The ongoing photo card sharing campaign, part of the 2026 referendum publicity drive, has continued since January 11. According to Senior Assistant Press Secretary Fayez Ahmed, the initiative aims to raise public awareness and encourage active citizen participation in the upcoming referendum. The campaign will continue until Sunday, January 18, as confirmed by the Chief Adviser’s Press Wing.

The photo cards carry the message urging citizens to vote 'yes' in the referendum, described as a step toward accelerating national progress. Alongside this initiative, other advisers have been participating in various public events to promote the 'yes' vote. Government channels are also actively supporting the campaign.

Political leaders and candidates are simultaneously conducting campaigns for both the 13th National Parliamentary Election and the referendum, indicating a broad mobilization effort across the country.

A young man named Md Faruk, 28, from Purbo Bara Veyola Union in Chakaria, Cox’s Bazar, has allegedly defrauded several Bangladeshi expatriates in Saudi Arabia of large sums of money and fled back to Bangladesh. Victims claim Faruk took millions of taka through false investment promises, including a petrol pump venture in Abha province. When they visited his home in Chakaria, they could not find him and were instead verbally abused by his sisters. Victims believe Faruk is hiding between his family homes in Cox’s Bazar and Dhaka.

One victim, expatriate worker Mohammad Abu Saleh from Lohagara, Chattogram, alleged that Faruk took 45,000 Saudi riyals—about 1.45 million taka—promising monthly profits that never materialized. Another victim, Shahajul Islam from Kushtia, said Faruk embezzled six lakh taka from a welfare lottery fund and also took 250,000 taka from a mobile banking agent. Saleh said he is preparing to take legal action.

The acting chairman of Purbo Bara Veyola Union Parishad confirmed knowing Faruk but said he could not verify whether the fraud allegations were true.

BNP leader and Ghuridah Union Parishad Chairman Selim Ahmed Tulip organized a large community feast in Saghata, Gaibandha, where around 10,000 people from various professions gathered to eat the traditional dish Pithali. The event took place on Friday at the Saghata Degree College field following a prayer ceremony seeking forgiveness for the late Begum Khaleda Zia’s soul. The field quickly filled as people arrived after Jumma prayers, and food was served for about one and a half hours.

Local residents described the event as highly organized and satisfying, noting that such a large gathering for the traditional meal had not been seen in over a decade. Participants from different areas, including Ghuridah, Bonarpara, and Holdia, praised the taste of the dish and the discipline maintained during the event.

The gathering was attended by Gaibandha district BNP leaders, including President Professor Dr. Moinul Hasan Sadiq, General Secretary Md. Mahamudunabi Titul, and BNP’s nominated candidate for Gaibandha-5 constituency Alhaj Md. Faruk Alam Sarkar, along with other party members.

The Election Commission (EC) of Bangladesh is conducting the eighth day of appeal hearings related to the acceptance and rejection of nomination papers for the 13th National Parliament election. The hearings began at 10 a.m. on Saturday at the EC headquarters in Agargaon, Dhaka, under the chairmanship of Chief Election Commissioner A M M Nasir Uddin. According to the EC schedule, 100 appeals numbered 511 to 610 are being heard from morning to 5 p.m., with a one-hour break at noon.

On the previous day, Friday, the commission heard 43 appeals, approving 18 appeals against nomination rejections, rejecting 17, and keeping four pending for verdict. Additionally, four appeals challenging the acceptance of others’ nominations were dismissed. The EC stated that the final day of hearings will be held on Sunday, covering appeals numbered 611 to 645 and any remaining pending cases.

A total of 645 appeals were filed with the EC against returning officers’ decisions. On January 4, returning officers declared 1,842 of 2,568 nomination papers valid and 723 invalid across 300 constituencies.

Adilur Rahman Khan, adviser to the ministries of Housing and Public Works, Industries, and Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives, addressed a public awareness meeting in Cox’s Bazar on Saturday, January 17, 2026, as part of the campaign for the upcoming 2026 referendum. Speaking as the chief guest at the Cox’s Bazar Institute and Public Library Hall, he declared that enforced disappearances, extrajudicial actions, and crossfire incidents would no longer be tolerated in Bangladesh. He urged citizens to vote ‘yes’ in the referendum to end years of irregularities in the voting process.

Khan said the July Charter had been signed to fulfill the dreams of 1,400 students, workers, and citizens who sacrificed their lives for change, and that all political parties supported the charter. The Cox’s Bazar district administration organized the event, chaired by Deputy Commissioner Md. A. Mannan, and detailed extensive promotional activities including banners, posters, films, and social media outreach across the district.

The adviser’s visit to Cox’s Bazar followed campaign stops in Chattogram and Bandarban. He and his team were scheduled to return to Dhaka on Saturday night after completing the day’s activities.

