BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed has alleged that Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami is creating nationwide unrest through rallies and gatherings to cast doubt on the upcoming election. He made the remarks on Thursday morning at an electoral road meeting organized by the Union BNP at Uttor Harbang Bottatoli Station in Chakaria, Cox’s Bazar.

Ahmed stated that any deterioration in law and order would be handled by the government, the Election Commission, and the Home Ministry. He warned that attempts to create disorder or politically heat up the field would be rejected by the people, who are waiting for democratic progress. He emphasized that protests should remain peaceful and within democratic norms.

Criticizing Jamaat, Ahmed said the party was misleading people by using religion instead of presenting clear plans or manifestos for the country. He added that BNP has experience in state governance and is moving forward with concrete plans for the people, as outlined by its leader Tarique Rahman.

NCP convener Nahid Islam has accused the BNP of reviving violence similar to that of the Awami League, following the killing of a Jamaat upazila secretary in Sherpur. Speaking at a roadside rally in Sreemangal, Moulvibazar, on Thursday, he warned that if the BNP attempts to seize polling centers through muscle power, the 11-party alliance will not remain idle and will mobilize public resistance. He urged voters to unite behind the Shapla Koli symbol and support candidate Pritam Das in the Moulvibazar-4 constituency.

Other NCP leaders, including election committee chairman Asif Mahmud and joint convener Pritam Das, echoed similar concerns, alleging that a political party has intensified violent activities as the election approaches. They pledged to restore land rights for tea workers, improve local infrastructure, and ensure fair wages. Speakers also criticized what they described as political deception involving promises of case withdrawals in exchange for votes.

The rally featured calls for justice, reform, and unity among diverse communities, with leaders emphasizing that the alliance would remain active on election day to protect voting rights.

BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman announced that his party would construct the Padma Barrage in Rajshahi if it comes to power. Speaking at a public rally at the historic Madrasa Maidan in Rajshahi at 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, he also promised to establish cold storage facilities for mangoes and to reactivate the Barind irrigation project. This was his first visit to Rajshahi in 22 years, which drew enthusiastic responses from party supporters.

Rahman said that if elected, the BNP government would waive agricultural loans of up to 10,000 taka with interest. He recalled that major irrigation initiatives began under former President Ziaur Rahman and expanded during Khaleda Zia’s tenure, significantly benefiting northern Bangladesh’s agriculture. He lamented that a major irrigation project centered on the Padma River, once with a budget of about 1,000 crore taka, had been deliberately halted over the past 16 years.

He assured northern farmers that the irrigation system would extend beyond Rajshahi to Panchagarh, aiming to increase production and farmers’ income across the region.

Women candidates from various political parties are actively campaigning across Dhaka and other districts ahead of Bangladesh’s 13th parliamentary election. They report receiving spontaneous support and affection from people in their constituencies. Among them, BNP’s Shama Obaid in Faridpur-2, NCP’s engineer Nabila Tasnid in Dhaka-20 (Dhamrai), and BSD (Marxist) candidates Deepa Majumdar and Asma Akter in Chattogram are drawing attention through their outreach efforts.

Shama Obaid said she aims to continue her father’s democratic legacy and make Faridpur a model district. Nabila Tasnid, a new face in local politics, pledged to focus on youth employment, technical education, IT infrastructure, and agricultural modernization in Dhamrai. BSD’s Deepa Majumdar and Asma Akter are engaging directly with voters in Chattogram, emphasizing women’s participation, education, and voting rights.

According to the report, the women candidates are being warmly received by voters, reflecting growing enthusiasm for female political leadership in the upcoming national election.

A specialized team of RAB-10 CPB-3 recovered a large cache of weapons and ammunition that had been looted from Faridpur’s Kotwali Police Station. According to a RAB statement issued at 11 a.m. on Thursday, the recovery took place around 2:30 a.m. Wednesday night near the BADC office in Faridpur town. The items were found abandoned in bushes beside an electric pole along the road toward Char Kamalapur, south of the BADC office wall.

The recovered materials include three unexploded grenades with steel handles, 41 shotgun cartridges, 30 fresh gas gun cartridges, and several cartridge-like objects. RAB suspects that these items are part of the weapons and ammunition previously stolen from the Kotwali Police Station in Faridpur.

The discovery marks a significant step in recovering stolen police armaments, though further investigation is likely to determine how the items ended up abandoned at the site.

