A new controversy has emerged in the political scene of Madaripur-1 constituency after BNP-nominated parliamentary candidate Nadera Akter was seen sharing a stage with several Awami League and affiliated organization leaders at an election courtyard meeting. The event took place on Tuesday afternoon at Khanbari in Shibchar upazila, where Awami League leader and former Shibchar municipal mayor Awlad Hossain Khan and other local party members were present. Awami League leaders concluded their speeches with the slogan 'Joy Bangla, Joy Bangabandhu.'

The joint appearance has triggered mixed reactions in local politics, particularly causing discontent and unease among grassroots BNP activists. Several BNP leaders, speaking anonymously, said that sharing a stage with Awami League leaders contradicts the party’s ideology and long-standing political stance, potentially confusing activists and negatively affecting the campaign.

Local discussions have also surfaced about whether this reflects an undeclared political understanding ahead of the election or merely personal and social ties. However, no official statement has been issued by either side. Madaripur district BNP member secretary Jahandar Ali Jahan commented that those who practice good politics should not be blamed for being active in the field.

Russia carried out a large-scale missile and drone attack targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure across five regions, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Tuesday. He said the assault, which occurred on Monday, was the largest of its kind against Ukraine’s power system in nearly four years of war. According to Zelensky, Russia fired more than 70 ballistic and cruise missiles and deployed 450 drones to overwhelm Ukraine’s air defenses. The Ukrainian Air Force reported intercepting only 38 missiles, meaning many struck their intended targets.

The attacks caused significant damage to power plants and infrastructure in Kyiv and other areas. Private energy company DTEK described the assault as the most powerful strike of the year. The offensive came as temperatures dropped to minus 20 degrees Celsius, worsening civilian hardship. Zelensky accused Russia of choosing terror over diplomacy and urged allies to apply maximum pressure on Moscow.

The scale of the strikes and the severe winter conditions suggest prolonged disruptions to Ukraine’s energy supply and increased humanitarian strain.

Thousands of supporters marched through Caracas on Tuesday demanding the release of former Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro, who was arrested a month ago following a deadly US military operation that removed him from power. Maduro was taken to New York to face drug trafficking charges. The government-organized rally drew large numbers of public employees carrying images of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, who was also detained during the operation.

Interim president Delcy Rodríguez faces a complex political situation, balancing Washington’s support while maintaining backing from Maduro loyalists within the government and society. Maduro’s son, National Assembly deputy Nicolás ‘Nicolasito’ Maduro Guerra, declared that Venezuelans reject US dominance and embrace anti-imperialist sentiment. Many demonstrators wore red, symbolizing the Chavista movement founded by Hugo Chávez.

Under pressure to normalize relations with the United States, Rodríguez’s government has begun releasing political prisoners and opening the state energy sector to private investment. The US envoy Laura Dogu outlined a three-step plan for building a stable and democratic Venezuela. Meanwhile, students and relatives of political detainees also marched, urging swift passage of a promised amnesty law.

At least fourteen people were killed when a migrant-carrying speedboat collided with a Greek coastguard patrol vessel near Chios Island on Tuesday evening. The crash occurred close to Mirsinidi beach, and rescue teams recovered the bodies from the sea, according to TRT World. Several others were injured in the incident.

Among the injured were seven children and two pregnant women, all of whom were taken to hospital for treatment. Two coastguard officers were also hospitalized following the collision. Reports indicate that the condition of four migrants remains critical.

Authorities have not released further details about the cause of the collision or the nationalities of those on board.

Abdul Awal Mintoo, vice chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and candidate for Feni-3 constituency, declared that Jamaat-e-Islami would never be allowed to come to power in Bangladesh. Speaking at an election campaign rally on Tuesday evening at the Sonagazi municipal grounds, he described Jamaat as a group of hypocrites and accused them of working against national development. Mintoo urged voters to ensure that no member of Jamaat could hold even a local position.

He appealed to residents to vote for the BNP’s electoral symbol, the paddy sheaf, in the upcoming election on the 12th. Mintoo said that if the BNP returned to power and Tarique Rahman became head of government, Bangladesh would move forward with divine blessings. He called on supporters to mobilize family members, especially women, to cast their votes for the BNP.

