BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman stated that the people are the source of all political power for the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). He made the remarks on Sunday, January 25, 2026, while addressing an election rally at Feni Government Pilot High School field. Rahman emphasized that BNP’s politics is dedicated to the welfare of the people and urged voters in Feni, Lakshmipur, and Noakhali to support the party’s electoral symbol, the paddy sheaf. Highlighting his plans for public welfare, Rahman announced two proposed initiatives: a ‘Family Card’ for working women and a ‘Farmer Card’ for agricultural workers. The Family Card would provide monthly government assistance to housewives, while the Farmer Card would ensure direct delivery of fertilizer, seeds, and pesticides to farmers, bypassing middlemen. He said these measures aim to reduce hardship and improve livelihoods. The rally was presided over by Feni District BNP convener Sheikh Farid Bahar and conducted by member secretary Alal Uddin Alal. Several BNP leaders and parliamentary candidates from Feni, Lakshmipur, and Noakhali also addressed the event.

BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman is scheduled to visit Bogura on Wednesday evening, January 28, after a 19-year absence. According to a district BNP source, he will address a public rally that night at the historic Altafunnesa playground. Rahman will stay overnight in Bogura Garden and on January 29 will conduct campaign activities across 21 unions of his Bogura-6 constituency, concluding with a visit to Bagbari in Gabtali. Ahead of the rally, Bogura district BNP leaders inspected the Altafunnesa field on Tuesday afternoon to oversee preparations. District BNP President Rezaul Karim Badsha stated that the field is being readied for the event, which is expected to draw around one hundred thousand people. The announcement of Rahman’s visit has created a festive atmosphere in Bogura, with supporters and residents eagerly awaiting his arrival. The rally marks Rahman’s first public appearance in Bogura in nearly two decades, signaling renewed political activity in the region as part of his campaign for the Bogura-6 parliamentary seat.

Authorities have clarified that reports claiming Bagerhat Chhatra League leader Jewel Hasan Saddam was denied parole to attend his wife and child’s funeral were inaccurate. Saddam, detained in Jashore Central Jail, was required under the 2016 parole policy to apply through the Jashore District Magistrate. His family instead submitted the application to the Bagerhat District Magistrate, who advised them to reapply in Jashore. No application was subsequently filed there, leading to the parole not being granted. The incident followed the deaths of Saddam’s wife Kaniz Subarna Swarnali and their son Shehzad Hasan Nazif on January 23, 2026, which police said remained under investigation. Media reports and social media posts had suggested that Saddam was refused parole and saw his family’s bodies only at the prison gate, sparking public debate. Officials later stated that the misunderstanding arose from incomplete reporting and procedural confusion. Legal experts cited in the report expressed differing opinions on whether a magistrate could exercise discretionary power to grant parole across districts, but officials maintained that the 2016 policy restricted such authority to the district of detention.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) conducted an operation in the border area of Shyamnagar upazila in Satkhira, recovering firearms, ammunition, and a large quantity of drugs. The raid took place around 2:30 a.m. on Saturday, January 24, under the Nil Dumur Battalion (17 BGB) at the jurisdiction of the Nil Dumur RBG Company’s Koikhali Border Outpost. The operation was led by Havildar Md. Shahabur Rahman. According to BGB sources, the seized items were found abandoned about one kilometer from the outpost and 200 meters south of the international border near the Koikhali sluice gate embankment. The recovered materials included a foreign revolver, six rounds of ammunition, 3,500 pieces of Indian yaba tablets, and 50 bottles of Indian cough syrup branded as ‘Win Carex’. The estimated market value of the seized goods is approximately Tk 1,131,200. BGB reported that the firearms and ammunition have been handed over to Shyamnagar Police Station for legal action, while the drugs were transferred to the battalion headquarters. Legal proceedings are currently underway.

BNP National Standing Committee member and Cox’s Bazar-1 constituency candidate Salahuddin Ahmed declared that the Awami League and its election symbol, the boat, no longer exist, asserting that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina herself has buried them. He made these remarks on Sunday afternoon at an election campaign rally organized by the local BNP at Toitong High School field in Pekua upazila. During his speech, Salahuddin described the BNP as the political force representing the people of Bangladesh, committed to protecting the country’s independence and democracy. He contrasted this with his opponents, whom he accused of lacking plans and misleading voters with religious rhetoric. He urged citizens seeking prosperity and progress to vote for the BNP’s paddy sheaf symbol. Salahuddin also criticized those he described as subservient to India, claiming they have disappeared from Bangladesh’s political scene. He emphasized that the BNP has clear policies and programs for the nation’s development.

