The Chief Adviser’s Press Wing has released its second photocard urging citizens to vote 'Yes' in the upcoming referendum aimed at building a 'Dream Bangladesh'. The photocard, shared on social media on Tuesday, carries the message encouraging people to support the initiative. According to the Press Wing, a total of eight photocards will be published between January 11 and 18 as part of the referendum campaign.

The campaign seeks to raise public awareness about the referendum and encourage active citizen participation. The first photocard of the 'Referendum 2026' campaign was released on Sunday. Alongside the photocard series, the government has launched extensive nationwide programs to promote understanding of the referendum.

As part of these efforts, field-level government officials, religious leaders, and representatives of non-governmental organizations are being trained to foster positive perceptions about the referendum at the grassroots level.

The Election Commission continued its fourth day of hearings on appeals against returning officers’ decisions for the upcoming parliamentary election. The session began at 10 a.m. on Tuesday at the commission’s auditorium in Agargaon, Dhaka. By noon, 12 appeals had been resolved, with six granted, five rejected, and one candidate absent. Chief Election Commissioner A M M Nasir Uddin presided over the proceedings, joined by other commissioners.

Among the rejected appeals, independent candidates from Joypurhat-1, Narail-1, Pirojpur-2, Satkhira-1, and Jamalpur-5 constituencies lost their nominations due to irregularities such as mismatched voter lists, incomplete voter quotas, loan default, and missing or false signatures. The Gonodhikar Parishad candidate from Cumilla-3 remained absent from the hearing. Over the previous three days, 150 candidates had their nominations reinstated, while one was canceled.

The parliamentary election and a national referendum are scheduled to be held together on February 12, according to the commission’s schedule.

Students of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) staged an overnight protest following a directive from the Bangladesh Election Commission prohibiting any elections before the national polls. The protest intensified across the campus on Monday night, with student groups including Chhatra Dal and Chhatra Shibir organizing demonstrations at various locations. During the agitation, a vice president candidate from Bijoy 24 Hall suffered a cardiac arrest and was taken to Mount Adora Hospital.

In the early hours of Tuesday, SUST students and the university’s election commission held discussions with the administration. After lengthy talks, all parties agreed that by 5 p.m. today, the university administration must consult the Bangladesh Election Commission and announce a clear “yes” or “no” decision on whether the SUST Central Students’ Union (ShakSU) election will proceed on January 20.

The vice-chancellor, currently in Dhaka, informed through the deputy vice-chancellor that he would meet the chief adviser between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. and could visit the Election Commission afterward. Students set a firm deadline for the administration to deliver a decision within the stipulated time.

Louise Adler, director of Adelaide Writers’ Week, resigned on Tuesday after the festival’s board cancelled the participation of Palestinian-Australian author Randa Abdel-Fattah. The decision sparked widespread backlash, with former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and many writers and guests boycotting the event. According to local media, around 180 artists and participants have withdrawn their names from the festival.

Adler said she resigned in protest against what she described as extreme and repressive pressure from pro-Israel lobbies. In an open letter published in The Guardian, she wrote that art is being labeled as unsafe and artists are being portrayed as threats to society. She argued that repeated references to “security” were being used to suppress dissent and that such reasoning was applied only to the Palestinian invitee.

The festival board stated that its decision followed the December 14 Bondi Beach shooting at a Jewish festival that left 15 people dead. Abdel-Fattah condemned the move as blatant anti-Palestinian racism and called attempts to link her to the violence “vile and baseless.”

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) of Bangladesh has reduced customs duty on mobile phone imports from 25 percent to 10 percent through a new gazette notification. The decision, announced on Tuesday by the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology, aims to keep mobile phone prices within consumers’ purchasing power. As a result, the total import duty on mobile phones has decreased by 6 percent.

To prevent local mobile phone assembling companies from facing unfair competition, the NBR also issued a separate notification reducing customs duty on imported components for assembly from 10 percent to 5 percent. According to the ministry’s statement, this represents a 50 percent reduction in the existing import duty on components.

The ministry said that due to these changes, the price of imported mobile phones priced above Tk 30,000 is expected to fall by about Tk 5,500, while locally assembled phones in the same price range may drop by about Tk 1,500. The government expects the overall price reduction to make mobile phones more affordable for the general public.

