BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has announced that 10 million jobs will be created if the party’s electoral symbol, 'Dhaner Shish' (paddy sheaf), wins the upcoming election. He made the statement on Saturday afternoon during a campaign event in Kandpara area of Thakurgaon Sadar upazila, urging voters to overcome fear and vote for the BNP. During his address, Mirza Fakhrul said that in previous elections there were two main symbols, 'Nouka' (boat) and 'Dhaner Shish', but this time the boat is no longer present due to political issues, and a new party has emerged. He also criticized Jamaat-e-Islami, recalling its opposition to Bangladesh’s independence in 1971, and urged people to support those who stand for freedom. He further pledged that if elected, BNP would introduce family cards to provide food, healthcare, and education services, and agricultural cards to ensure farmers receive fertilizer and pesticides at fair prices.

The Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI), under the Ministry of Industries, has issued a recruitment notice to fill 50 vacancies across 10 categories under its revenue sector. The online application process began on January 15, 2026, and will remain open until February 15, 2026, at 5 p.m. Eligible Bangladeshi citizens aged between 18 and 32 years as of January 1, 2026, can apply online. The available positions include computer operator, UDC-cum-cashier, office assistant-cum-computer typist, data entry operator, lab assistant, cataloger, driver, office assistant (MLSS), and security guard. Educational requirements vary by position, ranging from completion of class eight to a bachelor’s (honors) degree. Applicants for computer-related roles must meet specific typing speed criteria, while lab assistants must have passed HSC in science. Application fees must be paid via SMS from a Teletalk prepaid mobile within 72 hours of submitting the online form. BSTI’s recruitment aims to fill its vacant posts through direct appointment, offering salary grades between 13 and 20 as per the national pay scale.

An article by Abu Sayed Kamal, published on January 24, 2026, examines how authoritarian regimes in Bangladesh—particularly military and one-party rule—have historically imposed hegemonic and fascist control over literature. It argues that state power shaped literary institutions, reader preferences, and creative expression by promoting certain narratives as national or mainstream while marginalizing dissenting voices. The essay defines literary hegemony as cultural dominance through consent and fascism as its coercive extension using censorship, fear, and exclusion. The piece traces how state patronage turned literature into a political tool, rewarding loyal writers and sidelining critical or progressive ones. It notes that suppression led to self-censorship, creative contraction, and the marginalization of working-class, female, and ethnic minority voices. Yet, resistance literature emerged through little magazines, underground circles, and symbolic writing. Kamal highlights the July 2024 uprising as a cultural turning point that challenged entrenched literary authority, revived marginalized voices, and redefined writers’ moral responsibility. The essay concludes that true literary freedom depends on sustaining decentralized, people-centered creative practices beyond state control.

The National Citizen Party (NCP) will launch its election theme song on Saturday at 5 p.m. in front of the National Museum in Shahbagh, Dhaka. The event comes ahead of the 13th National Parliamentary Election and a referendum on reforms. The announcement was made through a message from Yasir Arafat, media secretary of the party’s central election management committee. Alongside the song launch, the NCP has announced a 12-day election march to seek votes for its ‘Shapla Koli’ symbol and to campaign for a ‘yes’ vote in the upcoming referendum. The march will begin on Sunday from Chattogram and continue through 24 districts until February 5, concluding in Dhaka. The party has also declared the names of its representatives for 238 constituencies. These initiatives mark the NCP’s intensified campaign efforts as it seeks to strengthen its presence ahead of the national election and referendum.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has said that U.S. President Donald Trump is the only leader capable of forcing Israel to stop its offensive in the besieged Gaza Strip. In an interview with journalist Hadley Gamble on the program 'On the Record,' Fidan argued that if President Trump uses Washington’s influence, it would be effective in ending the conflict. He also noted that Israel has violated ceasefire agreements multiple times. Fidan emphasized that Turkey believes Trump is the only person who can exert real pressure on Israel. When asked about the possibility of Turkey sending troops to Gaza, he referred to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s earlier remarks, saying Ankara is ready to do everything within its capacity to advance a peace plan. He added that Turkey is willing to participate in an international stabilization force in Gaza, but any troop deployment would depend on broader international consensus.