The International Crimes Tribunal-1 has issued arrest warrants against Sheikh Hasina, former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, former Additional IGP Monirul Islam, and three others in a case related to the killing of nine youths in Mirpur’s Jahazbari area in 2016. The tribunal, chaired by Golam Mortuza Majumdar with two other judges, passed the order on Thursday after taking formal charges into cognizance.

A total of eight individuals have been accused in the case. Former IGP A.K.M. Shahidul Haque and former DMP Commissioner Asaduzzaman Mia are already in custody in other cases, and production warrants have been issued for them. Prosecutor Gazi M.H. Tamim submitted the formal charges and sought arrest warrants, which the court granted. The next hearing has been scheduled for February 8.

The case stems from a July 25, 2016 police operation at a building known as Jahazbari in Mirpur’s Kalyanpur area, where nine young men were shot dead during what was described as a counterterrorism raid named “Operation Storm-26.”

BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman arrived at the Rajshahi rally venue on Thursday at 1:55 p.m., greeting the crowd with a wave. His visit marks his first trip to Rajshahi in 22 years, generating excitement among party leaders and supporters. He is scheduled to deliver a keynote speech as the chief guest at the election rally, which is being held at the historic Madrasa Maidan.

The rally is organized as part of BNP’s election campaign and involves participants from Rajshahi, Natore, and Chapainawabganj districts. According to local BNP leaders, Rahman last visited Rajshahi in 2004 to attend a union representatives’ conference. During this event, he is expected to formally introduce 13 parliamentary candidates from the three districts.

Extensive publicity and preparations have surrounded the rally, reflecting its significance in the party’s regional campaign efforts.

The Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir has inaugurated a two-day science festival titled ‘Al-Khwarizmi Science Fest 2025’ at the Krishibid Institution Bangladesh (KIB) complex in Farmgate, Dhaka. The event began on Thursday morning with Advocate Saida Akter, sister of July uprising martyr Ahnaf Abir Ashrafulllah, declaring the festival open. Shibir Secretary General Sibgatullah delivered the welcome speech, emphasizing the importance of science, technology, and innovation for national progress.

In his address, Sibgatullah stated that technological innovation is vital for ensuring food security, environmental protection, and sustainable defense systems. He called for state support to nurture talented youth and promote indigenous innovation, asserting that Bangladesh could achieve self-reliance through its own technological advancements. The organization aims to foster a science-minded, responsible, and innovative generation capable of contributing to national welfare.

The festival features events such as a math olympiad, project display competition, and Capture the Flag contest, along with public science demonstrations, robotics and technology exhibitions, science games, quizzes, and a youth innovation showcase. It remains open to all from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.

The International Crimes Tribunal-1 has ordered publication of a newspaper notice to summon former mayor Fazle Noor Taposh, former textiles and jute minister Jahangir Kabir Nanak, and 22 others in connection with the killing of nine people during the July Revolution in Dhaka’s Mohammadpur area. The order was issued on Thursday by a three-member judicial panel led by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mojumdar, with Justices Md Shafiul Alam Mahmud and retired district judge Md Mohitul Haque Enam Chowdhury as members.

Earlier, on January 18, the tribunal had issued arrest warrants against the accused and set January 29 for the next hearing. The case involves 28 leaders and activists from the banned Awami League, Jubo League, and Chhatra League, including former senior police officials such as the then DMP commissioner Habibur Rahman, former additional DIG Proloy Kumar Jowardar, and former joint police commissioner Biplob Kumar Sarkar.

Four accused are currently in custody: Mohammadpur Chhatra League president Naeemul Hasan Russell, vice president Sajjad Hossain, Omar Faruk, and Fazle Rabbi, who were produced before the tribunal from jail in the morning.

Khelafat Majlis leaders have strongly condemned the killing of a Jamaat leader in Sherpur, describing it as a brutal attack allegedly carried out by local BNP activists. The condemnation came during the party’s central executive meeting held on Wednesday night at its central office in Paltan, Dhaka, chaired by Naib-e-Amir Professor Abdullah Farid. A press release issued on Thursday detailed the party’s concerns over the incident and the overall election environment.

During the meeting, leaders expressed deep concern that the administration had failed to ensure a level playing field for free and fair elections. They alleged that muscle power and political violence had resurfaced, with Khelafat Majlis candidates facing obstacles in their campaigns in constituencies such as Sylhet-3 and Manikganj-2. Election materials were reportedly being destroyed, and members of the 11-party alliance were being attacked.

The party demanded immediate arrest and exemplary punishment of the killers, urging the Election Commission to take effective measures to stop electoral violence. It also called for increased vigilance by returning officers and law enforcement to ensure peaceful polls on February 12.

