The Education Rights Parliament has expressed deep concern over the government's move to swiftly approve the proposed Education Act 2026. In a statement signed by its convener, Professor Niaz Asadullah, the organization said that passing such a significant law during the interim government's limited tenure, without public engagement, stakeholder consultation, or national consensus, would be inappropriate.

The statement emphasized that the Education Act is a long-term, multidimensional law requiring participation from all relevant stakeholders, evidence-based analysis, and broad civic discussion. The group warned that approving the draft in the current context would undermine democratic deliberation and participation. It also pointed out definitional ambiguities, unclear governance structures, and a lack of implementation guidelines in the draft, which could lead to future administrative and policy complications.

The Education Rights Parliament proposed deferring the approval of the Education Act 2026 until a newly elected government takes office, allowing for inclusive participation and the creation of a stronger, sustainable, and widely accepted education law.

Lieutenant General (Retd.) Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, Adviser to the Ministry of Home and Agriculture, stated that there is no possibility of vote rigging in the upcoming national parliamentary election. He expressed confidence that the election would be credible, peaceful, and festive. He urged everyone to cooperate and report any irregularities immediately so that prompt action could be taken. He made these remarks on Sunday afternoon after a meeting on law and order regarding the national election and referendum at the Rangpur Divisional Commissioner’s office.

Responding to a question about whether a fair election is possible under the current law and order situation, the adviser said that necessary preparations have been made according to local needs. The meeting discussed related measures to ensure a peaceful and fair election. He reiterated his expectation of a free, fair, and credible election conducted in a festive atmosphere.

Senior officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Rangpur Division, police, district administration, armed forces, Rapid Action Battalion, Border Guard Bangladesh, and Ansar-VDP were present at the meeting.

Brigadier (Retd.) Sakhawat Hossain, adviser to the Ministry of Shipping, said on Sunday that the ongoing protests at Chattogram Port cannot continue by holding 180 million people hostage. Speaking to reporters at the Secretariat, he described the protesters’ demands as trivial and confirmed that the government would now adopt a hardline stance. He also mentioned that several individuals involved had already been arrested.

The adviser alleged that some groups were attempting to create unrest ahead of the upcoming national election. He warned that if the election in Chattogram did not take place, questions could arise about the entire national election. Referring to the upcoming holy month of Ramadan, he noted that essential commodities such as lentils, oil, and chickpeas are imported through the port, and a few people were disrupting this vital supply chain.

On the issue of the port contract, Sakhawat Hossain said that DP World had sent a letter to the chief adviser requesting additional time for the signing process.

Former army chief General (Retd.) Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan testified before International Crimes Tribunal-1 on Sunday in a case against Ziaul Ahsan, alleging that after the 2009 BDR mutiny, resentment against India and the Awami League sharply increased within the Bangladesh Army. He stated that professional officers were sidelined while loyal ones were promoted, and the army was drawn into national projects, leading to corruption. According to his testimony, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina believed a corrupt army would be safer for her government.

Bhuiyan further said that during Hasina’s 1996–2001 tenure, she consolidated control over the state by abolishing the caretaker government system and amending the constitution. He claimed that her relative, Tarique Siddique, as security adviser, established influence over intelligence and security agencies including DGFI, NSI, RAB, NTMC, Ansar, and BGB, forming four operational circles that extended political and financial control. Bhuiyan also described internal conflicts over RAB’s extrajudicial activities and his attempts to discipline officers defying military rules.

The testimony portrays a period of deep institutional division and alleged politicization within the armed forces following the BDR massacre.

Former army chief General (Retd.) Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan testified before International Crimes Tribunal-1 that the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) detained and tortured Tarique Rahman during the 2007–2009 emergency period. His statement came in a case against Ziaul Ahsan over alleged crimes against humanity involving abduction and murder. Bhuiyan said DGFI became the main controlling authority of the country during that time, detaining ministers and political figures in secret cells for interrogation.

In his testimony, Bhuiyan described how the emergency period altered the culture within the armed forces, leading to a return to political involvement, a rise in dominance attitudes, and divisions between senior and junior officers. He also mentioned the emergence of a cash-driven culture and blind obedience to superiors’ orders.

The testimony further recalled the 2009 BDR mutiny, in which 57 military officers and 17 civilians were killed. Human Rights Watch reported that around 50 BDR members died under interrogation at Pilkhana. Later, a court sentenced 152 to death, 161 to life imprisonment, and 256 to various prison terms.

