BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman arrived at the Rajshahi rally venue on Thursday at 1:55 p.m., greeting the crowd with a wave. His visit marks his first trip to Rajshahi in 22 years, generating excitement among party leaders and supporters. He is scheduled to deliver a keynote speech as the chief guest at the election rally, which is being held at the historic Madrasa Maidan.

The rally is organized as part of BNP’s election campaign and involves participants from Rajshahi, Natore, and Chapainawabganj districts. According to local BNP leaders, Rahman last visited Rajshahi in 2004 to attend a union representatives’ conference. During this event, he is expected to formally introduce 13 parliamentary candidates from the three districts.

Extensive publicity and preparations have surrounded the rally, reflecting its significance in the party’s regional campaign efforts.

Khelafat Majlis leaders have strongly condemned the killing of a Jamaat leader in Sherpur, describing it as a brutal attack allegedly carried out by local BNP activists. The condemnation came during the party’s central executive meeting held on Wednesday night at its central office in Paltan, Dhaka, chaired by Naib-e-Amir Professor Abdullah Farid. A press release issued on Thursday detailed the party’s concerns over the incident and the overall election environment.

During the meeting, leaders expressed deep concern that the administration had failed to ensure a level playing field for free and fair elections. They alleged that muscle power and political violence had resurfaced, with Khelafat Majlis candidates facing obstacles in their campaigns in constituencies such as Sylhet-3 and Manikganj-2. Election materials were reportedly being destroyed, and members of the 11-party alliance were being attacked.

The party demanded immediate arrest and exemplary punishment of the killers, urging the Election Commission to take effective measures to stop electoral violence. It also called for increased vigilance by returning officers and law enforcement to ensure peaceful polls on February 12.

Advocate Mohammad Shishir Monir, the candidate of the 11-party alliance for the Sunamganj-2 constituency, has called for a transparent and neutral list of presiding and polling officers for the upcoming election. In a video message released on Thursday, he demanded that individuals holding party positions be excluded from the list and not be trained for election duties. He emphasized that intelligence agencies are aware of such affiliations and insisted that no leniency should be shown in ensuring neutrality.

In his live address, which quickly went viral, Monir also urged the deployment of army personnel at vulnerable polling centers and suggested equipping police officers with body cameras, noting that the government has the necessary budget for this. Addressing assistant returning officers, he criticized the lack of proactive measures and encouraged them to use intelligence sources to ensure a fair and impartial election process.

His remarks reflect growing concerns about election transparency and administrative neutrality in the Sunamganj-2 constituency ahead of the polls.

The Shahjadapur Union BNP committee in Sarail upazila of Brahmanbaria has been suspended for allegedly campaigning for independent candidate Rumin Farhana against the BNP-led alliance nominee in the Brahmanbaria-2 (Sarail-Ashuganj) constituency. The decision was announced Wednesday night through a press release signed by upazila BNP office secretary A.B.M. Salauddin, citing violations of party discipline and disregard for central directives. All activities of the 71-member committee will remain halted until further notice.

Earlier, six leaders from the Shahbazpur Union BNP, including its general secretary, were expelled for similar disciplinary breaches. These consecutive actions have sparked widespread discussion within the local BNP. Party and local sources said most Shahjadapur BNP leaders had joined Rumin Farhana’s campaign after the election announcement, ignoring repeated internal warnings.

Sarail upazila BNP president Anisul Islam stated that the suspension aims to uphold party discipline and may be reconsidered if members pledge to follow party decisions. The move has drawn mixed reactions among local activists, with some viewing it as necessary discipline and others as deepening internal division.

A protest rally was held in Dhaka’s Kadamthali area on Thursday morning demanding the arrest of those involved in the attack on Jamaat-e-Islami leader Kazi Maria Islam Baby. The demonstration was organized by the women’s wing of Jamaat-e-Islami’s Kadamthali unit following an assault on Baby during a campaign for party candidate Syed Zainul Abedin in Dhaka-4 constituency. The rally marched through key roads and concluded with a gathering attended by a large number of female activists from Dhaka city and local units.

Speakers at the rally alleged that certain groups were attempting to disrupt the election atmosphere through violence and intimidation. They described Jamaat as a disciplined organization and emphasized their intention to respond peacefully. Participants were urged to continue their outreach work in support of the party’s electoral symbol. The attack, which occurred on Wednesday afternoon in Ward 52 of Kadamthali, left Baby injured with four stitches on her head. The incident has drawn strong condemnation from Dhaka South Jamaat and candidate Syed Zainul Abedin.