The High Court has removed from its cause list a writ petition that challenged the legality of holding the national parliamentary election and a referendum on the same day. The order was issued on Tuesday by a bench led by Justice Rajik Al Jalil. Advocate Yunus Ali Akand represented the petitioner, while Additional Attorney General Anik R Haque appeared for the state.

Earlier, on January 7, another High Court bench had expressed its inability to hear the same petition. The writ, filed on January 5 by Supreme Court lawyer Yunus Ali Akand, sought suspension of the December 11 notification that announced schedules for both the national election and the referendum on the same day. It also requested the formation of a caretaker government and the issuance of a new election schedule.

The Chief Election Commissioner and other relevant officials were made respondents in the petition. The High Court’s latest order effectively removes the case from active judicial consideration for now.

Shamsuzzaman Dabul, general secretary of Jibannagar municipal BNP in Chuadanga, died in army custody shortly after midnight on Monday. His body was kept at Jibannagar Upazila Health Complex and later sent to Chuadanga Sadar Hospital morgue for autopsy. According to BNP activists, he was taken into custody from his pharmacy near the health complex around 10 p.m., and news of his death emerged about three hours later.

Following the incident, BNP leaders and activists gathered at the health complex and blocked roads until 11 a.m. Tuesday in protest. Dabul’s brother, a local forest officer, alleged that he was killed and demanded justice. A JCD leader claimed that army personnel had previously beaten four brothers on Saturday night. The army did not comment on camera but claimed to have recovered weapons from Dabul. District BNP president and Chuadanga-2 candidate Mahmud Hasan Khan Babu visited the site and said the party would pursue legal action.

BNP leaders stated they were preparing to file a case over the death. The local police confirmed the death but did not provide further details.

State-owned Sonali Bank achieved a record operating profit of Tk 8,017 crore in 2025, marking an increase of Tk 2,322 crore compared to 2024. The announcement was made by Managing Director Shawkat Ali Khan at a press conference held at the bank’s head office on Tuesday.

According to the managing director, the bank’s interest income rose significantly last year, contributing to the higher operating profit. After making necessary provisions, the net profit is expected to be around Tk 1,200 crore. He also reported that the bank’s total deposits stood at Tk 1,79,879 crore, while loans disbursed amounted to Tk 1,04,723 crore. In addition, Sonali Bank recovered Tk 1,203 crore in cash from defaulted loans during the year.

The figures highlight Sonali Bank’s strong performance in 2025, reflecting improved income generation and loan recovery within the state-owned banking sector.

U.S. President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado on Thursday, according to a U.S. administration official cited by AFP. The meeting comes as pressure mounts on Venezuela’s interim government to accelerate the release of political prisoners. Under President Nicolás Maduro’s rule, the Venezuelan government has freed 116 detainees, though human rights groups report that only about 50 of an estimated 800 to 1,200 prisoners have actually been released.

The U.S. administration has expressed support for Machado, and Trump’s meeting is seen as a signal of Washington’s continued involvement in Venezuela’s political crisis. Trump has also warned interim President Delcy Rodríguez that failure to comply with U.S. directives ensuring access to Venezuelan oil could bring consequences.

Observers view the upcoming meeting as significant for the future of Washington–Caracas relations and the broader Venezuelan political situation.

Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus stated that the upcoming national parliamentary election will decide which direction Bangladesh will take. He made the remarks on Tuesday morning at Hotel Le Méridien in Dhaka during the South Asian Regional Conference titled “Current State and Future Directions of Higher Education–2026,” a three-day event.

Dr. Yunus emphasized that young people are engaging in politics and expressed hope that many of them will win in the election. He criticized the education system for focusing mainly on job preparation, saying education should instead awaken creativity and independent thinking. He urged that students be developed not only as job seekers but also as job creators, highlighting the importance of entrepreneurship, imagination, and courage to innovate.

He further noted that South Asia is a region full of potential, but political instability, social divisions, and misguided policies often prevent that potential from being realized. Education, he said, could empower the region’s youth to lead transformative change. The conference, organized under the Higher Education Acceleration and Transformation (HEAT) project funded by the Bangladesh government and the World Bank, included 30 international representatives from several countries.

