The European Union (EU) has decided to send a large observer mission to Bangladesh for the upcoming 13th national parliamentary election. The decision was announced in Dhaka during a meeting between Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus and the EU Election Observation Mission’s Chief Observer, European Parliament member Ivars Ijabs. Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam later briefed reporters at the Foreign Service Academy, confirming that the EU views the election as historic and will deploy observers across the country to monitor the entire process.

According to the briefing, the meeting discussed election preparations, ensuring a level playing field, and the importance of a ‘Yes’ vote in the upcoming referendum. Ijabs noted that the EU had not sent observers during Sheikh Hasina’s 16-year tenure but sees positive momentum this time. Dr. Yunus assured that the election and referendum would be free, fair, credible, and peaceful, with full readiness from the Election Commission and interim government.

Security measures will include body-worn cameras for security personnel at sensitive polling centers, centralized monitoring through an app, and CCTV coverage nationwide. Official campaigning will begin on January 22, with the government expecting high voter turnout, especially among women and youth.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has declared that protecting national security is its red line as widespread protests continue across the country. The elite force, separate from the regular army, made the statement on Saturday after overnight demonstrations described as the largest in years. The IRGC said it is determined to safeguard the nation’s security and the achievements of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, claiming that armed attackers targeted military and law enforcement bases, killing both security personnel and civilians and setting fire to public and private facilities.

Iran’s army also announced its commitment to defending national interests, strategic infrastructure, and public assets. Both the army and the IRGC operate under the authority of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The protests began two weeks ago over uncontrolled inflation but have since taken on political dimensions, with some demonstrators calling for the fall of the Islamic Republic.

State media reported that a municipal building in Karaj was set ablaze, while doctors in Tehran confirmed at least 217 protester deaths in six hospitals, most showing gunshot wounds. Internet watchdog NetBlocks said Iran has imposed a nationwide blackout lasting more than 36 hours.

Professor Ali Riaz, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser, announced that the official symbol for the upcoming national referendum will be a tick mark. He made the statement on Sunday afternoon while addressing the Divisional Imam Conference at Bell’s Park in Barishal. Riaz explained that voters should use the tick mark to indicate a 'yes' vote in the referendum, which is being held alongside the 13th National Parliamentary Election.

He contrasted this referendum with previous ones, noting that earlier referendums sought approval after decisions were made, whereas this time public consent is being sought first before implementation. The event, organized to promote the referendum and encourage voter participation, was attended by senior government and law enforcement officials, including the Additional Divisional Commissioner Mahfuzur Rahman and other dignitaries.

Riaz urged citizens to unite beyond political and religious divisions to build a state based on equality, human dignity, and social justice, echoing the promises of 1971. He emphasized that the referendum offers a rare opportunity for citizens to shape the nation’s future.

The European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) has emphasized that elections are vital for strengthening democratic institutions through the ballot. Chief observer Ivars Ijabs made the remarks on Sunday at a press conference in Dhaka, underscoring the need for Bangladesh’s 13th national parliamentary election to be peaceful, credible, and transparent. He expressed hope that EU observers would help enhance public confidence in the electoral process.

Ijabs stated that the EU’s engagement with political parties is ongoing and that the mission will assess whether a level playing field exists. He noted that the EU believes Bangladesh has the capacity to hold free, fair, and impartial elections. This marks the first time since 2008 that the EU has deployed a full election observation mission to Bangladesh.

According to Ijabs, an 11-member core team arrived in Bangladesh last week, and a 56-member long-term observer group was scheduled to arrive today, reflecting the EU’s renewed commitment to monitoring the upcoming election process.

On Sunday, the Election Commission (EC) of Bangladesh approved the appeals of 57 candidates during the second day of hearings against returning officers’ decisions for the 13th parliamentary election. The hearings took place at the EC headquarters in Agargaon, Dhaka, under the leadership of Chief Election Commissioner A M M Nasir Uddin. Out of 70 appeals heard, 57 were approved, 10 were rejected, and 3 were kept pending for further verification.

According to EC Secretariat officials, the approved candidates successfully presented the required documents and information. The rejected appeals involved issues such as loan defaults, dual citizenship, or major discrepancies in submitted information. The pending cases will undergo additional scrutiny before a final decision is made.

On the first day of hearings, 52 appeals were approved, allowing 51 candidates to regain eligibility. In total, 109 appeals have been approved over two days. Returning officers had earlier canceled 723 nominations, prompting 645 appeals. The appeal hearings are scheduled to continue until January 18.

