Islami Chhatra Shibir has warned that any attempt to obstruct the Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) student parliament election will face continuous protest programs. The organization’s central president, Nurul Islam Saddam, made the announcement on Monday at a press conference held at the group’s central office in Purana Paltan, Dhaka. He alleged that certain groups were trying to use political influence and the court to derail the election process. Saddam claimed that previous efforts to halt student council elections had failed and accused opponents of now resorting to legal petitions to stop the vote. He criticized members of the BNP for allegedly opposing the election despite the party’s past stance in favor of democracy. He also stated that if the government remains inflexible on the issue, it will face severe consequences. Responding to questions, Saddam said Shibir respects court rulings but will still announce protest programs if the election is obstructed. He added that the organization will campaign in favor of a “yes” vote in the upcoming referendum and work with students across rural areas.

The Election Commission (EC) of Bangladesh has released a second election roadmap on January 19, 2026, ahead of the upcoming parliamentary election. This marks the first time in the EC’s history that a new roadmap has been issued after the official schedule announcement. The earlier roadmap could not be fully implemented, particularly regarding political party registration and constituency delimitation. According to the new plan, the gazette for 300 constituencies’ polling centers will be published on January 22, followed by a special meeting with law enforcement agencies on January 28. On February 1, funds will be allocated for security forces, and election officials will be appointed as observers, while ballot materials will be distributed between February 2 and 3. The EC has also instructed that no law enforcement camps be set up inside polling centers. The roadmap follows the 2024 student-led uprising that toppled the Awami League government, leading to an interim administration headed by Dr. Muhammad Yunus. The interim government pledged to hold elections within a year, with the 13th parliamentary election scheduled for February 12, 2026. Meanwhile, the student wing of a political party continued its second day of protest outside the EC building, alleging bias in the commission’s activities.

Leaders and activists of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) paid tribute to the party’s founder and former president Ziaur Rahman on his 90th birth anniversary. The homage took place on Monday morning at Zia’s grave in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka, led by BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. Senior leaders, standing committee members, and party activists were present, followed by prayers seeking forgiveness for the late leader. After the tribute, Mirza Fakhrul told reporters that the BNP has confidence in the Election Commission (EC), noting that the commission has so far performed its duties competently. He said the party had raised some issues with the EC the previous day but believed the commission would manage the election properly. Regarding the cancellation of some BNP candidates’ nominations, he remarked that such issues are not new during the scrutiny process. The event reflected BNP’s continued reverence for its founder and its current stance of cautious optimism toward the election process under the existing commission.

India’s Supreme Court is currently hearing a case against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who has been accused of obstructing an Enforcement Directorate (ED) investigation. The allegation stems from an incident on January 8, 2026, when Banerjee arrived with senior police officers during ED searches at the home and office of a consultancy linked to her party, the Trinamool Congress. The agency claims she removed files and electronic devices from the premises, which Banerjee later acknowledged as political documents. The ED, operating under India’s Finance Ministry, investigates money laundering and has the authority to make arrests. While Banerjee faces no corruption charges, the Supreme Court is treating the obstruction allegation seriously. The report also outlines previous instances where Indian chief ministers were arrested by central agencies, including Delhi’s Arvind Kejriwal, Bihar’s Lalu Prasad Yadav, Jharkhand’s Hemant Soren, and Tamil Nadu’s late J. Jayalalithaa. The article notes that both the ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) have low conviction rates, and accusations persist that the ruling party uses these agencies against political opponents.

Two men were killed in a mob beating in Chayani village under Joymontop Union of Singair upazila in Manikganj. The incident occurred around 3 a.m. on Sunday when they allegedly attempted to steal cattle by cutting the grill of a cowshed at the house of a local resident named Inuch Ali. The deceased were identified as Din Islam, 22, son of Bandu Mia of Chayani village, and Majnu, 25, son of Tota Mia of Dashani village. According to local residents and family sources, the two men were caught during the attempted theft and beaten by villagers, leading to their deaths. The report did not include any official statement from law enforcement or details about subsequent actions by authorities. The incident highlights ongoing tensions in rural areas over cattle theft and community responses to such crimes, though further details about investigations or arrests were not available in the report.