The Bangladesh interim government has requested assistance from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in investigating the killing of Shahid Sharif Osman Hadi, spokesman of Inquilab Mancha. According to a press release from the Chief Adviser’s Press Wing on Sunday, the Permanent Mission of Bangladesh in Geneva sent a note verbale to the OHCHR on February 6, following instructions from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The letter sought technical and institutional support from the UN human rights office for the investigation.

Hadi was critically injured in a shooting in Dhaka’s Bijoynagar area on December 12 and later died while receiving treatment in Singapore on December 18. The Geneva mission stated that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would be informed once a response from the OHCHR is received.

The interim government reaffirmed its commitment to identifying those responsible and bringing them to justice, pledging to ensure maximum transparency and accountability in line with international human rights standards.

BNP Chairperson and Dhaka-17 candidate Tarique Rahman announced that at least 40 new playgrounds would be built across Dhaka if the BNP’s electoral symbol, the paddy sheaf, wins in the upcoming February 12 election. He made the announcement on Sunday during a campaign rally at ECB Square in Mirpur, Dhaka. Rahman said he kept his speech brief to avoid causing inconvenience to the public and emphasized his deep personal connection to the area, where he spent much of his life and family milestones.

Rahman stated that if the BNP forms the next government, the initiative would ensure open spaces for children to play and for residents, including elders and women, to walk and exercise. He also promised to widen a long-demanded local road to improve living conditions and traffic flow. Concluding his remarks, Rahman urged residents to vote for the paddy sheaf symbol and sought prayers for the opportunity to serve both his constituency and the entire nation.

The campaign event was part of Rahman’s outreach ahead of the February 12 polls in Dhaka-17 constituency.

National Citizen Party (NCP) spokesperson Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan has mocked a statement by a Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) candidate who urged party activists to stop extortion until February 12. Bhuiyan made the remarks on Saturday during an election rally, questioning whether the statement implied that extortion would be acceptable after the election. He argued that such comments create confusion among the public and raise doubts about the sincerity of the political party involved.

Bhuiyan emphasized that extortion is always illegal and reprehensible, not something that can be temporarily prohibited. He urged all political parties to take a clear and responsible stance to maintain law and order during the election period and to combat crime consistently. Otherwise, he warned, public trust could be seriously undermined.

The controversy began after BNP candidate Sarwar Jamal Nizam from Chattogram-13 (Anwara and Karnaphuli) made the appeal during the inauguration of an election office on February 6. A 55-second video of his remarks spread on social media, sparking widespread discussion and criticism in local political circles.

Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis has withdrawn its candidates from two constituencies in Narayanganj ahead of the 13th National Parliamentary Election. The party’s Amir, Allama Mamunul Haque, announced the decision on Saturday at an election rally in Fatullah. He declared support for Jamaat-e-Islami candidate Dr. Md. Iqbal Hossain in Narayanganj-3 (Siddhirganj-Sonargaon) and National Citizen Party (NCP) candidate Abdullah Al Amin in Narayanganj-4 (Fatullah). Khelafat Majlis nominees Shahjahan Shibli and Khondaker Anwar Hossain have stepped aside from their respective races.

Mamunul Haque explained that internal surveys showed Jamaat’s candidate in Narayanganj-3 had stronger prospects, while Abdullah Al Amin would contest as the unified candidate of the 11-party alliance in Narayanganj-4. He urged supporters to act with patience, tolerance, and loyalty in the interest of the broader coalition. The announcement was made in the presence of NCP’s Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan, Khondaker Anwar Hossain, and Abdullah Al Amin.

The move consolidates alliance support in two key Narayanganj constituencies ahead of the upcoming national election.

Nahid Islam, convener of the National Citizens Party (NCP) and candidate for Dhaka-11, declared that his party would achieve victory on February 12. Speaking at an election rally in Badda on Sunday, he expressed confidence in success not only in his constituency but across Bangladesh. He called on voters to support the 11-party alliance, which he described as a coalition for forming the next government and leading the future of the country.

In his speech, Nahid Islam urged citizens to make Bangladesh free from occupation, dominance, and terrorism. He criticized another unnamed political party for allegedly planning to endanger the country and emphasized the need to defeat such plans. He also highlighted the lack of public facilities in Dhaka-11, including the absence of government hospitals and high schools, poor drainage, and widespread land grabbing.

