A joint army team arrested a notorious criminal, Sajjad Hossain, and his wife, Jannat Akter, in Ashakpur Union of Shahjahanpur upazila, Bogura, around 9 p.m. on January 27, 2026. Acting on intelligence information, the operation was led by Captain Sadif and Lieutenant Fahad. The couple was detained with a foreign-made firearm, and several sharp local weapons were also recovered from their residence.

During interrogation, Sajjad admitted to possessing a 9mm pistol made in Germany. When the army team went to recover the weapon, Jannat attempted to dispose of it by throwing it into a nearby drain. Later, under the direction of Lieutenant Colonel Tanvir, the search team recovered the pistol and seized additional weapons from the house. The arrested couple and the recovered arms were handed over to the police for legal proceedings.

According to the army, such operations will continue to maintain law and order during the election period in the region.

Major General Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui, Director General of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), inaugurated two new Border Observation Posts (BOPs) in Cox’s Bazar’s Teknaf and Saint Martin on Tuesday. The Saint Martin BOP and the newly built Sea Beach BOP in Teknaf’s Lengurbil were opened at separate times. Both facilities are equipped with modern amenities aimed at improving the safety, efficiency, morale, and operational capacity of BGB personnel.

According to a statement from Lieutenant Colonel Md Hanifur Rahman, commander of BGB-2 in Teknaf, the Saint Martin BOP includes modern soldier accommodations and is expected to enhance the island’s overall security management. The island, located about 16 kilometers south of Teknaf, was previously under Bangladesh Rifles until 1997, then handed to the Coast Guard, and BGB was redeployed there in April 2019.

The inauguration marks the full operational launch of the Saint Martin BOP, while the new Sea Beach BOP is expected to strengthen border security and support stationed personnel in the Teknaf area.

BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman declared that the people will not allow any form of vote rigging in the upcoming February 12 election. He made the statement on Tuesday night at an election rally in Bhawal Rajbari field, Gazipur, while returning from Mymensingh to Dhaka. Rahman called on voters to reach polling centers early, perform morning prayers there, and remain alert to prevent any pre-poll manipulation. He emphasized that citizens must protect their voting rights, which he said had been violated over the past 15 to 16 years.

Highlighting Gazipur’s role in the 2024 movement, Rahman praised the city’s contribution to the struggle for democracy and independence. He recalled his childhood memories in Gazipur and urged residents to support the BNP’s “sheaf of paddy” symbol. During the rally, he introduced BNP candidates for Gazipur’s five constituencies and sought votes for them.

Rahman also outlined development plans for Gazipur if BNP candidates win, including new industries, affordable housing for workers, family cards for women, daycare centers, flyover construction, canal excavation, and farmer cards. He concluded the day with another rally in Uttara, promising local infrastructure improvements.

Newly appointed US Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent Christensen stated that the United States does not support any particular political party but stands with the people of Bangladesh. He made the remarks on Wednesday after meeting Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) A M M Nasir Uddin at the Election Commission office in Agargaon, Dhaka. Christensen said the US is ready to work with whichever government is elected and expressed keen interest in the upcoming national election scheduled for February 12.

The ambassador emphasized that only the people of Bangladesh have the exclusive right to determine the outcome of their election. Referring to his meeting with the Chief Adviser last week, Christensen said he was assured that the election would be festive and that citizens would be able to exercise their voting rights freely. He expressed hope for a joyful and participatory election.

Christensen also appreciated the Election Commission’s preparations, describing them as commendable, and reaffirmed that Washington is committed to working with representatives who receive the people’s mandate.

Rajshahi University has published the admission test results for the 2025–26 academic year’s B unit of its undergraduate (honours) first-year program. The results were released at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, according to Professor Dr. Md. Saiful Islam, Director of the university’s ICT Center. Students can check their results on the university’s official website.

This year, a total of 30,886 candidates applied for the B unit admission test, with 25,961 appearing for the exam. Among them, 9,356 out of 16,368 candidates from the commerce group passed, representing a 57.16 percent pass rate. In the non-commerce group, 5,900 out of 9,593 candidates passed, marking a 61.50 percent success rate. The B unit has 564 available seats, including 375 for commerce, 158 for science, and 31 for humanities.

The publication of results marks the completion of a key stage in Rajshahi University’s undergraduate admission process for the 2025–26 session.

Hasnat Abdullah, the chief organizer of the NCP’s southern region, stated that Mirza Abbas used to attend court wearing a burqa about one and a half years ago. He made this remark on the night of January 27 during an NCP yard meeting held at Gunai Ghar Shaktala in Debidwar, Comilla, where he was the chief guest.