A joint operation led by the army in Dirai, Sunamganj, resulted in the arrest of Ujjal Mia, 36, the general secretary of the banned Chhatra League. Acting on intelligence, security forces detained him on Friday evening in Chandipur area of Dirai municipality. The army handed over the recovered weapons and equipment to Dirai police after the arrest. A case has been filed against him under the Arms Act. According to police, the raid recovered a foreign pistol, eight rounds of ammunition, weapon-cleaning tools, locally made sharp weapons, several passports, and other items from Ujjal Mia’s house and farm. He is the son of Mosharraf Mia, a former mayor and Awami League leader. Reports indicate that Ujjal Mia had previously faced multiple cases, including triple murder and attacks on journalists, and was known for his influence during the Awami League’s rule. Authorities stated that Ujjal Mia will be sent to jail through the court following the filing of the case.

Writer Gazi Giyas Uddin’s article revisits researcher Abdul Mannan Syed’s analysis of the Bengali Muslim literary awakening. Syed argued that British colonial rule erased the memory of Muslims’ major role in medieval Bengali literature. He noted that after the 1947 Partition, Dhaka transformed into the new capital of Bengali literature and culture, marking an unprecedented cultural resurgence. The 1952 Language Movement further deepened this awakening across poetry, prose, art, and music, giving modern Bengali literature a distinctive national identity. Syed traced this revival through key figures and institutions such as Nawab Abdul Latif’s Mohammedan Literary Society (1863), Syed Ameer Ali’s National Mohammedan Association (1878), and the Bangiya Mussalman Sahitya Samiti (1911). He credited journals like Bangiya Mussalman Sahitya Patrika and Saugat for nurturing writers including Kazi Nazrul Islam. Syed emphasized that despite a shared language, East Bengal’s literature developed its own character, shaped by Muslim intellectual and social movements. He also lamented the exclusion of Muslim writers from major anthologies and reaffirmed Nazrul’s place among the four greatest modern Bengali poets, alongside Michael Madhusudan Dutt, Rabindranath Tagore, and Jibanananda Das.

Local Government Adviser Adilur Rahman Khan visited the graves of three martyrs of the July uprising at Namazgar Anjuman-e-Gorosthan in Bogura on Saturday morning at 10:30 a.m. He laid floral wreaths at the graves, offered prayers, and joined a doa mahfil. Family members of the martyrs and local administrative officials were present during the visit. Before this, he also placed a wreath at the July Memorial. Senior government officials including the Secretary of the Rural Development and Cooperatives Division Md. Shawkat Rashid, Rajshahi Divisional Commissioner Dr. A N M Bazlur Rashid, Bogura Deputy Commissioner Md. Toufiqur Rahman, and Superintendent of Police Shahadat Hossain attended the event. Other district and police officials were also present. Family members of the martyrs, including Uzzal Hossain Jubayel, Ziaur Rahman, Rokeya Begum, Mojibur Rahman, Md. Soyaib Hossain, and Shapla Khatun, attended and spoke with the adviser. The prayer was led by Hafiz Maulana Md. Shahadat Hossain.

A group of armed pirates identifying themselves as 'Don Bahini' abducted 20 fishermen from the Satkhira range of the western Sundarbans on Thursday night. The abductors have demanded a ransom of 40,000 taka per person for their release. The fishermen were taken at gunpoint from the Mahamuda, Chunkuri, and Malancha river areas. According to survivors, an eight-member armed group seized one fisherman from each of 20 boats and later provided a phone number for families to contact. The abductors are reportedly led by Veto Safiqul and Shahajan, who had previously surrendered arms to the Rapid Action Battalion but allegedly resumed piracy under the 'Don Bahini' name in recent months. Twelve of the abducted fishermen have been identified as residents of various villages in Shyamnagar upazila, while eight remain unidentified. Families of the victims are in fear and attempting to negotiate reduced ransom payments instead of approaching law enforcement. Local residents claim pirate activity has increased in the Satkhira range over the past three months, while officials confirm receiving reports and have informed higher authorities.

BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman will hold a discussion with young participants at Justice Shahabuddin Park in Gulshan on Saturday at 2 p.m. The event, titled ‘Meet and Greet with Tarique Rahman,’ will feature winners of the BNP-organized national reel-making competition ‘Amar Bhabanay Bangladesh.’ The announcement was made by Mahadi Amin, adviser to the BNP chairperson and spokesperson of the party’s election management committee. Mahadi Amin said the competition invited one-minute reels on 11 topics, including Family Card and Farmer Card, to gather public ideas for future state-building. Around 2,500 participants from across the country took part, and ten winners were selected through public votes and jury evaluation. Tarique Rahman’s daughter, Barrister Zaima Rahman, will also attend the event, recognized for her involvement in youth-oriented policy initiatives. Amin also announced the launch of BNP’s election hotline 16543 and WhatsApp hotline +8801806-977577 to strengthen voter communication and address election-related issues. He warned against fraudulent groups seeking money in the name of distributing Family or Farmer Cards, emphasizing that such cards would be provided free if BNP assumes power.

