Iran has been gripped by widespread anti-government protests that began on December 28 over rising living costs and inflation but have since escalated into broader unrest. Security forces reportedly opened fire in several areas to suppress the demonstrations. A Tehran-based doctor told the U.S. magazine Time that at least 217 protesters had died in six hospitals in the capital, most from gunshot wounds.

The Iranian government has not commented on the reported death toll. Internet and telecommunications were almost completely shut down across the country on Thursday night. The same doctor claimed that authorities removed bodies from hospitals on Friday, saying most of the victims were young. The Iranian human rights group HRANA reported that at least 62 people had been killed since the protests began, including 14 security personnel and 48 protesters.

According to Turkey’s Anadolu news agency, eight members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps were killed during clashes in the western city of Kermanshah on Thursday.

Bangladesh’s small political parties are facing an existential crisis following amendments to the Representation of the People Order (RPO), which now prohibit elections under coalition symbols. The change has prompted many minor party leaders to dissolve their organizations or join larger parties, particularly the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), to secure nominations for upcoming parliamentary elections. Several leaders, including those from the Bangladesh Liberal Democratic Party, Bangladesh National Party, and National Democratic Movement, have already joined the BNP and will contest under its ‘sheaf of paddy’ symbol.

Political scientists and senior politicians cited in the report attribute this trend to a growing focus on power rather than public service. They argue that the revised RPO has disrupted traditional electoral strategies and exposed the fragility of smaller parties. Some BNP grassroots members have expressed discontent over seat-sharing with allies, leading to internal dissent and expulsions.

Observers warn that dissolving parties for electoral gain could erode public trust and deepen long-term political instability, while others hope the current turbulence may eventually lead to a more principled political culture.

A newly released report by Bangladesh’s Commission on Enforced Disappearances reveals that several senior army officers accused of involvement in abduction cases during the Awami League’s 15-year rule have fled despite travel bans and passport cancellations. The commission submitted its findings to the chief adviser on January 4, 2026, describing how no single unit took responsibility for monitoring high-risk officers or preventing their escape. The report links the lapses to the absence of clear directives treating the issue as a national security priority.

According to the report, the International Crimes Tribunal issued arrest warrants on January 6, 2025, against 11 top military officials, including senior DGFI officers. Despite being under restricted movement, some officers disappeared from Dhaka Cantonment within weeks. The commission identified three waves of escapes between August 2024 and October 2025 and noted that intelligence and security agencies such as DGFI, MI, ASU, and NSI failed to coordinate effectively.

The commission warned that these repeated failures represent a continuing national security concern and could undermine future accountability efforts. It also raised concerns that some fugitives may have crossed into India, suggesting possible cross-border complicity.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is in the final stage of preparing its manifesto for the upcoming 13th parliamentary election. Party sources said the document will serve not only as an electoral pledge but also as a comprehensive framework for state reconstruction, economic recovery, and human resource transformation. The manifesto emphasizes youth employment, an investment-friendly environment, and empowering young people as key drivers of national development. It is being prepared based on four pillars: Ziaur Rahman’s 19 points, Khaleda Zia’s Vision 2030, Tarique Rahman’s 31 points, and the July National Charter.

The manifesto includes a dedicated section titled “Outline for Youth,” promising one crore new jobs within 18 months of assuming power and unemployment benefits for educated job seekers. It also pledges SME financing, startup funds, IT and outsourcing training, and initiatives to attract domestic and foreign investment. Other commitments cover democratic reforms, agricultural modernization, women’s empowerment, minority protection, and universal healthcare.

BNP plans to distribute concise leaflets summarizing key points before the official manifesto launch, which will take place at a major event after the campaign begins.

An opinion piece published on January 10, 2026, in the newspaper Amar Desh warns that signs of extensive election engineering are beginning to appear ahead of Bangladesh’s forthcoming national elections. The article argues that such manipulation could push the country into a deep crisis, as surveys suggest that the two main political parties currently enjoy nearly equal public support. Even minor engineering could therefore cause major shifts in seat distribution, potentially leading to results reminiscent of the 2014 or 2018 elections, which the author claims would be unacceptable domestically and internationally.

The analysis outlines several possible methods of election engineering, including pre-election arrests or intimidation of opposition activists, polling station takeovers, manipulation of vote counts, and alteration of results during transmission to returning officers. It also describes how administrative behavior, media narratives, and international signals can shape public perception weeks before voting, influencing undecided voters. The author asserts that the state apparatus plays the central role in such processes and notes that Bangladesh’s administration has not functioned independently for over 15 years.

