Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in his first public remarks since the start of nationwide protests, attempted to distinguish between what he called the bazaar’s “legitimate” grievances and the broader anti-state uprising. He praised the country’s merchants as among the Islamic Republic’s most loyal supporters and insisted that foreign enemies could not use the bazaar to challenge the state. However, demonstrations have continued in Tehran’s markets, where authorities used tear gas to disperse crowds chanting anti-government slogans, including calls for Khamenei’s removal.

The unrest reflects a deeper erosion of the bazaar’s traditional alliance with Iran’s ruling establishment. Once a pillar of the 1979 revolution, the merchant class has seen its influence decline over two decades of economic favoritism toward the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and religious foundations, compounded by sanctions and inflation. The IRGC’s growing dominance in trade, banking, and infrastructure has marginalized traditional business networks that once anchored the regime’s stability.

Analysts note that while the state could theoretically ease sanctions and curb IRGC-linked conglomerates to regain bazaar support, escalating tensions with the West and entrenched power structures make such reforms increasingly unlikely.

Relations between Bangladesh and India have sharply worsened ahead of upcoming elections in both countries. The crisis began after Sheikh Hasina, who ruled Bangladesh for 15 years with close ties to New Delhi, was ousted in 2024 following mass protests led by students and young people. After fleeing to India, the new interim government in Dhaka demanded her return for trial, but India refused, sparking anger among Bangladeshis. The dispute escalated into a diplomatic standoff, with both sides suspending visa services and trading accusations over minority safety and political interference.

The tension has extended into sports, as Indian right-wing groups protested against Bangladeshi players, leading to one being dropped from the Indian Premier League. In response, Bangladesh announced it would not participate in the upcoming Cricket World Cup in India and requested that its matches be relocated. Analysts say both nations’ domestic politics are driving the hostility, with India seeking regional dominance and Bangladesh’s interim leader, Dr. Muhammad Yunus, balancing public sentiment and diplomatic pragmatism.

With elections approaching in February, anti-India sentiment is shaping Bangladesh’s political landscape, while India explores new ties with the opposition BNP. Observers warn that mutual mistrust and rising nationalism may keep relations strained in the near term.

The Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) has announced a month-long, 15-point nationwide campaign to ensure a ‘Yes’ victory in the upcoming referendum. The program, unveiled on Wednesday at a press conference in front of the DUCSU building, is being conducted under the slogan “Vote Yes, Secure Bangladesh.” DUCSU Vice President Sadiq Kayem announced the initiatives aimed at increasing public participation and awareness.

According to the announcement, the campaign includes direct public outreach, online activities, debates, seminars on state reform, meetings with civil society and journalists, discussions with online activists, cultural events, and visits to educational institutions across the country to unite students. In his written statement, Kayem said the referendum represents a continuation of the July uprising’s spirit of reform and equality, describing participation and a ‘Yes’ vote as a duty to honor the sacrifices of July’s martyrs.

DUCSU also called on all anti-fascist political parties, student and professional organizations, and the general public to unite in creating a nationwide wave of support for the ‘Yes’ vote.

The International Crimes Tribunal-1, led by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mojumdar, has permitted the display of seized evidence from the July–August 2024 crimes against humanity cases at the July Uprising Memorial Museum gallery for one month. The order was issued following a prosecution request, according to a report by BSS. The museum, located at Ganabhaban and officially designated by the current government as the July Uprising Memorial Museum, is scheduled to open on January 20.

Prosecutor Gazi M.H. Tamim stated that the museum authorities applied through the prosecution to exhibit the seized items, which include bullets, weapons, bloodstained clothing, and chairs used during torture. The tribunal granted permission for these materials to be displayed for one month from a specified date. The decision allows the public to view physical evidence from both resolved and ongoing tribunal cases.

The display aims to preserve and present historical evidence of the July events, marking a significant step in documenting crimes against humanity tried under the tribunal’s jurisdiction.

The non-political social organization Mulyabodh Andolon has demanded that voters be given three options—'Yes', 'Yes with objections', and 'No'—in the referendum scheduled for the day of the 13th National Parliamentary Election. The demand was announced at a press conference held on Wednesday at the Maulana Akram Khan Hall of the National Press Club. The organization’s chairman, Dr. Mohammad Sarwar Hossain, an associate professor at Independent University, Bangladesh, presented the written statement.

According to the group, the interim government’s current referendum plan forces voters to either accept or reject all provisions of the July Charter in full. Mulyabodh Andolon argued that this approach is unjust and fails to reflect public aspirations. The organization expressed concern that the charter lacks references to Islamic values and faith in Allah, while giving undue prominence to Western pluralistic and secular ideologies. It also warned that undefined terms such as 'equality' and 'social justice' could open the door to values contrary to religious beliefs.

