BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman said that the fall of autocracy has been achieved through movement and now the nation must unite to rebuild the country. He made the remarks on Saturday at 4 p.m. during an election rally at the BSCIC Industrial Park in Sirajganj.

Rahman emphasized the need for collective effort to support farmers and youth, noting that farmers endure great hardship and deserve assistance. He called on everyone to stand beside them and the younger generation to ensure national progress.

Thousands of BNP leaders and activists from different upazilas of Sirajganj and Pabna gathered at the rally venue from the morning to see Tarique Rahman. By noon, the area and surrounding roads were filled with participants. Rahman traveled from Bogura to Sirajganj by road to attend the event.

Bangladesh’s Ministry of Religious Affairs has announced that the visa application process for 2026 Hajj pilgrims will begin on February 8 and continue until March 20. The ministry issued a circular on January 29 confirming the schedule and outlining the necessary steps for applicants.

According to the circular, all pilgrims registered under both government and private arrangements must complete health examinations at government hospitals, as the process is already underway. In line with Saudi government directives, pilgrims must complete health checks, receive required vaccinations, and obtain a fitness certificate before applying for a visa through the Saudi Nusuk platform between February 8 and March 20.

The ministry emphasized that no pilgrim will be allowed to perform Hajj without a valid fitness certificate. Registered expatriate Bangladeshis are also required to follow the same procedure and complete their visa applications within the specified timeframe.

BNP candidate GK Gaus declared that a nationwide wave of support has formed for the party’s electoral symbol, the 'Sheaf of Paddy'. He made the statement on Saturday at a roadside rally in Kadamtali Bazar, Shayestaganj upazila, within the Habiganj-3 constituency. Gaus said that after 17 years of what he described as the Awami League’s suppression of democratic rights, the people are now ready to vote for their preferred candidates.

He emphasized that the 'Sheaf of Paddy' represents development, democracy, prosperity, Islamic values, communal harmony, peace, and public trust. Gaus urged citizens to vote for this symbol in the upcoming election. The event was presided over by ward BNP president Dudon Mia and conducted by upazila Jubo Dal convener Mizanur Rahman Sumon. Other local BNP leaders, including former upazila BNP president and union parishad chairman Golam Kibria Chowdhury Belal, acting president Fazlul Karim, and vice presidents Abdul Hai and Abdus Shahid, also spoke at the gathering.

The rally reflected BNP’s efforts to mobilize grassroots support in Habiganj-3 ahead of the election.

A woman and her five-year-old child were killed in a road accident on the Dhaka-Chattogram highway in Chandina, Cumilla, on Saturday morning, January 31, 2026. The incident occurred around 8:30 a.m. near the Iliotganj-Muradnagar road junction at the border of Daudkandi and Chandina upazilas. According to local and police sources, the unidentified woman had just stepped off a local bus named 'Papia Service' with her child when a speeding bus named 'Nilachal' ran them over. The Nilachal bus then collided with a parked mini covered van, severely damaging its rear section.

Police confirmed that the woman died at the scene, while the injured child was first taken to a local hospital and later transferred to Daudkandi’s Gauripur Health Complex, where doctors declared the child dead. Iliotganj Highway Police Station Officer-in-Charge Ruhul Amin said the involved buses and the damaged van were seized and taken to the station. Efforts are underway to identify the victims, and legal procedures are in progress.

A powerful explosion struck an eight-story residential building on Moallem Boulevard in Bandar Abbas, Iran, causing severe structural damage and widespread panic. Rescue teams, firefighters, and emergency personnel rushed to the scene to assist residents, assess the extent of the destruction, and provide medical support. Authorities have not yet determined the cause of the blast and have launched an investigation.

Two floors of the building were destroyed, and nearby shops and vehicles suffered heavy damage. Residents were evacuated as a precaution, and local businesses reported significant losses. Officials confirmed that no specific individuals were targeted, and Iranian media dismissed reports linking the incident to a Revolutionary Guards commander. The government has pledged assistance for affected families.

Emergency teams continue search and rescue operations while engineers evaluate the building’s stability. Authorities are urging residents to remain calm and follow safety instructions as investigations proceed to identify the cause and prevent future incidents.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi declared that Iran will not compromise on its defense capabilities. He made the statement on Friday during a joint press conference in Ankara with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, according to The Dawn. Araghchi emphasized that Iran’s missile and defense programs will never be subjects of negotiation.