Students and candidates from various panels at Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) staged a protest on Monday at the university’s central roundabout, demanding that the Shahjalal University Central Students’ Union (ShakSU) election be held on January 20 as scheduled. The demonstration came in response to a High Court petition filed by independent vice-president candidate Mominur Rashid Shuvo seeking to halt the election. According to the report, the ShakSU election is set to take place for the first time on Tuesday. The petition to stop the election is listed as the third item on Monday’s cause list before the High Court bench of Justice Fahmida Kader and Justice Md Asif Hasan, with a hearing expected later in the day. Protesters chanted slogans asserting that holding the election is a student right and rejecting any attempt to delay it. Durbar SUSTian panel’s general secretary candidate Mujahidul Islam told the newspaper that students would not accept any conspiracy to stop the election. Attempts to contact petitioner Mominur Rashid Shuvo were unsuccessful.

A retired army member named Mahbub Alam has died after being assaulted in the Uttara area of Dhaka. He was under treatment at the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) and passed away late Sunday night. The incident was confirmed by Sub-Inspector Md Kamrul of Uttara West Police Station, who said the body was sent to Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College morgue for autopsy. Mahbub Alam, originally from Shibganj in Chapainawabganj, lived and worked in the Uttara East police area for a private company. According to police, the assault took place on Friday evening on Road 12 of Sector 14 in Uttara West. Mahbub had gone there for a bodyguard job interview when two private cars arrived. A man from one of the vehicles struck him on the head with a stick, and several others joined in, beating him severely before fleeing. Locals rescued him and took him to CMH, where he later died. Police have filed a case and are continuing efforts to arrest the attackers involved in the incident.

China’s birth rate has fallen to its lowest level since records began in 1949, according to official data released Monday. The National Bureau of Statistics reported that only 7.92 million babies were born in 2025, resulting in a birth rate of 5.63 per 1,000 people. This marks the fourth consecutive year of population decline, with the total population dropping by about 3.39 million to 1.4 billion, as deaths outnumbered births. Experts cited declining marriage and childbirth trends, rising living costs, and difficulties balancing work and family life as key reasons for the sustained drop in births. Despite government measures such as child allowances, tax breaks for housing, and free preschool education, younger generations remain reluctant to have children due to economic uncertainty and the high cost of raising families. The continuing demographic decline is reducing China’s labor force and increasing the proportion of elderly citizens, posing a significant long-term challenge for the world’s second-largest economy.

The Election Commission of Bangladesh has upheld the candidacy of BNP Vice Chairman Abdul Awal Mintoo for the Feni-3 constituency. The decision came on Sunday, January 18, following an appeal hearing at the commission’s auditorium in Agargaon. Mintoo’s nomination had been challenged by his rival candidate, Mohammad Fakhruddin Manik of Jamaat-e-Islami, who alleged that Mintoo held dual citizenship. After the commission rejected the appeal, Mintoo expressed gratitude in a Facebook post, describing the challenge as baseless and harassing. He stated that since returning to Bangladesh in 1981, he had conducted his business with transparency and integrity and remained devoted to public service. He reaffirmed his identity as a Bangladeshi citizen and thanked supporters for their trust and affection. Mintoo concluded his message by emphasizing his faith in the people and in God, asserting that the decision validated his legitimacy in the electoral race and that “truth has prevailed.”

The Bangladesh Public Service Commission (PSC) is in the final stages of preparing the results for the 46th Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) examination. According to PSC Chairman Professor Mobasher Monem, the commission aims to publish the final recommendations by the last week of January 2026, provided all processes proceed smoothly. The final list will include candidates who passed the oral examination, marking the conclusion of a three-phase selection process. The 46th BCS began with 337,986 applicants, of whom 254,561 appeared in the preliminary test held across divisional cities. Following re-evaluation, 21,397 candidates qualified for the written examination. The written results, published on November 27, 2025, led to 4,050 candidates being selected for the oral test after technical corrections. The PSC chairman emphasized efforts to reduce delays in the recruitment process and noted that the written results were delivered in record time. If the schedule holds, several thousand qualified candidates are expected to begin their government service careers soon after the final results are announced.

