Bangladesh’s joint forces detained 278 individuals during a series of nationwide operations conducted between January 16 and 22, 2026. According to an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) statement released on January 23, the operations took place in Dhaka and other regions, targeting suspected criminals including terrorists, drug dealers, addicts, robbers, teenage gang members, and smugglers. Authorities recovered 22 illegal firearms, 822 rounds of ammunition, seven crude bombs, local weapons, and narcotics during the raids. The detainees were handed over to local police stations for interrogation and legal proceedings.

The ISPR statement said the Bangladesh Army continues regular patrols and security operations across the country to ensure public safety. It also noted that the army is actively managing labor unrest in industrial zones as part of its broader security responsibilities. The military emphasized that such operations will continue to maintain law and order nationwide.

A Dhaka court has ordered the imprisonment of Pabitra Kumar Barua, husband of the principal of a school in Naya Paltan, in connection with a case alleging the torture of a four-year-old child. The order was issued on Friday, January 23, 2026, by Metropolitan Magistrate Aminul Islam Junaid, who also scheduled a remand hearing for Tuesday, January 27. Barua was arrested earlier that morning from Mirpur-6 and presented before the court, where police sought a five-day remand for further questioning.

According to the case filed by the child’s mother, the incident occurred on January 18 at Sharmin Academy, where her son had recently been enrolled. CCTV footage reportedly showed the school principal, Sharmin Jahan, physically assaulting the child, while her husband allegedly joined in the abuse. The child later complained of pain and was treated at a hospital. Police said preliminary interrogation confirmed the incident’s authenticity and that further investigation is ongoing.

The court’s decision marks the beginning of judicial proceedings under Section 70 of the Children Act, with remand hearings expected to determine the next steps in the investigation.

Police in Mymensingh’s Haluaghat arrested a 28-year-old man named Liyon on Friday after he allegedly attacked and seriously injured a police constable with a sharp weapon. Liyon is the son of Md. Ruhul Amin, convener of the Haluaghat unit of the Swechchhasebak Dal. The arrest took place in the Haluaghat market area, and police also seized the motorcycle used during the incident.

According to police and case sources, the attack occurred around 3:30 a.m. on Friday near the Pagolpara Bridge in Haluaghat municipal market. A police team led by ASI Nowab Ali was conducting a regular checkpoint when they signaled a motorcycle without a number plate to stop. The rider, Liyon, argued with police, identified himself as the son of the local Swechchhasebak Dal leader, threatened officers, and left. Later, when police visited his home to inform his father, Liyon allegedly attacked them with a machete, injuring constable Md. Izaul Haque Bhuiyan.

Police said Liyon is also known as a political worker of BNP Joint Secretary General Syed Emran Saleh Prince, who urged strict legal action against the attacker. Authorities are interrogating Liyon’s father and investigating all aspects of the case.

Two CCTV cameras installed by the Election Commission at the Chhoto Falia Secondary School polling center in Magura municipality were vandalized on Thursday. According to local sources, an unidentified person struck one of the cameras with a bamboo stick, breaking it. The cameras had been set up to cover nearby roads and the school playground. Although the incident was captured on CCTV footage, poor lighting prevented clear identification of the perpetrator.

The school’s head teacher, Mizanur Rahman, confirmed that both cameras were damaged by miscreants and said a written complaint was filed at Magura Sadar Police Station against unidentified individuals. Officer-in-Charge Ashiqur Rahman stated that police have visited the scene, reviewed the footage, and are continuing efforts to identify those responsible. Legal proceedings are underway, but no arrests have been made so far.

Authorities are continuing their investigation to determine the identity of the vandal and ensure accountability for the damage to the election monitoring equipment.

Police in Cumilla have arrested Assistant Government Pleader (AGP) Masudul Haque alias Masum, brother of a local Jamaat-e-Islami leader, along with another man named Ariful Islam. The arrests took place after a foreign pistol, two magazines, and ten rounds of ammunition were recovered. The operation was confirmed by Inspector Saiful Islam of the EPZ police outpost under Cumilla Sadar South Model Police Station, who said a case under the Arms Act has been filed and both men were sent to court.

