Since the start of the national election campaign three days ago, at least 52 clashes have been reported across Bangladesh, leaving over 300 political activists injured. Mobile courts have fined at least 45 candidates and supporters for violating the electoral code of conduct. Reports indicate frequent use of banned colored posters, loudspeakers beyond permitted hours, and motorcades displaying muscle power. Despite these incidents, the Election Commission (EC) has so far limited its actions to issuing show-cause notices and fines.

Observers note that similar violations occurred before the campaign officially began, with the EC’s leniency allowing candidates to act with impunity. Election Commissioner Md. Anwarul Islam Sarkar stated that executive magistrates are active in the field and that tougher measures will be taken if necessary. Election expert Munira Khan criticized the EC’s limited enforcement, urging stronger legal action.

Separate incidents include a supporter’s killing in Mymensingh, clashes in Kishoreganj and Brahmanbaria, and vandalism in Sylhet. The EC reports that 1,981 candidates are contesting across 300 constituencies and claims to have intensified field monitoring to ensure compliance.

Greece’s Ministry of Migration has submitted a new bill to parliament aimed at tightening penalties for migrant smuggling. The proposed law includes provisions for life imprisonment for convicted smugglers and allows for the deportation of migrants involved in such crimes. It also criminalizes assistance by legally residing migrants to irregular migrants. Migration Minister Thanos Plevris, formerly linked to a far-right party, is leading the proposal, which is scheduled for parliamentary review next week.

According to the ministry, the bill seeks to strengthen punishment at all levels of illegal migrant trafficking. It also extends penalties to NGO workers accused of smuggling, including potential prison terms. However, 56 NGOs, including the Greek branches of Doctors of the World and Doctors Without Borders, have expressed concern over several clauses, calling for their immediate withdrawal. They argue that the bill grants excessive power to the ministry, enabling it to suspend an organization’s registration even before guilt is proven.

The bill also introduces measures to promote legal migration, such as simplifying recruitment from third countries, launching new visas for high-tech workers, and granting residence permits to students from developing nations. It further proposes vocational training programs to integrate asylum seekers and refugees into labor-short sectors like construction, agriculture, and tourism.

BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman arrived in Chattogram on Saturday evening, January 24, 2026, marking his first visit to the city in 21 years. He landed at Shah Amanat International Airport at 7:15 p.m., where senior BNP leaders including Salahuddin Ahmed and Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury welcomed him. Rahman traveled from his residence in Gulshan to Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport earlier that evening before flying to Chattogram.

According to BNP Political Adviser and Election Committee Spokesperson Mahdi Amin, Rahman will attend six campaign rallies across four districts on Sunday as part of the party’s nationwide campaign for the 13th National Parliamentary Election. His first rally will be held at Chattogram’s Polo Ground at 11:30 a.m., followed by events in Feni, Comilla, and Narayanganj later in the day. The Comilla visit marks his first political appearance there in 24 years.

The tour follows the launch of Rahman’s election campaign in Sylhet on January 22, where he held rallies in seven districts before returning to Dhaka.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) detained 21 Bangladeshi nationals, including men, women, and children, while they were attempting to cross into India illegally through the Maheshpur border in Jhenaidah. The operation took place on Friday from morning to evening across the Baghdanga, Kumillapara, and Khosalpur border outposts under the 58 BGB battalion. Assistant Director Munshi Imdadur Rahman confirmed the arrests.

Among those detained were eight men, seven women, and six children from various districts including Jhenaidah, Madaripur, and Gopalganj. In separate operations at Rajapur and Kumillapara border areas, BGB also seized 36 bottles of Indian Phensedyl, 90 bottles of other drug syrups, and several items such as bangles, earrings, necklaces, and cosmetics.

Following the operation, all detainees were handed over to Maheshpur Police Station for further legal procedures, according to BGB officials.

Tension erupted at Dhaka University following allegations of extortion, counterclaims, vandalism, and arson linked to mobile shop evictions on campus. On Saturday night, January 24, Daksu executive member Sarbamitra Chakma posted several video clips from December 21, accusing multiple students of extortion. The videos showed students striking mobile food carts with hammers and setting one on fire. However, another part of the footage obtained by the newspaper showed proctorial team members initiating the vandalism and handing hammers to students.

Students involved in the incident told the newspaper they had earlier faced eviction attempts by the administration near the IML gate and later called the proctorial team to remove illegal shops around TSC. They denied the extortion allegations, claiming the issue was being revived before elections to create momentum. Chakma said evidence was being organized for public display in front of Daksu.