The prosecution has submitted formal charges against Shamim Osman, his son Wan Osman, and ten others for alleged crimes against humanity committed during the July Revolution in Narayanganj. The charges were filed on Sunday morning with the registrar of International Crimes Tribunal-1. Prosecutor Gazi M H Tamim confirmed the submission, stating that the charges were based on the investigation agency’s report. According to the prosecution, widespread killings occurred across the country during the July-August Revolution, including in Narayanganj. The investigation report linked the accused to acts of mass killing in the area, leading to the formal filing of charges. A total of twelve individuals have been named in the case. The tribunal will now review the submitted charges to determine the next steps in the judicial process.

A 25-year-old man named Komol was found dead by hanging in his room at his residence on Anandabazar Secretariat Road in Dhaka’s Shahbagh area on Sunday night. Family members discovered the incident after breaking open his room door and found him hanging from a ceiling fan with a rope. He was taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where doctors declared him dead at around 10:45 p.m. Inspector Md. Faruk, in charge of the Dhaka Medical College Hospital police outpost, confirmed the death and said the body had been kept in the hospital morgue. The relevant police station has been informed about the incident. Komol’s father, Md. Kamal, could not immediately explain the reason behind his son’s decision to hang himself. Authorities have not yet determined the cause of the death, and further investigation is expected following the police notification.

The trial of 39 accused, including expelled ISKCON leader and Sanatani Jagaran Jote spokesperson Chinmoy Krishna Das alias Chandan Dhar, has begun in the murder case of advocate Saiful Islam Alif in Chattogram court premises. On Monday morning, Judge Md Zahidul Haque of the Chattogram Speedy Trial Tribunal framed charges after reviewing the case documents, charge sheet, CCTV footage, witness statements, seized evidence, autopsy, and forensic reports. Tight security was maintained around the court as 23 arrested accused, including Chinmoy, were produced before the tribunal, while 16 others remain absconding. During the hearing, Chinmoy claimed innocence, stating he was arrested a day before the murder and has been in custody since. The prosecution, represented by Assistant Public Prosecutor Md Raihanul Wazed Chowdhury, alleged that on the day of the incident, Chinmoy’s followers seized control of the prison van carrying him and incited violence through speeches, leading to the fatal attack on Alif. The next hearing date has been set for February 2, with legal aid lawyers to be appointed for the detained accused. The case marks the formal start of proceedings in one of Chattogram’s most sensational murder incidents.

A delegation from the National Citizens Party (NCP) is scheduled to meet Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus today, Monday, at 5 p.m. The delegation will be led by NCP convener Nahid Islam and will include the party’s spokesperson and chairman of the election management committee, Asif Mahmud. The meeting is expected to discuss the prevailing political situation ahead of the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election. According to the report, the meeting follows a similar discussion held on Sunday evening between Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus and leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami. The series of meetings indicates ongoing consultations between the Chief Adviser and various political parties as the election approaches. The discussions are likely to focus on election-related issues and the current political environment, though specific agenda details were not disclosed in the report.

Seven people were killed when a passenger bus and a battery-run autorickshaw collided head-on on Sunday evening, January 18, 2026, at the Milgate area of Mustafapur Union in Madaripur Sadar upazila along the Dhaka-Barishal Highway. The bus lost control after the collision and fell into a roadside ditch. Highway police and fire service teams conducted a joint rescue operation, recovering the bus around 9:30 p.m. and restoring traffic flow. The deceased were identified as Pannu Munshi, 50, a bus supervisor from Madaripur; autorickshaw driver Sagar Bepari, 22; and five day laborers from Gopalganj’s Kotalipara upazila—Shefali Barai, 42; Kamona Biswas, 41; Dulal Barai, 45; Abha Barai, 50; and Anita Barai, 40. At least five others were injured and admitted to Madaripur 250-bed District Hospital. According to officials, the accident likely occurred due to the bus’s excessive speed and an attempt to overtake an illegal autorickshaw on the highway. Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the full cause of the crash.