New Zealand defeated India by 50 runs in the fourth T20 match of the series held in Visakhapatnam. Despite a powerful batting display from Shivam Dube, who scored 65 runs off 23 balls with seven sixes and three fours, India were bowled out for 165 runs while chasing a target of 216. Dube’s 15-ball fifty and an over yielding 28 runs off Ish Sodhi were not enough to secure victory. Rinku Singh added 39 runs and Sanju Samson contributed 24 for India. Earlier, New Zealand’s openers Devon Conway and Tim Seifert gave their team a strong start with a 100-run partnership, scoring 44 and 62 respectively. Daryl Mitchell remained unbeaten on 39 off 18 balls, helping New Zealand post 215 for 7 in 20 overs. Arshdeep Singh and Kuldeep Yadav took two wickets each for India. Mitchell Santner claimed three wickets for 26 runs, while Jacob Duffy took two for 33. Despite the defeat, India lead the series 3–1. Tim Seifert was named Player of the Match for his match-winning innings.

BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman began a three-day election campaign in northern Bangladesh on Thursday, starting with a rally at Rajshahi Madrasa field. According to BNP media cell member Shayrul Kabir Khan, Rahman is scheduled to address three rallies on the first day — in Rajshahi at noon, in Naogaon’s ATM field at 5:30 p.m., and at Alfatunnesa playground at 7:30 p.m. His itinerary includes visiting the grave of Shaheed Abu Sayeed in Pirganj, Rangpur, on January 30, followed by a public rally at Rangpur Eidgah field. On January 31, he will speak at rallies in the BISIC Industrial Park at noon and at Darun Charjana Bypass area on the Dhaka–Tangail highway in the afternoon. Party sources said Rahman will stay two nights at Hotel Naz in Bogura during the trip. Tarique Rahman previously launched his campaign in Sylhet on January 22, followed by events in Chattogram on January 25 and Mymensingh on January 27, participating in a total of 16 rallies so far.

BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman is returning to Bogura today, Thursday, after 19 years. Party leaders and activists have prepared extensively to welcome him. During the visit, he will tour the ancestral home of late President Ziaur Rahman in Bagbari village of Gabtali upazila and his own electoral constituency. The area is in a festive mood, with the historic ‘Zia Bari’ undergoing renovation and beautification ahead of his arrival. Preparations are complete at Altafunnesa playground in Bogura-6, where a stage has been built and banners, festoons, and sound systems have been installed. Local BNP leaders said the field work would be completed on time, with arrangements for dust control and power supply. The rally, initially scheduled for January 28, was postponed to January 29 due to flight ticket issues. Tarique Rahman will also attend election programs in three northern districts on the same day. After the rally, he will stay overnight in Bogura and conduct campaign activities in Bogura-6 the next morning. Security measures have been tightened in Gabtali and Sariakandi as large crowds are expected during his visit.

Khandaker Abdul Muktadir, the BNP-nominated candidate for Sylhet-1 constituency, stated that people’s support for the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) stems from the leadership and contributions of its founder Ziaur Rahman and former chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia. He made the remarks on Wednesday night during a speech before inaugurating his main election office with a prayer gathering at Mita Community Center near Allahu Point in Sylhet’s Shahid Eidgah area. Muktadir said that due to the leadership of Ziaur Rahman and Khaleda Zia, the BNP enjoys strong public response in its election campaign and that people’s expectations from the party remain high. He urged party members to work collectively to meet those expectations. He also noted that the new office was opened to facilitate election management and emphasized maintaining party discipline at every step. The inauguration was attended by senior leaders of Sylhet BNP, including acting president Rezaul Hasan Koyes Lodi, general secretary Emdad Hossain Chowdhury, and many other party officials and activists.

BNP-nominated Member of Parliament candidate Saeed Al Noman has declared that ensuring world-class employment opportunities and improved civic amenities are among his main goals. Speaking on Wednesday, January 28, during election campaigning and street meetings in various areas of Chattogram’s Pahartali, he emphasized protecting basic rights, creating jobs, and making public services more accessible for local residents. Noman noted that although Chattogram is the country’s economic powerhouse, many residents still suffer from unemployment and lack of civic facilities. He pledged to focus on job creation for youth, support for small and medium entrepreneurs, and the establishment of modern civic services if elected. He further stated that a practical and long-term development plan would be implemented to improve education, healthcare, communication, and a safe living environment. Noman described politics as a responsibility to serve people rather than a means to gain power. Local leaders, dignitaries, and a large number of residents attended the campaign events.

