Vote counting for the Jagannath University Central Students’ Union (JAKSU) election is ongoing, with results from 26 of 39 centers officially announced by the Election Commission. According to the latest tally, Shibir-backed vice president candidate Riazul Islam is leading by 351 votes over his rival, AKM Rakib, who is supported by the Chhatra Dal panel. Shibir-backed candidates are also maintaining strong leads in the general secretary (GS) and assistant general secretary (AGS) positions.

In the results so far, Riazul Islam has received 3,364 votes, while AKM Rakib has 3,013. For the GS post, Shibir’s Arif has 3,487 votes compared to Khadijatul Kubra’s 1,379. In the AGS race, Shibir’s Masud has 3,103 votes, followed by Atikul Rahman Tanzil with 2,677. The long-awaited JAKSU election was held on Tuesday after several delays and suspensions.

Out of 16,445 registered voters, 66 percent cast their ballots. The election included 8,479 female and 8,170 male voters, with 190 candidates contesting across 39 centers and 178 booths for both central and hall unions.

Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen paid a courtesy visit to BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman on Wednesday. The meeting took place at the BNP Chairperson’s political office in Gulshan, Dhaka. The report described the encounter as a formal courtesy meeting between the ambassador and the opposition leader.

The article did not provide details about the topics discussed or any statements made during the meeting. It focused solely on the occurrence of the meeting and its location. The report was published on January 7, 2026, by the newspaper Amar Desh.

No further information was included regarding the duration of the meeting, participants, or any follow-up engagements between the Chinese embassy and the BNP leadership.

The Government of Bangladesh has issued a new amended ordinance to ensure legal protection and inheritance rights for families of persons who have been missing due to enforced disappearance. The Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs published the ordinance in the official gazette on Tuesday, and it took immediate effect. The ordinance grants tribunals the authority to declare the property of a person missing for at least five years as distributable among legal heirs if the person has not returned alive.

According to the amendment, titled the 'Enforced Disappearance Prevention and Remedy (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026,' the tribunal can issue such orders after verifying the authenticity of applications submitted by heirs. The amendment also removes the requirement for prior approval from the commission for the spouse or dependents of a disappeared person to initiate legal proceedings. The new provision modifies Section 23 of the 2025 ordinance, overriding the seven-year rule under Section 108 of the Evidence Act, 1872.

Until specific regulations are formulated, the tribunal will determine the procedure for such applications independently.

NCP candidate for Panchagarh-1, Sarjis Alam, stated at a press conference in Panchagarh on Wednesday that a discrepancy in his election affidavit was due to a typing mistake by his lawyer. He explained that his income was mistakenly listed as 2.8 million taka instead of 0.9 million, calling it an unintentional error that was later corrected through proper legal procedures. The returning officer, he said, declared his candidacy valid as the major information in the affidavit was accurate.

During the briefing, Alam accused propaganda pages linked to the Awami League of spreading misinformation and fake content about him on social media. He urged the government and the Election Commission to take legal action against such disinformation. He also alleged that BNP grassroots activists were threatening NCP supporters and their families, warning that such intimidation and misuse of power could undermine the fairness of the upcoming election.

Alam called on the media to maintain professionalism and neutrality before the election, emphasizing that transparent journalism is essential for a fair electoral process.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami’s Nayeb-e-Ameer Dr. Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher has alleged that district commissioners (DCs) and superintendents of police (SPs) are engaging in discriminatory behavior. He made the remarks on Wednesday after meeting with the Election Commission (EC), speaking to journalists about the issue.

Taher stated that field-level administration officials, particularly DCs and SPs, are not maintaining neutrality and are acting in a biased manner in various situations. He said such conduct is obstructing the creation of a fair electoral environment. During the meeting, the Jamaat delegation urged the Election Commission to ensure administrative neutrality and to create a level playing field for all political parties.

The allegations highlight Jamaat’s concerns about fairness in the electoral process and the role of local administration in maintaining impartiality during elections.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has announced that law enforcement agencies will be deployed across Bangladesh for seven days surrounding the upcoming parliamentary election and referendum. According to a circular issued on Wednesday, security forces will remain in the field from February 8 to 14, covering four days before the vote, election day on February 12, and two days after.

