United News of Bangladesh

Ahead of the upcoming national election for Khagrachhari-298, the lone constituency in the district, Army Khagrachhari Region Commander Brigadier General KM Obaidul Haque held a meeting with election candidates on Tuesday to ensure a free, fair and peaceful voting process. The meeting took place at the region auditorium and was attended by BNP candidate Wadud Bhuiyan, Jamaat-e-Islami candidate Yakub Ali Chowdhury, independent candidate Samiron Dewan, along with other contestants and representatives of the local administration. Discussions at the meeting focused on the overall election environment, law and order situation, voter safety, and the role of the army in ensuring an impartial and credible election. Read More: Army Chief urges officers to perform election duties impartially Brigadier General Obaidul Haque said elections are a democratic process and safeguarding citizens’ voting rights is a key responsibility of the state. He urged all candidates to strictly follow the election code of conduct and refrain from violence and irregularities. He also said the army would perform its duties impartially in coordination with the administration and law enforcement agencies to maintain law and order and ensure voter security during the election period. During the meeting, the candidates shared their concerns and opinions, and the region commander assured them of necessary cooperation to support a transparent and orderly election.

Police recovered the body of an unidentified young man from a haor area in Mithamoin upazila of Kishoreganj early Tuesday. The body was found at the eastern haor area of Midaband under Keoarjor Union of the upazila. According to police and local sources, farmers spotted the body while heading to the haor to tend their boro fields and informed police. Police later recovered the body, believed to be of a man aged between 35 to 37, from the eastern haor near Keoarjor Bazar and sent it to Kishoreganj morgue for autopsy. Read More: Auto-rickshaw driver killed in Dhaka road crash The identity of the deceased could not be determined until the filing of this report. Confirming the incident, Mithamoin Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Liaqat Ali said the body remains unidentified and an investigation is underway. Legal action will be taken accordingly, he added.

Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (Retd.) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury has directed that anyone violating the election code of conduct during the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election and 2026 referendum must be immediately brought under the law. The instruction came at a law and order consultation meeting organized by the Mymensingh divisional administration at the Mymensingh City Corporation conference hall on Monday. Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs Nasimul Goni presided over the event. Special guests included BGB Director General Major General Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui NDC PSC and Additional IGP (Finance) Md Akram Hossain BPM, while Divisional Commissioner Farah Shammi NDC delivered the welcome speech. Bangladeshi expats cast 458,000 postal votes ahead of Feb-12 polls The adviser emphasized that no illegal activity will be tolerated during the elections. Election officials and law enforcement personnel were instructed to strictly follow the Representation of the People (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025, the Code of Conduct for Political Parties and Candidates, 2025, relevant ministry circulars, and Election Commission guidelines. He urged officers to provide continuous instructions to subordinates, hold regular briefings on election preparations, ongoing activities, and compliance with the code of conduct. Appointments of presiding, assistant presiding, and polling officers must ensure honesty, efficiency, and impartiality, while officials with a history of partisanship or irregularities must not be assigned electoral duties. Chowdhury highlighted the role of the Election Security App-2026, developed by the National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre, in maintaining law and order. The app will link law enforcement, returning officers, and the Ministry of Home Affairs’ central control room to record complaints and enable prompt response. Officials must complete training on its use without delay. No scope for vote rigging in expatriate voting process:  EC Sanaullah He also instructed that polling stations be fully prepared, access routes kept smooth, and election materials, including ballot boxes, secured and delivered on time. Sharing his electoral experience, he said honest and efficient conduct by officials and law enforcement can ensure a free, fair, and festive election, describing it as a moral and ethical responsibility. The meeting was attended by deputy commissioners, police superintendents, upazila executive officers, election officers at all levels, and armed forces representatives from Mymensingh division.

A 36-year-old man was killed and two others were injured in a clash between two groups of villagers over a land dispute at Beledanga village in Naragati upazila of Narail district on Monday. The deceased was identified as Yusuf Molla, 36, son of Moniruzzaman Molla of Beledanga village in the upazila. Abdur Rahim, officer-in-charge of Naragati Police Station, said Yusuf Molla and his cousin Ata Molla had been at loggerheads over a piece of land for a long time. As a sequel to the enmity, Yusuf had an altercation with his cousin over the issue around 9:00am. 8 injured in BNP factional clashes over Munshiganj-3 nomination At one stage, both groups attacked each other, leaving Yusuf, Firoz and Ashraful injured. They were later taken to a local hospital, where doctors declared Yusuf dead. Police are trying to arrest the attackers, said OC. Additional police have been deployed in the area to avert further trouble.

