United News of Bangladesh

Jamaat’s candidate for the Kushtia-3 (Sadar) constituency and popular Islamic preacher Mufti Amir Hamza has been fined Tk 10,000 for breaching the election code of conduct. Kushtia Joint district and Session Judge Md Abdul Hye fined Tk 5,000 each on two charges on Tuesday, in default to serve six-day in jail. Advocate Kazi Toufiqul Islam, a counsel of Amir Hamza cleared the fine on behalf of him. Rashed Ahmed, a resident of Shantidanga village in Kushtia brought two allegations against the Jamaat candidate for violating election code of conduct. During the court proceedings, it appeared that the banner of Amir Hamza displayed at the Mojompur gate did not mention the name and address of the printing company or the date of printing. IU Chhatra Dal leader files case against Mufti Amir Hamza over defamatory remarks

The 11-party electoral alliance, led by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islam, on Monday demanded the Election Commission not to slow down mobile internet speed during the referendum and 13th parliamentary election scheduled for February 12 next. “It is being heard that the mobile internet would be slowed down ... .We told them (EC) that they should not issue another letter or circular citing that the internet would be shut down. Such decisions were in fact fascism acts. We won’t like to see it. They told us clearly that such a decision won’t be taken on their part,” said Jamaat Assistant Secretary General Ahsanul Mahboob Zubair. He was briefing reporters after a meeting between a delegation of the 11-party electoral alliance and Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin in the city’s Nirbachan Bhaban. Freedom beckons on Feb 12 as we stand on ruins: Jamaat Ameer in Faridpur The Jamaat leader also said they asked the EC to lift the ban on carrying mobile phones inside the polling stations as well as not to issue any surprise circular that may create concern and doubt among the people. He said the Election Commission issued a sudden directive banning carrying and use of mobile phones by anyone except four personnel within a 400-yard radius of polling stations on polling day “We’ve seen a sudden directive from their part that none can carry or use mobile phones within 400 yards of the polling station, which normally creates worries and concern at all stages. Why is it? We hope that the election will be held in a fair and peaceful manner. But such an announcement pushed everyone into uncertainty,” Zubair said. Referring to repeated assurances by Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus that the election would be the most peaceful, credible and festive in the country’s history, he said the directive contradicted those assurances and caused unnecessary public anxiety. He said they immediately met the Election Commission to discuss the issue. “The EC told us that the matter has been discussed and the directive will be withdrawn,” he added. The Jamaat leader further said their alliance expressed concern over the overall law and order situation in several districts, including Khulna, Natore and Shariatpur, alleging that the conduct of certain law enforcement officials including DIG of Khulna and SPs of Shariatpur and Natore was not conducive to holding a free, fair and acceptable election. They urged the EC to issue necessary instructions to those officials and withdraw them if required, warning that otherwise free and fair voting may not be possible in those areas. Zubair said the alliance also raised the issue of deploying Bangladesh National Cadet Corps (BNCC) members, noting that they have traditionally played a supportive role during elections. Given the importance of this election—with both a referendum and parliamentary polls being held simultaneously—and expected high voter turnout, he stressed the need for deploying maximum supportive forces to ensure a peaceful election. The Election Commission, he said, assured them that necessary steps would be taken. “We hope that no situation should arise that forces us to repeatedly come to the Election Commission. We expect the EC to use its full capacity and take effective measures on the issues we have raised,” Zubair said. Meanwhile, EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed on Monday night told reporters that the Commission lifted a ban on carrying of mobile phones by candidates, polling agents, journalists and observers within a 400-yard radius of polling stations on polling day. Earlier, the Election Commission banned the carrying and use of mobile phones within a 400-yard radius of polling stations by anyone except for four designated personnel. The directive was issued in a letter signed by Senior Assistant Secretary of the Election Commission Secretariat Md Shahidul Islam, which was sent to the returning officers on Sunday. According to the EC decision, only three categories of personnel will be allowed to carry mobile phones inside polling stations.  They are the presiding officer concerned, the police officer who will be in-charge for security at the station concerned, and two Ansar members (Embodied Ansar/General Ansar/VDP) assigned to use the ‘Election Security 2026’ application. Feb-12 election not for opportunists: Jamaat Ameer

At least 20 people were injured on Sunday in a clash between activists of BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami during rival processions in Chandradwip Union of Bauphal upazila under Patuakhali-2 constituency. According to local sources, the violence erupted in the afternoon at Bhandaria Bazar when face-to-face processions of BNP and Jamaat supporters confronted each other, triggering a clash. Around 20 people from both sides were injured on the spot. The injured were admitted to Bauphal Upazila Health Complex for treatment. Chandradwip is a river- and sea-surrounded isolated area where supporters of BNP and Jamaat have frequently been involved in minor disputes over election campaigning in recent days. Sunday’s clash reportedly stemmed from such tensions. BNP, independent candidates’ supporters clash  in Natore; 13 injured Jamaat candidate Dr Shafiqul Islam Masud alleged that BNP activists attacked his supporters while they were taking out a procession, leaving 15 of his workers injured. BNP candidate Shahidul Alam Talukder claimed that one of his supporters was seriously injured and was being taken Barishal Medical College Hospital. He said he was not in a position to comment further at the moment. Officer-in-Charge of Bauphal Police Station Mohammad Siddiqur Rahman said clashes occurred between the two groups in Chandradwip, leaving several people injured. “The situation is now under control,” he said. However, locals reported that tension remains high in the area. BNP-Jamaat clash in Bhola; 8 injured

