BNP’s student wing leaders have accused Jamaat-e-Islami and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) of forming mobs to influence the Election Commission’s decisions. At a press briefing held on Sunday, January 18, in front of the Election Commission building, Chhatra Dal General Secretary Nasir Uddin Nasir alleged that since August 5, Jamaat and NCP have repeatedly mobilized crowds to force changes in commission decisions. He urged the commission to act independently and not yield to mob pressure.

Nasir also criticized the Election Commission’s handling of postal ballots, describing it as poor management. He claimed that postal ballots were found in the homes of Jamaat and Shibir members, and that the commission itself admitted to management shortcomings. Chhatra Dal President Rakibul Islam Rakib added that the Shahjalal University student union election had been postponed until February 12 following a ministry directive, but the commission later reversed that decision. He said the commission had been informed of their position and would discuss the matter.

The statements reflect ongoing tensions between student political groups and the Election Commission over electoral management and decision-making transparency.

Leaders of the Bangladesh Nationalist Small Ethnic Group Party met with BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman on Sunday night at the BNP chairperson’s office in Gulshan, Dhaka. The 12-member delegation was led by the party’s president, Mrigen Hagid. BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir was also present during the meeting.

According to party sources, the discussion focused on the current political situation in the country, the rights and participation of small ethnic groups, and future political programs. The meeting was described as part of ongoing political consultations within the BNP framework.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Small Ethnic Group Party was formed on December 18, 2007, under the directive of BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia and with the approval of the then BNP Secretary General.

Leaflets titled 'Yes' promoting support for change in the upcoming referendum will be distributed to every household across Dhaka city. The campaign will also include drop-down banners and billboards on high-rise buildings, decorative festoons on road dividers, and sticker displays at various installations to encourage citizens to vote 'Yes' for building a democratic, humane, and prosperous Bangladesh.

The plan was announced during a meeting held on Sunday afternoon between Professor Ali Riaz, Special Assistant (with adviser status) to the Chief Adviser, and senior officials including Local Government and Rural Development Secretary Rezaul Maksud Zahidi, Dhaka North City Corporation Administrator Mohammad Ejaz, and Dhaka South City Corporation Administrator Md. Mahmudul Hasan. Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser Monir Haidar was also present at the meeting.

The initiative aims to ensure citywide awareness and participation in the forthcoming referendum through coordinated publicity efforts across both city corporations.

Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen announced that he will visit the Teesta project area. He made the statement during a courtesy meeting with National Security Adviser Dr. Khaliqul Rahman at the Chief Adviser’s Office in Dhaka on Sunday. According to a press release from the Chief Adviser’s Press Wing, both sides discussed issues of mutual interest and reaffirmed the long-standing friendship and development cooperation between Bangladesh and China.

During the meeting, discussions covered the integrated management and restoration of the Teesta River and the proposed Bangladesh-China Friendship Hospital. The ambassador reiterated China’s commitment to completing the ongoing technical assessment of the Teesta project as soon as possible. He also expressed his government’s continued support for Bangladesh’s democratic transition and conveyed good wishes for the upcoming national election.

Both parties expressed satisfaction with the positive progress in bilateral relations and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation for mutual benefit.

The National Citizens Party (NCP) has announced that it is reconsidering its participation in the upcoming national election, alleging that the Election Commission (EC) is biased in favor of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). NCP spokesperson and central election committee chairman Asif Mahmud made the statement on Sunday at a press conference held at the party’s temporary central office in Banglamotor, Dhaka.

Mahmud accused the EC of partiality on several issues, including the validation of nominations for dual citizens and loan defaulters. He said the NCP lacks confidence in the commission’s ability to hold a free and fair election. The party will make a collective decision after discussions within its ten-party electoral alliance. Mahmud also mentioned that the NCP is preparing to take to the streets after consulting with allied parties.

He further alleged that during appeal hearings on candidate eligibility, election commissioners met with BNP leaders and issued rulings that violated the Representation of the People Order and the constitution. Other NCP officials, including Monira Sharmin and Zahirul Islam, were present at the briefing.

A motorcyclist attached a white envelope with tape to the moving bulletproof car of BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman and quickly fled the scene in Dhaka’s Gulshan area. The incident occurred around 11:45 p.m. last Wednesday on Road 65 while Rahman was returning home from his office. His personal security team was accompanying the convoy at the time. Police at Gulshan Police Station later filed a general diary over the incident.

