The government has appointed an armed bodyguard and deployed uniformed police at the residence of Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman to ensure his personal security. A directive issued on Tuesday instructed the Police Headquarters to take necessary measures following an order from the Ministry of Home Affairs. The official notice stated that Dr. Rahman faces a high level of security risk, prompting the decision to assign a gunman and armed police for his protection.

Earlier, on December 17, Jamaat’s office secretary A.F.M. Abdus Sattar submitted an application to the ministry requesting round-the-clock security for Dr. Rahman and his residence. After verification, the government approved the deployment. According to Dr. Rahman’s personal assistant Nazrul Islam, a police squad vehicle and a gunman had already been assigned about two weeks earlier. The new directive appears to revise and formalize those arrangements.

The decision reflects the government’s assessment of heightened security threats surrounding the Jamaat chief and aims to strengthen protective measures at both his residence and during his movements.

A winter clothing distribution program was held at Jagannath University on Tuesday night, January 13, organized by Md. Mostafizur Rahman Rumi, joint convener of the university’s Chhatra Dal. The event was arranged to pray for the forgiveness of the soul of former three-time Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia. Winter clothes were distributed among cold-affected and underprivileged people from the campus and surrounding areas. Rumi himself inaugurated the program.

During the event, Rumi stated that the nation would forever remember Begum Khaleda Zia’s contribution to restoring democracy in the country. He added that praying for her soul and standing beside the cold-affected people was a moral duty. He also pledged to continue her unfinished struggle for democracy and sovereignty. Leaders and activists from different levels of the Jagannath University Chhatra Dal, along with general students, attended the program.

The initiative reflected a combination of social welfare and political remembrance, highlighting the student organization’s continued engagement in community support activities.

The European Union (EU) has deployed an election observation mission to Bangladesh at the invitation of the government ahead of the country’s 13th parliamentary election scheduled for February 12. According to an official press release from the Office of the Chief Adviser, the mission includes political analyst Marcel Negi and election analyst Vasil Vaschenka, who met with Dr. Ali Riaz, special assistant to the Chief Adviser, on Tuesday afternoon.

The mission, comprising around 200 observers and an 11-member analytical team, arrived in Dhaka on December 29. On January 17, 56 observers will be deployed across the country to monitor electoral processes and report to the core team. Additionally, 90 short-term observers will join to oversee voting, counting, and result tabulation, along with several others from EU diplomatic and partner communities.

Following EU’s standard methodology, the mission will provide a data-driven, comprehensive, and impartial assessment of the entire electoral process. A preliminary report will be released on February 14 via the mission’s website and social media, followed by a final report with recommendations for future electoral improvements.

BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman held a meeting with leaders of rickshaw, van, and auto drivers on Tuesday night at his political office in Gulshan, Dhaka. The event was confirmed by the party’s media cell member Shayrul Kabir Khan. Photos and videos of the meeting were later shared on Tarique Rahman’s verified Facebook page and the party’s official page, showing him greeting the participants and receiving gifts from them.

During the discussion, the rickshaw and van driver leaders shared their professional challenges, livelihood crises, and experiences regarding the current political situation. Tarique Rahman listened attentively and called for unity in the democratic movement. He emphasized that restoring democracy in the country requires the participation and solidarity of people from all professions.

The meeting was part of Tarique Rahman’s ongoing series of exchanges with different professional groups following his return to the country, aimed at strengthening engagement across social sectors.

Jamaat-e-Islami and its 11-party electoral alliance are set to announce their final seat-sharing agreement today, Wednesday, at 4 p.m. in a joint press conference at the Diploma Engineers Auditorium in Dhaka. Reliable sources within Jamaat confirmed the plan, though journalists had not received formal invitations as of midnight Tuesday. The announcement will be attended by Jamaat Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman and other top leaders of the allied parties.

According to the report, the parties held daylong meetings on Tuesday to finalize seat allocations. The Islamic Movement of Bangladesh expressed dissatisfaction after receiving 45 seats instead of its expected 70, leaving uncertainty about its participation. Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis still had some unresolved matters expected to be settled before noon today. Earlier, Jamaat finalized 30 seats with the National Citizens Party, over 15 with Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis, 10 with Khelafat Majlis, 7 with the Liberal Democratic Party, 3 with AB Party, and 2 with Bangladesh Development Party.

