The Bangladesh government and Election Commission have launched one of the largest and most technology-driven security operations in the country’s history ahead of the upcoming national election. Based on intelligence assessments and past experiences, 3,155 of the 43,700 polling centers have been designated as high-risk due to potential violence, unrest, or sabotage. A total of 900,000 personnel from eight security forces, including police, army, BGB, Ansar, RAB, navy, air force, coast guard, and fire service, have been deployed nationwide for seven days covering the pre-election, election, and post-election periods.

The plan includes 25,500 body-worn cameras, 1,000 drones, and 50 dog squads for real-time monitoring and incident response. Cameras equipped with artificial intelligence and facial recognition will stream live footage to a central command center, while GPS-enabled night vision devices will track field forces. In Dhaka alone, 25,000 police officers will secure 2,131 polling centers, with special attention to 37 high-risk locations. Authorities have also strengthened cyber monitoring to prevent misinformation and have set up layered security for ballot transport and storage.

Officials stated that the goal is to ensure voter safety, maintain public confidence, and prevent any disruption to the electoral process.

A joint security patrol and drill involving the Bangladesh Army, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), police, and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) was conducted in Gazipur-4 (Kapasia) constituency on Tuesday, February 10, 2026. The exercise began at 12:30 p.m. in front of the offices of the Upazila Nirbahi Officer and Assistant Returning Officer, led by executive magistrates. The patrol covered key roads and bus terminals in Durgapur, Kapasia Sadar, and Targao unions before returning to the Upazila Complex.

According to the local administration, the objective of the joint operation was to build voter confidence, ensure a peaceful electoral environment, and prevent any untoward incidents ahead of the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election. After the drill, each law enforcement unit was deployed to its designated area to maintain order.

Officials stated that strict monitoring and security measures would continue so that voters can cast their ballots without fear. The administration also reaffirmed a zero-tolerance policy against any activities that could disrupt peace and order, noting that the overall situation in Kapasia remains stable and under control.

A delegation from the Commonwealth Observer Group, led by Nana Addo Akufo-Addo, met with Inspector General of Police Baharul Alam at the Police Headquarters in Dhaka on Tuesday. The meeting focused on security issues related to the upcoming national parliamentary election. The group’s head noted that 25 observers from the Commonwealth would participate in monitoring the election and inquired about security measures for the observers during the election period.

During the discussion, the IGP outlined the police’s comprehensive preparations to maintain law and order during the election. He detailed risk-based security planning, cyber monitoring, and the use of modern technology to ensure safety. Baharul Alam emphasized that all necessary security measures had been taken following directives from the Election Commission and the Ministry of Home Affairs to protect foreign observers and journalists. Senior police officials were also present at the meeting.

The meeting underscored coordination between law enforcement and international observers ahead of the national election, highlighting Bangladesh’s efforts to ensure a secure electoral environment.

The Ministry of Defense of Bangladesh has issued an order granting government benefits to 141 officers of the armed forces who were deprived of service rights between 2009 and August 4, 2024. The order, signed by Secretary Md. Ashraf Uddin on February 5, 2026, covers officers from the Bangladesh Army, Navy, and Air Force who faced dismissal, forced retirement, or suspension during that period. The directive includes provisions for retrospective promotions, payment of arrears, and other applicable allowances.

According to the order, 110 officers were from the Army, 19 from the Navy, and 12 from the Air Force. The government formed a committee to review their cases after receiving applications from the affected officers. Following the review, the authorities approved the restoration of their due benefits. Specific officers, including Lt. Gen. Md. Aminul Karim, Lt. Gen. Sina Ibne Jamali, Brig. Gen. Abdullahil Aman Azmi, and others, were granted financial compensation and promotions. Some officers were also recommended for flats under the Jolsiri housing project.

The decision marks a formal resolution of long-standing grievances among retired officers who alleged discrimination and injustice during the previous regime.

Bangladesh will hold general elections on February 12, 2026, to choose its next government, 18 months after former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was forced from office by a student-led uprising. Hasina, who ruled from 1996 to 2001 and again from 2009 until her exile in August 2024, left power following a deadly crackdown on protesters that killed about 1,400 people. Since then, an interim administration led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has governed the country.