At least 20 people were injured in violent clashes between supporters of the BNP candidate and an independent candidate in Bhaluka upazila of Mymensingh-11 constituency on January 25, 2026. The incident began when supporters of independent candidate Alhaj Muhammad Murshed Alam, led by student leader Adi Khan Shakil, were campaigning with the deer symbol at Kana Market in the municipal area. They were allegedly attacked by supporters of BNP candidate Fakhr Uddin Ahmed Bacchu. Following the initial attack, supporters of the independent candidate retaliated by vandalizing the BNP office in the upazila headquarters. In response, BNP supporters reportedly set fire to Shakil’s business establishment and the independent candidate’s office. The local fire service brought the blaze under control after about two hours. Among the injured were former Chhatra Dal president Matiur Rahman Milton, while four seriously wounded individuals were sent to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital. The violence disrupted traffic on the Dhaka–Mymensingh highway for nearly two hours before police and army personnel arrived to restore order.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has excluded Bangladesh from the upcoming T20 World Cup, granting Scotland the opportunity to participate instead. The decision, which prevents Bangladesh from playing in Sri Lanka, has drawn strong criticism from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi described the exclusion as unjust and an example of the ICC’s double standards. Following the announcement, Pakistan is reportedly considering whether to withdraw from the World Cup in solidarity with Bangladesh. Naqvi held a meeting with Pakistan’s players and team management on Sunday, where they expressed support for the board’s stance and agreed to abide by whatever decision the PCB ultimately makes. According to a source, Naqvi is expected to discuss the matter with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday before a final decision is made. The outcome of this discussion will determine whether Pakistan boycotts the World Cup or proceeds to participate despite its protest against the ICC’s decision.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has confirmed it will not challenge the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) decision regarding Bangladesh’s withdrawal from the upcoming World Cup in India. The BCB had requested that Bangladesh’s matches be moved to Sri Lanka, but the ICC rejected the proposal and instructed that the games be played in India. Following this, Bangladesh withdrew from the tournament and has now decided not to take the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. After an eight-hour meeting, BCB Media Committee Chairman Amjad Hossain stated that the board accepted the ICC’s ruling and would not pursue arbitration. He explained that the decision not to play in India came from the Bangladesh government, which had directed that the team could not participate unless the fixture schedule was changed. The BCB formally informed the ICC that it would not be possible for the team to play in India under the current arrangements. The BCB’s decision effectively ends any legal or administrative dispute over Bangladesh’s withdrawal, leaving the team out of the World Cup as scheduled.

BNP Standing Committee member and Cox’s Bazar-1 constituency candidate Salahuddin Ahmed delivered a sharp critique of the Awami League during an election campaign rally at Toitong High School field in Pekua upazila on Sunday, January 25, 2026. Speaking as the chief guest at the event organized by the local BNP unit, he claimed that the Awami League had brought about its own downfall and urged voters to support the BNP’s paddy sheaf symbol. Ahmed described the BNP as the political force representing the people of Bangladesh, asserting that the party upholds the country’s independence and democracy. He accused rival groups of lacking clear plans and misleading the public with religious rhetoric, while emphasizing that the BNP has policies and programs aimed at national progress. Several senior BNP leaders, including local and upazila-level representatives, attended the rally, underscoring the party’s coordinated campaign efforts in the region ahead of the upcoming election.

Eighteen microphones and five coils of wire were stolen from the election rally of Tareq Rahman in Chattogram, despite tight security measures. The theft occurred on Saturday night around the Polo Ground area, and a written complaint was filed with the Kotwali Police Station on Sunday morning by Abdur Razzak, owner of Dhaka Raj Sound System. He reported that 200 microphones had been installed for the rally, of which 18 and several coils of wire went missing. Authorities had imposed strict security around the venue, deploying police, RAB, and intelligence personnel. The Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP) had banned drones, weapons, explosives, and any potentially hazardous items in and around the rally grounds. Despite these precautions, the theft took place, drawing mixed reactions when it became known on Sunday afternoon. The sound system owner said two guards had been assigned to watch over the equipment overnight. Attempts to contact Kotwali Police Station Officer-in-Charge Aftab Uddin for comment were unsuccessful.

