EC tightens security to prevent Rohingya involvement in votingOn February 4, Election Commission (EC) ordered strict measures to prevent Rohingya refugees from participating in the February 12 parliamentary election and referendum, reports bdnews24.com. While the EC has previously taken steps to prevent Rohingyas from being included in the voter list, it is now moving to stop them from engaging in any election-related activities. As part of the measures, Rohingya refugees will not be allowed to leave camps during the voting period. The EC has also directed law-enforcing agencies to remain vigilant, strengthen identity checks, and intensify searches at checkpoints. Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) patrols will be strengthened, with heightened surveillance on armed groups along the Myanmar border.

National Citizen Party (NCP) Coordinator and Dhaka-11 candidate Nahid Islam on Saturday welcomed Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqul Rahman’s call for an open-stage election debate and urged BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman to respond positively to the proposal. Speaking while campaigning in the Hatirjheel metropolitan project area of the capital, Nahid said dialogue among top political leaders is essential for the practice of democracy. “If there is a clear plan and confidence in the country’s future, Tarique Rahman should accept this invitation,” he said. Contesting the upcoming election under the Shapla Kali symbol, Nahid also voiced concern over the police action against protesters demanding justice for the murder of Osman Hadi. He strongly condemned the assault on journalists during the incident, calling it unacceptable.

BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman on Saturday said the upcoming national election is not merely about electing public representatives but about restoring people’s rights and rebuilding Bangladesh. On farmers’ issues, Tarique said the previous authoritarian government had failed to provide necessary economic support to farmers. Tarique also promised that if BNP wins the election, agricultural loans of up to Tk10,000 would be waived. He also promised that the local airport would be made operational as soon as possible if the BNP forms the government. Tarique said people of all religions would live in peace, and everyone would be judged based on merit and competence, not religion.

Port workers have announced a fresh indefinite work stoppage at Chittagong Port from Sunday, protesting the proposed leasing of the New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) to foreign operator DP World and pressing four other demands. Humayun Kabir, coordinator of Chittagong Port Protection Movement Council, announced the strike at a press conference at the Chattogram Press Club on Saturday afternoon. Earlier, port workers observed a strike over the same demands, starting with eight-hour strikes for three consecutive days from last Saturday, followed by an indefinite strike from Tuesday. The program was suspended for two days after a meeting with Shipping Adviser M Sakhawat Hossain at the port building on Thursday. The workers said they decided to resume the movement as their demands remained unmet.

BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman arrived at the rally stage at Thakurgaon Government High School ground at 11:30am on Saturday amid a massive show of enthusiasm from party leaders and activists. Tarique Rahman responded by waving to the cheering crowd. BNP Media Cell member Shairul Kabir Khan said Tarique Rahman had launched the union-level representative conference of the party from Thakurgaon on January 4, 2003. The rally is being presided over by Thakurgaon district BNP President Mirza Faysal Amin, while District General Secretary Paigam Ali is conducting the programme. Earlier, Tarique Rahman left Dhaka for Saidpur on a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight at 10:05am and later travelled to Thakurgaon by helicopter.

Thirteen people were injured in a clash between the supporters of a BNP and an independent candidate during electioneering at Kachua Bazar in Lalpur upazila of Natore district on Friday night. Police said the supporters of Taiful Islam Tipu, an independent candidate of Natore-1 constituency, brought out a procession. At one stage, an altercation ensued between the supporters of Tipu and BNP candidate Farzana Sharmin while the procession was passing the election camp of BNP around 8pm, triggering a clash that left 13 people injured. The supporters of Tipu allegedly vandalized the election camp of BNP candidate Farzana. On information, police rushed to the spot and arrested a supporter of Tipu identified as Khalilur Rahman, said Iftekhayer Alam, additional superintendent of Natore Police.

A total of 422,960 postal ballots from expatriates registered on the "Postal Vote BD" app have reached Bangladesh ahead of the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election and Referendum. Salim Ahmad Khan, team leader of the OCV-SDI project on expatriate voter registration, confirmed it to BSS Saturday morning, saying that 766,862 ballots have been dispatched to expatriates through the app till 10:15am. The Election Commission (EC) has also begun sending postal ballots to voters residing inside the country under the ICPV system. Ballots have been sent to 694,146 registered voters within Bangladesh. According to EC data, 381,070 voters have received their ballots till 10:15am on Saturday.

