Israeli Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu has claimed that Israeli agents are currently active inside Iran during the country’s ongoing protests over the falling value of the rial and a deepening economic crisis. Speaking to Israel’s Army Radio on Thursday, Eliyahu said that Israel had used ground agents during a 12-day war with Iran last June and that similar operations continue now. He asserted that some Israeli operatives remain active on Iranian soil.

According to Eliyahu, these agents are not directly working to overthrow the Iranian government but are focused on weakening Iran’s military and strategic capabilities to prevent it from posing a threat to Israel. Tehran had previously acknowledged Israeli intelligence activity during the 12-day conflict and has since arrested and executed several people accused of spying for Mossad.

Eliyahu’s remarks have intensified Iranian accusations of foreign interference by Israel and the United States. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei responded sharply, accusing former U.S. President Donald Trump of having blood on his hands and warning that arrogant powers would face the same fate as the pre-1979 monarchy.

Several photos of Comilla City Corporation (CUSC) Administrator Md. Shah Alam with Nasir Uddin Lincoln, the general secretary of the banned Barura Upazila Awami League, have gone viral on social media, drawing widespread criticism. The pictures were reportedly taken on Saturday, January 10, at Lalmai Lakeland Park in Comilla after a meeting of the Barura Upazila Welfare Association.

Local activists and residents expressed strong disapproval of the administrator’s association with a leader from a banned political organization. Abu Raihan, convener of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement in Comilla, said that a senior government official should know with whom it is appropriate to take photos. An unnamed city resident alleged that the photos suggested collusion with the Awami League, while BNP leader Mostak Mia demanded that higher authorities investigate the matter.

In response, Administrator Md. Shah Alam stated that he did not notice when the photos were taken and that he had only attended an event.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has appointed Supreme Court senior lawyer Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kajol as the head of its legal aid subcommittee formed for the 13th National Parliamentary Election. The decision was announced on Saturday, January 10, through a letter signed by BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. The letter stated that the names of other members of the subcommittee would be announced soon.

Earlier, on January 1, BNP had formed a 43-member central election management committee for the 2026 parliamentary election, with Standing Committee member Nazrul Islam Khan as chairman and Senior Joint Secretary General Advocate Ruhul Kabir Rizvi as member secretary. Begum Selima Rahman and Shamsuzzaman Dudu were made vice chairmen, while Md. Ismail Jobiullah was appointed chief coordinator.

Barrister Kajol, who is also a member of the BNP National Executive Committee, was included in the 43-member central election management committee. He currently serves as the immediate past secretary of the Supreme Court Bar Association and chairman of the Executive Committee of the Bangladesh Bar Council.

The Cabinet Division has issued instructions for all government offices to use the referendum logo in official communications until the upcoming national election. The directive also calls for displaying related banners in prominent locations. Letters containing these instructions have been sent to senior secretaries or secretaries of all ministries, divisional commissioners, and deputy commissioners.

According to the notice, the directive follows a letter from the Chief Adviser’s Office to the Cabinet Division, requesting implementation of the measure. The logo, provided by the Chief Adviser’s Office, is to be placed on the upper right side of all official correspondence. The order is linked to preparations for the forthcoming 13th National Parliament election and the associated referendum.

The instruction aims to ensure uniform use of the official referendum symbol across government communications and public displays until the election concludes.

NCP Convener Nahid Islam announced that the final seat-sharing arrangement within the party’s electoral alliance will be declared by January 12, ahead of the 13th National Parliamentary Election. He made the statement on Saturday after a meeting with Ivars Ijabs, the European Union’s chief election observer. The NCP has formed an electoral alliance with several parties, including Jamaat-e-Islami, but no formal declaration on seat distribution has yet been made.

Nahid informed the European Union that his party still lacks confidence in achieving a level playing field for the election. He alleged that signals are being sent to favor a particular party, creating bias within the administration. He also expressed concern that nominations of some loan defaulters have been approved and that violations of the electoral code of conduct are occurring.

Nahid further mentioned that insecurity persists due to the lack of justice for the killing of Sharif Osman Hadi, spokesperson of Inquilab Mancha, and urged the Election Commission to take strict action against code violations.

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Baharul Alam said that the public often misunderstands police actions taken in accordance with the law. Speaking to journalists on Saturday at the Rangpur District Police Lines School field, he noted that people question why police under the current government make arrests or control traffic. He emphasized that without public cooperation, it will not be possible to hold a fair election.