Several BNP leaders, including central and district-level representatives, were present at the rally, showing organizational support for Mintoo’s campaign in Feni-3.

A United States F-35 fighter jet shot down an Iranian drone approaching the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier deployed in the Arabian Sea, according to a Reuters report cited by the source. A US official said the drone was identified as an Iranian Shahed-139 model and was heading toward the carrier when it was targeted and destroyed.

The incident occurred amid ongoing tensions over increased US military presence near Iran’s coast. It also comes ahead of scheduled talks between Iran and the United States in Istanbul, Turkey, on Friday regarding a nuclear agreement. The downing of the drone has drawn renewed attention to the already strained regional situation.

The report suggests that the timing of the drone incident, just days before the planned diplomatic discussions, may influence the tone and focus of those talks, though no official reactions were mentioned in the source.

A large-scale anti-terror operation in Pakistan’s Balochistan province has left 255 people dead over three days, according to the country’s security forces. Officials claimed that 197 members of an ‘India-backed’ separatist group were killed during the operation, along with 22 Pakistani soldiers who died in the line of duty. The violence began on January 31 when the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) launched coordinated attacks across 12 towns, killing 17 security personnel and 31 civilians.

Following the attacks, Pakistani forces and law enforcement agencies initiated a clearance operation across the province. Security sources reported that 36 civilians, including women and children, were killed in subsequent assaults over the weekend. The military’s media wing, ISPR, stated that the militants targeted ordinary citizens to disrupt normal life and development in Balochistan.

ISPR added that security forces responded with determination and professionalism, though intense fighting led to further casualties among troops. The situation remains tense as operations continue in multiple districts.

BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman is scheduled to visit Barishal and Faridpur on Wednesday, marking his first trip to Barishal in 20 years. He will depart Dhaka by helicopter at 11 a.m. and is expected to arrive at the historic Bell’s Park field by noon to address an election rally. Following the event, he will travel to Faridpur. The rally will feature candidates from BNP and its allied coalition representing 21 constituencies in the Barishal division.

Party leaders and activists from across the division have begun gathering at the venue since early morning to welcome their leader. According to the report, Tarique Rahman is expected to outline the party’s election roadmap and discuss development plans for the southern region. The atmosphere across the division has taken on a festive tone ahead of his arrival.

The visit is viewed as a significant moment for BNP’s regional campaign efforts, as it brings together party members and supporters from multiple districts in anticipation of the upcoming election.

Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman is scheduled to speak at an election rally today at the helipad ground of Teesta Barrage in Lalmonirhat district. The event, part of the campaign supporting the 13th National Parliamentary Election and referendum, will begin around 12:30 p.m. in Hatibandha upazila. The rally is organized by the 11-party alliance.

According to local party leaders, the gathering will support seven candidates contesting under the 'scale' symbol across Nilphamari and Lalmonirhat districts. Lalmonirhat Jamaat chief Advocate Md. Abu Taher is contesting from Lalmonirhat-3, while Anwarul Islam Raju, Jamaat’s central vice president for industry and commerce, is running from Lalmonirhat-1 (Patgram and Hatibandha). Both are expected to attend the rally alongside other alliance candidates.

The event marks a major campaign effort by Jamaat-e-Islami in northern Bangladesh ahead of the upcoming national election and referendum.

Finance Adviser Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed stated that the interim government has already arranged the necessary funds to implement the new pay scale, ensuring that future elected administrations will find it difficult to reverse the decision. He made the remarks on Tuesday after a meeting of the Advisory Council on Procurement at the Secretariat, noting that implementation may take some time.

Discussing the government’s financial management, the adviser said the interim administration has worked to leave behind a relatively stable economic foundation for the next government. He explained that the fragile economic situation that emerged after August 5, 2024, had been largely stabilized over the past one and a half years. On the upcoming referendum, he said the government has allocated funds in the budget for its organization but is not supporting any specific outcome. He added that election expenses are higher this time due to the referendum.

Dr. Ahmed also mentioned that several unnecessary projects initiated by the previous government were discontinued, temporarily reducing employment. However, he described these measures as necessary for maintaining long-term economic balance.