Twelve leaders of the National Citizens Party (NCP) in Habiganj district resigned on Wednesday night, January 28, 2026, alleging the rehabilitation of fascist forces and the deliberate exclusion of July fighters. The announcement came during an emergency press conference at the party’s temporary office in the Babystand area of Habiganj town. Two days earlier, senior joint member secretary Palash Mahmud had also resigned, bringing the total number of resignations to thirteen.

At the press conference, the resigning leaders claimed that the NCP’s central committee had deviated from its centrist political stance by joining two alliances within two months. They also accused senior leaders and advisers of corruption and expressed dissatisfaction over candidate nominations, saying July fighters were unwilling to support the nominated candidates. The leaders alleged that grassroots activists linked to the July movement were excluded to create a loyal faction, while the district committee failed organizationally.

Palash Mahmud confirmed that all thirteen resignation letters had been sent to the central committee. He said the decision stemmed from frustration and that he currently saw no centrist political party in Bangladesh to join.

Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir has declared that the country’s armed forces are fully prepared to safeguard national sovereignty and regional integrity against all forms of threats. He made the statement on Wednesday during a visit to the Bahawalpur Garrison, according to a release from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) cited by Geo News.

During the inspection, Munir praised the officers and soldiers for their high morale, professional competence, and operational readiness. He emphasized the importance of maintaining maximum preparedness to meet future battlefield and security challenges.

Munir noted that the Pakistan Armed Forces are undergoing significant transformation across various sectors. He said that the nature of warfare is rapidly evolving due to technological advancements and that future conflicts will depend heavily on technological strategies. To address this, Pakistan’s military is swiftly adopting modern technologies.

BNP Election Steering Committee spokesperson Mahdi Amin has described the violence in Sherpur, which erupted during an election manifesto announcement, as deeply regrettable and undesirable. Speaking at a press conference at the party’s Gulshan office on Thursday, he said the conflict and resulting death over a trivial seating dispute were unacceptable. Amin alleged that Jamaat-e-Islami activists had occupied all chairs at the event and refused to vacate seats allocated for BNP members despite repeated administrative requests.

He stated that the party had expected a festive and peaceful election atmosphere following the recent mass uprising, but the Sherpur incident disrupted that hope. Citing social media footage, Amin claimed that police, administration, army, and senior BNP leaders had urged the Jamaat candidate to take an alternative route to avoid confrontation, but he ignored the advice. One person was killed and more than 40 BNP activists were injured, several critically.

Amin demanded a prompt and credible investigation and urged the interim government to prevent recurrence of such incidents. He also called for all political parties to act responsibly and for law enforcement agencies to strengthen their role in ensuring a fair election.

A protest march was held in Dhaka on Thursday demanding the arrest of attackers who assaulted Jamaat-e-Islami leader Kazi Maria Islam Baby during an election campaign. The demonstration, organized by the women’s wing of Jamaat-e-Islami’s Kadamtali Thana unit, began at 11:30 a.m. and concluded with a rally after marching through key roads. A large number of female leaders and activists from Dhaka city and local Jamaat units participated.

According to the report, the attack occurred on Wednesday afternoon in Ward 52 of Kadamtali, where unidentified assailants struck Kazi Maria Islam Baby on the head with a sharp weapon while she was campaigning for party candidate Syed Zainul Abedin in Dhaka-4. She received four stitches after being taken to a doctor. The incident drew strong condemnation from Dhaka South Jamaat and the constituency’s candidate, Syed Zainul Abedin.

Speakers at the rally alleged that certain groups were trying to disrupt the election environment through violence and urged supporters to continue peaceful campaign activities in favor of the party symbol.

European Union Ambassador to Bangladesh Michael Miller paid a courtesy call on Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman on Thursday morning at the party chief’s office in Bashundhara, Dhaka. The meeting began around 9:30 a.m., with EU Political First Secretary Sebastian Reiger-Brown accompanying the ambassador.

During the discussion, both sides exchanged views on issues of mutual interest between Bangladesh and the European Union. The upcoming national parliamentary election in Bangladesh and the importance of making democracy meaningful were highlighted as key topics. Both parties expressed optimism about maintaining mutual relations, development, and progress in the future.

Jamaat’s Assistant Secretary General and Head of the Central Publicity and Media Department Advocate Ehsanul Mahbub Jubayer and Foreign Affairs Adviser Professor Dr. Mahmudul Hasan were also present at the meeting.

Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman stated that Bangladesh would make a significant leap forward if extortion and corruption were stopped. He made the remarks on Thursday at an election rally in Karwan Bazar, Dhaka-12 constituency, in support of Jamaat-nominated parliamentary candidate Saiful Alam Khan Milon.

During his speech, Dr. Rahman emphasized the potential of the country’s youth, saying that no other nation has as many young people as Bangladesh. He described the youth as the architects of the nation’s future and said they should not be humiliated by being given unemployment allowances. Instead, he pledged to turn their hands into those of skilled workers.

The comments were made as part of Jamaat-e-Islami’s election campaign activities in Dhaka, focusing on anti-corruption and youth empowerment themes.

Jamaat-e-Islami has launched a multimedia bus campaign in support of its electoral symbol, the scale, ahead of Bangladesh’s upcoming 13th national election. The bus was formally inaugurated on Thursday morning in Mirpur by the party’s Ameer, Dr. Shafiqur Rahman. Operating under the slogan “Let’s build Bangladesh together,” the bus will be used for digital campaign activities across the capital.

During the inauguration, Dr. Rahman stated that the party seeks to build a just, humane, and safe society, emphasizing the need to transform Mirpur from an area once affected by violence into a secure community. He expressed hopes that if Jamaat forms the government, it will serve the people rather than rule over them, ensuring that everyone receives their due rights.

Senior Jamaat leaders, including central executive council member Mobarak Hossain, Dhaka-15 election director Abdur Rahman Musa, and national election committee member Saifullah Mansur, were present at the event.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has formally requested the Election Commission not to include its party symbol, the 'scales', on the ballot paper for the Narsingdi-2 constituency in the upcoming national election. The request was made in a letter sent on January 23 to Chief Election Commissioner A M M Nasir Uddin, signed by Jamaat Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar. The party explained that although it had initially nominated its own candidate for the February 12 election, the seat was later allocated to National Citizen Party (NCP) candidate Md Golam Sarwar, also known as Sarwar Tushar, under a ten-party electoral alliance.

Jamaat stated that its nominated candidate could not withdraw his nomination papers in time, creating the possibility that the 'scales' symbol might still appear on the ballot. To prevent voter confusion and uphold the alliance agreement, the party urged the commission to remove its symbol from the constituency’s ballot paper. Sarwar Tushar said the move would help ensure that all alliance votes go to one candidate and strengthen internal unity.

The Election Commission has been asked to consider the request and take necessary action.

The interim government has expressed deep concern over the death of a Jamaat-e-Islami leader in recent violence in Sherpur. In an official statement, the government described any loss of life linked to political unrest as unacceptable and deeply regrettable. The incident occurred on Wednesday in Sherpur-3 constituency during an election manifesto event, where a dispute over seating led to clashes between supporters of the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami. The secretary of Jamaat’s Sreebardi upazila unit was killed, and around 50 people from both sides were injured.

The government urged all political parties, including the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami, to exercise responsible leadership and patience with only two weeks remaining before the national election. It emphasized that violence, intimidation, and loss of life have no place in the democratic process. Police have launched an investigation into the Sherpur incident, and security in the district has been strengthened.

The statement reaffirmed the interim government’s commitment to ensuring a peaceful, free, and fair election, calling on all parties to respect the rule of law and engage voters constructively.

BNP candidate Shahjahan Chowdhury, contesting for the Cox’s Bazar-4 (Ukhiya-Teknaf) parliamentary seat under the paddy sheaf symbol, urged voters to support him for building a drug-free society, ensuring border security, and facilitating sustainable employment. He made the appeal on Wednesday afternoon at a roadside rally in Thaingkhali Station, Ukhiya, where the event was chaired by local BNP leader Rashid Ahmad.

In his speech, Shahjahan Chowdhury said Ukhiya-Teknaf has long suffered from drug trafficking, Rohingya issues, and terrorism, and that only a BNP government could bring lasting solutions. He pledged to strengthen law enforcement along the border, create jobs in tourism, fisheries, agriculture, and small industries, and establish another college if elected. He also condemned the recent shooting of two Bangladeshi fishermen by Myanmar’s Arakan Army and emphasized the state’s duty to protect citizens.

Chowdhury criticized the ruling Awami League for failing to resolve the Rohingya crisis and promised that a BNP government would intensify diplomatic efforts for safe and dignified repatriation while easing the social and economic strain on locals.