Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman said the world is moving forward while Bangladesh is falling behind. Speaking as chief guest at a rally of eleven parties held at Kulaura Upazila football field in Moulvibazar on Saturday noon, he emphasized the vital role of expatriates in national development. He promised that if given the opportunity, he would transform Sylhet Airport into a fully international standard facility to ease travel difficulties for expatriate communities. He also pledged that the government would take responsibility for repatriating the bodies of deceased expatriate workers.

Dr. Rahman expressed regret for not contesting from Kulaura despite requests from home and abroad, citing party policy that prevents him from running in two constituencies. He said if the Jamaat candidate Engineer Sayed Ali wins from Kulaura, he would serve as the real MP while Rahman would act as a shadow MP. The event was chaired by district Jamaat Ameer and candidate Sayed Ali and attended by several central and district-level leaders.

The rally concluded with the introduction of Jamaat candidates for Moulvibazar-1 and Moulvibazar-2 constituencies.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman said that if his party gets the opportunity to serve the people through elections, a city corporation will be established along with the proposed Faridpur division. He made the remarks on Friday night at a campaign rally organized by the district Jamaat at the Government Rajendra College field in Faridpur, where he was the chief guest.

During his speech, Rahman criticized the encroachment and filling of rivers for private construction and pledged to restore the rivers to their natural state. He noted that although Faridpur has a medical college, it still lacks full public service facilities, and local jute mills have been shut down despite high jute production. He emphasized creating jobs for youth instead of providing unemployment allowances and proposed reviving mills and establishing agro-based industries in high-yield areas.

Rahman added that Jamaat does not seek a partisan government, asserting that an electoral victory would represent the success of all 180 million citizens and a step toward building a peaceful Bangladesh.

BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman has said that Sheikh Hasina’s children can return to politics if the people of Bangladesh accept them. He made the comment in an interview with a British news agency on Friday, responding to a question about whether Hasina’s children, currently abroad, could rejoin political life. Hasina left for India following the July mass uprising and has since been sentenced to death by the International Crimes Tribunal. Her children remain overseas, facing ongoing legal proceedings.

In the same interview with Reuters, Rahman rejected the idea of forming a coalition government with his main rival, Jamaat-e-Islami, after the upcoming election. He said it would be contradictory to form a government with political opponents. Rahman’s aides expressed optimism that the BNP would win more than two-thirds of the 300 parliamentary seats, with BNP candidates contesting 292 constituencies and allies competing in the rest.

Rahman also emphasized that any future government led by the BNP would seek partnerships that promote Bangladesh’s economic growth and protect national sovereignty, without aligning exclusively with any single country.

Hasnat Abdullah, the southern regional organizer of the NCP, called on voters to support the scale symbol in the upcoming election during an eleven-party alliance rally held at Daratana Bhairab Square in Jessore on Saturday at 11 a.m. He described the election as a struggle between honest citizens and those involved in corruption and extortion, urging people to wear the paddy sheaf symbol but cast their votes for the scale.

Abdullah said the election had divided the nation into two camps: one supporting foreign influence and opposing religious values, and the other standing for justice and independence. He condemned police attacks on Inquilab Mancha activists, asserting that the police serve the entire population, not any political party. He warned those who had served one party over the past 17 years of consequences witnessed in the July uprising.

He termed the election a chance to cleanse the nation’s dishonor and urged voters to reach polling centers by 7 a.m. on the 12th and guard them until results are finalized. Other speakers also called for public support for the “Yes” vote.

The Bangladesh Coast Guard detained 34 fishermen and seized two illegal artisanal trawling boats along with about 1,000 kilograms of marine fish during operations in the deep-sea area near Cox’s Bazar. The operations were conducted on Thursday, February 5, at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. by the Coast Guard vessel ‘Joy Bangla’, based on secret intelligence. The seized boats contained 12 trawling nets worth approximately 3.1 million taka.

According to Coast Guard media officer Lieutenant Commander Siam-ul-Haq, the confiscated trawling equipment was later removed in the presence of the Chattogram marine fisheries inspector. The boats were returned to their owners after written undertakings, while the illegal nets were destroyed. The seized fish were sold at auction, and the proceeds were deposited into the government treasury.

The Coast Guard stated that similar operations will continue in the future to protect the country’s marine resources.