Turkey has expressed interest in mediating between Iran and the United States to resolve ongoing tensions. The Pentagon stated that the U.S. military is ready to implement any decision by President Trump regarding Iran. However, Trump recently softened his tone, suggesting that an Iranian attack might not be necessary and that dialogue remains possible.

Araghchi welcomed the possibility of dialogue but reiterated Iran’s firm stance on national defense. He said Iran is ready for fair and balanced talks with the United States but insisted that no discussions can take place under threats.

French authorities rescued more than 6,000 migrants attempting to reach the United Kingdom by small boats in 2025, according to a report from France’s maritime prefecture released on Friday. The report confirmed that at least 25 people died and two remained missing during these perilous journeys across the English Channel.

The annual report stated that despite the risks, attempts to cross the Channel increased compared to previous years. France has long served as a main departure point for migrants seeking better lives in the UK. In 2025, about 50,000 people tried to make the crossing in 795 boats, with 6,177 rescued alive. Based on French and British data, AFP estimated the death toll could be at least 29.

The prefecture warned that human traffickers are putting migrants in greater danger, noting that the average number of passengers per boat rose from 26 in 2021 to 63 in 2025. The report also mentioned continued use of so-called “taxi boats,” which secretly depart nearly empty and later pick up dozens of migrants in shallow waters.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) announced that it will not use lethal weapons while maintaining law and order during the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election. The statement was made by Colonel S M Abul Ehsan, Dhaka Sector Commander of BGB, at a press conference held at the temporary base camp of the National Swimming Complex in Mirpur on Saturday morning.

He said BGB has taken extensive preparations across the country to ensure overall security ahead of the national election and referendum. The goal is to allow voters to exercise their voting rights in a safe and peaceful environment. More than 37,000 BGB members will be deployed nationwide while keeping the 4,427-kilometer border fully secured.

According to the announcement, BGB will perform election duties in 489 out of 495 upazilas, and in 61 border upazilas it will act independently. Considering risk levels, BGB will operate as both mobile and static forces in all 300 parliamentary constituencies, with two to four platoons stationed per upazila.

Hundreds of people demonstrated in Albania’s capital, Tirana, protesting Prime Minister Edi Rama’s recent visit to Israel from January 25 to 27. The protesters gathered in front of the parliament building on Friday, expressing solidarity with Palestinians and condemning the visit as unrepresentative of public opinion. The demonstration was organized by various civil society groups, according to Anadolu Agency.

Participants carried banners reading “Not in my name,” “Do not shake hands with oppression and barbarism,” and “Stop bombing Gaza.” Organizer Florjar Arapi said Albanians stand for peace and justice, not genocide or war crimes, calling Rama’s visit a shame and disgrace for the nation. He criticized Rama for aligning Albania with injustice and violence at a time when many countries have distanced themselves from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Protester Sidorela Vatnikaj said Albanians, having experienced genocide in Kosovo, oppose any association with alleged war crimes. She and others expressed anger over Rama’s invitation to Israeli companies to invest in Albania, describing it as colonialism rather than partnership.

Indian state police in Odisha have deported three elderly siblings to Bangladesh after detaining them in late November 2025. The family of 63-year-old Muntaz Khan, his 59-year-old brother Insan Khan, and their 70-year-old sister Amina Bibi were informed on 24 December that the trio had been sent across the border. Police said the siblings were identified as Bangladeshi nationals following verification and were handed over to Bangladesh authorities through West Bengal’s Nadia district border post.

The deportation came weeks after the family alleged that the three had gone missing following their detention from Garapur village in Kendrapara district. Odisha police had earlier detained 12 family members on suspicion of being Bangladeshi citizens, releasing nine after nine days. Officials claimed the three deported individuals admitted to being Bangladeshi, while West Bengal police denied receiving any verification request from Odisha. The Ministry of Home Affairs’ May directive requires a 30-day period for citizenship verification before deportation.

Odisha police justified the action by citing allegations that Muntaz Khan’s father migrated from Bangladesh in the 1970s, though the family’s citizenship status remains disputed.