The government of Bangladesh has approved separate proposals to purchase about 210,000 tonnes of fertilizer from various sources to meet farmers’ demand. The approval came on Tuesday during the fifth meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase held at the Secretariat, chaired by Economic Adviser Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed.

According to the decisions, the committee approved the import of 40,000 tonnes of DAP fertilizer from Morocco’s OCP Nutrécrops under the 11th optional lot at a cost of Tk 319.51 crore, priced at USD 651 per tonne. It also approved two separate proposals to import 30,000 tonnes each of TSP fertilizer from the same supplier under the 17th and 18th lots, each costing Tk 184.53 crore. Additionally, 40,000 tonnes of DAP fertilizer will be imported from Saudi Arabia’s Ma’aden Company under the first lot of 2026 for Tk 323.92 crore.

Further approvals include 30,000 tonnes of bagged granular urea from Bangladesh’s KAFCO for Tk 153.08 crore and 40,000 tonnes of bulk granular urea from Saudi Arabia’s SABIC Agri-Nutrients Company for Tk 205.31 crore. Officials said these imports will ensure uninterrupted fertilizer supply for farmers and support food security.

Jamuna Fertilizer Factory, the largest urea producer in Bangladesh, has resumed production after a temporary shutdown. The production restarted on Tuesday night at 8:30 p.m., according to factory sources. Operations are currently running at 75 percent capacity due to low gas pressure, with plans to gradually return to full capacity once gas supply improves.

Factory General Manager (Operations) Md. Fazlul Haque stated that production was restarted despite the risk of low gas pressure, considering the demand during the agricultural season. The decision was made to keep the plant operational on a limited scale to meet fertilizer needs.

Earlier, on January 22, the factory’s booster tripped when gas pressure dropped to 8 kilograms, forcing a complete shutdown of urea production for safety reasons. The resumption aims to stabilize fertilizer supply during the ongoing farming period.

The Election Commission (EC) of Bangladesh has curtailed the involvement of Bangladesh National Cadet Corps (BNCC) members in the upcoming 13th parliamentary election and referendum scheduled for February 12, 2026. Initially, the EC planned to deploy BNCC members at polling centers to assist with election duties. However, following objections from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), the EC decided to restrict their role to maintaining discipline at postal ballot counting centers and the EC Secretariat.

According to a circular signed by an EC deputy secretary on Tuesday, BNCC members will work at IT-supported postal ballot counting centers and at the Secretariat’s result collection and dissemination sections from February 11. The directive outlines six operational guidelines, including coordination with returning officers, verification of cadets’ neutrality, and pre-deployment training. The EC will cover related expenses from its budget.

The decision followed a February 1 meeting between the Chief Election Commissioner and BNP representatives. BNP leader Nazrul Islam Khan stated that involving young students in a politically sensitive process could make both the students and their institution controversial, prompting the EC to revise its earlier plan.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Detective Branch (DB) has detained Mohammad Saroware Alam, an assistant programmer at Bangabhaban, in connection with the hacking of Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman’s X account. The arrest took place early Tuesday night following a DB operation at a government quarter near Rajarbagh Police Lines. DB Chief Additional Commissioner Shafiqul Islam confirmed the detention and said Alam’s mobile phone and laptop were seized for examination.

The incident followed a viral post from the Jamaat chief’s X handle on Saturday night containing objectionable remarks about working women. The post was later removed, and Jamaat issued a statement claiming that the account had been hacked and false statements were spread in the Ameer’s name. The DB operation was launched to trace the source of the cyberattack.

Authorities are currently analyzing the seized devices to determine the extent of the hacking and any possible accomplices involved in the incident.

Nuruzzaman Badal, the secretary of Jamaat-e-Islami’s Sherpur district branch and the party’s candidate for the Sherpur-3 (Sreebardi–Jhenaigati) parliamentary seat, has passed away at the age of 51. His death occurred at around 3 a.m. on Tuesday night, according to a Facebook post by Jamaat-e-Islami confirming the news.

The post stated that Nuruzzaman Badal had been admitted to a hospital due to kidney-related illness and died while undergoing treatment. He was the officially nominated candidate of Jamaat-e-Islami for the Sherpur-3 constituency in the upcoming election.

The report did not mention further details about funeral arrangements or the party’s next steps regarding the vacant candidacy.