Fresh protests have erupted across Iran, posing a potentially greater threat to the government than the 2022 unrest. Unlike that earlier wave, Arab states have remained largely silent this time. Their news outlets are giving little coverage, and officials appear nervous and reluctant to comment. The shift contrasts sharply with 2022, when Gulf-funded media showed sympathy for Iranian protesters and Arab diplomats privately welcomed Tehran’s troubles.

Two main reasons explain this silence. First, Iran’s regional power has diminished since October 2023, as Israel’s wars have crippled Tehran’s proxy network, including Hezbollah and Syrian allies. Second, Gulf governments fear instability. They worry that Iran’s collapse could unleash refugees, uncontrolled weapons, and regional chaos. The United States, under President Donald Trump, has also threatened action if Tehran kills protesters, adding to Arab anxiety about potential escalation.

Arab leaders now prefer stability over confrontation. They do not support Iran’s current regime but fear that its fall could worsen regional disorder. Their cautious silence reflects exhaustion from years of conflict and a desire to avoid new turmoil near their borders.

Indian nationals have begun returning home from Iran following widespread anti-government protests. On Saturday night, the first two commercial flights carrying Indian citizens from Iran landed in New Delhi. Several returnees described their experiences of the unrest, with some noting disruptions to daily life and communication difficulties due to internet shutdowns.

A medical student who returned said she had heard about the protests but did not witness them directly, confirming that internet services were suspended. An engineer working in Iran reported that conditions had improved compared to earlier, facing only network issues. Another Indian who spent a month in Iran said protesters often blocked vehicles and that he was unable to contact his family because of the internet outage. One returnee added that while people were worried, the situation in Tehran had since normalized, with fewer protesters compared to government supporters.

According to the report, more than 9,000 Indian citizens remain in Iran as the situation continues to stabilize.

Interim government adviser for finance and the Ministry of Science and Technology, Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed, described the upcoming February 12 election as highly critical. Speaking on Friday evening at a voter awareness event organized by the Sirajganj district administration, he said both domestic and foreign observers were watching the election’s transparency closely. The event was held at the Sirajganj Collectorate grounds as part of a campaign promoting the referendum and voter participation.

Dr. Ahmed emphasized the importance of spreading the achievements of the July Revolution and urged attendees to counter negative attitudes with positivity. He expressed hope that future administrations would not overturn previous initiatives and encouraged citizens to support the “yes” vote to strengthen both themselves and the next government.

The meeting was chaired by Rajshahi Divisional Commissioner Dr. A. N. M. Bazrul Rashid and attended by senior officials, including the Cabinet Secretary, district administrators, and ministry secretaries. Cultural performances preceded the speeches.

At a press conference held on Saturday at the Dhaka Reporters Unity, the principal of Mirpur Girls Ideal Laboratory Institute, Jinat Farhana, alleged that dismissed assistant music teacher Bipasha Yasmin engaged in misconduct, disorderly behavior, and misuse of political and bureaucratic influence. The institution claimed that despite her dismissal in May of the previous year, Yasmin continued spreading propaganda, bullying, and conspiracy against the school and its leadership.

According to the written statement presented at the event, Yasmin was allegedly appointed in 2015 in violation of official procedures, using political connections. The school authorities accused her of repeated disobedience, false sexual harassment allegations, and threats against colleagues. They further claimed she used artificial intelligence to create and distribute distorted and defamatory online content targeting teachers and administrators, harming their reputations.

The principal appealed for government intervention to protect the institution from ongoing defamation and disruption. The school stated that multiple investigations had found Yasmin’s complaints baseless, and her actions continued to damage the school’s discipline and educational environment.

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Standing Committee member Dr. Abdul Moyeen Khan stated that former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia never practiced politics of vengeance. He made the remark on Saturday, January 17, at a memorial meeting held at the National Press Club in Dhaka, organized jointly by the World Human Rights Organization and the Lawyers’ Association to pray for Khaleda Zia’s departed soul. Dr. Moyeen Khan described her as a leader who rose above political definitions through her thoughts, work, competence, and love for people.

Recalling his time as a minister, Moyeen Khan said Khaleda Zia always allowed her ministers full independence and never interfered in their work. Other speakers, including BNP Advisory Council member Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal, highlighted her leadership and maternal qualities, saying she would remain immortal in the nation’s history. Professor Dr. Abdul Latif Masum, chairman of the World Human Rights Organization Bangladesh, emphasized her uncompromising role and contributions to the country.

The event was presided over by Advocate Syed Mahbub Hossain, president of the Lawyers’ Association, and attended by several BNP leaders and advisors.

