Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman visited the Chattogram area ahead of the upcoming 13th National Parliament Election and referendum. During the visit, he met with senior military officials, divisional administration, and law enforcement representatives to discuss election security, law and order, and inter-agency coordination. A meeting was held at the Chattogram Circuit House on Thursday morning to review overall preparations and security plans for conducting the election and referendum peacefully, neutrally, and credibly.

In the meeting, the Army Chief emphasized professionalism, discipline, and neutrality in performing duties. He highlighted the importance of coordinated and effective roles among all relevant institutions to maintain law and order during the election period. He also instructed personnel to act with patience and a citizen-friendly attitude. The Army will remain active to ensure a fair election.

After the meeting, the Army Chief visited the Dampara Army Camp in Chattogram, reviewed the current law and order situation, and interacted with army members deployed under “In Aid to the Civil Power.” His schedule also included observing other key activities in the Chattogram area.

A press conference was held in Chapainawabganj demanding the arrest of Abdul Bashed Bacchu, managing director of Joyita Consumer Co-operative Society Limited, who allegedly fled after embezzling Tk 5 crore from around 200 customers. The event took place on Thursday afternoon at an office in the district town, organized by affected families seeking justice and the return of their money.

Executive member Abdullah Al Masum read a written statement, claiming Bacchu had long collected deposits from locals while running the NGO. After the death of Masum’s sister in 2022, Bacchu allegedly absconded with all the funds, halting the organization’s operations. Masum stated that his family had no involvement in financial transactions despite being listed on the executive committee.

Masum further alleged that several officials of the NGO secretly withdrew customer funds and filed 12 false cases against his family. The victims urged authorities to arrest Bacchu, recover the embezzled money, and conduct a fair investigation to ensure that innocent people are not harassed.

Barrister Rumin Farhana, an independent candidate from Brahmanbaria-2 constituency, has lodged serious allegations against the administration and police ahead of the upcoming national election. On Thursday, she submitted a written response to the Election Commission in Dhaka and spoke to journalists, claiming that her campaign workers were attacked, beaten, and their homes set on fire, yet no cases had been filed.

Farhana stated that she was forced to leave her constituency and come to Dhaka because she felt the authorities were not maintaining neutrality. She warned that if the administration failed to remain impartial, the situation could resemble previous controversial elections. In addition to notifying the Election Commission, she said she would meet with European Union observers to present her concerns.

Despite the alleged attacks, Farhana affirmed that she would not withdraw from the race and would continue campaigning until the end. She called on all political parties to ensure a fair election and vowed to resist any attempt to manipulate the process.

A Dhaka court has granted a six-day remand for Md. Rubel Ahmed, a close associate of Faisal Karim Masud, the prime accused in the murder of Inqilab Moncho spokesperson Shahid Sharif Osman Hadi. The order was issued on Thursday, January 22, 2026, by Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Jashita Islam. Rubel was arrested from his residence in Keraniganj the previous night. The Criminal Investigation Department’s Assistant Superintendent of Police Abdul Kadir Bhuiyan had sought a ten-day remand, while Assistant Public Prosecutor Jamal Uddin Margin supported the request. No defense lawyer was present during the hearing.

Hadi was shot on December 12 in Dhaka’s Paltan area while traveling after Friday prayers and later died on December 18 in Singapore while undergoing treatment. The case, initially filed as an attempted murder, was later converted into a murder case. On January 6, police submitted a charge sheet naming 17 accused, including former ward councilor Taizul Islam Chowdhury Bappi and Faisal Karim Masud.

Following dissatisfaction with the charge sheet, Inqilab Moncho’s member secretary Abdullah Al Jaber filed a petition for further investigation, which the court approved, directing the CID to submit a new report by January 25.

National Citizen Party (NCP) convener Nahid Islam announced that eliminating mafia-led extortion networks across Dhaka-8 is the first agenda of the party’s candidate, Nasiruddin Patwari. He made the statement on Thursday during an election campaign event in front of the National Press Club. Nahid Islam also said that ensuring justice for the killing of Shaheed Osman Hadi, which occurred in the same constituency, is another major priority for Nasiruddin.

The NCP leader stated that Bangladesh is holding a national election after 16 years, during which citizens were deprived of their voting rights. He emphasized that nearly one thousand martyrs sacrificed their lives to restore this right, and urged voters to support reform by voting “yes” in the upcoming election. The NCP is participating nationwide as part of a ten-party electoral alliance, fielding 30 candidates under the “Shapla Kali” symbol.

