United News of Bangladesh

A general diary (GD) has been filed at Daganbhuiyan Police Station seeking security for BNP candidate Abdul Awal Mintoo of the Feni-3 (Daganbhuiyan and Sonagazi) constituency. Mintoo’s election agent, Mohammad Shamsuddin, lodged the GD at the police station on Saturday afternoon, confirmed Officer-in-Charge (OC) Muhammad Faizul Azim Noman of Daganbhuiyan Police Station. According to the GD, Jamaat leader Mezbah Uddin allegedly threatened Mintoo, the BNP’s paddy sheaf candidate, at around 4pm on February 4 during an election campaign for the Jamaat candidate in the constituency, Mohammad Fakhruddin, alias Manik in Jayalskar Union of Daganbhuiyan Upazila. The GD further states that Mintoo has been receiving continuous threats through various channels, creating serious concerns over his personal safety. Responding to the allegation, Jamaat leader Mezbah Uddin said, “I made a political statement during the election period. There was nothing personal in it.  can listen to the video of my statement, which is available online.”

A Jamaat-e-Islami candidate in Feni has been served a show cause notice for using the title “Doctor” without holding an ‘MBBS or BDS’ degree. The notice was issued to Jamaat candidate Fakhruddin Ahmed Manik by the inquiry and judicial officer of Feni-3 constituency, Joint District Judge Sajjatun Nessa, for alleged violation of the electoral code of conduct. Although the notice was issued on Thursday, the matter came to public attention on Saturday evening after it spread on social media. According to the show cause notice, Fakhruddin Manik has been using the title “Dr” before his name on election posters, leaflets, banners and festoons in election campaigning. However, he did not mention the title in his election affidavit. The notice said this clearly violates the electoral code of conduct. It also mentioned that using the title “Doctor” without holding an MBBS or BDS degree is a punishable offence under Article 77(3)(b) of the Representation of the People Order, 1972. Judicial officer Sajjatun Nessa directed the Jamaat candidate to appear in person at 11:30 am on Sunday and submit a written explanation in this regard. Attempts to contact the Jamaat candidate for comments were unsuccessful. However, Anwar Hossain, identifying himself as his media representative, said they were not aware of the issue.

Nearly one million members from the armed forces and different law enforcement agencies will officially be deployed across the country for seven days from Sunday to maintain law and order as well as contain violation of electoral code of conduct in the referendum and parliamentary elections scheduled for February 12. Besides, 1,051 executive magistrates are being deployed throughout the country for the seven days from February 8 to 14 to prevent and punish the violation of the election code. A total of 970,948 security persons are supposed to be deployed from Sunday for the election duty, according to the statistics of the Election Commission. The security personnel include 100,003 Army personnel, 5000 Navy personnel, 3730 Air Force members, 37,453 BGB personnel, 3,585 Coast Guard members, 187,603 police members, 9,349 Rab members, 576,483 Ansar and VDP members, 1922 BNCC cadets and 45,820 Chowkidar and Dafadar. According to a government circular, the armed forces, BGB, Coast Guard, Rab, police, Armed Police Battalion (APBn) and Ansar Battalions will work as mobile and striking forces to maintain peace and order in the election areas. BGB, Rab, APBn and Ansar battalions will operate on district, upazila and thana levels, while the Coast Guard will be deployed in coastal areas. Talking to the media in this regard, Election Commissioner Abdur Rahmanel Masud on Saturday said the Army has already been deployed in the field and more personnel will officially join from Sunday. “The armed forces will formally remain deployed for seven days before and after the election. All agencies have informed us that the overall law and order situation in the country is completely good and conducive to holding the election,” he said. He also said ballot boxes have already been sent to districts and are being received by the Returning Officers. “Everyone is now busy with final preparations for the polls. We believe the election environment is quite good,” said Rahmanel Masud. Outside the metropolitan areas, a team of 16–17 police and Ansar members will be deployed at each normal polling station, while 17–18 personnel will be posted at every vulnerable polling station, according to the EC. In metropolitan areas, 16 security personnel –police and ansar members-- will be deployed at a normal polling station and 17 personnel at each vulnerable polling station. In remote areas of 25 districts, a team of 16–18 police and Ansar members will be deployed at each polling station. Postal Balloting Meanwhile, the Election Commission, led by Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin, has introduced an IT-supported hybrid postal balloting system, combining digital registration with manual voting, for expatriate Bangladeshis living in more than 120 countries for the first time. The new postal balloting system is also being used by government employees working outside their constituencies, polling officials and individuals under legal custody within the country. So far, about 8.72 lakh voters, including expatriates, have cast their votes through postal ballots for the parliamentary election and referendum. A total of 1,528,131 voters, including 767,233 expatriates under the Out-of-Country Voting (OCV) programme and 760,898 government officials, polling personnel and prisoners under the In-Country Postal Voting (ICPV) programme, were registered for postal voting. Among them, 871,948 voters, including 502,772 expatriates, had cast their votes by 8:30pm on Saturday, four days ahead of the Election Day. The Election Commission announced the election schedule on December 11 last year to hold the 13th parliamentary election and the referendum on the July National Charter (Constitutional Reform) Implementation Order simultaneously on February 12, 2026.