According to Officer-in-Charge Rakibul Islam, the motorcyclist, riding a white Hero Hunk bike, approached at high speed and stuck the envelope to the vehicle before driving away toward the American Club. A video of the event was recovered but was not clear enough to identify the rider. Police have yet to determine the motorcyclist’s identity or the contents of the envelope.

Deputy Commissioner of Gulshan Division Rawnak Alam said the investigation is ongoing. The envelope remains in the custody of Rahman’s personal security force, and police have not been informed of its contents.

BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman is set to visit Chattogram on January 25, 2026, after more than two decades. According to the announced schedule, he will attend a BNP-organized rally at the city’s Polo Ground as the chief guest. His last visit to Chattogram was on May 6, 2005, when he served as the party’s senior joint secretary general. This will be his first visit to the port city since being declared BNP chairperson on January 9, 2026.

BNP leaders and activists in Chattogram are preparing extensively for his arrival, expressing strong enthusiasm and optimism. Separate plans have been made by the city and district BNP units to welcome him. The party expects a gathering of around 1.5 million people at the rally, where Rahman is anticipated to deliver a message of unity to strengthen the party’s campaign for the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election. Three subcommittees—discipline, publicity, and reception—have been formed to coordinate the event.

Local BNP leaders, including Chattogram City Mayor Dr. Shahadat Hossain, said the city is eagerly awaiting Rahman’s visit, expecting the day to turn into a festive occasion for residents.

Chief Adviser Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus has called on all political parties and citizens to work together to ensure a successful national election and referendum scheduled for February 12. He made the remarks during a meeting with a four-member delegation from Jamaat-e-Islami, led by party chief Dr. Shafiqur Rahman, at the state guesthouse Jamuna on Sunday evening. Yunus emphasized that regardless of victory or defeat, everyone must unite for the country’s interest and the success of the polls.

According to a press release from the Chief Adviser’s Press Wing, Yunus announced several measures to ensure transparency and fairness, including a hotline for complaints, installation of CCTV cameras at most polling centers, and body cameras for officials at high-risk locations. He assured that any urgent election-related issues would be promptly referred to the Election Commission. Jamaat leaders informed that their full-scale campaign would begin on January 22, alongside their ongoing “Yes” campaign for the referendum.

Yunus also clarified that government campaigning in favor of the “Yes” vote was legally permissible, stating that the interim government’s duty was to support reform efforts emerging from the people’s movement.

Advocate Saifur Rahman, the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami nominated candidate for the Chattogram-1 (Mirsharai) parliamentary seat, has publicly sought financial assistance to cover his election expenses. He made the appeal through a Facebook live session and a written post, citing the Election Commission’s rule that allows a candidate to spend a maximum of 10 taka per voter. Based on the total number of voters in his constituency, he said his maximum permissible expenditure limit has been set accordingly.

Rahman stated that he does not intend to spend beyond the legal limit and emphasized the significant costs involved in voter outreach, campaigning, and public engagement. He mentioned that several well-wishers have already expressed interest in providing moral and financial support. Those wishing to contribute legally and transparently were invited to participate.

To ensure transparency, Rahman shared his Sonali Bank Mirsharai branch account number and personal bKash and Nagad mobile banking details, promising to update transactions regularly. His post, made four days earlier, drew attention from netizens after it began circulating online.

Health and Family Welfare Adviser Nurjahan Begum has called on citizens to vote 'Yes' in the upcoming national referendum, describing it as a step toward realizing the nation’s collective dreams. She made the remarks on Sunday afternoon after inspecting the 'Yes Vote Campaign Vehicle' at the Natore District Collectorate premises.

Begum said Bangladesh achieved independence in 1971 but social inequality, once driven by western groups, still persists and has even grown. Referring to the mass movement of 2024, she recalled that around 14,000 young people were injured, 32 lost limbs, and 22 lost their eyesight. She questioned whether such sacrifices had brought the expected fair and equal society envisioned after independence.

She emphasized that government officials must remain neutral and ensure a festive, transparent voting environment. Begum warned that any attempts at misconduct would be captured by CCTV cameras. Following the inspection, she held a meeting with district-level officials about the upcoming Referendum-26, attended by senior health and administrative officers.