The piece concludes that without administrative reform, the extent of election engineering in the upcoming polls remains a critical concern.

The National Citizen Party (NCP) has restructured its central election steering committee ahead of the 13th National Parliamentary Election. According to a press release signed by convener Nahid Islam and member secretary Akhtar Hossain, the party’s new spokesperson Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan has been appointed chairman, while joint convener Monira Sharmin has been named secretary. The committee will oversee overall election preparations, field coordination, legal and administrative activities, media and campaign management, monitoring, and advocacy for a ‘yes’ vote in the referendum.

The newly formed committee includes 29 members, among them Barrister Omar Faruk, Nusrat Tabassum Jyoti, Tanzil Mahmud, Advocate Zahirul Islam Musa, Advocate Humayra Noor, Akram Hossain, and others. Previously, on November 4, NCP had formed a committee led by Nasiruddin Patwari and Tasnim Zara, but several central leaders resigned following an electoral understanding with Jamaat-e-Islami. On December 29, Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan joined the party and assumed the roles of spokesperson and committee head, while Monira Sharmin withdrew her candidacy from Naogaon-5 after the Jamaat deal.

Members of the Jagannath University Central Students’ Union (JAKSU) panel, supported by the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal and Chhatra Adhikar Parishad, visited the graves of Begum Khaleda Zia and Shaheed Sharif Osman Hadi on Friday, January 9. The visit was led by vice president candidate A.K.M. Rakib and assistant general secretary candidate B.M. Tanzil. The group paid their respects at Khaleda Zia’s grave at Zia Udyan and later at the grave of Shaheed Osman Hadi located in the premises of the National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam’s mausoleum at Dhaka University.

Newly elected panel members including library and seminar affairs secretary Riasal Rakib, transport secretary Mahid Hasan, cultural affairs secretary Takrim Ahmed, and executive member Sadman Samya were present. A.K.M. Rakib, who is also the president of the Chhatra Adhikar Parishad’s university branch, said they could not visit the graves during the election period and therefore went after the polls. He stated that their panel upholds the ideals of democracy and opposition to dominance, echoing the struggles of Khaleda Zia and Shaheed Osman Hadi.

The visit symbolized the panel’s commitment to democratic values and resistance against external dominance, as expressed by its leaders.

Adilur Rahman Khan, adviser to the Ministry of Industries and the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives, warned that any attempt to disrupt Bangladesh’s democratic process or fair elections will be firmly resisted. He made the remarks on Friday afternoon in Sunamganj city after paying tribute to martyrs at the July 36 Square. Responding to questions about concerns following the Hadi killing, he said the change achieved through the July uprising would be permanent and that defeated fascism would not return.

Khan stated that conspiracies against fair elections continue both inside the country and from across the border, but those involved will not be allowed to gain ground. He added that fascism would be suppressed if it tried to reemerge. On the topic of referendum campaigns, he said local administrations, led by district commissioners, have launched extensive programs that will become visible this week.

After the event, Khan visited the Sunamganj buffer warehouse and exchanged views with officials. Senior officials from several ministries and departments were present at the program.

BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman has postponed his planned visit to nine northern districts of Bangladesh at the request of the Election Commission. The decision was announced by BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir after the party’s National Standing Committee meeting on Friday night. The four-day tour, originally scheduled to begin on January 11, included visits to the graves of Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani and other martyrs, as well as personal engagements.

Mirza Fakhrul said the party strongly condemned recent killings of political activists, including Osman Hadi and former Dhaka North BNP leader Musabbir, and demanded immediate arrests of those responsible. He warned that continued violence could severely damage the environment for fair elections and urged the government and the Election Commission to take effective measures to ensure peace and order.

He also expressed gratitude to the public for their participation in the funeral of late BNP Chairperson and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, describing it as one of the largest in recent memory, and thanked law enforcement and the army for maintaining order.

Tarique Rahman has officially taken charge as the chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). The decision was made on Friday night at the BNP chairperson’s political office in Gulshan, following a meeting of the party’s National Standing Committee. Rahman, who had been serving as acting chairman, assumed the role in accordance with the party’s constitution.

The chairmanship became vacant after the death of BNP chairperson and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia. In response, the BNP’s National Standing Committee convened to address the vacancy. During the meeting, members unanimously decided to appoint Tarique Rahman as the new chairman, formalizing his leadership position within the party.