The undergraduate admission tests for the 2025–26 academic year at Comilla University began on Friday. To assist applicants and their guardians, the university branches of Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir and Bangladesh Jatiotabadi Chhatra Dal have established information and service centers on campus. The Shibir centers, located at Shaheed Osman Hadi Guardian Pavilion and Shaheed Abdul Kaiyum Square, provide rest areas, guidance, drinking water, and a free bike service to transport candidates to exam venues. The group also launched a free bus service named ‘Ar Rihlah’ from Padua Bazar and the railway station, and arranged accommodation and meals for thousands of students.

Chhatra Dal has also introduced several initiatives, including purified water supply, seating arrangements, chocolate distribution for children, a medical camp for first aid, and a free bike service named ‘Sobar Age Bangladesh’ for emergency transport. Both organizations stated that their goal is to ensure a safe and comfortable environment for examinees and their families during the admission process.

The ‘A’ unit exam for the Faculty of Science and Engineering was completed peacefully on Friday, while the ‘B’ and ‘C’ unit exams are scheduled for Saturday.

The US Department of Justice has released millions of documents related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, marking the largest public disclosure by the government on the case. The release includes about three million pages, 180,000 photos, and 2,000 videos, coming six weeks after the expiration of a law signed by President Donald Trump. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the publication completed a long verification process to ensure transparency and compliance with the law.

The documents mention Donald Trump hundreds of times, including unverified allegations collected by the FBI’s National Threat Operations Center. The Justice Department stated that some of these claims were false and politically motivated, submitted before the 2020 election. Trump has denied any wrongdoing or knowledge of Epstein’s crimes, and no victims have accused him of offenses. Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates was also named in the files, with his spokesperson dismissing related claims as “completely false.”

The release also includes emails between Epstein and British figures, including one believed to be Prince Andrew, though no criminal conduct was indicated. Democrats have alleged that around 250,000 documents remain withheld without justification, despite the Justice Department’s claim that its review process is complete.

Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis Amir Mamunul Haque delivered a fiery speech at an election rally in Chauddagram, Comilla, on Saturday morning. Speaking as a special guest at a gathering organized by the 11-party electoral alliance at HJ Government Pilot High School field, he accused an unnamed political group of hypocrisy over a referendum campaign and warned that no 'munafiq' group would be accepted by the people of Bangladesh.

Haque alleged that the rival party, fearing defeat, had resorted to cowardly acts such as assaulting women. He urged supporters to defend women’s dignity, using strong language to call for retaliation if women were harassed or their hijabs pulled. He cautioned that renewed violence against women would ignite uncontrollable unrest.

Addressing voters, Haque urged them to cast their votes and guard polling stations, saying any attempt at vote theft must be resisted. His remarks reflected heightened political tension ahead of the election.

BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman has called on all leaders and activists of the party’s affiliated and associate organizations to work together in support of the paddy sheaf symbol. He made the appeal on Saturday at 11:15 a.m. during a meeting with district BNP leaders at the Naz Garden Hall in Bogura. Rahman emphasized that Bogura is known nationwide as a BNP stronghold and urged voters to prove this again by voting for the paddy sheaf on the upcoming 12th.

During his speech, Rahman said that while party members had previously worked for the former chairperson, it was now time to work for him. He instructed activists to visit every household across Bogura’s seven constituencies, especially in Bogura-6 and Bogura-7, and to intensify campaign efforts. The meeting was presided over by district BNP president Rezaul Karim Badsha and conducted by organizational secretary Shahid-un-Nabi Salam.

The event began with prayers for the late former chairperson Khaleda Zia. After the meeting, Rahman departed for Sirajganj, where party workers lined the roads in anticipation of his roadside addresses.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that Iran is likely to pursue a negotiated agreement rather than face potential American military action. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump stated that he believes Iran wants a deal and confirmed he has set a timeline for talks, though he declined to share details. He also mentioned the presence of a large U.S. naval flotilla moving toward Iranian waters and expressed hope that an agreement could be reached.

According to AFP, Tehran has warned that its nuclear and missile programs will never be subjects of negotiation. Trump further noted that he had learned Iran recently decided not to execute protesters, a move human rights groups suggested could indicate Tehran’s willingness to engage in dialogue after reports of thousands of deaths during unrest.

The remarks come as both nations maintain a tense standoff, with U.S. military deployments signaling pressure and Iran signaling limits on what it is willing to discuss.