Nasiruddin Patwari urged all political parties to honor the martyrs by supporting the “yes” vote and vowed to build a new Bangladesh free from impunity, corruption, and extortion, ensuring safety for all citizens and businesses.

Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has revealed that two candidates in the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election still hold British citizenship despite 21 others declaring the renunciation of their foreign nationality. The anti-corruption watchdog stated that the names of the two candidates were not disclosed but would be reported to the relevant authorities. TIB also found that one candidate failed to declare a property worth £1.4 million in the UK, purchased in 2013 under the name of a declared dependent.

At a press conference held at TIB’s headquarters in Dhanmondi, Executive Director Dr. Iftekharuzzaman said that many affidavits submitted by candidates lacked transparency. He noted that 21 candidates earn income from foreign sources, 25 have movable assets or investments abroad, and 17 declared ownership of immovable property outside Bangladesh. TIB’s data shows that 87 percent of candidates are party-nominated, 13 percent are independent, and 48 percent are businessmen.

The organization highlighted that the intertwining of money, business, and religion in politics has created a hostage-like situation, undermining healthy political practices.

The International Crimes Tribunal-1 has granted the prosecution an additional two weeks to submit the investigation report against former Inspector General of Police (IGP) AKM Shahidul Haque and six others in a case over the killing of nine youths in Mirpur’s Jahazbari, Dhaka. The tribunal set February 3 as the new date for filing the report. The order was issued by Justice Md Mohitul Haque Enam Chowdhury’s single bench following a hearing on Thursday, where prosecutor Gazi MH Tamim sought more time citing progress in the investigation.

The case involves allegations that a staged militant operation at Jahazbari led to the deaths of nine young men, an incident now being treated as a crime against humanity. On the same day, former IGP Shahidul Haque and three other former police officials, including ex-DMP Commissioner Asaduzzaman Mia and former Mirpur Division Deputy Commissioner Jasim Uddin Molla, were produced before the tribunal.

The tribunal’s decision allows the prosecution additional time to complete its investigation before submitting the formal report for further legal proceedings.

The International Crimes Tribunal-2 has ordered the start of the trial against two top leaders of the banned organization Chhatra League, President Saddam Hossain and General Secretary Sheikh Wali Asif Inan, on charges of crimes against humanity committed during the July Revolution. The three-member panel, led by Justice Nazrul Islam Chowdhury, rejected the defendants’ plea for discharge and formally framed charges against them. The tribunal also ordered trials for five other accused, including former Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader and several senior political figures.

Prosecutors Mizanul Islam and Gazi M.H. Tamim argued on January 18 that the accused bore individual responsibility for inciting and directing killings of protesters during July and August. Defense lawyers Lokman Hawlader and Ishrat Jahan denied any involvement, citing lack of evidence and seeking acquittal. The tribunal set January 22 for the order after hearing both sides.

The accused failed to appear on January 8 despite being ordered to surrender. Authorities later appointed state defense lawyers and issued public notices after unsuccessful arrest attempts in late December.

Youth and Sports Adviser Dr. Asif Nazrul announced that Bangladesh will not participate in the upcoming World Cup in India, citing no improvement in the security situation there. The decision was reaffirmed during a meeting held today at a five-star hotel in Dhaka with national cricketers to finalize Bangladesh’s stance on the tournament.

According to the report, Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) President Aminul Islam Bulbul had requested additional time at an ICC meeting yesterday to convey the country’s final decision. Following that, the BCB held a joint discussion with government representatives and players. After the meeting, Dr. Nazrul confirmed that the government remains firm on its earlier position not to send the team to India due to security concerns.

The adviser emphasized that the government’s stance remains unchanged, and Bangladesh is not in favor of traveling to India under the current circumstances.

BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman, speaking at an election rally in Moulvibazar on Thursday, called on the interim government’s head and advisers to increase the protocol and security for certain unnamed political figures. Without mentioning any party by name, he said that if they required protocol, it should be made three times higher than what BNP receives. He argued that these individuals were misleading the public, and as people were becoming aware of it, there was a risk of public anger against them.

Rahman stated that his appeal was made on behalf of BNP and millions of supporters to ensure safety and avoid any untoward incidents. He recalled the role of some groups during the 1971 Liberation War, saying that people were now re-examining their actions from that period. He emphasized that history could not be erased and that the public had already seen their stance against the country.