The army detained a local extortionist with two foreign pistols and ammunition in a special operation in Mohammadpur’s Krishi Market area of the capital. The operation was conducted by Bosila Army Camp from 12:30 am to 2:00 am on February 7, based on specific intelligence. The detained man, identified as Jahirul Islam, 44, had been occupying an office in the market area and extorting local traders for a long time. Dhaka-14, 16 constituencies marked highly risk-prone: Army According to the report, the local traders often reported his activities verbally but never filed written complaints due to fear. During the raid, the army initially recovered a 7.65 mm pistol made in the United States from his home. Following information from the suspect, another similar pistol was seized from his office. Recovered items: ·         2 × 7.65 mm pistols (USA) ·         6 rounds of 7.65 mm bullets ·         2 magazines After the operation, the suspect, the seized weapons and ammunition were handed over to Mohammadpur Police Station.

A Dhaka court on Thursday granted bail to Mohammad Sarwar Alam, an assistant programmer at Bangabhaban, in a case over the alleged hacking of Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman’s X account. Additional Metropolitan Magistrate Awlad Hossain Muhammad Junaid passed the order after a hearing. Earlier on Tuesday, police detained Sarwar Alam and he was later taken into the custody of the Detective Branch. He was later shown arrested in the case. Read More: Get ready to lead, Jamaat Ameer tells youths The mobile phone and laptop used by Sarwar Alam have been seized and will undergo forensic examination, DMP Detective Branch chief Additional Police Commissioner Md Shafiqul Islam said on Wednesday. He also said there is sufficient evidence against Sarwar Alam in the case. Earlier, a case was filed at Hatirjheel Police Station on Wednesday over the alleged hacking of the official X account of Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman at 4:55 pm on January 31. The case was filed under sections 17, 18, 25, 26 and 27 of the Cyber Security Ordinance, 2025 by Md Sirajul Islam, a member of the party’s National Election Steering Committee 2026 and coordinator of its campaign division. The case also named 15 to 20 unidentified persons as accused. According to the case statement, at around 4:55 pm on January 31, Sarwar Alam, along with 15 to 20 unidentified accused, allegedly acted in collusion and illegally accessed a computer digital device to hack the official X account of Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman. The accused allegedly made an unwanted post from the account that spread hatred against women, obscenity, ethnic violence, hatred and incitement to unrest and disorder. Jamaat leader voices concern over election environment

The Ministry of Housing and Public Works has suspended Md Saifuzzaman, an Executive Engineer (Civil) of the Public Works Department (PWD), on charges of embezzling over Tk 6.31 crore of government funds, abusing power, and corruption. According to a notification signed by Ministry Secretary Md Nazrul Islam on Tuesday, Saifuzzaman has been placed under temporary suspension with immediate effect. He was serving as Executive Engineer (Current Charge) of the Lalmonirhat PWD Division and had earlier worked at Dhaka PWD Division-4. An investigation found that during his tenure at Dhaka PWD Division-4, Saifuzzaman was involved in irregularities related to the “Construction of Record Building for the Bangladesh Supreme Court” project. He allegedly abused his authority by splitting a single civil work package (W-1) into eight separate packages through the e-GP system without obtaining approval from the DPP, RDPP, or HOPE. A total of Tk 631.97 lakh was spent through these eight packages during the 2023–24 fiscal year. However, inspections revealed that no physical work corresponding to the paid bills was carried out. Although National Development Engineers Limited (NDEL) was the approved contractor for the original W-1 package, payments were made to eight different firms without any work being executed, which has been identified as embezzlement of government funds. The suspension was issued under Section 39(1) of the Government Service Act, 2018. During the suspension period, Md Saifuzzaman will receive a subsistence allowance in accordance with existing rules.

Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (Retd.) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury on Wednesday said there is no fear of any kind of violence surrounding the upcoming national election, as law enforcement agencies remain fully prepared to ensure a peaceful poll. “The law enforcement agencies are very well prepared to conduct a peaceful election,” he said while speaking to reporters after attending a law and order coordination meeting at the Rajshahi Prison Training Academy auditorium. The meeting was organised to ensure the smooth conduct of the national elections and referendum. He said regular operations are underway across the country to ensure free, fair, and peaceful elections, adding that illegal weapons are being recovered through these drives. Interim govt to hand over power right after election: Deputy Press Secretary The Home Affairs Adviser said around one lakh Army personnel will be deployed nationwide during the election. In addition, about 5,000 members of the Navy, 37,000 Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) members, 4,000 Coast Guard personnel, 1.5 lakh police members, 9,000 Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) members, and over 5 lakh Ansar members will remain on duty. He further said there is no such issue as “mob violence” in the country and that law enforcement agencies have no reason to feel fearful. Responding to a question, Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said if any candidate violates the election code of conduct or engages in indecent behaviour, it will be disclosed. “If such actions are exposed in society, the candidate will naturally lose public support. Even then, if anyone crosses the line, legal action will be taken,” he added. EC changes polls code a week before elections The meeting was attended by Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) Director General Major General Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) Director General AKM Shahidur Rahman, Bangladesh Ansar and Village Defense Force Director General Major General Abdul Motaleb Sazzad Mahmud, Additional Inspector General of Police Khandaker Rafiqul Islam and Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs Nasimul Gani. Senior officials of various election-related departments of Rajshahi Division and representatives of law enforcement agencies were also present in the meeting.  

Five District and Sessions Judges have been transferred ahead of the national election. The Ministry of Law issued a gazette notification on Tuesday (February 3) transferring them in consultation with the Supreme Court. Mohammad Moazzem Hossain, registrar of High Court division has been made Munshiganj Women and Children Repression Tribunal Judge while Muhammad Hasanuzzaman, Registrar of the Appellate Division was made special judge of Dhaka Special Judge Court-1. Besides, Shariful Alam Bhuiyan, Registrar (Judicial) of the High Court Division has been appointed as judge of the Munshiganj Land Survey Appellate Tribunal while Begum Faizunnesa, was made the judge of the Munshiganj Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal. Read More: 1,051 executive magistrates appointed to maintain law and order during polls Meanwhile, Md Abul Kashem, special judge of Dhaka Special Judge Court-1, has been appointed as chairman of Mymensingh Labour Court. The notification said Mohammad Moazzem Hossain, Muhammad Hasanuzzaman and Shariful Alam Bhuiyan will hand over their responsibilities on dates fixed by the Supreme Court. The other juddges have been instructed to hand over charge of their current posts on February 4 and immediately join their new workplaces.

Detectives have detained a Bangabhaban official in connection with his alleged involvement in hacking the X account of Jamaat-e-Islami chief Shafiqur Rahman early Wednesday. The detainee was identified as Mohammad Sarwar Alam, an assistant programmer (ICT) at Bangabhaban. Additional Commissioner (DB) Shafiqul Islam said a team of DB police conducted a drive in Rajarbagh area and detained Sarwar late at night. He is now being interrogated at the DB office, Shafiqul added. Earlier on Saturday, a post from Jamaat Ameer Shafiqur Rahman’s verified account was found circulating on social media, drawing widespread criticism for its reported anti-women statement. Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, however, claimed that the account had been hacked. A general diary was then lodged in this connection.

Commissioner of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Sheikh Md Sajjat Ali on Monday directed all concerned to ensure the highest level of security at all polling centres across every parliamentary constituency in the capital ahead of the national election and during the voting and counting. Sajjat Ali issued the directive while presiding over a coordination meeting on the security plan and overall management for the upcoming election at the DMP Headquarters conference room on Monday. The DMP Commissioner stressed the need for heightened vigilance to prevent any form of disorder at polling centres. He instructed police officials to keep a close watch on centres located far from police stations and to further strengthen patrol activities within station jurisdictions. Additional Police Commissioner (Crime and Operations) SN Md Nazrul Islam said the election is being held in a different context this time, urging officers to perform their duties with that in mind. He said additional forces would be deployed and that maintaining law and order would receive the highest priority. At the meeting, Joint Police Commissioner (Operations) Mohammad Shahidullah presented the overall security plan through a PowerPoint presentation. Senior DMP officials shared their opinions during the meeting, as the Commissioner issued various directive instructions to ensure effective implementation of the security measures.