BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has described the upcoming 13th National Parliament election as a tough test for his party and for Bangladesh’s liberal democratic forces. Speaking on Tuesday at a discussion marking the 90th birth anniversary of BNP founder and late President Ziaur Rahman at the Diploma Engineers Institute auditorium in Dhaka, Fakhrul said the election would determine whether the country remains under liberal democratic leadership or falls into the hands of extremist and anti-state elements.

He emphasized that BNP seeks an election and will accept the people’s verdict, pledging to go to the voters with the party’s 31-point program, Tarique Rahman’s new eight-point plan, and initiatives like the Family Card and Farmers Card. Fakhrul said victory for BNP’s symbol, the paddy sheaf, would be a true tribute to Ziaur Rahman and Khaleda Zia. He also criticized Jamaat-e-Islami’s past political role and urged all parties to practice honest politics without exploiting religion.

Fakhrul reiterated that BNP first proposed state reforms through Vision 2030 and the 31-point plan, calling reform their “brainchild” and stressing consensus for the nation’s greater interest.

Hedayet Ali Shah Fakir, chairman of Itakhola Union Parishad and vice president of the district Krishak League, joined the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in Nilphamari. The event took place on Tuesday afternoon at the municipal market office in the district town, where he formally joined by presenting flowers to BNP candidate for Nilphamari-2 constituency, Engineer Shahrin Islam Chowdhury Tuhin. Along with him, nine union parishad members also joined the party.

During his speech, Hedayet Ali Shah Fakir expressed pride in joining under Tuhin’s leadership, describing him as a blessing for the area and emphasizing the need for development in Nilphamari. District BNP leaders, including convener Mir Selim Faruk and member secretary A.H.M. Saifullah Rubel, were present at the event.

In his address, Tuhin outlined plans to make Nilphamari an illiteracy-free district and develop it as a center for education and healthcare. He also announced a plan to create employment for 100,000 people and pledged to make Nilphamari the best district in Rangpur Division within five years if elected.

A total of 15,345 voters in Habiganj district have registered to cast their votes through postal ballots in the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election and referendum. According to District Election Officer Anwar Mahmud, the registered voters include government and private sector employees working in different parts of the country, officials on election duty, and expatriates living abroad. The Election Commission will send symbol-marked ballot papers for the parliamentary election and separate pink ballots for the referendum to the registered voters by mail.

Seat-wise data show that Habiganj-1 (Nabiganj-Bahubal) has 4,297 postal voters, Habiganj-2 (Baniachang-Ajmiriganj) has 2,838, Habiganj-3 (Sadar-Lakhai-Shayestaganj) has 3,250, and Habiganj-4 (Madhabpur-Chunarughat) has 4,960. After voting, ballots must be mailed back to the respective returning officers following the prescribed procedure.

The counting of postal ballots will take place at 4:30 p.m. on February 12, after the close of voting, in the presence of candidates’ agents at the returning officer’s office.

Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus has instructed authorities to expedite the recovery of looted weapons ahead of the upcoming national election. The directive was conveyed by his Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam during a briefing held on Tuesday afternoon at the Foreign Service Academy auditorium. Earlier that morning, Dr. Yunus made the call during a meeting of the National Implementation Committee on Administrative Reorganization at his Jamuna residence.

According to the press secretary, the meeting also approved a proposal to rename the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs as the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs. The committee discussed several administrative restructuring proposals, totaling eleven, as part of ongoing governance reforms.

The emphasis on recovering stolen weapons reflects the caretaker administration’s focus on maintaining law and order before the election period, while the ministry’s renaming signals a move toward updated institutional terminology.

The Rural Electrification Board (REB) has initiated a large-scale campaign to encourage citizens to vote 'Yes' in the upcoming national referendum. The decision was made at a meeting held on Tuesday at the Chief Adviser’s Office, attended by Special Assistant Professor Ali Riaz and Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Adviser Muhammad Faozul Kabir Khan. The campaign aims to raise public awareness about the referendum and promote participation across the country.

As part of the initiative, REB will distribute leaflets titled 'The Key of the Country is in Your Hands' to 37.2 million customers by February 7, explaining the rationale for voting 'Yes'. The plan also includes regional meetings with 1.8 million prepaid customers, loudspeaker announcements in rural areas, promotional activities on the Facebook pages of 80 rural electricity cooperatives, and drop-down banners at REB offices nationwide. Professor Ali Riaz stated that the people of Bangladesh desire a democratic and humane society and must be motivated to vote 'Yes' to achieve it.