Ten leaders and activists of Islami Andolan Bangladesh from Ward 75 (Daserkandi) under Dhaka South have joined Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami. The group included Gazi Nasir Uddin, president of the ward unit, businessman Kazi Akter Hossain, and Kazi Khaled Hossain. They formally joined the party on Saturday morning at a ceremony held in the capital’s Daserkandi area.

The event was attended by Kabir Ahmad, Jamaat’s nominated candidate for the Dhaka-9 parliamentary seat and central vice-president of the Labour Welfare Federation, as the chief guest. The program was presided over by Maulana Mahmudur Rahman, amir of Khilgaon East Thana Jamaat. Party leaders welcomed the new members and highlighted the organization’s ideology, goals, and objectives.

The joining marks a local-level shift of Islami Andolan members toward Jamaat-e-Islami in Dhaka South, reflecting ongoing political realignments within Islamist groups in the area.

Dr. Badiul Alam Majumdar, Secretary of Citizens for Good Governance (Sujon), stated that Bangladesh urgently needs a fair, acceptable, and neutral election. He said the electoral field and political parties have become corrupted, with most candidates relying on black money and muscle power. He made these remarks on Friday, January 16, at 7 p.m. during a brief exchange meeting with local dignitaries at the Hasan Azizur Rahman Auditorium of the World Literature Center in Palashbari, Gaibandha.

Emphasizing the need for reform of the Election Commission, Majumdar said that such reform is the most crucial step, claiming that members of the commission had become more partisan than even Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. He added that the constitution was originally written to empower Bangabandhu, which made the prime minister all-powerful, and that Sheikh Hasina followed the same path. He also said that by abolishing the caretaker government system through constitutional amendment, Sheikh Hasina aimed to remain in power for life.

Majumdar described the 1991 election as the best in Bangladesh’s history. Several Sujon officials and local dignitaries attended the meeting.

BNP candidate Jasim Uddin from Chittagong-14 (Chandanaish and part of Satkania) has been accused of violating the electoral code of conduct by campaigning inside a mosque. On Friday, January 16, he addressed worshippers at Kanchannagar Johadia Darbar Mosque after Jumma prayers, urging them to support the BNP’s paddy sheaf symbol and grant him their mandate in the upcoming election. A 3-minute-32-second video of his speech later circulated on social media.

According to the 2025 electoral code of conduct, candidates or their representatives are prohibited from starting any campaign activities earlier than three weeks before the polling date. The 13th national parliamentary election is scheduled for February 12, 2026. When contacted, Jasim Uddin initially denied seeking votes, claiming he only asked for prayers and requested positive reporting.

Chandanaish Upazila Nirbahi Officer and Assistant Returning Officer Md. Rajib Hossain confirmed receiving the complaint and stated that action was being taken against the accused candidate.

A man named Md. Shakil, aged 40, was killed and another person injured in a head-on collision between a jeep and a motorcycle in Fatikchhari upazila of Chattogram on Saturday morning. The accident occurred on the Khiram–Nanupur road at a place called Lambatila. The deceased, Shakil, was the son of Abdul Kader from Khiram Union’s Muktijoddha Abdul Baten Bari. The injured motorcyclist was identified as 39-year-old Alauddin Talukder.

According to local and police sources, Shakil and Alauddin were traveling by motorcycle from Chattogram city to Shakil’s village home in Moggkata of Khiram Union when the collision took place. Locals rescued the victims and took them to Fatikchhari Upazila Health Complex, where doctors declared Shakil dead. Alauddin received primary treatment before being referred to Chattogram Medical College Hospital for advanced care.

Fatikchhari Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md. Selim said police had reached the scene after receiving the report and that necessary legal steps would be taken once the team returned.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has strongly condemned and protested the filing of what it called a politically motivated false case against Dr. Colonel (Retd.) Oli Ahmad Bir Bikram, chairman of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and a decorated freedom fighter. In a statement to the media on Saturday, Jamaat’s Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar described Oli Ahmad as an honest, democratic, and patriotic senior politician who played an important role in the country’s democratic movements.

Porwar said that filing a false case against such a respected political figure was undesirable, unexpected, and driven by political ill intent. He demanded that the authorities immediately withdraw what he termed a harassing and baseless case. According to the report, a case was filed at Satkania Police Station accusing Oli Ahmad and 12 others of involvement in an attack on a vehicle, with allegations also brought against 50–60 unidentified individuals. The complaint was lodged on the night of January 11 by M A Hashem Raju, the chief coordinator of BNP candidate Jasim Uddin’s election campaign for Chattogram-14 constituency.

