Dhaka Metropolitan North BNP has issued a 24-hour show-cause notice to Didar Ahmed Molla, accused of attacking Ariful Islam Abid, the 11-party alliance (NCP) candidate for Dhaka-18. The incident occurred on Monday morning in Dumni Nurpara under Khilkhet Police Station during Abid’s election campaign. BNP candidate S M Jahangir Hossain disclosed the party’s action to reporters at a preparatory meeting in Uttara’s Eidgah ground, held ahead of BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman’s visit.

Hossain said he informed the party after hearing about the incident and that the accused had been formally asked to explain his actions. He stated that BNP believes in peaceful coexistence and will not engage in provocation. He added that the party is not involved in the attack and that a probe committee will be formed. If anyone is found guilty, disciplinary measures will follow. Hossain also assured that there would be no conflict over votes and that both candidates could campaign together before the public.

He further noted that BNP is a large organization and that any allegations arising within the party will be investigated and addressed accordingly.

Iran’s Chief Justice Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejei has declared that those who instigated the country’s recent violent protests will face punishment without leniency. Speaking on January 26, 2026, he said that the judiciary will bring the instigators to justice as soon as possible, responding to public demands for accountability. According to Geo News, Ejei emphasized that those involved in inciting riots, terrorism, and violence during the anti-government demonstrations would be prosecuted swiftly.

He added that investigations have already begun to identify individuals who provoked unrest, engaged in armed attacks, killings, arson, and destruction. The chief justice stated that the judicial process would proceed without any flexibility toward those responsible for such acts. The protests began on December 28 in response to rising living costs and unbearable inflation across Iran.

Ejei also noted that the Iranian government has managed to calm tensions following the unrest, indicating a partial restoration of stability after weeks of demonstrations.

The July Revolutionary Student Mass staged a protest march in Nilphamari on Monday, January 26, demanding the arrest of individuals they described as Awami League-linked terrorists. The demonstration began at the town’s Bara Bazar area, moved through major streets, and concluded with a brief rally at the DC intersection.

Speakers at the rally included district leaders from the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement and the National Youth Power. They alleged that those accused in a murder case and in the August 4 attack on anti-discrimination activists were moving freely despite being members of the banned Awami League and its affiliates. The student leaders warned that these individuals could create unrest ahead of the upcoming national parliamentary election and urged authorities to arrest them immediately.

The protest reflected ongoing tensions in Nilphamari over accountability for past violence and concerns about potential election-related disorder.

U.S. President Donald Trump invited India to join his newly launched ‘Peace Board’, but New Delhi has yet to formally participate. The board was inaugurated during the 56th World Economic Forum in Davos, where Trump, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and 20 other world leaders signed the founding charter. India’s absence drew attention, with analysts suggesting that concerns over internationalizing the Kashmir issue are driving its hesitation.

According to reports from The Dawn and BBC Hindi, Indian policymakers fear that joining the board could increase global scrutiny over Indian-administered Kashmir. Trump said the board’s initial goal is to secure a lasting ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and oversee an interim administration. However, some Indian commentators worry that Trump aims to position the board as an alternative to the United Nations, potentially bringing disputed regions like Kashmir under its purview.

Former Indian diplomats noted that while the UN Security Council approved the board’s mandate until December 2027, Trump’s broader peace plan has no fixed duration and could expand beyond Gaza, complicating India’s decision-making.

Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir’s Jahangirnagar University (JU) branch announced its new committee for the 2026 session. Philosophy Department student Mostafizur Rahman from the 47th batch was elected president, while English Department student and JAKSU General Secretary Mazharul Islam from the 48th batch was nominated as secretary. The announcement was made Monday through the organization’s official Facebook page.

According to the statement, the JU branch held a general assembly of members where voting took place using ballot papers signed by the central president, Nurul Islam. After counting the votes, Nurul Islam declared Mostafizur Rahman as the elected president and administered his oath. Based on members’ consultation, the newly elected president nominated Mazharul Islam as branch secretary. The event was conducted by central arts and culture secretary Hafez Abu Musa, with the central president attending as chief guest.

The new leadership marks the start of the 2026 session for the JU branch, following the completion of its internal election and nomination process.

Election campaigning has intensified in the Habiganj-1 (Nabiganj-Bahubal) constituency ahead of the upcoming parliamentary polls. The main contest is between BNP-nominated candidate Dr. Reza Kibria and expelled BNP leader turned independent candidate and former MP Sheikh Sujat Mia. Reports indicate that Sheikh Sujat is currently ahead in campaign activities, using social media posts to highlight his 40-year contribution to BNP politics and to appeal emotionally to local voters.