The ministry’s circular stated that each polling center is expected to have between 13 and 18 members of law enforcement on duty. More than 700,000 personnel will be engaged in maintaining election security. Among them, around 550,000 will be Ansar and VDP members assigned to polling centers, while over 90,000 will come from the armed forces. Additional forces from the police, RAB, BGB, and Coast Guard will also participate.

The deployment aims to ensure a secure environment during the national election and referendum period, as outlined in the ministry’s directive.

A young man named Md. Roni, 22, was injured by gunfire from India’s Border Security Force (BSF) near the Gotamari border area of Hatibandha upazila in Lalmonirhat. Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) rescued him and sent him to Rangpur Medical College Hospital, where doctors said his condition is currently stable. The incident occurred around 12:10 a.m. on Tuesday when a BGB patrol from the Daikhawa Border Outpost heard gunshots near border pillar 902 and found several people running, including one injured person being moved from the site.

BGB later identified the injured man as Roni, a resident of Gotamari Union, and claimed he was involved in drug trafficking in the area. According to BGB, Roni had previously been injured by BSF birdshot on December 22 and had gone into hiding afterward. Authorities said legal proceedings are underway against him under the Passport Act and for illegal border crossing.

Lieutenant Colonel Mehedi Imam, commanding officer of the 15 BGB Battalion, expressed concern over continued illegal activities despite repeated warnings and urged local residents and representatives to cooperate in preventing smuggling and drug trafficking along the border.

Dr. Reza Kibria, the BNP-nominated candidate for the Habiganj-1 (Nabiganj-Bahubal) constituency, has been issued a show-cause notice over alleged violations of the electoral code of conduct. The notice was confirmed on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, by Abu Hasnat Mohammad Arefin, the district commissioner and returning officer. It had been issued earlier on Monday, January 5, instructing Kibria to provide a written explanation regarding specific allegations and to clarify why legal action should not be taken against him.

According to election authorities, the notice was prompted by accusations that several provisions of the electoral code were breached. Kibria has been directed to submit his written response by January 14. Officials stated that further action may be taken if his explanation is found unsatisfactory after review.

The case remains under examination by the election authorities, who will determine subsequent measures based on the adequacy of the candidate’s response.

A joint operation by the army and police in Ramu upazila of Cox’s Bazar led to the recovery of a large quantity of illegal weapons and ammunition early Wednesday morning. Acting on a tip-off, the raid was conducted around 6:30 a.m. in Thoingakata Samarghona area under Ward 3 of Gorjonia Union. The seized items included a locally made gun, two rusted pistols, six Chinese rifle bullets, forty-nine pistol bullets, four used shotgun shells, parts of a large gun butt, two long machetes, a toy pistol, two button mobile phones, and a cutter. The weapons were confiscated around 7:30 a.m.

Police arrested a 20-year-old woman named Ayesha Begum Riya from the scene. Preliminary questioning indicated that the recovered weapons might be linked to a local organized criminal group, according to police statements. Other suspects managed to flee during the operation.

Authorities confirmed that efforts are ongoing to apprehend the remaining fugitives and further investigate the network behind the seized arms.

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Standing Committee member Dr. Abdul Moin Khan said the 2008 national election was meticulously organized by various powerful forces. Speaking on Wednesday at a memorial meeting for Begum Khaleda Zia organized by the Nationalist Alliance at the Dhaka Reporters Unity, he questioned how a popular party like the BNP could win only 30 to 35 seats out of 300 if the process had been fair.

Moin Khan alleged that a section of actors at the time sought to depoliticize Bangladesh, but he asserted that the people are now alert and will not allow any domestic or foreign power to control the country’s politics. He described Begum Khaleda Zia as immensely popular, noting her multiple electoral victories as proof of public support. He added that from 2008 to 2025, she endured false cases and attacks but remained steadfast.

He further stated that the events of August 5, 2024, marked a victory for truth, showing that those who harmed the country were defeated and that Khaleda Zia’s integrity was vindicated in the eyes of the people.

A Dhaka court has ordered the seizure of 53 bank accounts belonging to Faisal Karim Masud, the main accused in the murder of Sharif Osman Hadi, spokesperson of Inquilab Moncho. The accounts contain a total of 6,550,246 taka. The order was issued on Wednesday, January 7, by Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge Md Sabbir Foyez following a petition from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

According to the CID’s application, Sub-Inspector Abdul Latif, the investigating officer, sought to freeze the accounts as part of an ongoing investigation into money laundering allegations linked to the murder. The case involves the shooting death of Hadi on Box Culvert Road in Purana Paltan, Dhaka. Authorities are also investigating other individuals and organizations suspected of involvement.