Kamaruzzaman Hira, a member and former joint convener of Titas Upazila BNP in Cumilla-2 (Homna-Titas) constituency, warned that independent and Jamaat activists would not be allowed near polling centers. His remarks came during a doa and milad mahfil held on Saturday afternoon at Char Kumaria Bazar in Satani Union, organized by the local BNP and affiliated organizations to pray for the late Khaleda Zia. A video of his speech, lasting about three minutes and seventeen seconds, later spread on social media.

In the video, Hira described the Char Kumaria center as a BNP stronghold since 1991 and expressed confidence in winning from the area on January 12. He also voiced support for a proposal by Samsul Haque regarding four polling centers and praised BNP candidate Principal Selim Bhuiyan, predicting his success. Bhuiyan, the BNP-nominated candidate for Cumilla-2 and a central executive committee member, later told journalists that Hira’s comments were entirely personal and not endorsed by the party.

Local voters in Titas urged the administration and law enforcement agencies to ensure a free, fair, and impartial election.

The Election Commission (EC) has issued separate show-cause notices to Nahid Islam, convener of the National Citizen Party (NCP), and Nasiruddin Patwari, the NCP candidate for Dhaka-8 constituency, for alleged violations of the electoral code of conduct ahead of the 13th National Parliamentary Election. The notices, signed by Returning Officer and Dhaka Divisional Commissioner Sharaf Uddin Ahmad Chowdhury on Sunday, January 18, 2026, cited the display of large color billboards in Dhaka-11 and Dhaka-8 constituencies featuring campaign slogans and candidate images.

According to the EC, the actions contravened Rule 18 of the Political Party and Candidate Conduct Rules 2025, which prohibits any form of election campaigning more than three weeks before the polling date. The candidates were instructed to remove all billboards by 9:30 a.m. on January 19 and to submit written explanations by 11:00 a.m. the same day at the Returning Officer’s office.

The 13th National Parliamentary Election and referendum are scheduled to be held on February 12, 2026, under the supervision of the Election Commission.

The Election Commission has validated the nomination of Sharaf Uddin Azad Sohel, vice-president of Ramgati Upazila Awami League, as an independent candidate for the 13th National Parliamentary Election in the Lakshmipur-4 (Ramgati-Kamalnagar) constituency. His nomination was initially rejected by the district returning officer, S.M. Mehedi Hasan, due to inconsistencies in one percent of voter slips. Following an appeal, the Chief Election Commission found the voter support authentic and reinstated his candidacy.

The decision has sparked anger among July Movement activists and local BNP members, who accused Sohel of past involvement in violence, vote manipulation, and misuse of political influence. July Mancha’s joint convener Abdus Sobhan alleged that Sohel led attacks on students and citizens during the July movement and used his loyalists to intimidate opponents. BNP leaders claimed his supporters vandalized their offices and destroyed posters of party leaders.

Assistant Returning Officer Nilufa Yasmin Nipa confirmed that Sohel collected his nomination form locally but submitted it at the district level, and attempts to contact the district returning officer for comment were unsuccessful.

The Rural Electrification Board (REB) will distribute leaflets titled 'Yes' to its 37.2 million customers ahead of the upcoming referendum. The announcement was made on Sunday, January 18, during a meeting between REB Chairman Major General S M Ziaul Alam and Professor Ali Riaz, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser, at the latter’s office. Special Assistant Monir Haidar was also present at the meeting.

According to a press release issued by Senior Information Officer Mahbubur Rahman Tuhin from the Department of Information, the leaflets will promote support for change in the forthcoming referendum. The initiative reflects REB’s involvement in disseminating information related to the national vote.

No further details were provided regarding the distribution timeline or the specific content of the leaflets beyond their title and purpose.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) A.M.M. Nasir Uddin stated that no bias was shown during the appeal hearings against decisions made by returning officers. He made the remarks on Sunday, January 18, 2026, at the Election Building after nine consecutive days of hearings. The CEC emphasized that the Election Commission had also waived the requirement for independent candidates to gather signatures from one percent of voters, aiming to ensure broader participation in the upcoming election.

Nasir Uddin acknowledged that some might criticize the Commission’s decisions but reiterated that all judgments were made impartially by him and his team. He expressed appreciation for the cooperation received during the hearings and hoped for continued support in the future. Election Commissioner Abul Fazl Md. Sanaullah added that the Commission reluctantly allowed some loan defaulters to contest, as permitted by law.

The CEC’s remarks highlight the Commission’s intent to promote inclusivity and transparency in the electoral process while addressing concerns about fairness and legal compliance.