The appointment marks a continuation of leadership within the party’s existing framework, as Rahman transitions from acting to full chairman under the BNP’s constitutional process.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has begun an emergency meeting of its Standing Committee on Friday night, chaired by acting chairman Tarique Rahman. The meeting started around 9:30 p.m., according to reports. Earlier, committee member Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku confirmed to the media that the meeting had been called but did not disclose its agenda.

The meeting comes days after BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told journalists in Sylhet on January 4 that Tarique Rahman would be formally elected as party chairman within a few days. Although the BNP constitutionally recognizes Rahman as the automatic successor to the chairmanship following Khaleda Zia’s imprisonment in February 2018, the party has yet to make an official announcement or use the chairman title publicly. This uncertainty has also affected campaign materials, as it remains unclear whose image should appear on banners and posters.

The emergency session is expected to address internal organizational matters, but no official details of the discussion have been released.

The Election Commission (EC) of Bangladesh has issued a circular to ensure the confidentiality of ballot papers and the security of election materials ahead of the 13th National Parliamentary Election and referendum. The directive, signed by Mohammad Monir Hossain, Deputy Secretary of the EC Secretariat’s Election Management-2 branch, was released on Thursday. It outlines procedures for verifying election materials, distributing them to polling centers, and maintaining strict confidentiality of official and brass seals.

According to the circular, ballot papers supplied from the BG Press, Government Printing Press, or Security Printing Press must be checked against Form-5 to verify candidate names and symbols before being securely stored until distribution to presiding officers. The EC also instructed that official and brass seals, which carry security code numbers, be recorded and preserved confidentially at every stage. Assistant returning officers must document seal codes and impressions in distribution registers, while presiding officers must store seal details in designated envelopes within secure bags.

The circular emphasizes that all election materials, including indelible ink, stamp pads, and seals, must be handled with utmost care to maintain transparency and prevent any breach of ballot secrecy.

Former army chief Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan has given a statement to the International Crimes Tribunal’s investigation agency regarding enforced disappearances and killings during the Awami League’s fifteen-year rule. His testimony implicates dismissed former army officer Major General Ziaul Ahsan in the abduction and extrajudicial killing of hundreds of people. Chief Prosecutor Tazul Islam confirmed that Iqbal Karim will testify before Tribunal-1 in the crimes against humanity case against Ziaul. The court has set January 14 for an order following the formal hearing on charge framing.

In his statement, Iqbal Karim described Ziaul’s conduct as increasingly unruly after assuming the post of Additional Director General of the Rapid Action Battalion, alleging that extrajudicial killings rose sharply under his watch. He also recounted internal military tensions involving security adviser General Tariq Ahmed Siddiq and other officers, as well as political influence over military appointments and operations during Sheikh Hasina’s tenure.

The tribunal, led by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mojumdar with two other members, is currently conducting proceedings in the case against Ziaul Ahsan for crimes against humanity linked to disappearances and killings over the past fifteen years.

Australian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Susan Ryle paid a courtesy call on Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) acting chairman Tarique Rahman on January 9, 2026. According to BNP media cell member Shayrul Kabir Khan, the meeting took place around 7 p.m. at the BNP chairperson’s office in Gulshan, Dhaka.

The report described the meeting as a courtesy visit, without disclosing further details about the discussion or agenda. The BNP media cell confirmed the timing and location of the meeting but did not provide additional context or statements from either side.

No further information was given about the topics discussed or any outcomes from the meeting.

A total of 610 appeals have been submitted to the Election Commission (EC) challenging the returning officers’ decisions on nomination acceptance and rejection for the 13th National Parliament election. Of these, 600 appeals contest the rejection of nomination papers, while 10 challenge accepted nominations. On the final day of submission, 141 appeals were filed by 6:45 p.m. Many candidates were seen waiting at EC booths to submit their applications.

The hearings will be conducted by Chief Election Commissioner A.M.M. Nasiruddin and his team in the basement of the Election Building in Agargaon. Proceedings will begin on Saturday and continue until January 18, with hearings held in two sessions daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The EC expects to hear about 70 appeals per day, following the order of submission.

According to EC sources, most appellants are independent or political party candidates whose nominations were rejected. Returning officers had earlier canceled 723 nominations, leaving 1,842 valid candidates for the upcoming election.