According to police, Ariful was first detained early Thursday at a checkpoint in the Tomchom Bridge area with five bullets and a knife. A photo on his phone showed a pistol, which he said belonged to Masum. Based on this information, police searched Masum’s home and recovered the weapon and ammunition. Cumilla Jamaat Secretary Mahbubur Rahman claimed the incident appeared staged, saying Masum was not politically active though he is the younger brother of city Jamaat’s Naib-e-Ameer Emdadul Haque Mamun.

Public Prosecutor Kaimul Haque Rinku said the ministry had been informed and legal action would follow once official instructions arrive.

The Bangladesh Coast Guard seized illegal fishing nets valued at approximately Tk 75 crore during a combing operation in Maheshkhali upazila of Cox’s Bazar. The operation was conducted throughout Wednesday by the Coast Guard’s Maheshkhali station in coordination with the Department of Fisheries. The seizure was confirmed on Friday, January 23, 2026, by Coast Guard media officer Lieutenant Commander Suman Al Mukit.

According to the Coast Guard, the special operation took place near the fishing communities of Maheshkhali, where around 50 lakh meters of banned fishing nets were confiscated. No arrests were made as the fishermen reportedly fled upon sensing the presence of the Coast Guard. The seized nets were later destroyed in the presence of the Maheshkhali upazila fisheries officer.

Lieutenant Commander Suman Al Mukit stated that the Coast Guard will continue such operations in the future to protect the country’s fisheries resources.

Police have arrested another suspect, identified as shooter Rahim, in connection with the killing of volunteer leader Azizur Rahman Mosabbir in Dhaka’s Tejgaon area. The Detective Branch (DB) confirmed the arrest on Friday at 11 a.m. Mosabbir, a former general secretary of the Dhaka North unit of the volunteer organization, was shot dead by assailants on January 7 in an alley near the Star Hotel at Tejturi Bazar.

Following the murder, Mosabbir’s wife, Suraiya Begum, filed a case with Tejgaon Police Station. Earlier, police had arrested three individuals, including Jinat and suspected planner Billal, for alleged involvement in the killing. The latest arrest of Rahim adds to the list of suspects detained in the ongoing investigation.

Authorities have not yet disclosed further details about Rahim’s role or the motive behind the attack, but the series of arrests indicates continued progress in the murder probe.

A joint force operation in Gazipur’s Tongi area early Friday led to the detention of 35 individuals and the recovery of explosives and narcotics. The coordinated raids took place around 4 a.m. in Ershadnagar and Haji Mazar slums. According to Gazipur District Executive Magistrate Abu Bakkar Siddique, who briefed the media at Haji Mazar slum around 8:30 a.m., the forces seized 500 grams of heroin, 347 yaba tablets, two homemade weapons, and three hand grenades.

The magistrate stated that the operation aimed to prevent potential unrest ahead of the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election. The detained individuals were later handed over to Tongi East and West police stations. Legal proceedings were expected to follow, with the suspects to be presented before court after case filing.

Authorities indicated that the raids were part of broader security measures to maintain order during the election period in Gazipur.

Joint forces arrested top criminal Md. Hasan Tarek Chita, aged 30, with a foreign pistol in Lakshmipur. The arrest took place on Thursday night in front of a mosque at Paschim Latifpur village under Chandraganj Union of Sadar upazila. Major Md. Rahat Khan of the Lakshmipur Army Camp confirmed the arrest on Friday morning. During the operation, the forces recovered a foreign pistol, one magazine, five rounds of ammunition, and two mobile phones. Several associates, including another criminal known as Chhoto Kausar, managed to escape.

According to Major Rahat Khan, the operation was part of a regular anti-crime drive conducted on the basis of secret intelligence. Chita, son of the late Abdus Sattar of Paschim Latifpur, is known as an associate of Chhoto Kausar and faces multiple cases, including murder and arms charges. After his arrest, he was handed over to Chandraganj Police Station for further legal action.

Authorities indicated that operations against criminal networks in the region would continue as part of ongoing law enforcement efforts.

A truck driver named Mukul Mia, accused in four drug cases, reportedly died in Rangpur after being arrested by police late Thursday night. His family alleged that he was tortured to death while in custody. According to his daughter, police officers led by Sub-Inspector Monirul Islam detained him from his home in the city’s Chikli Bhata area around 11:20 p.m., and within 20 minutes, the family was informed by Rangpur Medical College Hospital that he had died. Following the incident, relatives and local residents blocked the road at the city’s Medical Mor area until about 2 a.m., demanding justice for those involved.

