Vote counting for the Jagannath University Central Students’ Union (JAKSU) election remained incomplete late Wednesday night after technical issues forced a manual recount. Despite resuming the process around 12:45 a.m., election officials could not finish counting 278 ballots from the Department of Anthropology within three hours. Election Commissioner Professor Dr. Shahidul Islam said the commission decided to manually count votes from one center with about 300 ballots before using two OMR machines. The machine whose results match the manual count will be used for the remaining centers.

Voting took place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. across 39 centers and 178 booths, with a total of 16,645 registered voters. The election had been postponed from December 30 following the death of former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia and was rescheduled for January 6 after student protests.

Major panels contesting include those backed by Chhatra Dal, Chhatra Shibir, Chhatra Shakti, and left-leaning groups, alongside independent candidates.

A total of 164 candidates have appealed to the Election Commission (EC) in the past two days against the returning officers’ decisions regarding acceptance and rejection of nomination papers for the 13th parliamentary election. According to the EC’s central appeal booth, 42 appeals were filed on Monday and 122 on Tuesday.

As per the election schedule, December 29 was the last date for submitting nomination papers. The returning officers scrutinized the submissions from December 30 to January 4. Appeals are being accepted from January 5 to 9, and the EC will resolve them between January 10 and 18. The final date for withdrawal of candidacy is January 20, while the final list of candidates and symbol allocation will be announced on January 21.

Election campaigning is scheduled to begin on January 22 and continue until the morning of February 10. Voting for the 13th parliamentary election will take place on February 12.

Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has called on the Election Commission (EC) to withdraw its decision to cover accommodation and meal expenses for foreign election observers. In a statement issued on Tuesday, TIB described the move as shortsighted, discriminatory, and a source of conflict of interest, arguing that it contradicts the principles of impartial and independent election observation and signals continued authoritarian tendencies in the electoral process.

TIB Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman said the EC’s justification that foreign observers’ presence would enhance the election’s credibility was weak and counterproductive. He questioned why similar support was not extended to domestic observers and warned that such benefits could make foreign observers appear biased or hired. He also expressed doubt about their ability to assess the election independently while being hosted by the EC.

Iftekharuzzaman further urged foreign observers to reject EC-funded hospitality, emphasizing that accepting such support could compromise their neutrality and ethical standards.

Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Niaz Ahmad Khan met with Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman on Tuesday, January 6, 2026. The meeting was part of a series of discussions with political leaders aimed at maintaining stability and ensuring a conducive academic environment on campus ahead of Bangladesh’s upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election. The Vice-Chancellor had earlier met with BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman on Monday, January 5.

During the meeting, Dr. Khan briefed the Jamaat leader on the university’s overall security and stability, progress of major development projects, post-DUCSU election situation, academic and research activities, and recent initiatives to improve Dhaka University’s international ranking and student welfare. He emphasized the importance of maintaining campus stability during the pre-election period and sought Jamaat’s cooperation and constructive advice.

According to the university’s public relations office, Jamaat Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman assured the Vice-Chancellor of all possible cooperation in these matters.

The JAKSU Election Commission announced that votes will be counted using OMR machines after encountering inconsistencies between two different counting machines. The announcement was made by JAKSU Election Commissioner Professor Dr. Kaniz Fatema Kakli at the central control room on Tuesday night, January 6, at 11:50 p.m. She stated that vote counting would begin within 20 minutes.

According to Dr. Kakli, the decision followed meetings with all VP and GS candidates, the teachers’ association, department heads, deans, senate members, and various teacher organizations. Initially, 300 votes will be counted manually and then cross-checked on two machines. The machine that matches the manual count will be used for the full count, with periodic manual checks to verify accuracy.

The commission decided to proceed with machine counting after repeated mismatches were observed between two machines from different companies. Following a one-and-a-half-hour meeting with candidates and students, the commission resolved to complete the counting that night. However, it did not specify when the final results would be published.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has appointed three retired army officers to the security team of its acting chairman, Tarique Rahman. The appointments were announced on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, through a statement signed by BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi. According to the statement, Major (Retd.) Mohammad Shafawat Ullah has been named Director (Security), Major (Retd.) Moinul Hossain as Director (Protocol), and Captain (Retd.) Md. Ganiul Azam as Director (Coordination).