The group further urged the government to restore faith in Allah as a constitutional principle and to ensure that no law contradicting the Qur’an and Sunnah is enacted. If these demands cannot be met, it proposed excluding certain disputed articles from the referendum or adding the 'Yes with objections' option.

Bangladesh’s interim government has decided to temporarily suspend the issuance of on-arrival visas ahead of the upcoming national election. Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain announced the decision on Wednesday at an event in Dhaka, stating that the move aims to prevent any unwanted situations before the election period.

According to statements released by Bangladeshi embassies in countries whose citizens previously received on-arrival visas, the suspension will be in effect from January 15 to February 15. The Bangladesh High Commission in the Maldives confirmed the one-month suspension through a notice on its official Facebook page. The measure applies to all countries whose nationals were eligible for on-arrival visas.

The decision reflects the government’s precautionary approach to maintaining stability and security during the sensitive pre-election period, as reported by BBC Bangla.

Leaders of Khelafat Majlis have called for a fair and just seat-sharing arrangement within the 11-party alliance to maintain unity ahead of Bangladesh’s 13th National Parliament Election. The remarks came during an emergency session of the party’s central Majlis-e-Shura held in Shahjahanpur, Dhaka, where the current situation surrounding the alliance’s seat negotiations was reviewed. The party emphasized that unity among Islamic political forces remains one of its key priorities.

Khelafat Majlis leaders noted that despite their active participation in previous alliances of five, eight, and now eleven Islamic-minded parties, many of their important candidates and constituencies have been excluded from the latest discussions. They warned that such exclusions could harm both the party and the alliance. The party submitted 74 nomination papers nationwide, of which 72 were declared valid by the Election Commission.

The leaders also criticized the government for deteriorating law and order, alleging that the administration has failed to take effective measures. They urged the Election Commission to ensure a level playing field and enforce electoral rules strictly to guarantee a free and fair election on February 12.

BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman is scheduled to visit Cumilla on January 24 as part of his election campaign, confirmed Cumilla South District BNP General Secretary Ashiqur Rahman Mahmud Wasim. On January 14, BNP leaders, along with a CSF team, inspected the historic Town Hall ground in Cumilla to review preparations for the event, including stage setup, security arrangements, and crowd management.

Local BNP leaders expressed optimism that Rahman’s visit would energize party activists and strengthen the campaign momentum in the district. Cumilla Metropolitan BNP General Secretary Yusuf Molla Tipu noted that this would be Rahman’s first major rally in Cumilla since 2003, predicting that his presence would boost the prospects of BNP candidates in the district’s 11 constituencies. Cumilla Metropolitan BNP President Udbatul Bari Abu said extensive preparations were underway to welcome the party chief.

BNP leaders further stated that all levels of party members were working together to ensure the success of the program and expected spontaneous participation from the people of Cumilla.

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairperson Tarique Rahman has expressed his gratitude to popular cartoonist Uday after receiving a framed cartoon titled 'I Have a Plan for the People of My Country, for My Country'. The artwork was presented to Rahman at his political office in Gulshan on Tuesday night. The event was confirmed to the media on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, by BNP Chairperson’s political adviser Mahdi Amin.

During the handover, Uday shared that presenting a cartoon of Tarique Rahman to him had long been a dream, and he felt great joy in fulfilling it. Rahman accepted the framed artwork and thanked Uday warmly for his creative effort.

The exchange highlighted a moment of appreciation between a political leader and an artist, reflecting mutual respect and recognition of artistic expression within Bangladesh’s political and cultural landscape.

Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus has reaffirmed that Bangladesh’s 13th national parliamentary election and referendum will be held on February 12, without any change to the schedule. He made the statement on Tuesday night during a meeting with former senior US diplomats Albert Gombis and Morse Tan at the state guesthouse Jamuna in Dhaka. Yunus emphasized that the interim government is determined to hold the election on time and transfer power to a democratically elected government afterward.

According to the Chief Adviser’s press wing, the visiting diplomats served under former US President Donald Trump and came to Bangladesh ahead of the crucial election. Yunus said the polls would be free, fair, peaceful, and festive, with the administration remaining neutral and ensuring equal opportunity for all political parties. He added that the government is campaigning for a “Yes” vote in the referendum on the July Charter, which he said would mark a new chapter in democratic governance.

Yunus also warned of misinformation and AI-generated fake videos being spread by supporters of the former authoritarian regime, but noted that citizens are becoming more capable of identifying such content.