The women’s wing of Jamaat-e-Islami in Gabtali, Bogura organized a major rally on Saturday, February 7, 2026, at the Gabtali Pilot School field. The event was held to protest incidents of harassment against women and to express support for Golam Rabbani, the Jamaat-e-Islami nominated candidate for the Bogura-7 (Gabtali-Shajahanpur) parliamentary seat. Following the gathering, participants marched through several streets of the Thana headquarters in a large procession.

The rally was presided over by Maulana Yunus Ali, the Amir of Gabtali Upazila Jamaat. Golam Rabbani attended as the chief guest, while Nurul Islam Saddam, president of the central Islami Chhatra Shibir, served as the main speaker. Other notable guests included Abdul Haque Sarkar, Amir of Bogura District Jamaat, along with Mazeda Samad and Rafia Sultana Rafi.

The event combined political campaigning with a protest message, highlighting both women’s safety concerns and local electoral mobilization in support of the Jamaat candidate.

BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman has warned that any conspiracy surrounding the upcoming February 12 election will face a strong response. Speaking at an election rally in Nilphamari at 2:07 p.m. on Saturday, he accused an unnamed party of plotting due to fear of defeat and said future politics would focus on rebuilding the country.

During the rally, Rahman outlined several development pledges, including expanding the Nilphamari Export Processing Zone, upgrading Syedpur Airport to international standards, and transforming Nilphamari into an industrial hub. He also promised to initiate a master plan for the Teesta Barrage project if his party comes to power and to provide training programs to enhance women’s economic empowerment and employment.

Rahman announced plans to introduce “Family Cards” and “Agriculture Cards” to help farmers access loans, fertilizers, and pesticides easily. He added that up to Tk 10,000 in agricultural loans would be waived for farmers if BNP candidates win, and the government would repay loans taken from registered NGOs.

BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman announced that his party will begin work on the Teesta Barrage master plan as soon as possible if it comes to power. He made the statement during an election rally in Nilphamari at 2:07 p.m. on Saturday. Rahman also promised training programs to enhance women’s economic independence and employment opportunities.

During the rally, he outlined plans to expand the Export Processing Zone (EPZ) in Nilphamari and upgrade Syedpur Airport to international standards. He said the district would be developed into an industrial region. Rahman emphasized that the future of politics should focus on rebuilding the country and warned that any conspiracy surrounding the February 12 election would be met with a strong response.

The remarks reflect BNP’s campaign priorities centered on infrastructure development, industrial expansion, and women’s empowerment ahead of the upcoming national election.

The Bangladesh Navy detained two associates of identified criminal Jamal Uddin, known as 'Socket Jamal', during a special operation in Bhola early Saturday. The suspects, Hasan (44) and Selim Kazi (48), were arrested from a tin house near Borkandaj Jame Mosque in Baliakandi village under Dhania Union of Bhola Sadar upazila. Authorities said the two were preparing to carry out election-related violence. They were later handed over to Bhola Sadar Police Station for legal action.

According to a Navy press release, the operation was based on secret intelligence indicating that the suspects were planning violence on behalf of a political group ahead of the national election. Recovered items included a single-barrel pipe gun, a single-barrel shotgun, two local weapons, nine rounds of 7.62 mm police ammunition, three shotgun cartridges, and one rocket parachute flare. The Navy noted that the recovered bullets are typically used by police, raising questions about how they came into the suspects’ possession.

Bhola Model Police Station’s officer-in-charge confirmed the arrests and said legal proceedings are underway. One of the detainees was hospitalized due to illness.

At a press conference held on Saturday at the National Press Club in Dhaka, the civic group Citizens for Good Governance (Sujon) revealed that 832 candidates in Bangladesh’s 13th National Parliamentary Election have annual incomes below 500,000 taka, representing about 41 percent of the total 2,026 candidates. The findings were based on an analysis of affidavits submitted to the Election Commission.

Sujon’s data further showed that 95 candidates reported annual incomes exceeding 10 million taka, while 741 earn between 500,000 and 2.5 million taka. Another 132 candidates earn between 2.5 and 5 million taka, and 71 between 5 and 10 million taka. A total of 155 candidates did not fill in their income information. Among those earning over 10 million taka annually, 51 are from the BNP, 25 are independents, and five are from the Jatiya Party.

The analysis also indicated a slight decline in both high- and low-income candidates compared with the previous election, where 8.77 percent earned over 10 million taka and 45 percent earned under 500,000 taka. This year, those figures stand at 4.59 percent and 41 percent respectively.