The BNP statement emphasized that the appointments were made based on the officers’ experience and professionalism. Earlier, on December 17 of the previous year, Brigadier General (Retd.) Dr. A.K.M. Shamsul Islam had been appointed as Chief Security Officer to oversee Tarique Rahman’s overall security arrangements.

The formation of this expanded security team reflects the BNP’s continued focus on strengthening the personal protection of its acting chairman through the inclusion of experienced military professionals.

The Anti-Discrimination Student Movement has demanded that the Jatiya Party be declared ineligible to contest the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election. In a statement signed by its office secretary Shahadat Hossain on Tuesday, the organization also expressed deep concern over alleged bias in the nomination scrutiny process, harassment of independent candidates, and the neutrality of field administration officials.

The statement alleged irregularities and favoritism in nomination verification across several constituencies, citing the case of independent candidate Ataur Rahman in Manikganj-3, who was reportedly harassed by supporters of a BNP-nominated candidate. It further accused some returning officers and local administrators of partial behavior. The group warned that such incidents threaten the possibility of a free and fair election.

The movement argued that allowing the Jatiya Party to participate effectively paves the way for the banned Awami League’s gradual return to politics. It urged the government and Election Commission to ensure a level playing field and immediately disqualify the Jatiya Party, which it described as a collaborator in past “dummy elections.”

More than 1.53 million voters have registered online for postal ballots after the deadline, according to Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam. He announced the figures at a press briefing at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka, noting that this is the first time Bangladesh has introduced postal voting. Among the registrants, 761,140 are domestic officials unable to vote at their own centers, while 772,542 are Bangladeshi expatriates. The initiative has drawn interest from the European Union, UNDP, and several European countries eager to study the model.

The Chief Adviser described the response as historic, highlighting that Bangladesh’s inclusion rate of over 5 percent surpasses the global average of 2.7 percent in countries with long-standing diaspora voting systems. The government plans to allow registered voters to cast postal ballots around January 21, once candidate lists are finalized. To boost voter engagement, the number of election caravans will double to 20, expanding coverage to 495 upazilas.

Security preparations are also underway, with 75 percent of law enforcement officers trained and a new monitoring app being developed to detect election-related unrest in real time.

Brent Christensen, the newly appointed US Ambassador to Bangladesh, is scheduled to arrive in Dhaka on January 12, according to diplomatic sources. Officials from the US Embassy have already met with Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to coordinate his credential presentation to the President soon after his arrival. Preparations are underway to ensure Christensen can begin his duties within days of reaching Dhaka, just one month before the country’s upcoming 13th national election and referendum.

Christensen was nominated by US President Donald Trump in September and confirmed by the Senate in December. In his Senate hearing, he emphasized strengthening Bangladesh’s democratic process, human rights, Rohingya crisis response, and economic cooperation. He stated that the United States would support Bangladesh’s democratic future and work to reduce trade barriers.

A senior member of the US Foreign Service, Christensen previously served as Political and Economic Counselor at the US Embassy in Dhaka from 2019 to 2021 and as Foreign Policy Advisor at the US Strategic Command from 2022 to 2025. The ambassadorial post had remained vacant since Peter Haas’s departure in July last year, with Tracy Ann Jacobson serving as chargé d’affaires.

The government has placed top priority on ensuring the security of political leaders ahead of Bangladesh’s upcoming 13th national parliamentary election, according to Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam. Speaking at a press briefing at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka on Tuesday, he said that security agencies have coordinated with political parties, and gunmen have been assigned to many leaders as needed. The police, particularly the Special Branch, are actively handling the matter, and local authorities will review additional security requests.

Alam added that the government is aware of individuals attempting to spread confusion about the election and asserted that preparations are proceeding well with 37 days remaining. He noted that the confidence of police, army, BGB, and other security forces has increased following the successful management of three major national events. The press secretary also discussed efforts to engage religious leaders in promoting participation in an upcoming referendum through mosques, temples, and churches, supported by the Ministry of Religious Affairs’ nationwide network.

Separately, officials addressed a journalist’s killing in Jashore, stating that initial police findings indicate no link to religion or journalism, but rather to local extremist political rivalries.