Former Water Resources minister and ex-MP for Thakurgaon-1 (Sadar upazila), Ramesh Chandra Sen, died after falling ill at Dinajpur District Jail. He was declared dead at 9:29am on Saturday by doctors at the emergency department of Dinajpur Medical College Hospital. Earlier, after becoming ill in the morning, he was taken from the district jail to the hospital at 9:10am. Dinajpur District Jail Superintendent Farhad Sarkar confirmed the death, saying the body would be handed over to the family after completion of the necessary legal procedures. Ramesh Chandra Sen was born on April 30, 1940, in Kashalgaon village of Ruhia Union under Sadar upazila of Thakurgaon district.

Delone Catholic, Red Lion girls advance to YAIAA tourney semisFeb. 7, 2026, 1:35 a.m. Dan Rainville, York Daily RecordSusquehannock's Johannah Bissett grabs a rebound during a YAIAA Girls Basketball Tournament quarterfinal game against Delone Catholic on February 6, 2026, at Dallastown Area High School. Dan Rainville, York Daily RecordWest York basketball players warm-up before a YAIAA Girls Basketball Tournament quarterfinal game against Red Lion on February 6, 2026, at Dallastown Area High School. Jack Gleckler, York Daily RecordWest York's Cam Forsythe drvies to paint during a YAIAA Girls Basketball Tournament quarterfinal game against Red Lion on February 6, 2026, at Dallastown Area High School. Jack Gleckler, York Daily RecordWest York's Zoey Henry shoots a 3-pointer during a YAIAA Girls Basketball Tournament quarterfinal game against Red Lion on February 6, 2026, at Dallastown Area High School.

LACONIA — Members of the Belknap County Delegation, those elected to represent Belknap at the Statehouse, approved a budget with a 4.4% increa…

Several Maryland school systems announced early dismissals Friday as forecasters warned of worsening weather conditions later in the day. Baltimore County Public Schools announced a two-hour early dismissal because of anticipated icy conditions and low temperatures. Carroll County Public Schools also implemented a two-hour early dismissal Friday due to the forecast of inclement weather. Harford County Public Schools said schools and offices would close three hours early Friday, citing the afternoon weather forecast. Afterschool activities were also canceled, and afterschool daycare was limited to one hour for student pickup.

Though Colgate’s Antonio Fernandez roofed a shot over the glove of Cournoyer and drew first blood for the Raiders, Cournoyer answered the call as the game went on. The freshman netminder — picking up his 14th win — finished with 30 saves on 32 Colgate shots. That’s when Colgate began to push, earning a handful of chances numbers-up while Cornell attempted to bear down. Colgate made things interesting when Ryan Spinale wristed a puck cleanly past Cournoyer to cut the deficit to one with 11:29 to play. Puck drop for the second game of the Colgate series is slated for 7 p.m. Saturday at Lynah Rink.

Reading time: about 7 minutesFor the second straight Friday, junior goaltender Annelies Bergmann looked up to the scoreboard to see a very welcome number: zero. Engineer netminder Reese Keating was sharp in period one, called upon for nine saves, including a handful of Grade A’s. Freshman forward Shannon Pearson’s goal with 5:05 to go punctuated an opening period in which the Red controlled. Cornell saw its edge in shots continue to climb — the final margin being an 18 shot Red advantage — while the Engineers were largely stymied by the brooding Cornell defense. Cornell will face Union Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m. at Lynah Rink, with free admission offered to those 12 and under.

The Dhaka University Journalists’ Association (DUJA) has strongly condemned and protested incidents of attacks and threats against journalists while performing their professional duties. In a statement issued on Friday afternoon, DUJA said that several journalists, including Jugantor correspondent Abu Saleh Musa, were attacked and injured by members of the law enforcement agencies while they were covering a protest in front of Jamuna, the official residence of the Chief Adviser. DUJA alleged that certain members of the law enforcement agencies acted in an unconstitutional and deliberate manner, physically assaulting journalists, obstructing them from carrying out their professional responsibilities, and vandalizing their equipment. The association described the attack and obstruction of journalistic duties as a blatant and direct threat to press freedom. DUJA strongly denounced the targeted and disgraceful assault and demanded that the responsible members of the law enforcement agencies be brought to justice immediately.

A man has been sentenced to 10 days in jail for setting fire to the election camp of a Jamaat-e-Islami candidate in Naogaon-5 (Sadar) constituency. The Election Investigation and Judicial Committee of the constituency handed down the sentence on Friday afternoon. The convict, Liton Kumar Chauhan, is a resident of Nuniapara Sweeper Colony in Naogaon town. According to locals, he was caught red-handed while setting fire to the Jamaat election camp of candidate Abu Sadat Md Sayem at Muktir More around 4am and was later handed over to police. The Election Investigation and Judicial Committee said a local Jamaat leader filed a written complaint with the committee chairman following the incident.