Tens of thousands of people marched through Minneapolis on Saturday to protest the killing of Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent. The demonstration was part of more than 1,000 rallies planned across the United States opposing President Donald Trump’s militarised anti-immigration campaign. Protesters chanted slogans such as “Abolish ICE” and “No justice, no peace,” while Minnesota leaders urged participants to remain peaceful. The protests followed video evidence that appeared to contradict official claims that Good had threatened the officer who shot her.

The social movement group Indivisible said hundreds of demonstrations were held in states including Texas, Kansas, New Mexico, Ohio, and Florida. The rallies, many under the banner “ICE Out for Good,” aimed to mourn lives lost to ICE actions and demand accountability. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey reported 29 arrests overnight and reiterated that while most protests were peaceful, property damage would not be tolerated. Three Minnesota congresswomen—Ilhan Omar, Kelly Morrison, and Angie Craig—were denied access to an ICE facility in Minneapolis, accusing agents of obstructing congressional oversight.

The incident has intensified scrutiny of Trump’s immigration enforcement operations in the Twin Cities, with local officials calling for ICE’s removal from Minneapolis.

Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Chairman Mohammad Abdul Momen has claimed that Awami League President Sheikh Hasina’s candidacy in the 2008 ninth parliamentary election should have been canceled due to major inconsistencies between her declared and actual assets. Speaking on Sunday at the anniversary event of the Reporters Against Corruption (RAC), Momen said both the ACC and the Election Commission failed to properly perform their duties at that time.

He explained that verifying asset declarations in a short time is extremely difficult and urged journalists to assist the ACC by sharing any credible information about suspicious assets. Momen emphasized that individuals with undeclared wealth should not be allowed to hold state power and called for building a just and fair state to ensure justice for all.

The ACC chairman expressed optimism that the foundations for such a state would be achieved this year, though he acknowledged that corruption remains a major challenge in Bangladesh. He urged collective vigilance and honesty in leadership to ensure a corruption-free governance system.

The Election Commission (EC) of Bangladesh has completed sending postal ballots to expatriate voters for the 13th National Parliament election and referendum. On Sunday, the EC issued a warning that any political campaigning or writing on envelopes containing postal ballots will be treated as a punishable offense. Salim Ahmad Khan, team leader of the OCV-SDI project for expatriate voter registration, confirmed the notice. The EC also advised voters to collect their ballots personally and avoid taking assistance from others to maintain ballot secrecy.

According to the EC, postal ballots were dispatched to expatriate voters between December 20 and January 8. Many have already received their ballots, and after the symbol allocation on January 21, expatriates will cast their votes and return the ballots to the returning officer. Within Bangladesh, 761,141 voters registered under the “in-country postal vote” category, and their ballots will be sent after symbol allocation. The EC expects the domestic postal voting process to take about seven days.

In total, 1,533,683 voters registered through the “Postal Vote BD” app for the 13th national election and referendum.

Hasnat Abdullah, chief organizer of the National Citizens Party (NCP) for the southern region and candidate for Cumilla-4 (Debidwar), said the upcoming election will send loan defaulters out of parliament. Speaking on Sunday, January 11, at a rally and public outreach event in Syedpur Bazar of Bara Shalghar Union, Debidwar, he described the election as one aimed at ending corruption, extortion, and financial malpractice. He urged voters to support the 'Yes' vote, which he said would strengthen democracy and protect citizens’ fundamental rights.

Hasnat called on young people and women to actively participate in the campaign, emphasizing a peaceful and respectful approach to politics. He stated that his party would not use intimidation or coercion, instead seeking public support through honesty and love. During the event, he shared that local residents had been offering financial and moral support, viewing him as a sincere candidate.

The rally saw participation from a large number of NCP and Jamaat-e-Islami leaders and activists from the upazila and union levels.

More than one hundred Hindu residents of Kirttipasha Union in Jhalakathi Sadar upazila formally joined Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami on Saturday night. The joining took place during a prize distribution ceremony of a cricket tournament organized by the Bangladesh Labour Welfare Federation. The event was attended by Jhalakathi district Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Advocate Hafizur Rahman as chief guest and Sheikh Neyamul Karim, the party’s nominated candidate for Jhalakathi-2 constituency. The new members were welcomed with flowers by the guests.

The large-scale joining of Hindu community members to a political party has sparked wide discussion in the district’s political sphere. One of the new members, Sujit Gharami of Kirttipasha Union, said they were drawn by Jamaat-e-Islami’s ideological stance, discipline, and social welfare activities. District Ameer Hafizur Rahman stated that public trust in the party is growing and that people from various faiths are joining their justice-based politics. He added that the party continues to work for the safety and rights of minority communities and aims to build a better Bangladesh with people of all religions.

Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam announced that the interim government will campaign in favor of the 'Yes' vote in the upcoming referendum. He stated that legal experts have confirmed there are no legal barriers to such campaigning. The announcement came during a press conference at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka on Sunday, where he also said the country’s law and order situation is currently stable.

According to the press secretary, the 13th national parliamentary election and the referendum are both scheduled for February 12. The referendum will include four questions, allowing voters to choose 'Yes' or 'No' responses. Shafiqul Alam also mentioned that the European Union will send a large observer team for the election, after previously abstaining from observation due to concerns about the credibility of the last three elections. He added that the current electoral environment offers a good level playing field and that no political party is receiving extra privileges.

Alam warned that social media could pose the biggest challenge during the election, as misinformation might be spread by members of the former government. However, he assured that law enforcement agencies are fully prepared to handle any situation.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has reinstated eight leaders who were previously expelled for violating party discipline and acting against its policies and ideals. The decision was announced on Sunday through a press release signed by the party’s Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi. The reinstated members include former leaders from Sunamganj, Sylhet, and Mymensingh districts, as well as from Fulbaria municipality.

According to the press release, the individuals had earlier been removed from all party positions, including primary membership, for disciplinary breaches. Following their appeals, the party decided to withdraw the expulsion orders and restore their primary memberships. The statement also mentioned that Rina Talukdar, former joint general secretary of the Sunamganj district women’s wing, had her release order revoked and was reinstated as a primary member.

The announcement reflects an internal reconciliation effort within the BNP, signaling a move to strengthen organizational unity by bringing back previously disciplined members through formal party procedures.

The Election Commission has declared the nomination of Mahmudur Rahman Manna, president of Nagorik Oikya, valid for the Bogura-2 (Shibganj) constituency in the national parliamentary election. Following the decision, Manna expressed gratitude and said the alleged conspiracy behind the earlier cancellation of his nomination had failed. He emphasized that the purpose of nomination scrutiny is not to exclude candidates but to allow correction of errors as permitted by law.

Manna claimed that attempts were made to disqualify him through unfair tactics and described the move as a negative sign for democracy. He said the district administration referred the matter to the Election Commission, which resolved it. Addressing allegations of defaulted bank loans, he stated that a false notice had been fabricated by an Islami Bank official, who was later disciplined. Manna also criticized political strategies aimed at defeating opponents through conspiracy rather than fair competition.

He welcomed the Commission’s stance on inclusive politics but expressed concern over the administration’s and police’s inaction. Regarding BNP’s support, he noted that their nominated candidate had not yet withdrawn but expected that to happen soon.

Chief Prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal, Tazul Islam, stated that the defense team for Sajeeb Wazed Joy and Zunaid Ahmed Palak is attempting to delay the trial proceedings. He remarked that the defense hopes the upcoming election will halt the trial. The comment came during a hearing before a three-member panel led by Justice Md. Golam Mortuza Majumdar, where the defense requested more time for the discharge hearing.

The prosecution presented formal charges against Joy, son of the deposed Prime Minister Hasina, and former state minister Palak, related to alleged atrocities during the July uprising when internet services were shut down. Prosecutors submitted three charges and sought to begin the trial. Defense lawyer Liton Ahmed argued that they faced restrictions during a prison visit and that some seized video evidence could not be opened. The tribunal allowed four additional days for the defense to review the charges.

The tribunal scheduled the next hearing for Thursday, continuing the process toward formal trial commencement.

Iran’s state media reported on Sunday that more than 100 members of the country’s security forces have been killed during nationwide protests over a worsening economic crisis. State television said 30 officers were killed in Isfahan province and six in Kermanshah, while the Tasnim news agency put the total death toll among security personnel at 109. A Red Crescent staff member was also killed in Gorgan, and a mosque was set on fire in Mashhad. The Ministry of Interior said the unrest was beginning to subside, though the attorney general warned that those involved could face the death penalty.

The protests, which began in late December, have become the largest in Iran since the 2022–23 demonstrations following Mahsa Amini’s death. President Masoud Pezeshkian accused the United States and Israel of inciting “riots,” while parliamentary speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned that any US attack would trigger retaliatory strikes on Israel and American bases. US President Donald Trump said Washington was “ready to help” protesters and threatened to hit Iran “very hard.”

Authorities have imposed a nationwide internet blackout lasting more than 60 hours, and human rights groups report at least 51 protesters, including nine children, killed by security forces.