In Nilphamari-1 (Domar-Dimla) constituency, activists of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) are reportedly showing little involvement in the election campaign of their alliance partner Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam’s factional secretary general, Maulana Manjurul Islam Afendi. This lack of participation from BNP’s local leaders and workers has created negative reactions among local voters, according to the report.

Although BNP’s district committees and affiliated organizations have issued instructions for full participation in campaign activities across the two upazilas of the constituency, these directives have not been reflected in practice. Sources within BNP said that engineer Shahrin Islam Chowdhury, a cousin of Tarique Rahman, had long been active as a potential BNP candidate for this seat but was replaced when the party allocated the constituency to its alliance partner Jamiat. As a result, Tuhin, another BNP figure, contested from Nilphamari-2, leaving most of his supporters concentrated there and weakening the alliance’s campaign in Nilphamari-1.

Maulana Afendi stated that he is receiving strong public support and remains unconcerned about the situation.

Nasiruddin Patwari, the Dhaka-8 parliamentary candidate nominated by the 11-party alliance, has alleged that he was attacked by members of the student organization Chhatra Dal during the campaign for the 13th National Parliamentary Election. The incident reportedly occurred around 11 a.m. on Tuesday in the Habibullah Bahar College area of the capital. Following the attack, Patwari and his supporters gathered at the Shantinagar intersection, where he claimed that eggs were thrown at him.

According to a statement from the NCP media cell, Patwari had attended an event at Habibullah Bahar College as an invited guest when individuals identifying themselves as Chhatra Dal members allegedly carried out the assault. The report did not mention any injuries or arrests related to the incident.

The alleged attack took place amid ongoing election campaigning activities in Dhaka-8, highlighting tensions surrounding the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism has drafted the ‘CAAB Property Lease Regulations 2026’ to restructure the management of immovable assets under the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB). The draft was sent to CAAB for feedback within three working days, a timeline the authority called unrealistic and hasty. CAAB formally objected to the ministry, citing the regulation’s complexity and its implications for airport operations, passenger services, national security, and international obligations. The ministry also published the draft on its website seeking public opinion.

In a letter signed by CAAB Chairman Air Vice Marshal Md Mostafa Mahmud Siddiq, the authority warned that several clauses could conflict with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards, potentially affecting Bangladesh’s international audits. CAAB argued that the draft may interfere with its legal jurisdiction under the Civil Aviation Authority Act 2017 and risk administrative and operational complications. The agency also opposed forming lease and monitoring committees lacking technical expertise and warned against open tenders for airside areas.

Separately, Supreme Court lawyer Barrister Rajin Ahmed requested extending the public feedback period by at least three weeks, noting over 500 submissions and emphasizing that public consultation is a mandatory procedural requirement under government rules.

Hasnat Abdullah, the 11-party alliance candidate led by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami for Comilla-4 (Debidwar), warned that some groups are planning to seize polling centers and steal votes. Speaking at a courtyard meeting on Tuesday morning, January 27, 2026, at Wahedpur Ghoshaibari field in Subil Union, he urged supporters to guard polling centers after Fajr prayers and to hand over anyone attempting to capture centers to the police.

Abdullah said that preventing vote theft no longer requires political leaders, as those who joined the July movement will resist it. He claimed that the politics of vote rigging ended after Hasina’s departure and warned that anyone attempting to manipulate the election would face similar consequences. He also dismissed propaganda suggesting that a “yes” vote in the referendum would remove “Bismillah” from the constitution, urging voters to cast two votes—one for the Shapla symbol and one for “yes.”

The meeting was presided over by Subil Union Jamaat chief Maulana Tajul Islam and attended by several local leaders from Jamaat-e-Islami and allied parties.

A total of 766,862 expatriate voters registered through the Postal Vote BD mobile app have received their postal ballots for the 13th National Parliament Election and referendum, according to Salim Ahmad Khan, team leader of the OCV-SDI project. As of 10:30 a.m. on January 27, 493,920 expatriate voters had accepted their ballots, and 425,788 had completed voting. Additionally, 370,322 ballots were submitted to post offices or mailboxes abroad, while 21,508 ballots had already reached Bangladesh.

Khan stated that a total of 1,533,683 voters, both domestic and expatriate, registered through the Postal Vote BD app to participate in the election and referendum. The initiative aims to facilitate participation of overseas Bangladeshis in the national voting process through digital registration and postal ballot distribution.