The price of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) has been increased again at the consumer level, with the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) raising the price of a 12kg LPG cylinder by Tk50 for February. According to a BERC announcement issued on Monday afternoon, the new price of a 12kg LPG cylinder has been fixed at Tk1,356, up from Tk1,306. The revised price will come into effect from 6pm. BERC Chairman Jalal Ahmed said the latest adjustment was made as part of the commission’s regular monthly price review mechanism. The last LPG price adjustment was made on January 4, when the price of a 12kg cylinder was increased by Tk53 to Tk1,306. Read More: LPG prices for Jan up but BERC admits lack of control over retailers At the same time, BERC has also increased the price of autogas. For February, the retail price of autogas, including VAT, has been raised by Tk2.34 to Tk62.14 per litre. On January 4, the commission had last revised autogas prices, increasing them by Tk2.48 to Tk59.80 per litre at the consumer level. BERC adjusts LPG and autogas prices on a monthly basis, considering changes in global market prices and other relevant factors.

A man was killed after being hit by a pickup van in Hatirjheel area of the capital early Monday. The deceased was identified as Abdul Hanif Khan, 45, son of Rafiqul Khan of Babuganj upazila in Barishal. He had been living in a rented house in Hatirjheel area. A pedestrian, Kamruzzaman, said the pickup van hit Hanif while he was crossing the road in front of Hatirjheel Gate No. 2 and fled the scene immediately. Hanif was taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital in a critical condition around 12:45 am where doctors declared him dead. Road crash leaves two dead in Cumilla Inspector Md Faruk, in-charge of the police camp at Dhaka Medical College Hospital, said the body has been kept at the hospital morgue. Hatirjheel Police Station has been informed about the accident, he added.    

Election campaigning in Chuadanga’s two parliamentary constituencies is heating up as candidates race in villages, markets, and different areas from dawn to late night, appealing to voters ahead of the national election. Six candidates from BNP, Jamaat, and Islami Andolan Bangladesh are actively campaigning in the two constituencies. Candidates promise to transform Chuadanga into a model district free of crime, drugs, and corruption if elected. In Chuadanga-1, three candidates are in the fray: Sharifuzzaman Sharif, general secretary of district BNP, contesting under ‘paddy sheaf”symbol; Masud Parvez Rasel, assistant secretary of district Jamaat-e-Islami, representing an 11-party alliance under “balance” symbol and Maulana Zahurul Islam Azizi, vice president of district unit of Islami Andolan Bangladesh, running under ‘hand fan’ symbol. Chuadanga-2 also has three candidates: Mahmud Hasan Khan Babu, BGMEA president and BNP district unit chief, contesting under the “paddy sheaf” symbol; Ruhul Amin, district Jamaat chief representing the 11-party alliance under  “balance” symbol; and Hasanuzzaman Sajib, district president of Islami Andolan Bangladesh, running under the “hand fan” symbol. Bangladesh sees sharp rise in rape cases, with girls most at risk Since the announcement of symbols, villages, markets, tea stalls, and public spaces have come alive with election activities  particularly between BNP and Jamaat. Both parties are focusing on winning over undecided voters including those who previously supported the Awami League which is facing ban on its activities after August 5,2024. A voter in Chuadanga city, requesting anonymity, said, “Without a candidate from my party, I’m still thinking about who would be best for the area. I’ll decide based on the situation on voting day.” Similar uncertainty was reported in Kumarigram village of Alamdanga upazila. Shahjahan Ali, former principal and general secretary of Chuadanga Educationists Forum, described the contest as a battle to win hearts, not just traditional vote banks. “Who reaches people effectively at the last moment will determine the results,” he said. Nazmul Haq Swapon, another voter in the town, said “Floating voters will play the key role in both constituencies. Individual reputation and public engagement may matter more than party affiliation, especially the votes of Awami League supporters who are currently inactive.” Chuadanga-1:Chuadanga-1 comprises five unions of Alamdanga and Chuadanga Sadar upazilas. Historically a BNP stronghold, it has been held by the Awami League since 2014 in three successive controversial elections. Sharifuzzaman Sharif, contesting for BNP, has pledged to prioritise health and education and transform the district into a “smart Chuadanga.” Jamaat candidate Masud Parvez Rasel seeks to create a model district through inclusive development and governance, appealing to all voters irrespective of party. Islami Andolan’s Zahurul Islam Azizi emphasises principled leadership and attracting young voters, positioning the “hand fan” as a credible alternative. With BNP’s historical advantage in Chuadanga-1, Jamaat’s chances of victory are apparently slim, but the party is actively campaigning for respectable vote share. The constituency has 513,718 registered voters, including 255,704 men, 258,006 women, and eight hijra voters. Idle machines, rising waters: A losing battle to protect Noluar Haor Chuadanga-2:Chuadanga-2 covers Damurhuda, Jibannagar, and parts of Sadar upazilas and is considered a Jamaat stronghold. BNP candidate Mahmud Hasan Khan Babu has promised to focus on industry, infrastructure, and employment generation if elected. Jamaat’s Ruhul Amin has been working in the constituency since 2010 despite political hurdles and imprisonment under previous government. Islami Andolan’s Hasanuzzaman Sajib emphasises anti-corruption and community development, seeking to attract undecided voters. Chuadanga-2 has 492,379 voters, including 246,631 men, 245,743 women, and five hijra voters.