A writ petition has been filed in the High Court seeking to postpone the upcoming national election until all weapons looted during the 2024 mass uprising are recovered. The petition was submitted on Wednesday, January 14, by lawyer Md. Mahmudul Hasan. The Cabinet Secretary, Home Secretary, Law Secretary, Election Commission Secretary, Inspector General of Police, and Director General of RAB have been named as respondents.

According to the petition, media reports indicate that 5,750 firearms and 651,609 rounds of ammunition were stolen from various police stations and law enforcement offices during the 2024 uprising. Despite government rewards for recovery, a significant portion of the weapons remains missing. The petition argues that the presence of these illegal arms poses a serious threat to voters and candidates, citing the killing of Dhaka-8 parliamentary candidate Shahid Sharif Osman Hadi as evidence of the danger.

The petition requests that the election be suspended until all looted arms and ammunition are recovered and a secure environment for voting is ensured.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has called for dialogue to address the recent situation in Iran. During a phone conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Fidan emphasized the need for discussions to ease regional tensions, according to a report citing an unnamed Turkish diplomatic source. The Anadolu news agency reported that Fidan highlighted the importance of preventing escalation through dialogue.

The call came as tensions rose following protests in Iran and threats of military intervention from former U.S. President Donald Trump. Turkish officials have reportedly been in contact with their American counterparts amid these developments. Earlier in the week, Fidan accused a foreign intelligence agency of orchestrating the protests, claiming that Israel’s Mossad was openly encouraging Iranians to rebel against their government through online platforms.

The Turkish foreign minister’s remarks reflect Ankara’s concern over regional instability and its preference for diplomatic engagement to prevent further escalation.

Dr. Reza Kibria has announced his resignation from the Gana Adhikar Parishad, stating that he cannot remain in a party allegedly funded by Israel. He made the remarks in a recent interview with a private television channel, explaining that he left after learning of alleged links between the party and Israeli interests.

Kibria said he initially joined the Gana Adhikar Parishad at the insistence of Dr. Zafrullah Chowdhury, whom he respected deeply. Before that, he was a member of Gano Forum but left due to internal divisions over parliamentary participation. He claimed he was unaware of the alleged foreign connections until media reports surfaced about meetings between party leader Nurul Haque Nur and representatives of Israel’s intelligence agency, as mentioned by the Palestinian ambassador.

Kibria reiterated that once he became convinced of the alleged Israeli involvement, he decided to leave the party immediately, emphasizing that he could not support any organization operating under such influence.

Bangladesh Bank and several commercial banks have launched campaigns supporting a 'Yes' vote in the upcoming referendum tied to the July Charter implementation, scheduled on the national election day. On Wednesday, banners promoting the referendum were displayed in front of the central bank’s headquarters, urging citizens to vote 'Yes' for change. Similar banners were also seen at the main offices and branches of state-owned banks such as Sonali, Janata, Agrani, and Rupali, as well as private banks.

The campaign follows a meeting held last Sunday between the Bangladesh Bank governor and managing directors of various banks, where instructions were given to display two banners at each branch promoting the referendum. The meeting also discussed using corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds to finance the campaign. The initiative was undertaken last week under directives from the Chief Adviser’s Office to raise public awareness about the referendum.

The promotional materials highlight themes of political cooperation, constitutional restraint, and citizen empowerment, emphasizing that the 'Yes' vote represents the key to national change.

Jamaat-e-Islami postponed its scheduled 4 p.m. press conference on January 14, 2026, after the Islami Andolon Bangladesh, led by Charmonai Pir Syed Muhammad Rezaul Karim, refused to attend due to dissatisfaction over seat allocations. Jamaat had initially offered 40 seats to Islami Andolon, later increasing the offer to 45 and keeping five additional seats open, but the party remained unsatisfied. As a result, Jamaat was compelled to delay the announcement planned for its 11-party alliance.

According to the report, Islami Andolon believes it has a strong nationwide voter base and therefore deserves more seats. The party’s Shura council meeting reportedly saw internal disagreements over whether to stay in or leave the alliance. Meanwhile, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish, led by Maulana Mamunul Haque, also demanded more seats, with Jamaat offering 15–20, though the group remained unsatisfied. Another faction, led by Maulana Abdul Basit Azad and Ahmad Abdul Kader, was offered 10 seats and is more likely to remain in the coalition.

As of 3:30 p.m., the top forums of Islami Andolon, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish, and Khelafat Majlish were still holding meetings to finalize their positions within the alliance.