The IGP stated that he raised these concerns during a meeting at the Ministry of Home Affairs, highlighting that political interference hampers law enforcement decisions. He identified fear and hesitation among police officers as major challenges. Alam urged the media and citizens to criticize any police misconduct, acknowledging that while total crime control is impossible, the force strives to reduce it within its limitations.

Regarding the upcoming election, Alam said maintaining national stability is a collective responsibility. He added that alongside police, a large number of other law enforcement personnel will be deployed on election day. He also mentioned ongoing investigations into the death of Inquilab Mancha spokesperson Sharif Osman Hadi and several murder cases in Khulna.

Exiled opposition leader Reza Pahlavi, son of Iran’s deposed Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, praised the ongoing protests in Iran on Friday and called for larger demonstrations over the weekend. In a social media video message, he urged Iranians to move beyond street rallies and organize to seize and hold city centers. Pahlavi said he was preparing to return to Iran, believing that change was now very close.

Human rights activists warned that the Iranian government might shut down the internet to conceal its crackdown. According to the Norway-based Iran Human Rights organization, at least 51 people have been killed so far. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi cautioned that security forces could prepare for mass killings under communication blackouts.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei denounced the protesters as vandals and insisted the Islamic Republic would not retreat, blaming the United States for the unrest. U.S. President Donald Trump mentioned possible new military actions against Iran, further heightening tensions.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has announced a hardline stance against the ongoing nationwide protests, declaring the protection of national security and the 1979 Islamic Revolution’s achievements as a “red line” that cannot be crossed. In a statement broadcast on state television on Saturday, the IRGC accused “terrorists and rioters” of attacking military and law enforcement bases, setting fire to public and government property, and killing several security personnel and civilians. The Iranian army, operating separately under Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, also vowed to use maximum force to defend national interests and infrastructure.

The protests, spreading for two weeks across Iranian cities, began over inflation and economic hardship but quickly turned political, with demonstrators calling for an end to religious rule. State media reported arson at a municipal building in Karaj and funerals for slain security members in Shiraz, Qom, and Hamedan. Human rights group HRANA said at least 65 people, including 50 protesters and 15 security forces, have been killed, while over 2,500 have been arrested.

US President Donald Trump issued a warning to Iranian leaders, expressing support for the “brave people of Iran.” Leaders of France, Britain, and Germany jointly condemned the killings and urged Iranian authorities to refrain from violence.

Mahmudur Rahman, editor of the newspaper Amar Desh, stated that a large portion of Bangladesh’s media failed to support persecuted journalists over the past 16–17 years due to fear, pressure, and opportunism. He made the remarks on Saturday at a meeting in Banani, Dhaka, where BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman met with editors and journalists. Mahmudur Rahman said he would not deliver a long speech but would instead mention names of journalists who, in his view, suffered injustice.

He cited the late journalist Ruhul Amin Gazi, who was imprisoned while suffering from cancer and denied treatment, and senior editor Abul Asad, who was jailed for years and unable to be with his wife during her illness. He also described the harsh prison conditions faced by 80-year-old Shafik Rehman and the imprisonment of journalist Kanak Sarwar for broadcasting Tarique Rahman’s speech live. Mahmudur Rahman said mainstream media remained silent in all these cases.

In his closing remarks, he addressed Tarique Rahman, asserting that the true history of Bangladesh’s media and liberation war had been distorted and promising to present a detailed account in the future.

Assistant Professor Hasan Mohammad Roman Shuvo of Chittagong University’s Law Department was detained on Saturday by representatives of the Chittagong University Central Students’ Union (ChakSU). He was accused of maintaining regular contact with leaders of the banned Chhatra League, including its current branch president Rubel and secretary Iqbal Hossain Tipu. Information retrieved from his phone reportedly showed frequent communication and messages exchanged in November and December 2025. Roman was also alleged to have ties with Chhatra League leader Abrar Shahriar, who had previously made divisive statements about the Chittagong Hill Tracts.

Student leaders from various organizations expressed anger over the incident. ChakSU’s Law and Human Rights Secretary Fazle Rabbi Tawhid questioned whether Roman was conspiring to destabilize the university ahead of elections. Leaders from the Chhatra Dal and Chhatra Shibir criticized the administration for failing to act against those who supported the July uprising’s violence.