Power supply will be temporarily suspended in several important areas of Sylhet on Monday (Feb 2) due to transformer renovation and maintenance work as well as transmission line development activities. A press release on Sunday, signed by Abdur Razzak, Executive Engineer of the Sales and Distribution Division‑2 of the Sylhet Power Development Board, said electricity supply will remain off from 8:00 am to 12:00 noon in areas under the 11 kV feeders of the Power Development and Distribution Division‑2. Motorcycle rider killed in truck accident in Sylhet The affected areas are Anantapur, Badeali, Masukbazar, Tajpur Suklampur, Chhunpara, Medenimahal Basantergaon, Munsirgaon, Dighirpar, Paschim Darsha, Bashirpur Mirergaon and Sujatpur and surrounding localities. The release also said that the power line will be considered operational during the shutdown period and supply will be restored immediately if the work is completed before the scheduled time. Abdur Razzak apologised to customers for the temporary inconvenience and sought cooperation from all for the essential renovation and maintenance work.

A man was hacked to death by miscreants in Kapasia upazila of Gazipur late last night. The victim was identified as Helal Uddin, 55, from Kotbazar village of Chandpur Union. The incident took place in the Kotbazar area of Chandpur. Additional Superintendent of Kapasia Circle police Md. Asaduzzaman confirmed this incident. Police and local sources said Helal was returning home on his motorcycle from a market when miscreants, who were lying in wait in a nearby litchi orchard, blocked his way, and attacked him with sharp weapons, leaving him critically injured. Read More: 3 sentenced to death in Feni schoolboy killing case He was rushed to Dhaka for treatment but died on the way. Police, after visiting the spot, said the killing might have occurred due to a previous enmity. A blood-stained shovel was recovered from the scene as evidence. Police also said the body was recovered and sent to the morgue of Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmad Medical College Hospital for autopsy.

A 23-year-old college student was killed on Sunday afternoon after her scarf got entangled in the wheel of a battery-run rickshaw wheel  in Jhenaidah Sadar upazila. The deceased is Sumaiya Khatun, a fourth-year honours student of Mathematics at Jhenaidah Keshab Chandra  College and daughter of Hafizur Rahman of Kulbaria village in Harinakundu upazila. Witness Shukur Ali said the couple had earlier visited Akkaach Lakeview Park in Badarganj area of Chuadanga Sadar upazila and were returning home by easybike. When they reached the Borai area, Sumaiya’s scarf got caught in the wheel of the vehicle, causing her to fall onto the road along with her infant child. 3 BCL members die in Jhenidah road crash She was rushed to Jhenaidah Sadar Hospital, where emergency department where doctors declared her dead. Jhenaidah Highway Police Officer-in-Charge Mrityunjoy Biswas  said as there was no complaint from the family the body was handed over to relatives on Sunday evening.