Representatives of the Chittagong University Central Students’ Union (ChakSU) detained Assistant Professor Hasan Mohammad Roman Shuvo of the Law Department on Saturday afternoon and handed him over to the university administration. He was accused of supporting mass killings during the July uprising. The incident occurred after noon when Shuvo, reportedly trying to leave the Faculty of Law building, was stopped and taken to the proctor’s office.

University sources said Shuvo had been assigned as an invigilator for the first-year admission test of the 2025–26 academic session under the Faculty of Arts and Humanities. ChakSU leaders, including Law Secretary Fazle Rabbi Tawhid, detained him after learning of his presence. Allegations against Shuvo include labeling students as extremists, supporting a faction of the Chhatra League, and hosting gatherings at his residence. A university probe committee had already submitted a report on these allegations.

Shuvo denied all accusations, claiming he had not participated in any demonstrations and had committed no wrongdoing. The university proctor stated that Shuvo fled out of fear after hearing rumors of a mob attack and was later brought to the office by students.

Adilur Rahman Khan, adviser to the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives, stated that the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election and referendum will play a crucial role in shaping Bangladesh’s direction for the next hundred years. Speaking to journalists on Saturday morning after inspecting the Kadamtali Central Bus Terminal in South Surma, Sylhet, he said there is no reason for concern about the election and that voters will be able to cast their votes in a joyful and festive atmosphere.

During his visit, Khan observed passenger services and management issues at the terminal. He emphasized that a level playing field has been ensured for the election and will remain effective, expressing confidence that the polls will be peaceful, fair, and celebratory. He also remarked that public support for the July Charter, achieved through sacrifice, will be reflected through ‘yes’ votes, and that the democratic process will be further strengthened through the participation of representatives from various political parties.

Senior officials, including the Divisional Commissioner of Sylhet Khan Md. Reza-un-Nabi and District Commissioner Md. Sarwar Alam, were present during the visit.

BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman stated that Bangladesh can no longer return to the situation before August 5. He made the remarks on Saturday at a meeting with editors of newspapers, television, and online media at the Sheraton Hotel in Dhaka. Rahman said that after returning to the country, he visited several places including Savar and felt that the new generation is seeking guidance and hope. Referring to the movements of 1971, 1990, and 2024, he emphasized working for the country and its independence to achieve the right goals.

During the discussion, Rahman addressed concerns raised about the safety of a female journalist, saying that both men and women have the right to security. He called for maintaining the democratic process and ensuring accountability despite political differences. He also announced that from January 22, the party would present its plans to the public and seek feedback to help solve national problems.

The meeting was attended by editors from major national newspapers and senior BNP leaders including Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and members of the party’s standing committee.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has accused the United States and Israel of instigating violence in ongoing protests across Iran. Speaking at a press conference in Beirut after meeting Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, Araghchi claimed that both countries had openly admitted to interfering in the demonstrations. He said their involvement turned what began as peaceful protests into violent confrontations. Araghchi also dismissed the possibility of a US-Israeli military intervention in Iran, saying previous attempts had failed and any repetition would meet the same fate.

The protests began on December 28 over rising living costs and quickly spread to nearly all cities and towns across Iran’s 31 provinces. The government has deployed security forces nationwide to suppress the unrest. On Friday, authorities cut off internet and mobile connections in most parts of the country to control the situation.

Araghchi referenced a 12-day war from the previous June while warning against foreign interference, emphasizing that Iran would respond firmly to any external aggression.

In Dhaka-20 (Dhamrai) constituency, BNP candidate Md. Tamiz Uddin has been identified as the wealthiest contender for the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election. According to his affidavit, he holds deposits exceeding Tk 85 crore in various financial institutions, along with nearly Tk 1.49 crore in cash and over Tk 47 lakh under his wife’s name. His immovable assets are valued at more than Tk 5.6 crore, including multiple buildings in Dhamrai and Dhaka. He also has loans of about Tk 85 crore from Islami Bank and an annual business income of Tk 48 lakh. Tamiz Uddin, president of Dhamrai Upazila BNP, has been acquitted in 15 cases and currently faces four criminal cases filed during the previous government.

In contrast, Khelafat Majlis candidate Md. Ashraf Ali, symbolized by a wall clock, declared the smallest amount of assets. His affidavit shows around Tk 26 lakh in movable assets and about 85 decimals of land, with teaching as his main source of income. On January 3, the Dhamrai Upazila Executive Officer confirmed that all six candidates’ nominations for Dhaka-20 were declared valid after scrutiny.