Police in Gobindaganj, Gaibandha, arrested two suspected drug dealers in separate operations, seizing a large quantity of cannabis and yaba tablets. On Saturday morning, acting on a tip-off, officers stopped a passenger bus named ‘Sifat Special’ near the Dutch-Bangla Bank at Charmatha intersection on the Dhaka-Rangpur highway. They detained passenger Robiul Islam Palash, 34, from Pabna Sadar, and recovered 2.5 kilograms of cannabis wrapped in white polythene hidden on his body.

In another operation on Friday evening, a team from the Department of Narcotics Control raided a grocery shop on Upazila Road in Gobindaganj town and arrested shopkeeper Bichitra Barman, 42, with 102 yaba tablets. He is from Kochmordan Baroipara village in Gumaniganj Union. Gobindaganj Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mozammel Haque confirmed both arrests and stated that two separate cases have been filed.

The arrested individuals were sent to Gaibandha District Jail through the court following the legal procedures, according to police authorities.

The ongoing photo card sharing campaign, part of the 2026 referendum publicity drive, has continued since January 11. According to Senior Assistant Press Secretary Fayez Ahmed, the initiative aims to raise public awareness and encourage active citizen participation in the upcoming referendum. The campaign will continue until Sunday, January 18, as confirmed by the Chief Adviser’s Press Wing.

The photo cards carry the message urging citizens to vote 'yes' in the referendum, described as a step toward accelerating national progress. Alongside this initiative, other advisers have been participating in various public events to promote the 'yes' vote. Government channels are also actively supporting the campaign.

Political leaders and candidates are simultaneously conducting campaigns for both the 13th National Parliamentary Election and the referendum, indicating a broad mobilization effort across the country.

A young man named Md Faruk, 28, from Purbo Bara Veyola Union in Chakaria, Cox’s Bazar, has allegedly defrauded several Bangladeshi expatriates in Saudi Arabia of large sums of money and fled back to Bangladesh. Victims claim Faruk took millions of taka through false investment promises, including a petrol pump venture in Abha province. When they visited his home in Chakaria, they could not find him and were instead verbally abused by his sisters. Victims believe Faruk is hiding between his family homes in Cox’s Bazar and Dhaka.

One victim, expatriate worker Mohammad Abu Saleh from Lohagara, Chattogram, alleged that Faruk took 45,000 Saudi riyals—about 1.45 million taka—promising monthly profits that never materialized. Another victim, Shahajul Islam from Kushtia, said Faruk embezzled six lakh taka from a welfare lottery fund and also took 250,000 taka from a mobile banking agent. Saleh said he is preparing to take legal action.

The acting chairman of Purbo Bara Veyola Union Parishad confirmed knowing Faruk but said he could not verify whether the fraud allegations were true.

BNP leader and Ghuridah Union Parishad Chairman Selim Ahmed Tulip organized a large community feast in Saghata, Gaibandha, where around 10,000 people from various professions gathered to eat the traditional dish Pithali. The event took place on Friday at the Saghata Degree College field following a prayer ceremony seeking forgiveness for the late Begum Khaleda Zia’s soul. The field quickly filled as people arrived after Jumma prayers, and food was served for about one and a half hours.

Local residents described the event as highly organized and satisfying, noting that such a large gathering for the traditional meal had not been seen in over a decade. Participants from different areas, including Ghuridah, Bonarpara, and Holdia, praised the taste of the dish and the discipline maintained during the event.

The gathering was attended by Gaibandha district BNP leaders, including President Professor Dr. Moinul Hasan Sadiq, General Secretary Md. Mahamudunabi Titul, and BNP’s nominated candidate for Gaibandha-5 constituency Alhaj Md. Faruk Alam Sarkar, along with other party members.

The Election Commission (EC) of Bangladesh is conducting the eighth day of appeal hearings related to the acceptance and rejection of nomination papers for the 13th National Parliament election. The hearings began at 10 a.m. on Saturday at the EC headquarters in Agargaon, Dhaka, under the chairmanship of Chief Election Commissioner A M M Nasir Uddin. According to the EC schedule, 100 appeals numbered 511 to 610 are being heard from morning to 5 p.m., with a one-hour break at noon.

On the previous day, Friday, the commission heard 43 appeals, approving 18 appeals against nomination rejections, rejecting 17, and keeping four pending for verdict. Additionally, four appeals challenging the acceptance of others’ nominations were dismissed. The EC stated that the final day of hearings will be held on Sunday, covering appeals numbered 611 to 645 and any remaining pending cases.

A total of 645 appeals were filed with the EC against returning officers’ decisions. On January 4, returning officers declared 1,842 of 2,568 nomination papers valid and 723 invalid across 300 constituencies.