Dr. Reza Kibria’s wife, Simi Kibria, has emerged as a key figure in his campaign, actively visiting villages with party workers to seek support. Many BNP activists, however, are reportedly absent from the field, citing dissatisfaction with party leadership. Sheikh Sujat has stated that despite being abandoned by his party, he relies on grassroots supporters and believes he will win by a large margin.

Simi Kibria expressed optimism about her husband’s chances, noting strong cooperation from party workers and pledging that his election would bring development to the Nabiganj-Bahubal area.

The National Citizen Party (NCP) has condemned and protested a violent attack on Ariful Islam Adib, the 11-party alliance candidate and senior joint convener for Dhaka-18 constituency. The incident occurred on Monday morning in Dumni Nurpara under Khilkhet police station, when Adib was visiting an orphanage and conducting campaign activities. According to the NCP, a group of attackers led by local BNP leader Didar Molla carried out the assault, leaving at least two alliance workers seriously injured.

In a press release issued immediately after the attack, the NCP alleged that BNP candidate S M Jahangir Hossain’s supporters have repeatedly obstructed the alliance’s campaign activities in various areas, including assaults, vandalism, and threats against workers. The party expressed concern that such violence undermines democratic competition and threatens fair elections. It also claimed that recent internal conflicts and criminal activities linked to BNP have worsened law and order.

The NCP demanded the swift arrest and exemplary punishment of those involved and urged law enforcement agencies to ensure the safety of all candidates in the electoral areas.

At least 30 families of victims and survivors of political violence in Chattogram gathered on Sunday at the city’s Polo Ground to seek justice from BNP leader Tarique Rahman. Among them was former Sandwip municipal commissioner and Krishak Dal president Md. Kausar, who lost a leg after a 2012 attack allegedly carried out by Awami League-affiliated activists. Kausar said he continues to suffer physically and emotionally, and that the accused remain free despite legal cases.

Families of other victims, including those of slain student leaders Tanvir Siddiqi, Adil Mahmud Chowdhury, and Abidur Rahman, also attended the event. They demanded justice for killings and disappearances that occurred between 2010 and 2014, claiming that perpetrators linked to ruling party groups have not been held accountable. Several parents and siblings described years of hardship and frustration over the lack of progress in their cases.

The attendees collectively urged that the country never return to what they described as a period of oppression and impunity, calling for fair trials for those responsible for the violence.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has nominated candidates in 292 constituencies for the upcoming 13th National Parliament election, with 237 of them holding at least a bachelor’s degree. The announcement was made on Monday at a press conference at the BNP’s election management office in Gulshan by Mahadi Amin, member of the party chairperson’s advisory council and spokesperson of the election committee. He said 85 candidates have prior experience as members of parliament, while 19 have served in various ministries.

Amin stated that the BNP has nominated 10 women candidates, the highest number for the party so far, describing it as a reflection of its commitment to women’s empowerment. He criticized other political parties for not nominating any women candidates. He also mentioned that several BNP nominees or their families were victims of enforced disappearances and repression during previous authoritarian regimes.

Amin further alleged that candidates from a particular political party were misusing religious sentiments in election campaigns, calling it a violation of the Representation of the People Order, 1972, and urging authorities to take immediate action.

Election Commission Secretary Akhtar Ahmed announced that the results of the national election and the referendum will be released together. He made the statement on Monday afternoon, according to the report published on January 26, 2026.

The announcement indicates that both the national election and the referendum are being conducted under the supervision of the Election Commission, and the results will be disclosed at the same time. The report did not include further details about the timing, process, or reasons behind the decision.

Additional information about the procedure and implications of releasing both results simultaneously is expected to be provided later, as the report noted that more details are forthcoming.

At least twelve people were reportedly injured when activists of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) allegedly attacked Ariful Islam, the Dhaka-18 parliamentary candidate of the 11-party electoral alliance and senior joint convener of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). The incident occurred around 9 a.m. on Monday at Dumni Nurpara Madrasa in Khilkhet during Ariful’s campaign event. Ariful went live on Facebook immediately after the attack, claiming that local BNP leader Didar Molla led the assault and that his supporters rescued him and took him to Dumni Bazar, where a protest rally was later held.

According to a press release from the Dhaka-18 election campaign office, the attack was carried out by Didar Molla, president of BNP’s Ward 43 unit, along with his associates. The release stated that twelve people, including Nurpara Alim Madrasa principal Barkatullah and his brother Hedayetullah, were seriously injured. Ariful condemned the attack, questioned the safety of other candidates, and vowed to continue his campaign despite the violence.

The incident has drawn condemnation from political allies, including the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which denounced the attack on the NCP candidate.

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.