The progress indicates a significant level of engagement among expatriate voters, reflecting the growing use of digital tools in Bangladesh’s electoral process.

The International Crimes Tribunal-2 has concluded arguments in the case concerning the murder of Begum Rokeya University student Abu Sayeed, recognized as the first martyr of the July 24 uprising. The tribunal announced on Tuesday that the verdict could be delivered at any time. Prosecutor Mizanul Islam presented the prosecution’s arguments on January 22, citing witness testimonies, seized evidence, and official documents to establish the accused’s involvement.

The prosecution’s argument phase began on January 21 and continued for three days before the defense was scheduled to present its case. According to case documents, the investigation officer Ruhul Amin was cross-examined on January 14, and testimony from 25 witnesses was recorded. Of the 30 accused, six are currently in custody, including a former university proctor and several law enforcement and political figures, while 24 remain absconding. Four state-appointed lawyers are representing the fugitives.

The formal trial began on August 27 last year after the tribunal framed charges against the 30 accused on August 6, following submission of the investigation report in June.

Port workers at Benapole land port in Jashore staged a human chain protest on Tuesday morning demanding reinstatement of their discontinued allowance. The demonstration, held from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. in front of the cargo vehicle terminal under the banner of the Land Port Demand Implementation Council, led to a complete halt in import, export, and unloading operations for one hour, causing congestion inside the port.

Speakers at the protest said they had been receiving the allowance for 21 years as compensation for overtime work, but the government stopped the payment two months ago without prior notice. They described the decision as causing severe financial and mental hardship for employees. Around 150 workers participated in the event, chanting slogans for reinstatement of the benefit.

Warehouse inspectors Shahadat Hossain, Hafizur Rahman, and Nahid Parvez addressed the gathering, warning that if their demands were not met soon, they would announce tougher protest programs in the future.

Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman on Tuesday addressed an election rally at the Jashore Central Eidgah, organized in support of 11-party candidates and the upcoming referendum. He criticized what he described as double standards by a political group that promises welfare programs while allegedly assaulting women from rival parties. Rahman warned that such behavior would not be tolerated and questioned the legitimacy of those obstructing Jamaat’s activities.

During his speech, Rahman said that those creating such situations now would make women unsafe if they came to power. He urged that any breach of conduct by Jamaat members should be reported to the party rather than taking the law into one’s own hands. He further stated that the February 12 movement would be a “revolution by ballot,” calling for unity against corruption, extortion, and authoritarianism.

Rahman also emphasized youth empowerment through employment and training instead of unemployment allowances, and pledged transparency from elected representatives regarding their wealth.

The High Court has declared the nomination of BNP candidate Sarwar Alamgir for the Chattogram-2 constituency valid. The order was issued on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, by a bench comprising Justice Fahmida Kader and Justice Md Asif Hasan. Alamgir had filed a writ petition on January 20 challenging the Election Commission’s earlier decision that had canceled his nomination.

Previously, the returning officer had declared Alamgir’s nomination valid during the scrutiny process. However, an appeal was later filed with the Election Commission by Jamaat candidate Muhammad Nurul Amin, alleging that Alamgir was a loan defaulter. After a hearing on January 18, the Election Commission accepted the appeal and canceled Alamgir’s candidacy.

With the High Court’s latest order, Sarwar Alamgir regains his eligibility to contest the election from Chattogram-2, reversing the Election Commission’s earlier decision.

Palash Mahmud has voluntarily resigned from his position as senior joint member secretary of the National Citizens Party (NCP) Habiganj district committee. On Tuesday, he submitted his written resignation letter to the central committee’s convener and member secretary through the party’s official email and WhatsApp channels.

In his resignation letter, Mahmud stated that after carefully considering personal and political realities as well as the current situation, he felt it was not appropriate to continue his duties within the existing structure. He emphasized that his decision was not a reflection of distrust or disrespect toward the party or its leadership but was made to uphold responsibility and political decorum. He requested the central leadership to accept his resignation and relieve him of his duties.

Mahmud also expressed his willingness to continue contributing individually to democratic, just, and public-interest initiatives in the future. Copies of his resignation letter were sent to the district convener, district member secretary, Sylhet divisional organizational secretary, and the chief organizer of the northern region.