Saiful Haque, general secretary of the Revolutionary Workers Party of Bangladesh and BNP-supported candidate for Dhaka-12, declared his participation in a major struggle against extortion, terrorism, drugs, and corruption. He made the remarks on Wednesday during a street rally in Tejgaon Industrial Area as part of his election campaign. Haque urged voters to unite on February 12 and support the ‘Kodal’ symbol to end criminal activities in the constituency. He alleged that the country had been turned into a place of plunder and repression over the past 17 years, where citizens were deprived of their voting rights and state machinery was used to maintain power. Haque said that people had to reclaim their right to vote through sacrifice and bloodshed, and the upcoming election should restore democratic political leadership in national governance. Haque also criticized certain vested groups for acting in self-interest, asserting that their conspiracies would fail because the people would reject them. He expressed confidence that voters in Dhaka-12 would elect him by a large margin.

The central committee of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has suspended the 41-member convening committee of its Sherpur district unit. The decision was announced on Wednesday, January 28, through a press release signed by BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi. According to the statement, the committee led by convener Sirajul Islam and member secretary A B M Mamunur Rashid Palash will remain suspended until further instructions are issued. The press release stated that the decision was made to inform all concerned parties. When contacted, the suspended committee’s member secretary, A B M Mamunur Rashid Palash, said he had not yet received any official notification regarding the suspension. The announcement marks a temporary halt to the activities of the Sherpur district BNP committee, pending further directives from the party’s central leadership.

BNP-nominated candidate for Patuakhali-1 and former Home Minister Air Vice-Marshal (Retd.) Altaf Hossain Chowdhury said that no promises or pledges would be made during the campaign, emphasizing that the party would prove its commitment through action after victory. Speaking as chief guest at an election rally in Lohalia, Patuakhali, on Wednesday afternoon, he alleged that the Awami League had previously made false promises and that this time, the election should be fair and peaceful. Chowdhury accused the Awami League of corrupting the sanctity of parliament by turning it into a venue for musical performances, calling it a matter of shame. He stated that BNP had carefully selected its nominees through five surveys to avoid such issues in the future. He also claimed that previous elections were marred by violence and irregularities but asserted that those responsible were no longer active in the field. Other local BNP leaders, including former chairman Tarek Ali Khan and election coordinators, also addressed the gathering.

Former general secretary of the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) Ruhin Hossain Prince has described the behavior of the US ambassador surrounding the upcoming national election as mysterious. Speaking at a street rally in Dhaka-12 on Wednesday in support of CPB candidate Kallol Banik, he alleged that the interim government was acting beyond its jurisdiction by advancing foreign agendas. Prince also claimed the government was preparing to lease the New Mooring Container Terminal in Chattogram to foreign entities and making unnecessary purchases and construction plans for the next cabinet. He urged the government to refrain from such activities and to act responsibly to prevent any foreign interference in the election process. During the campaign, Prince emphasized the need to make Dhaka a livable, democratic, and equitable city, asserting that CPB candidates would work toward reducing inequality and ensuring fair voting and result announcements. CPB candidate Kallol Banik said their party represents working people and aims to transform the parliament into an institution serving public interests rather than the wealthy elite.

A violent clash broke out between supporters of the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, at the Jhenaigati Upazila mini stadium in Sherpur-3 constituency during an election manifesto event. The confrontation began over seating arrangements on the stage before the program started. Sherpur Jamaat’s Shreebardi Upazila secretary Rezaul Karim was critically injured and died on the way to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital at 9:45 p.m. Around 50 people from both sides were injured, and several motorcycles were vandalized and set on fire. According to local administration sources, the event was organized by the Jhenaigati Upazila administration with participation from all contesting candidates. The situation escalated when activists from both parties argued over front-row seating, leading to chair-throwing and extensive vandalism. Police and army personnel later brought the situation under control. Jamaat candidate Nuruzzaman Badol accused BNP supporters of a premeditated attack, while BNP candidate Mahmudul Haque Rubel claimed Jamaat activists had conspired to create unrest. Authorities said the situation was now normal, and no case had yet been filed.

Six farmers abducted at gunpoint from a hilly area near Ward 6 of Minabazar in Hwaikyang Union, Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar, have not yet been rescued. The abduction occurred on Tuesday morning, January 27, 2026, when the victims were heading to their fields. Acting chairman of Hwaikyang Model Union Parishad, Md. Shah Jalal, confirmed that armed men took the farmers deep into the hills, sparking fear among locals. Law enforcement agencies have been urged to take immediate action to rescue the victims. The abducted farmers were identified as Md. Jamir (62), Shafi Alam (13), Mohammad Alam alias Mahat Alam (18), Zahid Hossain alias Munna (30), Mojaher (60), and Mostak (12). Local residents believe that armed kidnapping groups have become more active amid the ongoing election period, taking advantage of administrative preoccupation. They called for stronger surveillance and intervention to curb such incidents. Hwaikyang Police Outpost in-charge SI Khokon Kanti Rudra confirmed receiving a complaint from the victims’ families, while Teknaf Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md. Saiful Islam said a police team was dispatched immediately and rescue operations are ongoing.