Hasnat Abdullah, the South Regional Chief Organizer of the NCP and a Jamaat-NCP alliance candidate, called on voters to support a 'yes' vote in the upcoming referendum on retaining 'Bismillah' in the Constitution. He made the remarks on Sunday, January 25, 2026, during a campaign rally at Saichapara High School field in Fatehabad Union of Debidwar, Cumilla. Abdullah said the referendum would include 'yes' and 'no' options and urged citizens to vote for change through the referendum process. He emphasized that a 'yes' vote would represent support for a corruption-free country, an extortion-free society, and an independent and neutral Election Commission. Abdullah also encouraged his supporters to reach out to relatives and acquaintances living outside the area to seek votes and to prioritize local marriages within Debidwar during the campaign period. He described the upcoming election as one earned through sacrifice and urged voters to choose qualified and honest candidates. Leaders from Jamaat and NCP, including Saiful Islam Shahid and Jahangir Alam, were present at the event, along with other local activists.

A young man was burned to death while sleeping inside a car workshop in Narsingdi’s Police Lines area late Friday night, January 23. The victim, identified as 23-year-old Chanchal Chandra Bhowmik from Lakshmipur village in Cumilla’s Barura upazila, worked at the workshop located in the Mosque Market. According to police and locals, unidentified individuals set fire under the shop’s shutter, causing a rapid blaze fueled by petrol and lubricants stored inside. CCTV footage reportedly shows several people deliberately igniting the fire. Attempts to contact the shop owner, Md. Rubel Mia, were unsuccessful. Dr. Gulshana Kabir of Narsingdi Sadar Hospital confirmed that the body was brought in completely charred and later handed over to the family after autopsy. Officer-in-Charge A.R.M. Al Mamun said police recovered the body and collected CCTV footage, while multiple teams are working to identify the culprits. Superintendent of Police Abdullah Al Faruk confirmed that the victim’s family is preparing to file a case. No arrests had been made as of the report’s publication.

The Election Commission (EC) has reinstated the candidacy of two independent contenders for the Pabna-1 constituency in Bangladesh’s 13th parliamentary election. Following successful appeals, Khairun Nahar Khanam and Md. Tajul Islam’s nomination papers were declared valid. The decision was announced on Sunday, January 25, 2026, through a notice signed by EC Deputy Secretary (Law) Sannullah. The commission instructed the returning officer to include both names in the official list of valid candidates. Earlier, elections in Pabna-1 and Pabna-2 were suspended on January 9 due to a Supreme Court order concerning boundary disputes. The suspension reduced the number of constituencies from 300 to 298. A subsequent Supreme Court ruling on January 15 removed the legal barriers, allowing the EC to issue a revised election schedule. Under the new timetable, nomination submissions closed on January 18, scrutiny took place on January 19, and appeals were heard between January 20 and 24. The final appeal decisions were made on January 25. According to the updated schedule, candidate withdrawal ends on January 26, symbols will be allocated on January 27, and elections for Pabna-1 and Pabna-2 will be held alongside the national polls and referendum on February 12.

A 21-year-old man named Animesh Bala died after allegedly consuming homemade liquor in the Kadambari area of Rajair upazila, Madaripur, on Saturday night. According to local and police sources, Animesh, son of Asim Bala from Sriphaldi village in Kotalipara upazila of Gopalganj, had come to Kadambari on Friday to visit during the Saraswati Puja. He reportedly drank locally brewed liquor at the Ganesh Pagol Sebashram field and later fell ill. His companions left him at a local garage when his condition worsened. After showing no improvement throughout Saturday, he was taken to a local hospital that night, where doctors declared him dead. A local resident, requesting anonymity, said such incidents are not new in Kadambari, noting that another person named Pachu had died in a similar way recently. The area is known for widespread production of homemade liquor, attracting drinkers from distant places. Rajair police confirmed the death and sent the body to Madaripur Sadar Hospital morgue for autopsy.

A court has issued a travel ban on former Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Asaduzzaman Mia, his wife Afroza Zaman, daughter Ayesha Siddika, and sons Asif Shahadat and Asif Mahdin. The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has also formed a three-member team to investigate their assets. The order came after the ACC warned that the accused might flee abroad, hindering the recovery of key documents and assets related to the allegations. Following the ACC’s petition, the court ordered the seizure of immovable assets worth Tk 22.65 crore belonging to eight individuals, including Mia and his family members. The seized properties include a six-storey residential building in Gulshan’s Joar Sahara, flats in Dhanmondi and Gulshan, and land in Purbachal, Aftabnagar, Gazipur, Faridpur, and Narayanganj. Court sources said the seizure was necessary to prevent irreversible loss to the state and ensure future confiscation if proven illicit. Asaduzzaman Mia, arrested by RAB in September 2024, remains in custody. He served as DMP Commissioner from 2015 to 2019 and later as CEO of the National Security Cell until 2022.