The Bangladesh Army has deployed 100,000 personnel to ensure a peaceful and orderly environment for the upcoming national parliamentary election, according to the Army Headquarters. For the first time, troops have been authorized to patrol up to the premises of polling centers. Previously, a maximum of 40,000 to 42,000 soldiers were stationed as striking forces in remote areas. The enhanced deployment has been in effect since January 20.

At a press conference held on Thursday at the Roller Skating Complex in Gulistan, Brigadier General Dewan Mohammad Monzur Hossain, Director of Military Operations, explained that the increased deployment aims to restore voter confidence and ensure safe access to polling centers. He noted that the army chief has assigned nearly all available personnel for election duties, keeping only the minimum required for other operations.

Due to a shortage of vehicles, the army has sought assistance from the civil administration and is hiring vehicles when necessary to maintain continuous patrols. The troops have been conducting day and night patrols to strengthen public trust ahead of the election.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman is scheduled to visit Boalmari in Faridpur for the first time on Friday. Preparations are underway at the Boalmari municipal stadium, where he will address a public gathering at 4 p.m. The event, described as an election grand rally, has generated significant enthusiasm among party members and residents from Boalmari, Alfadanga, Madhukhali, and nearby areas.

Local Jamaat leaders said the visit marks a historic occasion for Boalmari, expressing hopes for a peaceful and well-organized rally with broad public participation. Boalmari municipal Jamaat president Syed Niamul Hasan stated that the community expects spontaneous involvement from people across all levels.

Authorities have intensified security measures to maintain law and order during the event. Boalmari Police Station Officer-in-Charge Anwar Hossain confirmed strict monitoring and increased police deployment. Upazila Nirbahi Officer Rakibul Hasan said a law and order meeting would be held at 3 p.m. to finalize necessary decisions regarding the rally.

The government will hand over responsibilities to elected representatives as soon as possible after the upcoming national election, according to Abul Kalam Azad Majumdar, Deputy Press Secretary to the Chief Adviser. He made the statement in a verified Facebook post on Wednesday night, dismissing claims that the interim government would remain in power for 180 working days after the election.

Majumdar described such claims as dishonest propaganda, accusing those spreading them of previously trying to create doubts about the election. He said that now, as the election is proceeding on schedule, these groups are promoting new conspiracy theories. He added that even some highly educated individuals are being misled by such misinformation, but there is no scope for confusion in reality.

The 13th National Parliamentary Election and referendum are scheduled to take place across the country on February 12, 2026.

As Bangladesh moves toward its February 12 national election, debate has intensified over the legacy of Dr. Muhammad Yunus, the country’s only Nobel laureate and head of the interim government formed after the August 2024 uprising that toppled Sheikh Hasina. Yunus, now 85, was appointed three days after Hasina’s resignation to stabilize a fractured state following violence that killed more than 1,400 people. His administration sought to restore credible elections, balance institutional powers, and prevent a return to authoritarianism.

Supporters credit Yunus with initiating major reforms and accountability measures, including commissions on constitutional, judicial, and human rights issues, as well as investigations into enforced disappearances and abuses under Hasina’s rule. Critics argue the unelected government moved too fast and lacked broad consensus. Political parties remain divided: the BNP questions the interim authority’s limits, while the National Citizens Party and Jamaat-e-Islami back deeper reforms.

Yunus’s final act will be overseeing the first free election in over a decade, coupled with a referendum on reform proposals. Analysts say the outcome will determine whether his leadership is remembered for stabilizing a collapsing nation or for failing to deliver lasting structural change.

Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman has instructed all administrative and law enforcement officials to perform their duties with professionalism, neutrality, discipline, patience, and citizen-friendly behavior during the upcoming 13th parliamentary election and referendum. He gave the directive on Thursday while exchanging views with officials from the Dhaka metropolitan, divisional, and district administrations, as well as various law enforcement agencies, at the National Stadium conference hall in Dhaka.

The meeting discussed inter-institutional coordination and overall security management to ensure a peaceful, fair, and impartial election. Senior military officers were also present. During his visit, the army chief observed the activities of troops deployed under the “In Aid to the Civil Power” framework and provided necessary guidance.

Since January 22, the army chief has been holding similar meetings with senior military, civil administration, and law enforcement officials across multiple regions, including Dhaka, Chattogram, Cumilla, Rangpur, Bogura, Barishal, Jashore, Cox’s Bazar, Sylhet, Ghatail, and Savar, to strengthen coordination among all agencies involved in election duties.