The court’s order marks a significant step in the financial investigation accompanying the murder case, as law enforcement continues to trace possible money laundering connections related to the accused and his associates.

Vote counting for the Jagannath University Central Students’ Union (JnUSU) election is ongoing, with results from 23 of 39 centers officially announced by the Election Commission. According to the latest figures, Shibir-backed candidate Riazul Islam is leading the vice president race with 2,819 votes, while his rival, AKM Rakib from the Chhatra Dal-backed panel, has received 2,691 votes. Shibir-supported candidates are also maintaining strong leads in the general secretary and assistant general secretary positions.

In the general secretary race, Shibir’s Arif has secured 2,980 votes, ahead of Khadijatul Kubra with 1,239 votes. For assistant general secretary, Shibir’s Masud has 2,656 votes, followed by Atikul Rahman Tanzil with 2,350 votes. The long-awaited JnUSU election was held on Tuesday after several postponements. Out of 16,445 registered voters, 66 percent cast their ballots across 39 centers and 178 booths.

The election included 190 candidates contesting for positions in both the central and hall unions, with 8,479 female and 8,170 male voters participating.

Bangladesh Bank has increased the maximum home loan limit for banks with low default rates. According to a circular issued on Tuesday, banks with classified loans below 5 percent can now lend up to Tk 4 crore for flat purchases. The previous uniform ceiling for all banks was Tk 2 crore. The revised policy takes immediate effect and replaces earlier directives, while other consumer loan guidelines remain unchanged.

The central bank stated that the revision aims to address rising housing and construction material costs and growing demand in the real estate sector. Under the new rules, banks with default loans between 5 and 10 percent may lend up to Tk 3 crore, and those with over 10 percent defaults will maintain the previous Tk 2 crore limit. The loan-to-equity ratio remains unchanged at 70:30, meaning borrowers must contribute 30 percent of the property value.

The last adjustment to the home loan ceiling occurred in 2019, when the limit was raised from Tk 1.2 crore to Tk 2 crore for all banks.

BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman held a meeting with leaders of Gulshan Thana BNP and its affiliated organizations on Wednesday afternoon at the BNP chairperson’s political office in Gulshan, Dhaka. The meeting was part of his preparations to contest the upcoming 13th parliamentary election from the Dhaka-17 constituency.

The session was attended by key party figures including Dhaka-17 election coordinator Abdus Salam, BNP chairperson’s adviser Dr. Forhad Halim Donar, Jubo Dal president Abdul Monayem Munna, Dhaka North BNP joint convener Mostafizur Rahman Segun, Dhaka North Jubo Dal president Sharif Uddin Jewel, member secretary Sazzatul Miraj, Chhatra Dal general secretary Nasir Uddin Nasir, and Gulshan Thana BNP member secretary Md. Shahjahan. Leaders and activists from Gulshan Thana BNP and its associate bodies were also present.

The meeting focused on organizational coordination and election preparedness within the Dhaka-17 constituency, signaling the party’s early mobilization efforts for the upcoming national polls.

Rashed Pradhan, vice president and spokesperson of the National Democratic Party (JAGPA), said that fifteen years after the killing of Felani at the border, justice has still not been served. Speaking at a rally in Dhaka’s Bijoynagar-Paltan area on Wednesday, he alleged that the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) killed 34 Bangladeshis in 2025 without accountability. He called for a firm response to such incidents, claiming that India’s border guards only understand the language of bullets.

Pradhan also criticized the Indian government for what he described as false allegations of Hindu persecution in Bangladesh and questioned Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s relationship with Delhi. He urged voters to support Islamic and patriotic alliances in upcoming elections to end what he termed Indian dominance and aggression. The protest was organized by JAGPA to mark Felani Murder Day and was attended by party leaders including Iqbal Hossain, Asadur Rahman Khan, Syed Shafiqul Islam, and others.

The event reflected JAGPA’s continued opposition to Indian influence and its demand for stronger national policy on border security and sovereignty.