The Election Commission (EC) of Bangladesh has declared the nomination of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami’s central assistant secretary general A.H.M. Hamidur Rahman Azad as valid. The decision came on Saturday, January 10, following a hearing on his appeal. Azad is contesting in the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election from the Cox’s Bazar-2 constituency, which includes Maheshkhali and Kutubdia.

Earlier, on January 2, the returning officer and district commissioner Md. A. Mannan had canceled Azad’s nomination due to complications related to case information provided in his affidavit. Following the cancellation, Azad appealed to the Election Commission seeking reinstatement of his candidacy. After reviewing the appeal, the EC restored his eligibility to contest in the election.

The decision marks the return of the former member of parliament and senior Jamaat leader to the electoral race for Cox’s Bazar-2, clearing previous procedural obstacles to his participation.

The Election Commission has declared the nomination of Tasnim Zara as valid for the upcoming national parliamentary election. She is contesting as an independent candidate from the Dhaka-9 constituency. The decision was made during a hearing that began on Saturday morning, following her appeal against the earlier cancellation of her nomination.

Tasnim Zara had submitted an appeal to the Election Commission last Monday after her nomination was initially rejected. Speaking to journalists after the decision, she confirmed that her appeal had been accepted and her candidacy approved. She expressed gratitude to supporters at home and abroad who had extended their good wishes and prayers during the past week.

Zara also announced that she would apply for the football symbol as her preferred election mark, reaffirming her commitment to continue her campaign as an independent candidate in the Dhaka-9 race.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said that Bangladesh now has an opportunity to establish a truly liberal democratic system. He made the remarks on Saturday at a views-exchange meeting with editors of newspapers, television, and online media at the Sheraton Hotel in Dhaka. BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman was present on the stage during the event, which also included greetings exchanged between him and media representatives.

In his speech, Fakhrul paid tribute to the late Begum Khaleda Zia, the martyrs of the 1971 Liberation War, and those who died in the 2024 student and public movement. He said Khaleda Zia had fought throughout her life to free Bangladesh’s democracy and that the 2024 mass uprising had created a historic opportunity to build a democratic Bangladesh. Fakhrul added that the nation was now hopeful following Tarique Rahman’s return to the country.

Editors from several major national newspapers and media outlets attended the meeting, along with senior BNP leaders. A prayer was also held for the soul of Khaleda Zia.

At least 50 activists were injured in a series of clashes between BNP and Bangladesh Development Party (BDP) supporters in Lalmohan upazila of Bhola on Friday. According to BDP’s parliamentary candidate Nizamul Haque Nayeem, the violence began around 11 a.m. in Ramaganj Union’s Ward 6 when female activists of Jamaat, supporting BDP, faced verbal abuse and harassment from a local man named Rubel. The situation escalated after Rubel allegedly attacked a local businessman, leading to further confrontations between the two political groups.

Nayeem claimed that despite informing the administration, BNP leaders and activists gathered at the scene, intensifying the tension. He reported that 15 of his supporters were seriously injured and are receiving treatment at Lalmohan Upazila Health Complex. Meanwhile, BNP’s upazila general secretary Shafiqul Islam Babul accused BDP activists of trying to disrupt local peace with Jamaat’s help and alleged that Awami League and Jamaat-linked cadres attacked BNP and Jubo Dal members after evening prayers.

Lalmohan police officer-in-charge Oliul Islam said police and naval forces remained deployed until 11 p.m. to control the situation. BDP has filed a written complaint, while BNP has not yet submitted one.

Venezuelan interim president Delcy Rodríguez has pledged to confront what she described as U.S. aggression through diplomatic means. In a statement cited by TRT World, Rodríguez said Caracas is seeking to restore relations with Washington following the abduction of former president Nicolás Maduro. She held phone discussions with the leaders of Brazil, Colombia, and Spain, reaffirming that Venezuela would respond to the situation diplomatically.

Earlier, Venezuela released a large number of political prisoners, including several foreigners, in what observers viewed as part of efforts to ease tensions with the United States and reach a new political understanding. The move came after Maduro’s removal from power, as the new leadership sought to reduce U.S. pressure.

This mass release, the first under Rodríguez’s leadership, received support from U.S. President Donald Trump, who expressed satisfaction with the decision. Trump stated that Rodríguez would be allowed to govern as long as Washington maintained access to Venezuelan oil.