Miscreants set the house of a local Jamaat leader on fire at Burujbazar of Gabtoli upazila in Bogura district early Wednesday. Shahadat Hossain, superintendent of Bogura Police, said a group of miscreants set the house of Alamgir Hossain Alam, secretary of Nepaltoli union unit Jamaat-e-Islami, on fire around 2:30 am. On information, a local firefighting unit rushed to the spot and extinguished the blaze. Read More: Jamaat to reopen closed industries, create jobs if elected: Jamaat Ameer Valuables including furniture were gutted in the fire. Legal action will be taken if any complaint is lodged, he said.

The Election Commission on Saturday (January 10, 2026) declared the candidature of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islam’s aspirant for Cox’s Bazar-2 AHM Hamidur Rahman Azad valid after hearing his appeal petition. Earlier, the returning officer concerned declared his nomination paper invalid during the scrutiny. The Election Commission, chaired by Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin, on Saturday started the hearing and disposal of the appeal petitions filed by the aggrieved aspirants, challenging the decisions of the returning officers over the cancellation and acceptance of nomination papers. During the first day of the nine-day hearing, the Commission heard the petition filed by Hamidur Rahman Azad and declared him as a valid candidate in the upcoming national election scheduled to be held on February 12 next. Read More: ATM Masum appointed convener, Abdul Halim as secretary of Jamaat election committee The hearing began at 10:00am at the Nirbachan Bhaban in the city’s Agargaon area. Some 70 petitions filed by aggrieved aspirants would be heard on Saturday. A total of 645 aspirants filed appeal petitions with the Election Commission before the deadline expired on Friday, challenging returning officers’ decisions on the rejection and acceptance of nomination papers. Most of the petitions were submitted from January 5 to 9 against the cancellation of nomination papers during the scrutiny. The Election Commission will hear and dispose of the petitions by January 18. Earlier during the five-day nomination paper scrutiny from December 30 to January 04, the 69 returning officers – two divisional commissioners (Dhaka and Chattogram), 64 district deputy commissioners and three regional election commissioners (Dhaka, Chattogram and Khulna) – declared that the nomination papers of a total of 1,842 candidates valid and that of 723 others invalid. A total of 2,568 aspirants submitted nomination papers for the country’s 300 constituencies by the December-29 deadline to contest the 13th parliamentary election. The Election Commission on December 11 announced the election schedule to arrange the national election and the referendum on the July National Charter (Constitutional Reform) Implementation Order simultaneously on February 12, 2026. Read More: EC thrashes reports of election postponement in Pabna-1, Pabna-2 According to the schedule, the last date for the withdrawal of candidature is January 20. The election campaign will start on January 22 and continue till 48 hours before the balloting period (7:30am on February 10).

Former Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) leaders have recounted the "violent politics" of Islami Chhatra Shibir, the student wing of Jamaat e Islami, on university campuses. Three former BCL leaders, who "survived the brutal attacks of Islami Chhatra Shibir," shared their experiences at a webinar Tuesday. Abul Kalam Azad, a former Chittagong University BCL leader, said: "On May 15, 1999, as I left the exam hall, an armed gang of Shibir activists waylaid me and whisked me away by brandishing weapons. They dragged me to a brick kiln and beat me up mercilessly." "A senior student rushed to save me and begged the attackers to spare me. As I tried to flee, the Shibir activists dragged me back and almost smashed my head with bricks." Diagnosed with haemorrhage, Azad had to spend two years in treatment in Dhaka and India's Chennai. "I still suffer from mental trauma 23 years after the attack and have to consult doctors," Azad said. Tonmoy Ahmed, a former Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) student, has 130 stitches all over his body after he and his friend were mercilessly hacked with machetes near his village home during Eid. "Amar Desh published a cooked-up story implicating me and Arif Raihan Dweep, my fellow junior at BUET, for beating up an imam at a mosque on the campus who supplied food to a group of Islamists. In reality, we had just complained to the university about how an imam can be allowed to serve meals to radicals when the meals were meant for the students." A few days after the Amar Desh report, Dweep was hacked by a fellow student in broad daylight in his dormitory, said Tonmoy. "The attacker Meshbahuddin confessed before the magistrate that provocative sermons from a preacher invoked him to kill Dweep." Following 84 days of a battle between life and death Dweep succumbed to his injuries, Tonmoy added. "Months later when I was at my village home at Palashbari on Eid vacation, venturing out with friends at night, a microbus bearing Dhaka Metro number plate flanked by some bike riders emerged near a deserted market and attacked me," recalled Tonmoy. Tonmoy was rushed to a hospital where he underwent surgery. Even after he survived the surgery, attempts were on to eliminate him. A Shibir activist of the Rangpur Medical University unit was picked up when trying to gather information about his ward, he added.