Advocate Mohammad Shishir Monir, the candidate of the 11-party alliance for the Sunamganj-2 constituency, has called for a transparent and neutral list of presiding and polling officers for the upcoming election. In a video message released on Thursday, he demanded that individuals holding party positions be excluded from the list and not be trained for election duties. He emphasized that intelligence agencies are aware of such affiliations and insisted that no leniency should be shown in ensuring neutrality.

In his live address, which quickly went viral, Monir also urged the deployment of army personnel at vulnerable polling centers and suggested equipping police officers with body cameras, noting that the government has the necessary budget for this. Addressing assistant returning officers, he criticized the lack of proactive measures and encouraged them to use intelligence sources to ensure a fair and impartial election process.

His remarks reflect growing concerns about election transparency and administrative neutrality in the Sunamganj-2 constituency ahead of the polls.

The Shahjadapur Union BNP committee in Sarail upazila of Brahmanbaria has been suspended for allegedly campaigning for independent candidate Rumin Farhana against the BNP-led alliance nominee in the Brahmanbaria-2 (Sarail-Ashuganj) constituency. The decision was announced Wednesday night through a press release signed by upazila BNP office secretary A.B.M. Salauddin, citing violations of party discipline and disregard for central directives. All activities of the 71-member committee will remain halted until further notice.

Earlier, six leaders from the Shahbazpur Union BNP, including its general secretary, were expelled for similar disciplinary breaches. These consecutive actions have sparked widespread discussion within the local BNP. Party and local sources said most Shahjadapur BNP leaders had joined Rumin Farhana’s campaign after the election announcement, ignoring repeated internal warnings.

Sarail upazila BNP president Anisul Islam stated that the suspension aims to uphold party discipline and may be reconsidered if members pledge to follow party decisions. The move has drawn mixed reactions among local activists, with some viewing it as necessary discipline and others as deepening internal division.

A protest rally was held in Dhaka’s Kadamthali area on Thursday morning demanding the arrest of those involved in the attack on Jamaat-e-Islami leader Kazi Maria Islam Baby. The demonstration was organized by the women’s wing of Jamaat-e-Islami’s Kadamthali unit following an assault on Baby during a campaign for party candidate Syed Zainul Abedin in Dhaka-4 constituency. The rally marched through key roads and concluded with a gathering attended by a large number of female activists from Dhaka city and local units.

Speakers at the rally alleged that certain groups were attempting to disrupt the election atmosphere through violence and intimidation. They described Jamaat as a disciplined organization and emphasized their intention to respond peacefully. Participants were urged to continue their outreach work in support of the party’s electoral symbol. The attack, which occurred on Wednesday afternoon in Ward 52 of Kadamthali, left Baby injured with four stitches on her head. The incident has drawn strong condemnation from Dhaka South Jamaat and candidate Syed Zainul Abedin.

Twelve leaders of the National Citizens Party (NCP) in Habiganj district resigned on Wednesday night, January 28, 2026, alleging the rehabilitation of fascist forces and the deliberate exclusion of July fighters. The announcement came during an emergency press conference at the party’s temporary office in the Babystand area of Habiganj town. Two days earlier, senior joint member secretary Palash Mahmud had also resigned, bringing the total number of resignations to thirteen.

At the press conference, the resigning leaders claimed that the NCP’s central committee had deviated from its centrist political stance by joining two alliances within two months. They also accused senior leaders and advisers of corruption and expressed dissatisfaction over candidate nominations, saying July fighters were unwilling to support the nominated candidates. The leaders alleged that grassroots activists linked to the July movement were excluded to create a loyal faction, while the district committee failed organizationally.

Palash Mahmud confirmed that all thirteen resignation letters had been sent to the central committee. He said the decision stemmed from frustration and that he currently saw no centrist political party in Bangladesh to join.

Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir has declared that the country’s armed forces are fully prepared to safeguard national sovereignty and regional integrity against all forms of threats. He made the statement on Wednesday during a visit to the Bahawalpur Garrison, according to a release from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) cited by Geo News.

During the inspection, Munir praised the officers and soldiers for their high morale, professional competence, and operational readiness. He emphasized the importance of maintaining maximum preparedness to meet future battlefield and security challenges.

Munir noted that the Pakistan Armed Forces are undergoing significant transformation across various sectors. He said that the nature of warfare is rapidly evolving due to technological advancements and that future conflicts will depend heavily on technological strategies. To address this, Pakistan’s military is swiftly adopting modern technologies.