The alliance, initially a 10-party coalition announced on December 28 last year, expanded to 11 parties. The final announcement today will confirm the seat distribution and participating members.

The Election Commission (EC) will train 142 officials and employees on managing postal voting for the upcoming referendum and the 13th parliamentary election. The training will be held on Saturday, according to a letter signed by Riaz Uddin, Assistant Director of the Electoral Training Institute. Participants will include additional deputy commissioners, additional district magistrates, senior assistant commissioners, executive magistrates, district information officers, and other officials of similar rank.

The training will cover every stage of postal vote management, including verifying envelopes received through the postal service, scanning QR codes with designated software for data storage, automatically preparing Form-12, and securely transferring materials to presiding officers. EC officials said the initiative aims to ensure transparency, accuracy, and timeliness in handling postal votes.

Registered postal voters have already received their ballot papers and will cast their votes between January 21 and 25. The counting of postal ballots will take place on election day, February 12.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has strongly objected to the Border Security Force (BSF) of India constructing a new road near the Balairhat border in Kurigram, alleging a violation of international law. Following BGB’s intervention, the construction work was halted, and a battalion commander-level flag meeting was held at the Balairhat Border Outpost under Lalmonirhat Battalion (15 BGB) to assess the situation.

During the meeting, BGB stated that BSF began road construction within 150 yards of border pillar 934 without prior notice, breaching the rule that requires both countries to coordinate any construction within 150 yards of the zero line. BGB demanded adherence to the regulation and proposed forming a joint survey team to inspect the site. BSF commander K.K. Rao responded that no new road was being built but that existing roads were being repaired, assuring that BGB would be informed before any future expansion or new construction.

The meeting also discussed paving the Nageshwari connecting road near Shimulbari BOP, which BSF viewed positively, subject to formal proposals and ethical consideration.

U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed solidarity with Iranians participating in ongoing anti-government protests and urged them to continue demonstrating in the streets. In a post on his social media platform Truth Social on Tuesday, Trump called on Iranian patriots to seize institutions and record the names of those responsible for killings and repression. He announced the cancellation of all meetings with Iranian officials until the violence stops and said that help is on the way, though he did not specify the nature or timing of that assistance.

The protests began on December 28 in Tehran’s markets over economic hardship and quickly spread nationwide. Rising prices, severe inflation, and the fall of the rial have driven young people and ordinary citizens into continuous demonstrations. The situation worsened last Thursday after Reza Pahlavi, son of Iran’s last exiled Shah, called for stronger protests against the government.

Trump’s remarks come as the unrest intensifies, but details about the promised aid and U.S. actions remain unclear.

At a discussion titled 'From Nazrul Islam to Hadi: The Struggle for Freedom' held Tuesday evening at the Supreme Court auditorium in Dhaka, Amar Desh editor Mahmudur Rahman declared that Bangladesh’s young generation would not allow any India-backed agents to come to or remain in power. He said the political theory of the country must change so that no one supported by India could be elected or retained in office.

Rahman described the July movement as a turning point that created a new generation determined to protect national sovereignty. He linked this spirit to the ideals of martyr Sharif Osman Hadi, emphasizing that Bangladesh’s independence struggle is fundamentally a cultural one that must continue against hostile neighbors. He urged preservation of the Inqilab Cultural Center, which he said was part of Hadi’s vision.

Other speakers, including Amar Desh executive editor Syed Abdal Ahmad, compared poet Kazi Nazrul Islam’s anti-colonial voice to Hadi’s revolutionary spirit, noting that Nazrul’s poetry inspired the July movement. The event was organized by the Cultural Research Center, Dhaka, and attended by academics, poets, and family members of Hadi.

AUP Bangladesh has called on the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) to clarify its position regarding controversial remarks made by BNP leader Mosharraf Hossain Thakur about the niqab. The organization’s spokesperson, Shahreen Ira, made the statement during a protest held on Tuesday afternoon in front of the National Museum at Shahbagh, Dhaka. She warned that if the BNP fails to clarify its stance promptly, the remarks would be considered the party’s official position.

The protest was organized in response to Thakur’s comments, which AUP Bangladesh described as insulting to Islamic principles and women. Shahreen Ira said the remarks not only questioned Thakur’s personal background but also cast doubt on his party’s position. She criticized ongoing anti-Islamic sentiment in various sectors, including education, workplaces, and politics, and vowed that discriminatory behavior toward hijab or niqab would not be tolerated anywhere.