Rashed Pradhan, vice president and spokesperson of the National Democratic Party (JAGPA), issued a statement on Saturday condemning a police attack on the Inquilab stage in front of Jamuna, Dhaka. The attack occurred during a protest demanding justice for the killing of July fighter Shaheed Osman bin Hadi. Pradhan alleged that fascist and foreign agents were hiding within the interim government and must be identified.

In his statement, Pradhan claimed that after the attack, leaders of the Chhatra Dal celebrated on social media and through phone calls. He accused those opposing the “Yes” vote of supporting the violence, suggesting that orders for the attack came from Delhi to Gulshan and then to law enforcement. He further alleged that both Chhatra Dal and Chhatra League members disguised themselves to prepare for renewed attacks during a protest at Shahbagh.

Pradhan also claimed that meetings were held in Delhi to plan joint sabotage by Awami League and BNP on February 11 to disrupt the February 12 election, asserting that student groups and allied parties were ready to defend the country for the next five years.

Jamaat-e-Islami candidate for Noakhali-4 constituency and district Ameer Md. Ishaq Khondaker stated that his party would not engage in fake voting and would resist anyone attempting to cast fraudulent ballots. He made the remarks on Friday night during a press briefing at the Jamaat office in Maijdee, the district town. Khondaker also condemned what he described as the humiliation and harassment of women, expressing strong protest against such actions.

During the briefing, Khondaker alleged that an ID hacking incident had occurred and criticized a major political leader for making inappropriate comments about the matter. He said arrests had been made and investigations were ongoing. He defended the Jamaat Ameer, describing him as respectful toward women and incapable of making offensive remarks.

Khondaker further accused unnamed groups of distributing fake “family cards” and collecting money under false pretenses, calling it a form of fraud and deception. Several local Jamaat leaders and alliance candidates were present at the press conference.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami chief Dr. Shafiqur Rahman has alleged that Bangladesh was deliberately excluded from the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup, which begins today. In a post on his verified Facebook page on Saturday, February 7, he said the exclusion was a planned act that insulted both the nation and its cricketers. He expressed solidarity with the players and lamented that the country was deprived of the right to participate on the global stage.

Dr. Rahman stated that the absence of Bangladesh from the tournament deprived fans of the joy of cheering for the national team. He described the situation as a humiliation for the nation and urged unity to restore Bangladesh’s dignity in international sports. He also emphasized that the country should not bow to any dominant power and vowed to see Bangladesh regain its rightful place with pride and strength.

According to the report, Bangladesh had participated in every T20 World Cup since the tournament’s inception in 2007 until this edition.

A joint team of police and army recovered 17 live hand grenades from a jungle in Mulai Beparikandi area of Bilaspur Union under Jazira upazila in Shariatpur early Saturday. Locals first noticed suspicious objects behind the house of a man named Sidom Bepari and informed law enforcement. The grenades were found stored in two buckets, prompting immediate security measures and a cordon around the site. No arrests were made during the operation.

The discovery has caused widespread concern among residents, raising questions about the purpose behind storing such a large number of explosives. Locals fear the grenades might have been stockpiled as part of a plan for major sabotage. Police Inspector (Investigation) Abdus Salam confirmed the recovery and said the matter is under serious investigation to identify those involved.

Authorities have increased patrols and surveillance across Jazira upazila to ensure public safety while investigators work to determine who placed the grenades and for what purpose.

BNP Central Election Steering Committee spokesperson and chairman’s adviser Mahdi Amin alleged that a political party is preparing for planned election engineering. Speaking at a press conference at the BNP’s Gulshan office in Dhaka on Saturday, he cited the recovery of six illegal ballot seals in Lakshmipur as evidence, claiming they were made under the instruction of a Jamaat-e-Islami leader. He said the incident, along with reports of mass production of burqas and niqabs for fraudulent voting, indicates a conspiracy to influence the election.

Amin urged the Election Commission to ensure adequate female polling officers in women’s booths and to enforce voter identification by unveiling faces, as per existing regulations. He also warned of previous incidents where the same party allegedly collected NID and mobile payment numbers and noted reports of extra ballot printing. Additionally, he expressed concern over irregularities in election observer approvals, citing one little-known organization receiving disproportionate authorization.

He called on the Election Commission and the interim government to take necessary steps to guarantee a level playing field for a free, fair, and neutral election.