Adilur Rahman Khan, adviser to the ministries of Housing and Public Works, Industries, and Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives, addressed a public awareness meeting in Cox’s Bazar on Saturday, January 17, 2026, as part of the campaign for the upcoming 2026 referendum. Speaking as the chief guest at the Cox’s Bazar Institute and Public Library Hall, he declared that enforced disappearances, extrajudicial actions, and crossfire incidents would no longer be tolerated in Bangladesh. He urged citizens to vote ‘yes’ in the referendum to end years of irregularities in the voting process.

Khan said the July Charter had been signed to fulfill the dreams of 1,400 students, workers, and citizens who sacrificed their lives for change, and that all political parties supported the charter. The Cox’s Bazar district administration organized the event, chaired by Deputy Commissioner Md. A. Mannan, and detailed extensive promotional activities including banners, posters, films, and social media outreach across the district.

The adviser’s visit to Cox’s Bazar followed campaign stops in Chattogram and Bandarban. He and his team were scheduled to return to Dhaka on Saturday night after completing the day’s activities.

Ten leaders and activists of Islami Andolan Bangladesh from Ward 75 (Daserkandi) under Dhaka South have joined Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami. The group included Gazi Nasir Uddin, president of the ward unit, businessman Kazi Akter Hossain, and Kazi Khaled Hossain. They formally joined the party on Saturday morning at a ceremony held in the capital’s Daserkandi area.

The event was attended by Kabir Ahmad, Jamaat’s nominated candidate for the Dhaka-9 parliamentary seat and central vice-president of the Labour Welfare Federation, as the chief guest. The program was presided over by Maulana Mahmudur Rahman, amir of Khilgaon East Thana Jamaat. Party leaders welcomed the new members and highlighted the organization’s ideology, goals, and objectives.

The joining marks a local-level shift of Islami Andolan members toward Jamaat-e-Islami in Dhaka South, reflecting ongoing political realignments within Islamist groups in the area.

Dr. Badiul Alam Majumdar, Secretary of Citizens for Good Governance (Sujon), stated that Bangladesh urgently needs a fair, acceptable, and neutral election. He said the electoral field and political parties have become corrupted, with most candidates relying on black money and muscle power. He made these remarks on Friday, January 16, at 7 p.m. during a brief exchange meeting with local dignitaries at the Hasan Azizur Rahman Auditorium of the World Literature Center in Palashbari, Gaibandha.

Emphasizing the need for reform of the Election Commission, Majumdar said that such reform is the most crucial step, claiming that members of the commission had become more partisan than even Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. He added that the constitution was originally written to empower Bangabandhu, which made the prime minister all-powerful, and that Sheikh Hasina followed the same path. He also said that by abolishing the caretaker government system through constitutional amendment, Sheikh Hasina aimed to remain in power for life.

Majumdar described the 1991 election as the best in Bangladesh’s history. Several Sujon officials and local dignitaries attended the meeting.

BNP candidate Jasim Uddin from Chittagong-14 (Chandanaish and part of Satkania) has been accused of violating the electoral code of conduct by campaigning inside a mosque. On Friday, January 16, he addressed worshippers at Kanchannagar Johadia Darbar Mosque after Jumma prayers, urging them to support the BNP’s paddy sheaf symbol and grant him their mandate in the upcoming election. A 3-minute-32-second video of his speech later circulated on social media.

According to the 2025 electoral code of conduct, candidates or their representatives are prohibited from starting any campaign activities earlier than three weeks before the polling date. The 13th national parliamentary election is scheduled for February 12, 2026. When contacted, Jasim Uddin initially denied seeking votes, claiming he only asked for prayers and requested positive reporting.

Chandanaish Upazila Nirbahi Officer and Assistant Returning Officer Md. Rajib Hossain confirmed receiving the complaint and stated that action was being taken against the accused candidate.

A man named Md. Shakil, aged 40, was killed and another person injured in a head-on collision between a jeep and a motorcycle in Fatikchhari upazila of Chattogram on Saturday morning. The accident occurred on the Khiram–Nanupur road at a place called Lambatila. The deceased, Shakil, was the son of Abdul Kader from Khiram Union’s Muktijoddha Abdul Baten Bari. The injured motorcyclist was identified as 39-year-old Alauddin Talukder.

According to local and police sources, Shakil and Alauddin were traveling by motorcycle from Chattogram city to Shakil’s village home in Moggkata of Khiram Union when the collision took place. Locals rescued the victims and took them to Fatikchhari Upazila Health Complex, where doctors declared Shakil dead. Alauddin received primary treatment before being referred to Chattogram Medical College Hospital for advanced care.

Fatikchhari Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md. Selim said police had reached the scene after receiving the report and that necessary legal steps would be taken once the team returned.