BNP’s Rajbari-2 constituency candidate Harunur Rashid declared that extortionists and criminals will have no place in the party. He made the statement on Thursday afternoon during a series of street meetings across nine wards of Jamalpur Union in Baliakandi upazila. Rashid emphasized that after 17 years of being deprived of voting rights, it was time to restore them, warning those involved in wrongdoing that he would not tolerate misconduct.

Addressing the Hindu community, Rashid assured them of safety, saying no one would be able to harm them while he was alive. He urged voters not to betray the BNP’s electoral symbol, the paddy sheaf, which he described as belonging to Ziaur Rahman, Khaleda Zia, and Tarique Rahman. He pledged to dedicate a victory to Tarique Rahman.

The event was attended by local BNP leaders, including freedom fighter Abul Hossain Khan, vice president Jafar Ali Mia, senior joint secretary Anwar Hossain, and student wing president Nazmul Hossain, among others.

The Bangladesh Army announced that it will take immediate action if any polling center or ballot box is seized during the upcoming election. The statement was made by Brigadier General Dewan Monjurul Islam, Director of Military Operations, during a press briefing at the army camp located in the National Stadium area of Gulistan, Dhaka, on Thursday. He said more troops have been deployed this time compared to previous elections to ensure a free, fair, and peaceful voting process.

According to Brigadier General Islam, the army has so far recovered 10,152 weapons and established a round-the-clock monitoring cell to coordinate with civilian authorities. He emphasized that the army is acting under the Chief of Army Staff’s directives to assist the civil administration and the public. The duration of the army’s post-election deployment will be determined by the government.

He added that the army is fully prepared to prevent any election-related sabotage and that social media misinformation poses a major threat. Cyber surveillance is continuing to counter such risks.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) will organize an election rally in front of its central office at Naya Paltan in Dhaka on February 8 as part of its campaign for the upcoming 13th parliamentary election. The rally is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m., with BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman addressing the event as the chief guest.

The announcement was made by the party’s Senior Joint Secretary General and Member Secretary of the Election Steering Committee, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, during a press conference held in Naya Paltan on Thursday. The event is part of BNP’s broader efforts to mobilize supporters and present its political agenda ahead of the national polls.

The rally is expected to mark a significant moment in BNP’s election campaign, with the party leadership aiming to energize its base and outline its electoral priorities.

Local administration and law enforcement in Nesarabad upazila of Pirojpur have identified 77 polling centers as vulnerable ahead of the upcoming parliamentary election for the Pirojpur-2 constituency, which includes Nesarabad, Kaukhali, and Bhandaria upazilas. Officials said strict security measures are being implemented to prevent irregularities, influence, violence, or any obstruction to voters’ rights.

Nesarabad Upazila Election Officer Rubayet Hossain stated that the area has the highest number of voters and polling centers among the three upazilas, making it more prone to risk. He added that preparations are in the final stage to ensure smooth voting for 198,001 registered voters, with ballot boxes, papers, and CCTV cameras ready for timely distribution. Pirojpur Election Commissioner Abdu Mannan reported that the constituency has a total of 405,302 voters, seven candidates including one independent, and 166 polling centers overall.

Authorities emphasized that enhanced security and logistical readiness aim to ensure a free, fair, and peaceful election process in the constituency.

Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) has announced that metro rail services in Dhaka will continue to operate normally during the national election and referendum period, despite a nationwide restriction on vehicular movement. DMTCL Director A.K.M. Khairul Alam confirmed that metro trains will run as on regular working days to ensure smooth travel for passengers and facilitate voter movement across the city.

According to the announcement, station gates located directly beside polling centers may remain closed for security reasons, while all other gates will stay open. To maintain uninterrupted metro operations during the election period, DMTCL has canceled all staff leave. Earlier, the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges issued a circular on February 2 imposing restrictions on various types of vehicles, including taxis, pickups, microbuses, and trucks, from midnight on February 11 to midnight on February 12.

Additionally, motorcycle movement across the country will be banned for 72 hours from midnight on February 10 to midnight on February 13, though exceptions will apply for emergency and election-related activities.

Japan will hold a snap election on Sunday, with opinion polls suggesting a major victory for Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). The country’s first female prime minister, Takaichi, has seen her popularity rise sharply in recent months, according to an AFP report. The 64-year-old leader, who took office last October as Japan’s fifth prime minister in five years, has gained strong appeal among younger voters and on social media.