He reiterated that as these individuals sought government protection, the interim administration should provide them with triple the protocol and security currently afforded to BNP leaders.

The Election Commission (EC) of Bangladesh has announced that national identity card (NID) correction services will resume across the country from January 25. The Director General of the National Identity Registration Wing, A S M Humayun Kabir, confirmed the decision on Thursday, January 22, stating that citizens will again be able to correct all information on their NIDs starting Sunday.

According to EC sources, the correction process had been temporarily suspended since November 24 to facilitate the updating of the voter list ahead of the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election and a planned referendum. During that period, limited correction services were available only for urgent cases through special applications.

Officials said that with the voter list preparation now completed, full correction services are being reopened for the general public. Citizens waiting to update their names, addresses, or other details on their NIDs can now submit regular applications from January 25.

Two rival groups within the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) clashed multiple times during an election campaign in Tongibari upazila of Munshiganj on Thursday. The incidents occurred between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. in the Dighirpar Bazar area, where supporters of BNP candidate Abdus Salam Azad organized a procession. The clashes erupted as the procession moved from Dighirpar Bazar toward Kamar Khara, involving sharp weapons and sticks.

According to local accounts, the violence broke out between followers of BNP leader Shamim Molla and supporters of union BNP general secretary Monowar Khan. The confrontation escalated quickly, and by 1 p.m., supporters from the Khan and Molla families were again engaged in fighting. Several hundred people reportedly took part, forcing shopkeepers and residents to flee as the market area shut down amid panic.

One injured person, identified as Nazrul Molla, 42, from Dighirpar, was named, while others remained unidentified. Tongibari police officer-in-charge Mohammad Monirul Haque Dablue said additional police were deployed, the situation was under control, and legal action was being processed.

The central leadership of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has expelled three members from Madaripur district for contesting as independent candidates against official party nominees in the 13th national parliamentary election. The expulsions were confirmed on Wednesday night, January 21, through a press release signed by BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Advocate Ruhul Kabir Rizvi. The expelled individuals are Kamal Zaman Molla from Madaripur-1, Sajjad Hossain Siddiqui Lablu from the same constituency, and Milton Baidya from Madaripur-2.

According to the press release, a total of 57 BNP leaders across the country were expelled for engaging in activities contrary to party policy, ideology, and discipline. The decision followed internal disputes over nominations in Madaripur, where Kamal Zaman Molla was initially nominated but later replaced by Nadira Akter in Madaripur-1. In Madaripur-2, Jahandar Ali Mia is contesting as the official BNP candidate, while in Madaripur-3, Anisur Rahman Khokon Talukder is representing the party.

The expulsions underscore BNP’s effort to enforce internal discipline and maintain unity ahead of the 13th national election.

Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam announced that February 11 will be a public holiday ahead of the 13th National Parliamentary Election scheduled for February 12. The decision was revealed at a press briefing at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka. Workers in industrial areas will also receive leave on February 10, while February 13 and 14 (Friday and Saturday) are regular weekends, resulting in a four-day holiday for government employees.

The press secretary said the cabinet meeting approved 13 agenda items, including the final approval of several draft laws and policies. These include the Bangladesh Private Export Processing Zone (Repeal) Act, the Gambling Prevention Ordinance 2026, the Right to Information Ordinance 2026, and the National Poultry Development Policy 2026. The cabinet also approved the Bangladesh-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement and the Dhaka Central University Ordinance 2026.

According to Shafiqul Alam, the Gambling Prevention Ordinance 2026 defines 19 types of gambling and sets 15 categories of punishment, with a maximum fine of 500,000 taka and imprisonment up to 10 years.

The Bangladesh Election Commission (EC) has issued a warning prohibiting the collection of voters’ personal information and National Identity Cards (NID) under the guise of election campaigning. The notice, released on Thursday, January 22, 2026, stated that the commission had observed attempts by certain individuals to gather such data, which violates the National Identity Registration Act, 2010. The act forbids carrying or transferring another person’s NID.

The EC further reminded that under Rule 4 of the ‘Code of Conduct for Political Parties and Candidates in Parliamentary Elections, 2025,’ no political party, candidate, or representative may offer or promise donations, gifts, or contributions to individuals, groups, or institutions within an electoral area. The commission emphasized that these actions constitute punishable offenses under existing regulations.

The EC urged all citizens and organizations to refrain from engaging in or supporting such activities, reinforcing its commitment to maintaining lawful and transparent election practices.