The Road Safety Foundation has called on political parties to include a 13-point commitment in their upcoming election manifestos to ensure safe and people-friendly public transport across Bangladesh. In a press release issued on Tuesday, the organization said that extortion and corruption under political patronage have prevented the establishment of a sustainable transport strategy, leading to increased traffic congestion and road accidents that disproportionately harm poor and middle-class families.

The foundation’s proposals include restructuring the National Road Safety Council (NRSC) to oversee BRTA, BRTC, and DRCA, ensuring transparency and management reforms, and introducing company-based modern bus services through route rationalization in the capital. It also urged the enactment of a road safety law, mandatory use of modern technology in vehicles, withdrawal of expired vehicles, institutional driver training, and trauma care centers at accident-prone highway points.

Additional recommendations include safe road design for small vehicles, regular safety audits, forming a unified transport ministry, allocating funds in the national budget for awareness programs, and creating a Tk 700 crore trust fund to support road accident victims.

A schoolgirl was killed and an autorickshaw driver injured when a speeding dump truck hit their vehicle on the Lakshmipur–Chaumuhani regional highway in front of the LGED office in Lakshmipur on Tuesday morning. The victim, Afreen, aged 10, was the daughter of Md. Akter Patowary from South Majupur area of Lakshmipur municipality and a student of Kakoli Shishu Angan School. The accident occurred around 7:30 a.m. when the truck, coming from Noakhali, struck the autorickshaw from behind.

Locals rescued the injured and took them to Lakshmipur Sadar Hospital, where doctors declared Afreen dead. The autorickshaw driver, Raju, was later transferred to Dhaka for advanced treatment as his condition worsened. Police confirmed the incident, recovered the body, and sent it to the hospital morgue. The truck involved in the crash was seized, but its driver fled the scene.

Authorities have not yet provided further details about the driver or the cause of the accident, and an investigation is expected to follow.

Home Affairs Adviser Lieutenant General (Retd.) Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury emphasized that security and human rights are complementary in prison administration during a ceremony at the Kashimpur Prison Training Center in Gazipur on Tuesday. Speaking as the chief guest at the closing parade of the 63rd batch of female prison guards’ basic training course, he said the state must ensure prisoners’ safety and fundamental rights while preparing them to return to society as reformed citizens.

He described prisons as sensitive and vital institutions within the criminal justice system, responsible for secure detention, crime prevention, offender correction, and social reintegration. The adviser underscored the importance of fairness, transparency, and accountability in prison management and urged new recruits to serve with honesty, professionalism, and patriotism. He also warned that corruption undermines state institutions and public trust, stressing that prison staff must act for public welfare rather than personal or political gain.

The adviser inspected the parade and distributed awards to top-performing female guards in various training categories, including drill, physical training, unarmed combat, and firing.

Environment, Forest and Climate Change Ministry adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan has challenged the Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC), claiming that every bus operated by the state-run company emits black smoke. She made the remarks on Tuesday at the BRTC Training Institute in Tejgaon during the inauguration of a training program aimed at improving driver and worker skills and raising awareness about noise pollution.

Hasan expressed frustration over the delay in finalizing the government’s scrap policy, which was supposed to be completed on October 28 of the previous year. She said she had repeatedly contacted officials over the past ten months about the issue. The adviser emphasized that without strict action against polluting vehicles, no real progress could be achieved. She also urged BRTC and the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) to take coordinated steps to ensure proper maintenance of old buses.

She added that while replacing old buses may take time, operators should at least maintain their vehicles properly, noting that after 54 years of operation, there is no reason for further delay in addressing pollution from public transport.

Interim government adviser Muhammad Faozul Kabir Khan announced that more than 60 hours of training have been made mandatory for obtaining a driving license in Bangladesh. He made the statement on Tuesday at 11 a.m., emphasizing that the new rule applies to all drivers seeking a license.

According to the adviser, drivers who undergo the required training will receive an allowance from the government. He also stated that the previous licensing committees will no longer exist, and applicants will receive their licenses upon passing the examination. The announcement reflects the interim government’s effort to reform the licensing process and ensure better driver preparation.

The new policy aims to simplify the licensing procedure while promoting road safety through structured training. The government’s decision to provide allowances for trainees is intended to encourage compliance with the new requirements.