Pre-election surveys indicate that the LDP and its coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party (JIP), could win more than 300 of the 465 parliamentary seats, securing a two-thirds majority. Meanwhile, the main opposition alliance, formed by the CDP and Komeito under the new Centrist Reform Alliance, may lose about half of its current 167 seats.

Despite her growing domestic support, uncertainty remains over Japan’s relations with China. Takaichi’s past visits to the Yasukuni Shrine and her remarks suggesting possible military intervention if China moves on Taiwan have drawn attention. Economically, her $135 billion stimulus plan has unsettled investors, though experts believe market forces will restrain any risky fiscal moves.

A total of 379,924 postal ballots from expatriate voters have arrived in Bangladesh ahead of the upcoming 13th National Parliament election and referendum. The information was confirmed on Thursday by Salim Ahmad Khan, team leader of the OCV-SDI project on expatriate voter registration. As of 9:30 a.m., 766,862 ballots had been sent to registered expatriate voters through the ‘Postal Vote BD’ app, with 526,008 ballots received and 480,416 votes already cast. Additionally, 444,952 expatriate voters have submitted their ballots to postal authorities in their respective countries, and 107,168 ballots have been received by returning officers in Bangladesh.

The Election Commission has also begun sending postal ballots to domestic voters registered under the ICPV system. So far, 662,191 ballots have been dispatched within the country, with 260,447 voters receiving them. Among these, 211,122 have voted, and 168,519 have submitted their ballots to post offices or drop boxes. Returning officers have received 27,367 domestic ballots.

According to Salim Ahmad Khan, a total of 1,533,684 voters, both domestic and expatriate, have registered through the ‘Postal Vote BD’ app to participate in the election and referendum via postal ballots.

BNP candidate and central treasurer M Rashiduzzaman Millat in Jamalpur-1 (Dewanganj-Bakshiganj) constituency has drawn controversy after a video of his campaign speech went viral on social media. In the video, recorded Monday night at Haruabarhi Rahmani Madrasa field, Millat is heard saying that police have been instructed not to arrest or harass Awami League supporters and that they can vote freely. He urged them to support the BNP’s ‘sheaf of paddy’ symbol, claiming Awami League would not win elections for at least 20 years.

The remarks triggered widespread debate across the district, with many voters expressing surprise and anger. Some Awami League activists reportedly began openly campaigning for Millat, while others criticized the move as political opportunism. Dewanganj Upazila BNP leaders confirmed that some Awami League members were joining BNP activities under local approval.

Police officials, including the Dewanganj officer-in-charge and Jamalpur superintendent of police, denied Millat’s claims, stating that regular arrest operations continue and no such instructions were given. Jamaat candidate Nazmul Haque Sayeedi accused Millat of betraying political commitments and demanded the removal of the Dewanganj police chief for alleged bias.

U.S. President Donald Trump said it is time for the country to move on from the Jeffrey Epstein case after the Justice Department completed its mandatory review of millions of documents related to Epstein’s sex trafficking investigation. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche confirmed that the review, required under a law passed by Congress last November, found no grounds for new prosecutions. Despite this, the House of Representatives continues its own inquiry, summoning former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to testify later in February.

Some lawmakers and Epstein’s victims are demanding the release of additional unreleased files. The documents mention Trump over 6,000 times, reflecting his past friendship with Epstein during the 1990s, which he says ended in the early 2000s. The Justice Department also published unverified FBI source lists containing unsubstantiated allegations against Trump and other influential figures, later temporarily removed from its website. The department stated those claims were false and lacked evidence.

While Trump appears politically unscathed, other high-profile individuals named in the documents, including Prince Andrew, Larry Summers, and Bill Gates, have faced professional and personal fallout.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) A M M Nasiruddin will administer the oath to the newly elected members of Bangladesh’s 13th Parliament, as both the Speaker and Deputy Speaker positions are currently vacant. According to constitutional provisions, the CEC assumes this responsibility when no Speaker or designated person is available to conduct the ceremony. Parliament and Election Commission sources confirmed the arrangement.

Following the July uprising, the Speaker resigned and the Deputy Speaker’s post also became vacant. The Constitution mandates that newly elected MPs must take their oath within three days of the official gazette publication of election results. The Parliament Secretariat is preparing for the ceremony, with renovation of the oath and session rooms nearing completion ahead of the February 12 election. A committee is being formed to organize the event.

Election Commission officials stated that preparations are underway to avoid any constitutional crisis. Legal experts noted that the CEC-led oath is fully valid under the Constitution and ensures continuity of governance. Delays in the oath process could otherwise raise questions about the new Parliament’s legitimacy and operations.