More than one hundred leaders and activists of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its affiliated organizations have joined Jamaat-e-Islami in Bogura-4 (Kahaloo-Nandigram) constituency. The joining took place on Wednesday and the previous Sunday in two unions of Kahaloo upazila. On Wednesday morning, Abdus Salam, secretary of Ward No. 1 BNP in Karni Para village of Kalai union, along with over fifty BNP members, joined Jamaat. Jamaat’s nominated parliamentary candidate Dr. Mostafa Faisal Parvez welcomed them with flowers. Earlier, on January 25, former vice-president of Jamgram union Jubo Dal Firoz Talukdar and Ward No. 2 BNP secretary Md. Israfil Muhuri, along with over fifty BNP members, also joined Jamaat. Welcoming the new members, Dr. Parvez said that Jamaat aims to build a modern, corruption-free Kahaloo-Nandigram inclusive of all communities. The event was attended by district Islami Chhatra Shibir president Saiyyed Kutub Sabbir, upazila amir Shahid Khan, and secretary Shahidur Rahman Sabuj. The repeated joining events indicate Jamaat’s growing organizational activity in the Bogura-4 constituency ahead of upcoming political developments.

U.S. President Donald Trump announced the selection of 26 countries as founding members of his administration’s newly created “Peace Board.” The announcement followed the board’s formal launch a week earlier at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, and the opening of its official account on the U.S. social media platform X. The founding members include nations from the Middle East, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the Caucasus, such as Argentina, Bahrain, Egypt, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, and Türkiye. Notably absent from the list are major powers linked to China and Russia, as well as France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, which have clashed with the Trump administration over environmental and trade policies. The exclusions have reportedly heightened diplomatic tensions between Washington and several European capitals. Belarus accepted an invitation to join, while Russia did not, despite President Vladimir Putin’s earlier statement offering $1 billion from frozen Russian assets to the board’s budget. The U.S. also withdrew Canada’s invitation after its prime minister criticized economic coercion by major powers. Originally designed to oversee Gaza ceasefire and reconstruction efforts, the board’s mandate has been expanded to promote peace in all conflict-affected or at-risk regions, though its leadership structure and timeline remain undisclosed.

Time magazine, the US-based influential publication, released a detailed feature on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, focusing on Tarique Rahman’s return to Bangladesh after 17 years of exile. The report highlights his determination to re-engage in politics despite physical weakness and the recent death of his mother, former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia. In his first interview since returning home, Rahman stated that he cannot avoid responsibility and that public trust keeps him in politics. He emphasized that his political role stems from party supporters rather than family legacy. According to the report, Rahman is currently the leading candidate in the upcoming February 12 national election, with polls showing around 70 percent voter support for his BNP compared to 19 percent for Jamaat-e-Islami. The 3,300-word feature also analyzes Bangladesh’s economic and social challenges, including high inflation, currency weakness, foreign reserve shortages, and youth unemployment. Time describes Rahman as a “technocratic” politician with plans for canal excavation, tree planting, green zones in Dhaka, waste-to-energy projects, and public-private health partnerships. The report further discusses Bangladesh’s political transition following Sheikh Hasina’s fall, noting incomplete interim government reforms and uncertainty about the country’s post-election direction.

The National Citizen Party (NCP) has appointed writer, journalist, presenter, and young politician Muhammad Asadullah as the 'Yes' vote ambassador for Pabna-2 constituency (Sujanagar and part of Bera) ahead of the upcoming 13th National Parliament election. The announcement was made by Faridul Haque, head of the party’s referendum subcommittee, following a directive from NCP’s election management committee chairman Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan, who had earlier declared that one ambassador would be assigned to each constituency. Asadullah, who serves as joint convener of NCP’s youth wing Jatiya Juboshokti and holds responsibilities in the party’s press wing and media subcommittee, will campaign in favor of the 'Yes' vote until the election. Expressing gratitude for his appointment, he described the referendum as crucial for determining Bangladesh’s political direction for the next century and pledged to ensure strong local support for the 'Yes' campaign. Asadullah has been active in writing and journalism for 15 years, authored seven books, and worked with several national media outlets. He is also known for his role in social movements and his long association with the NCP since its founding.