Hasnat Abdullah, the chief organizer of the National Citizen Party (NCP) for the southern region and the Jamaat-led alliance candidate for Cumilla-4 constituency, called on voters to stand against corruption and Indian dominance. He made the remarks on Tuesday afternoon during an election march in Biralla area of Jafarganj Union, Debidwar upazila, Cumilla. Hasnat emphasized that voters should not sell their votes for money and should guard polling centers to prevent any attempts at forceful occupation.

He stated that the upcoming election would be a vote for justice and against those involved in corruption, extortion, and dominance. Hasnat pledged that his supporters were ready to make any sacrifice to protect people’s voting rights. He also urged voters to reject those who try to buy votes with money and to resist any violent attempts to seize polling centers.

Leaders of Jamaat and NCP were present during the march, where Hasnat exchanged greetings with local voters.

The air chiefs of Bangladesh and Pakistan held a meeting in Islamabad to discuss potential procurement of JF-17 Thunder fighter jets for the Bangladesh Air Force. According to Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the meeting focused on strengthening operational cooperation, institutional coordination, training, capacity building, and joint work in aerospace technology. Bangladesh Air Chief Marshal Hasan Mahmud Khan led a high-level defense delegation and was given a guard of honor during the visit.

Pakistan Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidique highlighted recent progress in his force and assured Bangladesh of support through a comprehensive training structure, from basic to advanced flight and specialized courses. He also confirmed that Super Mushshak training aircraft would be delivered soon, accompanied by long-term training and support arrangements. The Bangladeshi air chief praised Pakistan’s combat experience and sought assistance in maintaining older fleets and integrating air defense radar systems for enhanced airspace surveillance.

The ISPR statement said the visit renewed historical ties between the two nations and reinforced commitments to deepen defense cooperation and long-term strategic partnership.

The Chief Adviser’s Press Wings Facts has identified misinformation portraying an internal dispute among members of the Hindu community in Ullapara, Sirajganj, as an incident of minority persecution. On Tuesday, the verified Facebook page of Press Wings Facts reported that several social media posts falsely claimed that a group called ‘Tawhidi Janata’ obstructed the cremation of an elderly Hindu woman.

According to the fact-checking report, the dispute was not communal in nature. The confusion arose when the person responsible for the cremation ground delayed handing over the key, prompting protests from the deceased’s relatives. The matter was later resolved with the intervention of the Upazila administration, and the cremation was completed the same day. Local resident Bablu Bhoumik explained that the misunderstanding occurred because the family used the old name of the cremation ground during announcements.

Press Wings Facts warned that the incident was being misrepresented on social media to spread communal confusion and clarified that it was entirely an internal matter within the community.

Election Commissioner Brigadier General (Retd.) Abul Fazal Md. Sanaullah announced that anyone attempting to influence the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election will be brought under the law immediately. He gave this directive during separate meetings with the divisional and district administrations and the law enforcement coordination cell at the Chattogram Circuit House on Tuesday afternoon. The administration has been instructed to act with transparency, neutrality, and firmness to ensure a fair election process.

Sanaullah emphasized that all necessary measures will be taken to maintain law and order and uphold the electoral code of conduct. He noted that the reduced internal conflicts among political parties and their caution in following the code are positive signs. Expressing concern that some groups might spread misinformation and rumors ahead of the election, he warned that such acts are punishable offenses and urged journalists and citizens to help prevent them.

He added that the overall situation in Chattogram remains stable, with all security forces and administrative wings well-prepared and voters eager to participate in the upcoming election.

National Citizens Party (NCP) spokesperson Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan has alleged that members of the administration and intelligence agencies have aligned themselves with a particular political party, calling it a threat to democracy and fair elections in Bangladesh. He made the remarks on Tuesday after meeting Chief Election Commissioner A.M.M. Nasir Uddin.

Asif Mahmud accused officials of regularly visiting one party’s office and claimed that such behavior shows bias even before the ruling party is determined by public mandate. He warned that if the Election Commission’s neutrality is questioned, the NCP will take to the streets. He also alleged double standards in the nomination review and appeal process, citing examples from constituencies including Cumilla-4, Sylhet-1, and Sylhet-3, where he claimed opposition candidates were favored while NCP nominees were unfairly rejected.

He further stated that over 100 instances of discrimination in nomination scrutiny have been documented and warned that public distrust in the election process is deepening. The NCP urged the commission to ensure impartial appeal hearings to prevent further erosion of confidence.