A fire that broke out at the scrap yard of the Matarbari coal-based power plant project in Maheshkhali, Cox’s Bazar, was brought fully under control after nearly nine hours. The blaze started around 9 p.m. on Monday and was contained by 5:45 a.m. on Tuesday, January 13, 2026. According to acting station officer Ram Prasad Sen of the Maheshkhali Fire Service and Civil Defense, two fire units worked to extinguish the flames.

Officials confirmed that the main plant of the 1,200-megawatt power facility was not affected. The fire occurred in an area where wood and other unused materials were piled up. Although the fire burned for several hours, there was no major damage, and the extent of losses has yet to be determined. Local residents first noticed the fire from a nearby bridge.

Maheshkhali Upazila Executive Officer Imran Mahmud Dalim stated that the fire originated inside the plant’s scrap yard, but the cause of the incident remains unknown.

Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus attended the three-day South Asian Regional Conference titled “Current Status and Future Directions of Higher Education–2026,” held at Hotel Le Méridien in Dhaka on Tuesday morning. The event began at 10 a.m. and brought together representatives from several countries and international organizations.

According to a press release from the University Grants Commission (UGC), a total of 30 international delegates from the United Kingdom, Maldives, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and the World Bank are participating in the conference. The UGC stated that the event is being organized under the Higher Education Acceleration and Transformation (HEAT) project.

The HEAT project is being implemented by the UGC with financial support from the Government of Bangladesh and the World Bank, aiming to strengthen higher education collaboration and development across South Asia.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has warned that Tehran is fully prepared if the United States chooses a path toward war or attempts to test Iran’s military capabilities. In an interview with Al Jazeera Arabic on January 12, he stated that while the door to dialogue with Washington remains open, Iran is ready for any scenario. Araghchi emphasized that Iran’s current military preparedness is broader and stronger than during the tensions of June last year involving Israel and the United States.

He cautioned that those trying to draw Washington into conflict to protect Israel’s interests should reconsider. Addressing the ongoing anti-government protests, Araghchi claimed that armed groups and terrorists have infiltrated the demonstrations and attacked both protesters and security forces. The protests began on December 28 when Tehran’s traders called a strike over inflation and rising living costs, later spreading across all 31 provinces.

U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed support for Iranian protesters and warned of possible U.S. military action if Tehran suppresses the movement. Meanwhile, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has pledged economic reforms and promised to listen to public concerns.

The United States has urged all its citizens currently in Iran to leave the country immediately due to escalating anti-government protests and a worsening security situation. The advisory was issued on Monday, January 12, 2026, by the US Virtual Embassy in an emergency directive. It warned that demonstrations across Iran are spreading rapidly and could turn violent at any time, with reports of arrests and injuries. The notice also cited increased security measures, roadblocks, disrupted public transport, and internet shutdowns as factors severely affecting daily life.

According to the directive, the Iranian government has imposed restrictions on mobile, landline, and national internet networks, hampering communications and information flow. Many international airlines have suspended or canceled flights to Iran, with some halting operations until at least January 16. US citizens were advised to leave via land routes to Armenia or Turkey if safe, avoid borders with Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Pakistan, and prepare for prolonged internet outages. Dual US-Iranian nationals were instructed to use Iranian passports when departing, as Iran does not recognize dual citizenship.

The advisory also reminded that the US has no diplomatic or consular presence in Iran, and the Swiss Embassy in Tehran represents US interests there.

Mass protests in Iran, initially sparked by economic hardship and rising prices, have turned violent across the country. According to Iran Human Rights, at least 650 people, including nine minors, have been killed as security forces used force to suppress demonstrations. The unrest, which began in late December in Tehran, has spread to 186 cities and 31 provinces, with over 10,000 arrests reported. In response, millions joined pro-government rallies across Iran, which officials described as proof of national unity.

Tensions between Tehran and Washington have escalated as the United States expressed support for protesters and threatened possible military action. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the country is fully prepared for both war and dialogue, accusing US President Donald Trump of seeking a pretext for intervention. Several Western nations, including Germany, Finland, and Canada, urged Iran to avoid violence, while the European Union warned of new sanctions. China voiced opposition to foreign interference, calling for peace and stability in the Middle East.

Internet services, previously cut nationwide, are being gradually restored, according to Iranian officials, as the government claims the situation is now under control.