University Vice-Chancellor (Administration) Professor Md. Kamal Uddin confirmed that Roman’s salary had been suspended following an earlier investigation and that a second inquiry was nearing completion. Further action would be coordinated with the proctor’s office.

The Election Commission (EC) has declared the nomination of independent candidate Syed A.K. Ekramuzzaman for the Brahmanbaria-1 (Nasirnagar) constituency invalid. The decision was made during a hearing held on Saturday at the EC headquarters in Agargaon. Ekramuzzaman, formerly an adviser to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and Managing Director of RAK Ceramics, had submitted his candidacy as an independent.

Ekramuzzaman was expelled from the BNP after defying party decisions to contest the 12th National Parliamentary Election independently. He had previously contested the 9th and 11th parliamentary elections as a BNP candidate but was defeated. In the 12th election held on January 7, 2024, he won the seat as an independent candidate with 89,424 votes under the ‘Banana Stem’ symbol.

Later in 2024, Ekramuzzaman joined the Awami League and was appointed as an adviser to the Brahmanbaria District Awami League committee. The constituency has historically been dominated by the Awami League, with BNP never winning there. This time, BNP’s Nasirnagar Upazila President Abdul Hannan is contesting the seat.

Mahmudur Rahman, editor of the newspaper Amar Desh, has sharply criticized BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman, saying that he has been away from Bangladesh for 17 years and does not know what has happened in the country during that time. He made these remarks on Saturday, January 10, at a meeting and greeting event organized by the BNP with editors and senior journalists at a hotel in Banani, Dhaka.

In his speech, Mahmudur Rahman also referred to Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, claiming that Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was not involved in the Liberation War and did not try to learn about it after returning to the country. According to him, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman relied on what Awami League members and the Indian side told him, which led to his failure.

Mahmudur Rahman warned Tarique Rahman that he was relying only on what his associates and new media allies were telling him, and that the real history of Bangladesh’s past 17 years was different. He said he would describe that history if invited to a future event.

The United States has temporarily suspended the issuance of Diversity Immigrant Visas (DV), according to an emergency announcement from the U.S. Department of State. The department stated that the measure was taken to ensure national and public security, and no new visas under the DV lottery program will be issued until further notice.

The State Department explained that the decision followed recent incidents, including a shooting at Brown University and the killing of a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where the main suspect had entered the U.S. through the DV program. Authorities said the suspension aims to review and strengthen the screening and verification process to prevent potential security threats.

Applicants who have already applied or have scheduled interviews will still be able to attend them, but even successful candidates will not receive visas until new instructions are issued. Existing valid DV visas remain unaffected, and there are no updates yet regarding the DV-2027 lottery. The suspension will remain in place until the program’s procedures are fully revised.

Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma paid a courtesy call on Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairperson Tarique Rahman on Saturday afternoon. The meeting took place at the BNP chairperson’s political office in Gulshan, Dhaka. The information was confirmed by BNP Media Cell member Shairul Kabir Khan, and a video of the meeting was released on the party’s verified Facebook page.

The video showed Pranay Verma entering the BNP chairperson’s office and meeting Tarique Rahman. BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed were also present during the meeting. The report did not mention the topics discussed or any official statements from either side.

The meeting marks a formal diplomatic engagement between the Indian envoy and the BNP leadership, though no further details about the discussions or outcomes were provided in the source.

Hasnat Abdullah, the chief organizer of the National Citizen Party (NCP) for the southern region and the Jamaat-led alliance candidate for Comilla-4 (Debidwar), stated that no good work can begin with wrongdoing. He made the remarks on Saturday, January 10, during a courtyard meeting held in Yousufpur Union of Debidwar upazila as part of an anti-Indian aggression march.

During the meeting, Abdullah urged local residents to avoid supporting those involved in past corruption, loan defaults, or legal cases in Debidwar. He emphasized that those preparing to seize polling centers or manipulate votes would not succeed, pledging to resist such actions with public support. Earlier in the day, he joined the anti-aggression march through several villages, including Nabipur Bazar, Egarogram, Muksair, Juktogram, and Pairangkul, accompanied by local NCP and Jamaat-e-Islami leaders and activists.

The event reflected the NCP’s ongoing campaign activities in Debidwar ahead of the upcoming election, focusing on anti-corruption and fair voting messages.