Rail communication between Rajshahi and Chapainawabganj was suspended after an oil-carrying train derailed near Amnura Railway Station in Chapainawabganj on Saturday around 12:45 p.m. According to station master Hasibul, the train was traveling from Khulna to the Amnura power plant with 30 oil wagons, two of which went off the tracks. As a result, the scheduled local commuter train from Amnura to Rajshahi could not depart on time. Authorities were informed immediately after the incident, but by 4:30 p.m., the derailed wagons had not yet been recovered. The cause of the derailment remains unknown, and train movement between Rajshahi and Chapainawabganj remains halted pending clearance of the line. The disruption has affected regular passenger and freight services on the route, and restoration efforts are ongoing as railway officials work to remove the derailed wagons and resume normal operations.

M. Abdullah, Managing Director of the Bangladesh Journalists Welfare Trust, said that a 'Yes' vote represents the future of independent journalism in Bangladesh. Speaking on Friday night at a discussion on journalism during elections held at the Feni Television Journalists Club, he emphasized that the outcome of the vote would determine the direction of journalism and democracy in the coming days. He called on journalists to ensure that 'Yes' wins to protect press freedom and prevent the reemergence of fascism. Abdullah described the current election as exceptional and more significant than the previous three. He noted that traditional election reporting is no longer sufficient, highlighting the greater responsibility of electronic media in ensuring credible coverage. He warned that failure to maintain professional integrity could disrupt the election, while responsible journalism could make it historic. He also mentioned that this election is unique because it is being held without the participation of a major party since 1988, creating a new kind of polarization. Abdullah cautioned journalists to verify information carefully, as false videos could be used to mislead them and undermine the democratic process.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has said that Ankara is prepared to send troops to Gaza if conditions become favorable. In an interview with a Turkish television channel on Friday, he stated that while Ankara opposes taking a direct role in Gaza, its efforts regarding the situation will continue. The statement was reported by TRT World. Fidan described Gaza as Turkey’s top priority and expressed willingness to provide military assistance if the situation allows. He also mentioned that the Rafah border crossing could reopen early next week. The report noted that displaced Palestinians are enduring harsh winter conditions in tents. When asked about the possible disarmament of Hamas, Fidan said the issue must be part of any broader roadmap. He emphasized that Ankara’s highest priority is ensuring that Gaza’s residents can remain on their land.

The Election Commission (EC) announced on Saturday that postal ballots arriving after 4:30 pm on February 12 will not be counted. In a public notice, the EC instructed voters registered through the mobile app to cast their votes promptly and deposit the yellow envelopes at the nearest post office or mailbox. Only ballots reaching the returning officer by 4:30 pm on February 12 will be included in the count. The EC also warned that ballots posted after January 25 may not reach the returning officer in time. Expatriate voters have been urged to complete and send their postal ballots by that date. This year, government employees, members of law enforcement agencies, and prisoners within the country, along with expatriates in over 120 countries, are eligible to vote by post. More than 1.53 million voters have registered for postal voting. The thirteenth national parliamentary election and referendum will be held on February 12, involving over 127.7 million registered voters across Bangladesh.

Former central president of Islami Chhatra Shibir, Md. Zahidul Islam, declared that the student community in Bangladesh will not accept any form of fascism. He made the remarks on Friday night at an electoral student representative gathering organized by the Kashinagar Union unit of Chhatra Shibir at Kashinagar Degree College auditorium in Chauddagram, Cumilla. Zahidul Islam alleged that many of their members had been killed or disappeared in July and August and detained in secret facilities, describing their only 'offense' as calling students to moral and religious values. He compared current political behavior in the country to historical tyrants, claiming that after the departure of one 'fascist Hasina,' another leader was showing similar tendencies. The event was chaired by Nasim Miaji, president of the northern Chauddagram unit of Chhatra Shibir, and attended by several central and local leaders of Shibir and Jamaat-e-Islami. A large number of students from various wards and institutions were also present. Following the meeting, participants held a rally in Kashinagar Bazaar supporting the 'Dhal' election symbol and voting 'Yes' in the national referendum.