Jamaat-e-Islami candidate Dr. Fakhruddin Manik has filed an appeal with the Election Commission seeking to declare the nomination of BNP candidate Abdul Awal Mintu for the Feni-3 (Daganbhuiyan-Sonagazi) constituency invalid. The appeal, submitted on January 9 in Agargaon, Dhaka, alleges that Mintu concealed information about his U.S. citizenship and pending cases in his affidavit. It also names Feni Deputy Commissioner and Returning Officer Monira Haque as respondents for approving Mintu’s nomination despite these alleged omissions.

According to the appeal, Mintu claimed to have renounced his U.S. citizenship on December 9, 2025, but provided no proof. The document further states that he traveled to Thailand using a U.S. passport between December 4 and 15, which would not have been possible if his citizenship had been revoked. The appeal argues that such concealment violates the Representation of the People Order, 1972, warranting cancellation of his candidacy.

Earlier, on January 4, the returning officer validated Mintu’s nomination, citing his declaration of renouncing foreign citizenship and submission of related documents. Hearings on appeals are scheduled from January 10 to 18 at the Election Commission building in Agargaon.

Anti-government protests have intensified across Iran, with demonstrators in Tehran engaging in widespread vandalism and arson, including setting fire to a mosque. Protesters were seen carrying the flag used before the 1979 revolution. According to Russian news agency TASS, Tehran Mayor Alireza Zakani reported that a hospital and two medical centers were damaged, 26 banks were looted, and security posts, including the headquarters of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps militia Basij, were attacked. He said repair work is underway to address the damage in the capital.

Zakani stated that protesters also damaged 10 government buildings, 48 fire trucks, 42 buses and ambulances, and 24 apartment buildings. The unrest began on December 28 when traders in central Tehran protested the sharp fall of the Iranian rial, later spreading nationwide. State television urged citizens not to join the protests and warned parents to keep their children away, citing possible gunfire.

A Tehran-based doctor told Time magazine that at least 217 bodies, mostly gunshot victims, had been brought to six hospitals in the capital.

Brent Christensen has been sworn in as the new United States ambassador to Bangladesh, pledging to strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries. The oath-taking ceremony took place at the US Department of State in Washington on Friday, January 9, local time, according to a statement from the US Embassy in Dhaka. Christensen expressed his excitement to return to Bangladesh, a country he said he knows well, and to lead a strong team of American and local staff at the embassy.

The US Senate confirmed Christensen’s nomination in December, making him the 18th US ambassador to Bangladesh. He succeeds Peter Haas in the position and is scheduled to arrive in Dhaka on January 12. In a previous Senate hearing, Christensen stated that he would highlight potential risks of leaning toward China in defense and other sectors during his tenure. A senior Foreign Service officer, he previously served as political and economic counselor at the US Embassy in Dhaka from 2019 to 2021.

Christensen also expressed gratitude to President Donald Trump for nominating him and reaffirmed his commitment to advancing the president’s goals while strengthening US security and prosperity.

Nine people were injured in a clash between activists of the BNP and the NCP in Hatiya upazila of Noakhali on Friday night. The violence erupted around 8:30 p.m. in the Darbesh Bazar area of Chanandi Union after a Facebook post by an NCP leader accused local BNP figures of removing bricks from a paved road. The post triggered tension, leading to an altercation and later a violent confrontation involving local weapons. The injured were taken to the upazila health complex and other hospitals for treatment.

According to an NCP press release, their leaders were attacked by armed BNP members after protesting the alleged road material theft, and eight motorcycles were reportedly looted. The BNP, in a separate statement, claimed that NCP activists spread false propaganda while they were repairing a damaged road, and that NCP members attacked two BNP activists. Police said the situation is now under control, with additional forces deployed and legal action to follow pending investigation.

Authorities confirmed that the area remains under surveillance to prevent further unrest.

Barrister A.M. Mahbub Uddin Khokon, president of the Supreme Court Bar Association and BNP candidate for Noakhali-1 (Chatkhil-Sonaimuri), declared that no one will be allowed to manipulate the upcoming national election. Speaking on Friday evening at a prayer gathering in Debkala Government Primary School field, Sonaimuri, held for the late BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, he warned that any attempt at electoral fraud would face a strong response.

Khokon emphasized that the BNP, founded by Ziaur Rahman and led by Khaleda Zia, seeks a free, fair, and neutral election. He stated that no deceit, fraud, or conspiracy would be tolerated. Referring to teachers who support Jamaat-e-Islami and wish to serve as presiding or polling officers, he said no partisan individuals should hold such positions. He warned that any teacher found working for a political party during election duties would face legal action.

The event was chaired by union BNP president Dr. Tajul Islam and attended by several local BNP and affiliated leaders, including Didar Hossain, Kutub Uddin Sani, and others.