Nahid Islam pledged to eliminate land grabbers’ syndicates, restore or compensate lost lands, and ensure equal access to civic amenities. He attributed the area’s underdevelopment to political causes and vowed to address economic disparities if elected.

Chief Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury has called a full court meeting of all judges from both the Appellate and High Court Divisions of the Supreme Court. The meeting is scheduled to take place at 4 p.m. on Monday in the Supreme Court’s conference room.

According to the report, the agenda includes decisions on matters such as leave schedules, promotions, and approval of the annual calendar for subordinate courts. The meeting will also address several important administrative issues related to the Supreme Court Secretariat.

The gathering is expected to bring together all sitting judges to finalize key judicial and administrative decisions for the upcoming year, as indicated in the source.

Voting is underway in Japan’s interim election on Sunday, where Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi hopes to turn her early tenure’s momentum into a decisive win. Opinion polls suggest her ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its coalition partners are on track to secure around 310 of the 465 lower house seats, well above the 233 needed for a majority. Such a result would mark the LDP’s strongest performance since 2017. Analysts note that a sweeping victory could strain relations with China and unsettle Japan’s financial markets.

Takaichi, who became LDP leader in October, has gained popularity among young voters despite her roots in the party’s conservative wing. She has taken a tough stance on immigration, emphasizing strict screening to prevent entry by potential terrorists or spies and ensuring foreign residents meet tax and insurance obligations. Economically, she announced a $135 billion stimulus package to ease inflation and pledged to suspend consumer taxes on food items.

Japan’s public debt remains more than twice the size of its economy, with bond yields at record highs and the yen experiencing sharp fluctuations.

Jack Lang, former French culture minister, resigned as president of the Arab World Institute following revelations of his past contacts with Jeffrey Epstein and the launch of a financial investigation, France’s Foreign Ministry confirmed on Saturday. The country’s financial crimes prosecutors have opened a preliminary probe into Lang and his daughter Caroline for alleged laundering of aggravated tax-fraud proceeds related to suspected financial ties with Epstein. Lang, 86, was summoned by Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot for a meeting on Sunday after pressure mounted over the case.

French media reported that Lang had sought funds or favors from Epstein, while his daughter’s name appeared in files of an offshore company co-owned with the late financier. Caroline Lang, a film producer, resigned from her role as head of the Independent Production Union. Lang denied any knowledge of Epstein’s crimes and described the allegations as baseless, saying he faced the investigation with serenity.

The release of Epstein-related documents has triggered repercussions across Europe, prompting resignations and investigations involving public figures in the United Kingdom, Norway, Sweden, Slovakia, and several Baltic states.

Bangladesh is set to hold national elections on February 12, the first since student-led protests in 2024 forced former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to flee the country following a violent crackdown on demonstrators. More than 127 million citizens are eligible to vote, and for the first time, about 15 million expatriates will be able to cast postal ballots. The caretaker government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, is overseeing the polls amid concerns about potential unrest.

The Awami League, Hasina’s former ruling party, has been banned as its leader and senior officials face criminal trials for their roles in the 2024 crackdown. Hasina was sentenced to death in absentia for ordering the killing of protesters, but India, where she has taken refuge, has not agreed to extradite her. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat-e-Islami are the main contenders, each leading multi-party coalitions. A total of 1,981 candidates are competing for 350 parliamentary seats.

Bangladesh’s elections have historically been marred by boycotts, violence, and allegations of rigging. The upcoming vote is being described as the country’s largest democratic exercise of the year.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to travel to the United States for discussions centered on Iran. His office announced the visit on Saturday night, just one day after high-level talks between the United States and Iran took place in Oman. Netanyahu will depart for Washington on Tuesday and meet U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday.

According to a statement from Netanyahu’s office, the prime minister believes that any agreement with Iran must include strict limitations on its ballistic missile program. He also insists that Iran’s support for proxy groups across the Middle East must be addressed in the negotiations. The statement reflects Israel’s concern that Iran’s missile program was reportedly not included in the ongoing U.S.-Iran discussions in Oman.

This will be Netanyahu’s seventh visit to the United States during Trump’s second term, underscoring the frequency of their diplomatic engagements over the past year.