The university had previously banned mobile shops on campus through a notice signed by Proctor Saifuddin Ahmed. Proctorial team members said internal divisions among students and lobbying by Daksu leaders complicated enforcement of the eviction order.

Bangladesh has repeatedly sent letters to India through diplomatic channels urging fair distribution of waters from shared rivers, but has received no effective response from New Delhi. Officials from the Water Resources Ministry, Joint Rivers Commission (JRC), and Water Development Board confirmed that India continues to withdraw water unilaterally during the dry season and release it suddenly during monsoons, causing floods in Bangladesh. The last JRC technical meeting was held in Delhi on 9 September, after which India reportedly avoided further communication.

Experts and policymakers in Bangladesh allege that India, as the upstream country, is using water as a strategic tool against Bangladesh. Concerns are rising as the Ganges water-sharing treaty nears expiration in December, with Bangladesh already receiving less than its due share. Environmental experts warn that reduced water flow is damaging agriculture and biodiversity, while the Teesta and Kushiyara rivers face severe depletion and operational barriers despite agreements.

Government advisers stated that ensuring equitable water rights remains a top priority, with instructions issued to prepare for extending the Ganges treaty and to pursue stronger diplomatic and political measures to secure Bangladesh’s fair share.

Independent candidate Alhaj Muhammad Murshed Alam, contesting from Mymensingh-11 (Valuka) constituency with the deer symbol, held a press conference on January 24, 2026, alleging attacks, threats, and obstruction of campaign activities against his supporters. He claimed that since the start of campaigning on January 22, workers of the paddy-sheaf symbol candidate have been continuously attacking his campaigners.

According to his written statement, female workers were harassed in Nayanpur area of Mallikbari Union, and several people were injured in an attack in Randia village of Dhitpur Union, later admitted to the Upazila Health Complex. He also alleged that campaign activities were being disrupted in various areas of Uthura and Rajoi unions, with loudspeakers and auto-rickshaws being stopped to create fear among voters.

Murshed Alam urged the administration to take immediate legal action against those involved and ensure a peaceful election environment, warning that a fair and free election would not be possible under current conditions. Several local BNP leaders were present at the press conference.

A mild earthquake measuring 3.4 on the Richter scale struck 33 kilometers east of Thakurgaon in Rangpur on Sunday morning at 8:34 a.m. Residents across the district reported feeling the tremor, which was described as noticeable but brief.

Many locals shared their experiences on social media, particularly on Facebook, saying they felt the shaking clearly. People in Pirganj and Ranishankoil areas reported the strongest sensations of the quake. No reports of damage or casualties were mentioned in the source.

The event drew attention among residents as it was felt across several parts of Thakurgaon, though it was categorized as a mild earthquake.

A student was killed and another person injured when a truck hit their motorcycle in the Shanir Akhra area of Jatrabari, Dhaka, late on Saturday night, January 24. The deceased, Khairul Hossain Kamrul, 20, was a second-year student at Vashantek Government College. The injured, Md. Yasin, 27, was riding with him when the accident occurred. Witness Mahadi Islam said a chicken-laden truck struck their motorcycle, causing both to fall and sustain serious injuries. Locals took them to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where Khairul died around 11 p.m. while undergoing treatment.

Khairul was the son of Md. Harunur Rashid from Mahinanda Majhpara village in Kishoreganj Sadar upazila and lived in Vashantek for his studies. Inspector Md. Faruk, in charge of the Dhaka Medical College Hospital police outpost, confirmed the incident and said the body was kept in the hospital morgue. Police are investigating the case.

Authorities have yet to release further details about the truck or its driver as the investigation continues.

A Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) officer was killed and two others were seriously injured during a violent mob attack in Sitakunda’s Jungle Salimpur area, about 12 kilometers from Chattogram city, on January 19. The incident occurred when a 16-member RAB-7 team conducted an operation targeting suspected armed groups. Deputy Assistant Director Abdul Motaleb, 45, was beaten to death after being captured, while two other RAB members and a source sustained severe injuries. Videos obtained by the newspaper show Motaleb being brutally assaulted by multiple attackers inside a room.

According to RAB officials, the operation had been planned for two months amid reports of growing influence of armed groups in the area. The violence erupted after RAB members arrested two suspects, including a man named Yasin, during a gathering of over 150 people. The crowd quickly turned hostile, and more than 300 attackers joined the assault. Police later rescued four RAB members from Nizampur, three kilometers away, all bearing signs of severe physical assault but no gunshot wounds.