The 2026 vote is considered one of the most consequential in Bangladesh’s 55-year history. The Awami League, Hasina’s party, has been suspended from contesting, leaving 51 of 59 registered parties fielding candidates. Major contenders include the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) led by Tarique Rahman, the Islamic Jamaat-e-Islami allied with the National Citizen Party (NCP), and newer centrist groups such as the NCP and Amar Bangladesh Party. Nearly 5 million first-time voters are expected to participate among the 56 million aged 18 to 37.

Bangladesh’s political history has been marked by alternating rule between the Awami League and BNP, military interventions, and disputed elections. The upcoming polls will test whether the country can transition from years of repression and unrest toward a more inclusive democratic process.

Bangladesh and the United States have signed a trade agreement establishing a 19 percent tariff rate, announced on Monday. The deal includes exemptions for certain textiles and garments made with US materials. Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus said Washington committed to a mechanism allowing some Bangladeshi apparel using US-produced cotton and man-made fibre to enter the US market with zero reciprocal tariff. The White House confirmed that Bangladesh will grant preferential market access for a wide range of US industrial and agricultural goods.

Under the agreement, Bangladesh will also ease non-tariff barriers by accepting US vehicle safety and emissions standards, recognising Food and Drug Administration certifications, and lifting restrictions on remanufactured goods. The two nations highlighted commercial deals involving aircraft procurement, $3.5 billion in US agricultural purchases, and $15 billion in energy product imports over 15 years. The accord followed nine months of negotiations that began in April last year.

The reduced tariff is expected to help Bangladesh’s apparel sector, which accounts for over 80 percent of export earnings, remain competitive with India, whose tariff rate now stands at 18 percent. The announcement comes days before Bangladesh’s national election under its interim government.

In Kushtia, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, owner of Subarna Agro Food Products Limited and described as an Awami League-aligned rice trader, has canceled all staff leave for February 12, 2026, the day of the national parliamentary election. A notice issued at the company stated that no employee would be granted leave on election day and that absence would result in salary deductions for that day.

When asked about the notice, Jinnah claimed he did not issue it and said that employees had done so. He did not respond when questioned about his signature on the document. The report notes that Jinnah is known to be close to Awami League Joint General Secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif.

The directive has drawn attention because it coincides with the national election day, raising questions about workers’ ability to participate in voting, though no official reaction was mentioned in the report.

The army-led joint forces have taken strict measures to prevent the use of Rohingyas in acts of sabotage or violence during the upcoming national parliamentary election in Cox’s Bazar and southern Chattogram. Lieutenant Colonel Tanvir Ahmed of the Ramu 10 Infantry Division shared the information at a media briefing held on Tuesday, January 10, at the Cox’s Bazar Cultural Centre. He said the forces are focusing on restricting Rohingya movement outside camps, repairing barbed-wire fences, setting up checkpoints, and conducting special patrols to avert any unwanted incidents.

Tanvir Ahmed added that army striking forces will be deployed at remote polling centers in four constituencies of Cox’s Bazar. In case of irregularities or conflicts inside or outside polling centers, the army will coordinate with police, RAB, and BGB to take direct control of the situation. He assured that voters will be able to cast their votes without fear.

Earlier, Lieutenant Colonel Sutfa Zaman reported that between February 3 and 9, joint forces conducted 46 operations in Cox’s Bazar and southern Chattogram, seizing firearms, sharp weapons, and drugs, and detaining 1,149 Rohingyas living illegally outside camps.

With just one day left before the national election, former MP Mujibur Rahman Nixon Chowdhury, currently absconding, released a 10-minute-7-second video message on social media targeting BNP candidate Shahidul Islam Babul in the Faridpur-4 constituency. The video was uploaded on February 10 at 3:39 p.m. from a Facebook account named Shafiqul Islam Azad. The timing of the post, coming amid heightened campaign activity, drew immediate public attention and mixed reactions.

In the video, Nixon Chowdhury, identifying himself as a nephew of Hasina, claimed that the “illegal Yunus government” had filed 72 cases against him to keep him away from his supporters. He accused Babul of using false cases and police harassment to intimidate and recruit his followers. Chowdhury urged Babul to focus only on his party’s votes. The video was widely shared by his supporters after publication.

Political analysts and voters expressed concern that such a message, released at the final stage of the campaign, could disrupt the fair electoral environment. No response from BNP candidate Shahidul Islam Babul was reported.

A Chhatra Dal leader from Bhabaniganj municipality in Bagmara upazila, Rajshahi, has been expelled for violating organizational discipline. The expelled leader, Mustafizur Rahman (Milon), also known as Milon Parvez, was removed from the organization following a decision announced on Monday in a press release signed by Central Chhatra Dal Office Secretary Md. Jahangir Alam. The statement said the expulsion was based on specific allegations of breaching party discipline.

