduced in the US Senate to prevent President Donald Trump from attempting to take control of Greenland. The legislation, titled the 'NATO Unity Protection Act,' was presented on Tuesday by Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen and Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski, according to TRT World. The bill prohibits the use of Pentagon or State Department funds for any blockade, occupation, annexation, or military operation against the sovereign territory of a NATO member state without its consent.

Senator Shaheen stated that any US move to seize or control a NATO ally’s territory would weaken the alliance. She added that the bill sends a clear message that recent remarks about Greenland undermine US national security interests. Senator Murkowski expressed concern that using American resources against allies is deeply troubling and should be fully rejected by Congress.

Earlier, Trump had argued that the United States should acquire Greenland to prevent Russia or China from taking it and described the move as vital for US economic security. Greenland is a self-governing territory of Denmark with strategic importance and rich mineral resources.

Freedom fighter and administrator of the Freedom Fighters and Families Welfare Association, Ishtiak Aziz Ulfat, claimed that no member of the Awami League participated in Bangladesh’s Liberation War. He made the statement on Wednesday during a press conference at the Abdus Salam Hall of the National Press Club in Dhaka, organized by the association’s Bijoy Rakin City branch.

In his written statement, Ulfat alleged that the Awami League government deprived genuine freedom fighters of their rightful benefits while favoring fake ones. He criticized the government for misusing the 5 percent quota reserved for freedom fighters and accused senior officials, police officers, and Awami League leaders of taking over flats meant for real freedom fighters. He said that out of 1,950 flats in a welfare project, only 870 were allocated to association members, and among them, just 32 genuine fighters received 49 flats.

Ulfat demanded the cancellation of allocations held by non-freedom fighters and called for the return of those properties to legitimate freedom fighters and their families.

The United States government announced on Tuesday that it is canceling the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Somali nationals residing in the country. As a result, Somalis who lose their legal protection must leave the United States by March 17. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed the decision in a post on social media platform X, stating that those who do not return voluntarily will be deported.

According to AFP, the move is part of an ongoing tough campaign against immigrants, with the greatest impact expected in Minnesota, home to the largest Somali community in the US. The state has recently become a focal point for immigration raids and searches. Last week, protests erupted in Minneapolis after an officer fatally shot a local woman during a raid. In response, Minnesota filed a court petition seeking a temporary injunction against ICE operations.

Nearly 2,000 people have reportedly been arrested in these operations. Washington has recently taken a stricter stance toward Somali immigrants in Minnesota, where about 80,000 Somali-origin residents live, amid allegations of large-scale welfare fraud.