AUP central member Dilara Khanam added that Thakur’s comments were indecent and offensive to Islam, calling them both an insult to women and a violation of Islamic teachings.

Chief Adviser Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus has sought assistance from the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to combat widespread misinformation and confusion surrounding Bangladesh’s upcoming 13th national election. He made the request during a telephone conversation on Tuesday with UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, according to the Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam.

During the call, Yunus expressed concern over what he described as a flood of false information coming from both foreign media and local sources. He noted that social media platforms were being used to spread fake news, rumors, and speculation, raising worries about their potential impact on the electoral process.

In response, Volker Türk acknowledged awareness of the situation and assured that the UN human rights office would provide support to address the growing challenge of disinformation. He stated that the volume of false information was high and pledged that the UN agency would work closely with Bangladesh to take necessary measures.

Former information adviser Mahfuz Alam said that brokers within the country have accumulated wealth and are running the media, and that no real change has occurred in this regard. He made the remarks on Tuesday, January 13, at a seminar titled “State Reconstruction and Referendum” held at Dhaka University’s TSC auditorium.

Alam stated that the recent mass uprising was not for the benefit of a few individuals but for collective change, which requires reform. He criticized the lack of action against powerful figures and said that without measures against them, no transformation would be possible. He also mentioned that he was not allowed to work during the last four months of his tenure, which hindered state reform efforts. According to him, building a new structure while keeping the old order intact is impossible.

Emphasizing the need for redistribution of wealth, Alam questioned why political parties were contradicting the July Charter agreement. He said political consensus should mean restructuring power and redistributing resources, including land, which has not yet been addressed.

The Election Inquiry and Judicial Committee has issued a show-cause notice to BNP-nominated candidate Major General (Retd.) Sharif Uddin from Rajshahi-1 (Godagari-Tanore) constituency for allegedly violating the electoral code of conduct. The notice, signed by Rajshahi Joint District and Sessions Judge Mosammat Kamrun Nahar, was sent on Sunday and reached Godagari Police Station on Monday. Sharif Uddin has been ordered to appear in person before the Rajshahi Joint District Judge’s First Court on Wednesday, January 14, to provide a written explanation.

According to the notice, the committee learned that Sharif Uddin distributed shawls, mufflers, and party flags bearing the BNP’s symbol among all auto-rickshaw and CNG drivers in Ward 9 of Mundumala Municipality in Tanore. This act was deemed a clear violation of Rule 4 of the Political Party and Candidate Code of Conduct 2025 for parliamentary elections. Copies of the notice were also sent to the Returning Officer and Rajshahi Deputy Commissioner Afia Akhter.

The committee stated that the incident constitutes a pre-election irregularity and may be reported to the Election Commission Secretariat with recommendations after inquiry.

Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) Vice President Sadiq Kayem has criticized the decision to halt student union elections at Shahjalal University of Science and Technology and Begum Rokeya University, calling it an undemocratic move. Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, January 13, after a meeting with Chief Election Commissioner A.M.M. Nasir Uddin at the Election Commission, he said students would not accept the suspension on security grounds.

Kayem stated that the elections were scheduled to be held on time, but certain quarters did not want them to proceed, leading to the issuance of a notification postponing the polls. He emphasized that discussions were held to ensure all necessary security so the elections could take place as planned, and the Election Commission had given assurances in this regard.

He also mentioned that students would campaign for a “yes” vote in the referendum, while accusing those promoting a “no” vote of trying to preserve past fascist practices and wrongdoing.

Tasnim Zara, former leader of the National Citizens Party (NCP), has clarified why she left the party ahead of the 13th National Parliamentary Election. Speaking at a dialogue organized by the Citizens Platform on Tuesday, she said her decision to run as an independent candidate for the Dhaka-9 constituency stemmed from a desire to change the old political structure. Zara had earlier announced her independent candidacy on December 27.

She explained that the country’s existing system suffers from a weak accountability framework and widespread complexity, where individuals are accountable to their own appointers. Zara emphasized the need to continue discussions on long-promised reforms and to ensure accountability among those in power. She added that citizens now seek change and are no longer willing to accept outdated political arrangements.

Her remarks come amid ongoing public debate over her departure from the NCP, highlighting broader concerns about governance and the demand for structural reform in national politics.