Authorities confirmed that the area has long been under the control of rival armed groups, and the attack has intensified concerns over law enforcement safety in the region.

A ten-party alliance has stepped up its campaign in the haor region constituencies of Madan, Mohanganj, and Khaliajuri, which together form Netrakona-4. The alliance is determined to secure victory for the scale symbol by defeating BNP heavyweight and former state minister for home affairs Lutfozzaman Babar, who is contesting under the paddy sheaf symbol. On Saturday, January 24, alliance workers, led by Jamaat-e-Islami–nominated candidate Al Helal Talukder, visited door to door across Madan upazila seeking votes.

The alliance, which includes Jamaat-e-Islami, has shown no willingness to compromise in its efforts to win the seat. Workers have been campaigning from morning until night across the villages and haor areas. Meanwhile, Babar’s wife, Tahmina Zaman Shraboni, has also joined the campaign to support her husband’s candidacy.

The contest in Netrakona-4 is shaping up as a key electoral battle ahead of the 13th national parliamentary election, with both sides intensifying grassroots outreach in the region.

The Indian High Commission in Dhaka hosted a grand reception on Saturday evening to mark India’s 77th Republic Day. The event, held at the Radisson Blu Water Garden Hotel, was attended by diplomats, political figures, retired military officers, senior government officials, and civil society representatives. Among the guests were Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar and Central Executive Committee member Mobarak Hossain.

Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma and Mrs. Manu Verma invited the guests and personally welcomed attendees. During the event, the High Commissioner greeted Mia Golam Porwar, who conveyed greetings on behalf of Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman to the people of India, wishing them happiness, prosperity, and well-being.

The participation of Jamaat leaders at the Indian High Commission’s Republic Day celebration reflected diplomatic engagement across political lines within Bangladesh’s capital.

Kafrul West Thana unit of Jamaat-e-Islami organized a procession and public outreach in support of the party’s Amir and Dhaka-25 constituency candidate, Dr. Shafiqur Rahman. The event took place on Saturday evening, beginning in front of the Kazi Para Central Jame Mosque on Begum Rokeya Sarani and moving through key roads in Kazi Para and East Sheorapara before concluding near the Sheorapara Metro Rail Station.

The rally was led by Laskar Md. Tasnim, central vice-president of the Bangladesh Labour Welfare Federation, along with Kafrul West Thana Amir Md. Abdul Matin Khan, Thana Secretary Maulana Md. Atik Hasan Raihan, and several other local leaders. The procession ended with a brief address by Thana Secretary Maulana Md. Atik Hasan Raihan.

The event was part of Jamaat-e-Islami’s campaign activities in Dhaka, highlighting local organizational support for Dr. Shafiqur Rahman’s candidacy in the upcoming election.

More than 500 former leaders and activists of the BNP and its student wing joined the Nationalist Citizens Party (NCP) in Hatiya, Noakhali, on Saturday evening. The joining ceremony took place at the NCP’s upazila office, where the new members formally joined by placing their hands in those of Abdul Hannan Masud, the ten-party alliance candidate. Among the new entrants were former municipal Chhatra Dal convener Mohibubur Rahman, Jahajmara Union Chhatra Dal president Abdul Hannan, and several other former leaders from different BNP-affiliated bodies.

At a press conference, Abdul Hannan Masud stated that anyone except those involved in terrorism or extortion could join the NCP. He said leaders from various unions were contacting them daily, and the party had already recruited many individually. Masud added that under the leadership of 17 former BNP and affiliated leaders, over 500 activists had joined the NCP, expressing his goal of building a terrorism- and extortion-free Hatiya.

The event marked the beginning of what Masud described as a continuing wave of new memberships from different political backgrounds in the region.

Authorities in Kapasia upazila of Gazipur recovered 11 live horses and meat from eight slaughtered horses from the home of Jahangir Alam, identified by locals as the organizational secretary of the upazila Jubo League. The operation took place late Friday night in Mask village under Durgapur Union after residents noticed suspicious activity and gathered at the scene. Those allegedly involved in the slaughter fled before locals arrived.

As tensions rose, residents vandalized a pickup truck and set a covered van on fire before police intervened to restore order. Locals alleged that Jahangir Alam had long been involved in illegal horse meat trading under the guise of a cattle farm. Following the fall of the previous government, he reportedly returned to the area under local political protection.

Assistant Commissioner (Local Government and Treasury) and Executive Magistrate Md. Faisal confirmed that the slaughtered horse meat was found buried, while the live horses were placed under the custody of the Durgapur Union Parishad chairman. The seized vehicles were handed over to police custody.