Earlier that night, a post appeared on Mustafizur Rahman’s Facebook account containing a photo from an election rally of a Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami candidate, accompanied by a message expressing support for that candidate. About three hours after the post was made, Chhatra Dal announced his expulsion.

Mustafizur Rahman claimed that someone else had used his Facebook name to make the post and denied any direct involvement in the matter.

A severe traffic jam stretching about seven kilometers has formed on the Dhaka-Tangail highway between Elenga and Rabna Bypass due to an influx of vehicles during the election holiday period. The congestion began on Tuesday morning and worsened in the afternoon as more vehicles entered the Dhaka-Tangail-Jamuna Bridge route, leaving thousands of northbound travelers stranded for hours.

Many passengers, unable to find public transport, resorted to traveling in open trucks and pickup vans. Reports have also surfaced of transport operators charging extra fares, citing a shortage of public buses. Highway police attributed the situation to the continuous public holidays for the election, which prompted a large number of people to travel to their hometowns.

The prolonged gridlock has caused significant distress for homebound passengers from northern Bangladesh, with authorities struggling to manage the heavy traffic flow along the major highway corridor.

Two parliamentary candidates in Fatikchhari, Chattogram, withdrew from the election at the last moment, each extending support to rival party nominees. On Tuesday, February 10, Ganadhikar Parishad candidate Rabiul Hasan Tanzim, who was contesting with the truck symbol, announced his withdrawal at a press conference and declared support for BNP candidate Sarwar Alamgir. Tanzim said his decision followed a political understanding between Ganadhikar Parishad and the BNP.

Separately, on Monday night, independent candidate Advocate Ahmad Kabir Karim, who was running with the football symbol, announced his withdrawal in favor of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami nominee Principal Nurul Amin. Karim stated that he stepped aside voluntarily for the greater interest and urged his supporters to vote for the balance scale symbol.

The withdrawals came just before the election, reshaping the local contest in Fatikchhari as both candidates aligned themselves with major opposition parties.

The International Crimes Tribunal-1 of Bangladesh has begun the trial of Salman F Rahman, adviser to the executed Sheikh Hasina, and former law minister Anisul Huq. Chief Prosecutor Tajul Islam stated that the prosecution possesses conclusive evidence proving their involvement in decisions to suppress the July revolution through curfews and lethal force. The tribunal, chaired by Justice Golam Mortuza Majumdar, heard the opening statement on February 10, 2026, marking the formal start of proceedings. The first witness testimony is scheduled for February 22.

The prosecution has brought five charges against the two accused, including joint criminal enterprise and superior command responsibility. The allegations involve incitement, conspiracy, and assistance in mass killings and injuries of students and civilians in Rangpur and several areas of Dhaka between July and August 2024. A total of 22 witnesses are expected to testify, supported by video, documentary, and live evidence.

The tribunal had earlier framed formal charges on January 12, 2026. The prosecution claims both accused played direct roles in encouraging and facilitating violent crackdowns on protesters during the July revolution.

A fire broke out at a multi-storey building in Mirpur Section 11.5 of Dhaka on Tuesday night. According to the report, no casualties were reported in the incident. Two units of the Fire Service responded promptly and managed to bring the blaze under control shortly after it started.

Fire Service duty officer Shahjahan Islam stated that the fire began around 11:15 p.m. and was quickly contained. The initial cause of the fire was identified as an electrical short circuit. The swift action of the fire units prevented the fire from spreading further.

Authorities confirmed that the situation was fully under control, and no injuries or significant damage were reported following the incident.

The Ministry of Public Administration has established a control room to coordinate with field administration during the upcoming 2026 parliamentary election and referendum. According to an office order issued by the ministry’s Administration-1 branch on Tuesday night, the control room will operate from February 10 to February 14, between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m. each day. The facility is located in Building No. 1, Room No. 1802, and can be reached via telephone number +8802226641118.

The order stated that the control room was set up to take necessary measures based on complaints and information received from field-level administration concerning the election and referendum. A total of 35 officials and employees from the ministry will perform duties on a roster basis to ensure continuous coordination and response.

The initiative aims to strengthen communication between the central ministry and local administrative units during the election period, ensuring timely action on field reports and maintaining administrative efficiency.