The statement reflects Jamaat-e-Islami’s opposition to what it views as politically motivated legal actions against opposition figures.

A fatal road accident occurred on Saturday morning, January 17, 2026, when an Ena Paribahan bus and a pickup van collided head-on on the Sunamganj–Sylhet regional highway near Buraigaon village in Chhatak upazila. The pickup driver, identified as Rakib from Jashore district, died on the spot, while at least eight others sustained injuries. Following the collision, the bus veered off the road into a small canal, and the pickup was completely mangled.

Eyewitnesses reported that the Ena Paribahan bus was traveling from Dhaka toward Sunamganj when it crashed into the oncoming pickup van. Among the injured were passengers from the bus, including its driver. Two of the seriously injured victims were transferred to Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital for treatment.

Local residents immediately began rescue efforts to free trapped passengers before a fire service unit arrived to assist. Police from Joykolos Highway Station confirmed the incident and stated that the pickup was severely damaged in the crash.

The Election Commission (EC) of Bangladesh has completed the draft list of polling officials ahead of the 13th parliamentary election. The list, prepared from officials of educational institutions, banks, and various government and private organizations, has triggered contrasting reactions. Many listed officials have applied for exemption citing illness, family issues, or childcare, while others, excluded despite being qualified, are lobbying for inclusion. The EC plans to begin training for finalized polling officials on January 22.

According to EC sources, several hundred thousand polling officials will be required for the upcoming election. A large number of exemption requests have already been submitted, particularly from field-level teachers and bank employees who fear possible unrest or violence on election day. Conversely, some experienced officials claim they were unfairly left out due to local administrative bias or political favoritism, warning that excluding skilled personnel could undermine electoral transparency.

An EC senior official stated that recruitment follows strict guidelines and that genuine exemption requests are being considered. However, unjustified refusal to serve may lead to disciplinary action. The EC is reviewing all complaints to ensure a fair and competent final panel.

During the tenure of the fallen Awami government, Bangladesh’s creative publishing sector reportedly faced severe corruption and mismanagement. Numerous projects, including Mujib birth centenary and Bangabandhu-Muktijuddho corners, were created across ministries and institutions, allegedly leading to large-scale embezzlement of public funds. Publishers close to the ruling party were accused of receiving work orders for low-quality books glorifying the Mujib family and distorting history, while dissenting publishers were systematically excluded. The Ministry of Cultural Affairs secretary acknowledged that significant government funds were spent on such books, though they are no longer displayed or sold.

Publishers’ associations and industry leaders claimed that a politically connected syndicate dominated government book procurement, exploiting programs like the Secondary Education Development Program (SEDP) and other ministry projects to secure contracts worth hundreds of crores of taka. They demanded investigations and support for affected publishers. Several named publishers denied wrongdoing, asserting that all purchases followed official procedures. The controversy has left the creative publishing industry weakened and calls for reform and accountability continue.

Ahead of the national election, concerns have intensified in Bangladesh over the absence of a level playing field for candidates. The issue gained urgency after an attack on Sharif Osman Hadi, a parliamentary candidate and spokesperson of Inquilab Mancha, raising questions about the state’s ability to guarantee safety and fairness. The article argues that ensuring equal opportunity for all candidates is not just an ideal but a measure of democratic maturity.

The commentary identifies three essential pillars for a fair election: equality of security, equality of resources, and impartial enforcement of law. It warns that when some candidates enjoy administrative protection and state resources while others face insecurity and financial constraints, democracy itself is undermined. The lack of neutrality erodes public trust, discourages voters, and diminishes the symbolic value of democracy both domestically and internationally.

The article concludes that the Election Commission and administration must act decisively to dismantle networks of violence, ensure candidate safety, and maintain visible neutrality. A fair election, it stresses, is not merely a change of government but the foundation of democratic survival.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has expressed optimism that Bangladesh could one day play in the FIFA World Cup. Responding to a question on Instagram about whether Bangladesh might ever qualify, Infantino said the country has the potential to reach football’s biggest stage. He noted that FIFA’s goal is to help more nations participate for the first time, citing new qualifiers such as Cape Verde, Curaçao, Uzbekistan, and Jordan for the upcoming World Cup to be held in June in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Infantino praised Bangladesh as a football-loving nation where the sport is improving, adding that FIFA is investing significantly in the country’s football development. He said Bangladesh has talent like many other nations and could soon reach the World Cup. The visit of the World Cup trophy to Bangladesh further inspired national players, including captain Jamal Bhuiyan and Sheikh Morsalin, who believe the new generation can lead the country to global competition.

Bangladesh last reached the Asian Cup finals in 1980, but recent progress and emerging talents such as Hamza Chowdhury and Shamit Som have revived hopes for future success.