During his speech, Abdullah also criticized those who, according to him, had remained silent despite sacrifices made by activists such as Abu Bakr and July martyr Mainuddin. He said that the reasons behind their struggles and the fight against fascism are no longer being discussed.

The remarks came during a protest meeting organized in response to an attack on NCP candidate Nasir Uddin Patowary in the Dhaka-8 constituency, highlighting ongoing political tensions surrounding the election campaign.

The government of Bangladesh has approved separate proposals to buy 10 million liters of refined soybean oil and 10,000 tons of lentils to stabilize the market ahead of the upcoming holy month of Ramadan. The approvals were granted at the fourth meeting of the Advisory Council Committee held at the Cabinet Division on Tuesday, chaired by Economic Adviser Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed. After the meeting, Energy Adviser Muhammad Faozul Kabir Khan said the decision was taken to keep the prices of edible oil and lentils stable during Ramadan.

According to the approved plans, the lentils will be purchased from local company KBC Agro Products Pvt. Ltd. through open tender in 10 lots at a total cost of Tk 70.96 crore, with the price set at Tk 70.96 per kilogram. The soybean oil purchase will cost Tk 185.92 crore, with 5 million liters to be bought from Super Oil Refinery Ltd. at Tk 185.95 per liter and another 5 million liters from Shabnam Vegetable Oil Industries Ltd. at Tk 185.90 per liter.

The same meeting also approved fertilizer imports, a road sector project, and the purchase of a research vessel and speedboats for oceanographic research.

Bangladesh’s mobile phone sector is facing severe instability following the government’s implementation of the National Equipment Identity Registrar (NEIR) system. The Mobile Phone Industry Owners Association of Bangladesh (MIOB) raised branded handset prices soon after the rollout and donated Tk 46 crore to the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) to support the project. Meanwhile, grey market traders have protested the initiative, claiming it will render their unsold stock unusable. After a 20‑day closure, they reopened shops but suspended sales of officially distributed smartphones, pledging to continue demonstrations until March 15.

Industry sources said the price surge is not sudden but linked to a global rise in memory chip costs, which have increased by up to 60% since 2025. The higher component prices, coupled with growing demand for AI‑enabled smartphones requiring more RAM and processing power, have pushed production costs up by 10–15%. Retail prices in Bangladesh have risen 10–25% across categories, with brands such as Xiaomi, Vivo, Infinix, Realme, Samsung, and OnePlus all increasing prices.

The BTRC stated that it accepted MIOB’s donation due to the absence of government budget for NEIR, describing the move as being in the national interest.

Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser’s Special Envoy for International Affairs, Lutfey Siddiqi, has said that the United States is likely to announce a reduction in counter-tariffs on Bangladeshi products early next week. Speaking at a press conference at the Foreign Service Academy on Tuesday, he stated that the US is sincere about lowering tariffs and that an official announcement could come by the end of this week or the beginning of next. The current tariff rate stands at 20 percent, though the extent of the reduction has not yet been clarified.

Siddiqi explained that he held detailed discussions on the issue with US Treasury Secretary and cabinet member Scott Besent during the World Economic Forum in Davos. He noted that many elements of the US non-tariff policy align with Bangladesh’s interim government’s reform agenda and that the trade deficit between the two countries, previously around six billion dollars, has significantly narrowed. These developments, he said, have contributed to a positive outlook from the US regarding easing trade barriers for Bangladesh.

Siddiqi also discussed Bangladesh’s ongoing trade talks with the European Union, Japan, Singapore, and South Korea, highlighting both opportunities and challenges in securing future trade benefits after the country’s graduation from LDC status.

The long-anticipated Padma Barrage construction project, valued at Tk 50,444 crore, has been halted at the final stage after it was not presented for approval at the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) meeting. The project aimed to restore biodiversity across 26 districts and 123 upazilas in Bangladesh’s southwest region, severely affected by India’s upstream water withdrawal. The Planning Ministry confirmed that despite all preparations, the project was not tabled for reasons not disclosed.

Geopolitical analysts view the delay as a sign of the interim government’s concession to India, while experts stress that India’s unilateral withdrawal of water from shared rivers has caused severe environmental and agricultural damage in Bangladesh. The Planning Ministry stated that the government’s current priority is to ensure a free and fair national election, after which the elected administration will decide on the project.

Documents show that India has repeatedly objected to the project during bilateral and technical discussions. Officials indicated that the proposal may be reconsidered in a future ECNEC meeting or by the next elected government.