The meeting was also attended by Special Assistant Monir Haidar, Power Division Secretary Farzana Momtaz, and REB Chairman Major General S.M. Zia-ul-Azim, with 417 field-level officials joining via Zoom.

U.S. President Donald Trump has posted several controversial images on his social media platform Truth Social, appearing to intensify his rhetoric about taking control of Greenland. Among the images is one showing the U.S. flag flying over Greenland, which has triggered renewed international discussion. Another post includes a screenshot of a message from French President Emmanuel Macron alongside an altered presentation board. The edited image, believed to be from August 2025, originally depicted the Ukraine conflict frontline but now shows U.S. flags over North America, Canada, and Greenland.

Trump also shared an illustration portraying himself planting the U.S. flag in Greenland, accompanied by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance. A sign in the image reads “Greenland: U.S. Territory, Established 2026.” Analysts cited by the report say the posts have reignited debate over Greenland’s sovereignty and the United States’ intentions.

The images have drawn attention to Washington’s stance toward Greenland, with observers noting that the posts could further strain international discussions about territorial sovereignty.

Jamaat-e-Islami has withdrawn its candidate from the Dhaka-18 constituency ahead of Bangladesh’s upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election. Principal Ashraful Haque, the party’s nominated candidate, formally withdrew his nomination papers from the Election Commission office on Tuesday, expressing support for the National Citizen Party (NCP) candidate Ariful Islam Adib.

Earlier on Saturday, Ashraful Haque had announced his decision to step aside in favor of Adib, who serves as the convener of NCP’s Dhaka Metropolitan North unit. According to an NCP statement, Haque has long been active in the constituency and maintained close ties with local residents. The statement added that, in the interest of broader alliance unity, the Dhaka-18 seat was allocated to the NCP candidate.

The withdrawal reflects a strategic move within the electoral alliance, aiming to consolidate support in Dhaka-18 under a single candidate representing the coalition.

The Election Commission (EC) of Bangladesh is holding a meeting this Tuesday afternoon with representatives of 63 registered political parties ahead of the 13th National Parliament election and the upcoming referendum. The meeting is scheduled for 4 p.m. at the EC headquarters in Agargaon, Dhaka. According to the commission, the discussions will focus mainly on the functions of the ‘Postal Vote BD’ app and related issues. Chief Election Commissioner A M M Nasir Uddin, other election commissioners, the EC secretary, and senior officials will attend the session.

Before the meeting, Swedish Ambassador Niclas Wik will pay a courtesy call on the Chief Election Commissioner at 3 p.m. The commission stated that they will discuss various important matters concerning the forthcoming national election. Meanwhile, the withdrawal of nomination papers has been ongoing since morning at the Election Training Institute (ETI) building, and the EC will announce the total number of withdrawn nominations after 5 p.m.

The meeting is part of the EC’s preparations to ensure coordination with political parties and smooth management of election-related processes.

The High Court has set Wednesday, January 21, for the hearing of a writ petition filed by BNP candidate Manjurul Ahsan Munshi challenging the Election Commission’s decision that invalidated his nomination for the Comilla-4 constituency. The bench led by Justice Rajik Al Jalil fixed the date on Tuesday. Munshi’s legal team includes Advocate Ahsanul Karim, Barrister Hamidul Misbah, and Advocate Saifullah Al Mamun, while Hasnat Abdullah is represented by Barrister Ehsan Abdullah Siddiqi and others.

Earlier, on January 17, the Election Commission (EC) accepted an appeal by National Citizen Party (NCP) candidate Hasnat Abdullah, who alleged that Munshi concealed information about being a loan defaulter. Following the EC’s decision, Munshi’s nomination was declared invalid. Before that, the returning officer had approved his nomination as valid.

Munshi’s petition seeks to overturn the EC’s January 17 decision and restore his candidacy. The High Court’s ruling on Wednesday will determine whether he can contest the election in Comilla-4.

Ambassadors from Russia, Sweden, Denmark, and Norway held separate courtesy meetings with BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman on Tuesday afternoon at his political office in Gulshan, Dhaka. The discussions took place in a cordial atmosphere, according to BNP Joint Secretary General and Foreign Affairs Advisory Committee member Humayun Kabir, who briefed reporters afterward.

Kabir said the international community has shown special interest in Tarique Rahman and his views on Bangladesh’s development. The meetings focused on how to work together based on mutual cooperation while prioritizing Bangladesh’s national interests. He added that if the BNP comes to power through the February 12 national election, the party intends to maintain diplomatic relations and engage with the international community in line with its 31-point program.