The Election Inquiry and Judicial Officer has issued a show-cause notice to BNP candidate Hafiz Ibrahim from Bhola-2 (Daulatkhan-Borhanuddin) constituency for allegedly violating the electoral code of conduct. The notice, signed by District Civil Judge Md. Suman Hossain on Tuesday, instructs Ibrahim to respond by January 29 either in person or through an authorized representative.

According to the notice, the allegation was filed by Md. Nur Islam on behalf of Jamaat-e-Islami candidate Maulana Fazlul Karim. The complaint claims that on the evening of January 25, supporters of the BNP candidate allegedly attacked and intimidated Jamaat activists on their way to the party office, which constitutes a clear breach of the 13th parliamentary election code of conduct.

The notice further states that Ibrahim must explain why legal action should not be recommended to the Election Commission. This is the first instance in the district where a candidate has been served such a notice.

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Advocate Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said that cultural activists will be at the forefront of the party’s democratic movement and that the newly launched campaign song will touch people’s hearts. He made the remarks on Tuesday at the Banani Club in Dhaka during the inauguration of the viral ‘Dhaner Shish’ election song, which he believes will inspire renewed enthusiasm among the public ahead of the upcoming election.

Rizvi emphasized that throughout history, cultural workers have led political struggles, noting that songs written during times of oppression became voices of protest even beyond Bangladesh’s borders. He praised the song’s creators, including composer Ethun Babu and singer Moushumi, expressing confidence that their work captures the emotional power of the BNP’s ‘Dhaner Shish’ symbol. He also highlighted the role of literature, music, and poetry in social transformation, citing artists such as Kazi Nazrul Islam and Salil Chowdhury.

Rizvi expressed hope that the campaign song will win the hearts of voters, strengthen the democratic movement, and encourage citizens to assert their rights through voting.

NCP spokesperson Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan issued a strong warning against fascism during a rally at Cumilla Town Hall field on Tuesday evening, January 27, 2026. He condemned an alleged attack on Nasir Uddin Patowary by Chhatra Dal activists and said that if any group behaves like a fascist government, they will face similar consequences. Asif declared that the people will not tolerate oppression.

He reiterated his earlier proposal to form a Cumilla Division following a mass uprising, emphasizing that it should be named after Cumilla and implemented through an upper house meeting. Asif urged citizens to vote “yes” in the upcoming referendum regardless of symbol and said that while opposition parties faced repression under the Awami League government, the situation has now changed and people will no longer remain silent.

Asif also criticized delays in constructing the Cumilla City Corporation building, alleging political interference, and pledged voting rights from age 16 and job guarantees for youth. He accused the BNP of spreading false propaganda about fake family card distribution.

Mahdi Amin, adviser to BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman and spokesperson for the party’s election management committee, criticized the behavior of Nasiruddin Patwari, the NCP candidate for Dhaka-8, alleging that he began campaigning before the official period and displayed arrogance and sensationalism. In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Amin said Patwari’s remarks and actions aimed to attract attention through controversy.

Referring to a recent egg-throwing incident involving Patwari at Habibullah Bahar College, Amin described it as unfortunate but questioned the immediate accusation by NCP convener Nahid Islam that BNP supporters were behind it. He cited the college authorities’ statement that Patwari had not been invited and that ordinary students had prevented his entry. Amin argued that linking Tarique Rahman’s name to incidents without proof reflected a fascist political culture reminiscent of past authoritarian practices.

He urged all parties to act responsibly to prevent the election from turning into an irrational spectacle, emphasizing the need for awareness and restraint during the campaign period.

A ten-party alliance organized a large-scale election showdown in support of Jamaat-e-Islami–nominated candidate Advocate Alfaruk Abdul Latif in the Nilphamari-2 constituency. The event took place on Tuesday afternoon, beginning at DC Mor and proceeding through the town’s main roads before concluding at Krishifarm Shaheed Rubel Square. The procession covered approximately five kilometers, ending with speeches from several political figures.

Speakers at the rally included Advocate Alfaruk Abdul Latif, Rajshahi University Central Students’ Union Vice President Mostakur Rahman Zahid, district Jamaat executive member and freedom fighter Moniruzzaman Montu, city Jamaat chief Professor Anwarul Islam, and assistant secretary Advocate Anisur Rahman Azad. The event demonstrated coordinated support from the ten-party alliance for the Jamaat candidate ahead of the upcoming election.

The large turnout and organized procession highlighted the alliance’s efforts to mobilize voters in Nilphamari-2, signaling intensified campaign activity in the constituency.