Kabir clarified that no specific issues regarding the election were discussed, though the ambassadors expressed optimism about Bangladesh’s democratic process and its post-election trajectory. BNP officials Saleh Shibli, Mahadi Amin, and Rashedul Haque were also present during the meetings.

A discussion meeting and prayer gathering were held in Parshuram, Feni, on Tuesday, January 20, to mark the 90th birth anniversary of late President Ziaur Rahman. The event took place at a local auditorium and was organized by the upazila and municipal units of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) along with its affiliated organizations. Abdul Halim Manik, convener of the upazila BNP and former union parishad chairman, presided over the program, while Abu Taleb, a member of the BNP’s national executive committee, attended as the chief guest.

The event was conducted by Mahbubul Haque Majumdar and Abul Khayer Liton, with several BNP leaders including Ibrahim Khalil Moni, Habibur Rahman Habib, and Kazi Yusuf Mahfuz attending as special guests. In his speech, Abu Taleb said that Ziaur Rahman had established the BNP as a people’s party and sacrificed his life for the country’s independence and sovereignty. He urged party members to work toward implementing the ideals left by Ziaur Rahman.

The gathering reflected the BNP’s continued efforts to honor its founder’s legacy through local organizational activities.

The Jahangirnagar University Central Students’ Union (JAKSU) has expressed deep concern and strong condemnation over the court’s suspension of the Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) student council election. In a joint statement signed by JAKSU Vice President Abdur Rashid Jitu and General Secretary Md. Majharul Islam on Monday midnight, the organization criticized the legal and political interference that halted the long-awaited election.

According to the statement, the election was postponed just before voting despite the participation of 196 candidates and thousands of students preparing for a festive democratic exercise. JAKSU described the four-week suspension, issued following a petition by three applicants, as regrettable and contrary to students’ democratic rights. The leaders argued that student unions are vital for leadership development and that obstructing this process for political gain reflects authoritarian tendencies.

JAKSU further urged the removal of all legal and political barriers to ensure the SUST student council election is held as soon as possible, emphasizing that depriving students of their voting rights under any pretext is unacceptable.

Jamaat-e-Islami has announced it will contest 215 constituencies in the upcoming 13th parliamentary election as part of a 10-party alliance, leaving 85 seats for allied parties. The decision was confirmed on Tuesday, the final day for withdrawal of nomination papers. Earlier, Jamaat had planned to contest 179 seats, reserving 47 for Islami Andolan, but the latter did not join the alliance.

Following Islami Andolan’s absence, the previously reserved seats were redistributed among other partners including the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis, Khelafat Majlis, LDP, AB Party, BDP, and Nezame Islam Party. According to reports, NCP received 30 seats, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis 23, and Khelafat Majlis 12, with some additional seats still open. Jamaat’s Assistant Secretary General Ehsanul Mahbub Zubair stated that final details would be announced after the nomination withdrawal deadline.

Political analysts noted that although Jamaat’s seat share increased due to Islami Andolan’s withdrawal, the party allocated a significant number of constituencies to partners to maintain balance within the alliance.

Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis candidate Mofazzal Hossain has formally withdrawn his nomination for the Comilla-4 (Debidwar) constituency to support Hasnat Abdullah, the Jamaat–NCP alliance candidate and chief organizer of NCP’s southern region. The withdrawal took place on Tuesday morning when Hossain submitted his application to Assistant Returning Officer and Debidwar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Rakibul Islam.

Following the withdrawal, Mofazzal Hossain stated that his decision followed the central directive to strengthen unity within the ten-party alliance. He described Hasnat Abdullah as a qualified leader whose leadership contributes to a democratic environment. Hossain also urged party members to vote for Hasnat under the ‘Shapla Koli’ symbol on the upcoming 12th.

The event was attended by leaders and activists from Jamaat, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis, and NCP, including Saiful Islam Shahid, the Jamaat candidate who had earlier withdrawn from the same constituency.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has alleged that a political party is making provocative statements surrounding the upcoming national election. He made the remarks on Tuesday afternoon, emphasizing that the BNP supports reform and the 'yes' vote, while accusing another party of spreading misinformation.

According to Mirza Fakhrul, the chief adviser has launched a campaign under the banner of reform, but certain groups are engaging in propaganda. He also stated that those who once refused to recognize Bangladesh are now causing the most trouble. The BNP leader described the forthcoming national election as a decisive moment to determine whether the country will remain under liberal democratic leadership or fall into the hands of extremist, anti-state elements.

The comments come amid heightened political activity and competing narratives ahead of the national polls, reflecting growing tension between major political forces in Bangladesh.