Family members claimed that Mukul was healthy at the time of arrest but was later found at the hospital with sand covering his body, which they said indicated torture. Police, however, stated that Mukul became ill after his arrest and was taken to the hospital, where doctors declared him dead. The incident has sparked local outrage and calls for accountability against the officers allegedly responsible.

Two people were killed and at least twelve others injured when a passenger bus lost control and overturned after hitting a road divider in the Meherabari area of Valuka upazila, Mymensingh, on Thursday evening. The Mymensingh-bound bus crashed around 7 p.m., killing passenger Shahjahan Siraj, 40, on the spot. The bus helper, Md. Anik Mia, 28, died later at the hospital from his injuries.

Rescuers took the injured to Valuka Upazila Health Complex, and two critically injured passengers were later transferred to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital for advanced treatment. The deceased were identified as Shahjahan Siraj of Birunia village in Valuka and Md. Anik Mia of Jagannathdia village in Ghior upazila, Manikganj.

Eyewitnesses said the bus was speeding when it lost control and hit the divider, causing panic among passengers. The officer-in-charge of Bharadoba Highway Police Station, ABM Mehedi Masud, confirmed the incident, stating that the bodies were recovered and would be handed over to families after legal formalities. The bus has been seized and kept under police custody.

A video showing a child being physically and mentally abused inside the office of Sharmin Academy, a school in Dhaka’s Naya Paltan area, went viral on social media, triggering widespread outrage and criticism. Following the public reaction, a case was filed at Paltan Police Station under the Child Rights Act. The school has since suspended its operations. The incident reportedly occurred on January 18, and the video surfaced online several days later.

According to police, the woman seen assaulting the child has been identified as the school’s founder and principal, Sharmin Jahan, while the man present in the room is the school manager, Pabitra Kumar. Both have been named as accused in the case and are currently absconding. Police have launched an operation to arrest them and informed relevant authorities to ensure the child’s safety and mental well-being.

The viral video has reignited public debate on child safety in educational institutions. Social media users have demanded stricter oversight, greater accountability in school management, and exemplary punishment to prevent similar incidents in the future.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has filed a case against 43 individuals, including Liaquat Ali Khan, chairman of Rupayan Housing Estate Limited, and several officials of Rajuk, over allegations of occupying government and privately owned land. The announcement was made on Thursday afternoon at the ACC headquarters in Segunbagicha, Dhaka, by Akhtar Hossain, the commission’s Director General (Prevention).

According to the ACC, Liaquat Ali Khan made an agreement in 2013 with a landowner for about 2.5 acres but later claimed ownership without completing payment or registration, leading to a court case that remains under a stay order. Despite the pending case, Rajuk officials allegedly approved land use, project, and construction permissions for Rupayan without verifying ownership documents or court restrictions. The ACC stated that Rupayan obtained approvals for projects covering 41.548 acres, though valid documents were submitted for only 16.32 acres.

The ACC’s preliminary investigation confirmed the allegations, prompting the case. Other accused include Rupayan’s estate officer Sajjad Hussain and several Rajuk planners and designers. The case involves illegal inclusion of government and Bhawal Estate land in Rupayan’s projects.

Police detained two young men carrying weapons at an election rally of Jamaat-e-Islami’s nominated candidate Haji Enayet Ullah in Dhaka-7 constituency. The incident occurred on Thursday afternoon in the capital’s Chawkbazar area during the rally organized in support of the candidate. According to local Jamaat leader Md. Anisur Rahman, the event was arranged by a business association at Moulvibazar Tower.

During the gathering, reports emerged that three youths were attempting to enter a nearby building with locally made weapons. Party activists, with the help of security guards, managed to capture two of them and informed the police. Officers from Chawkbazar Police Station then arrived at the scene and took the detained individuals, along with the weapons, into custody.

A duty officer at Chawkbazar Police Station stated that the identities of the detainees and their motives for carrying weapons are being verified. The investigation is ongoing, and further details will be disclosed after completion. Legal action will be taken based on the findings.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Detective Branch (DB-Lalbagh Division) arrested an alleged arms dealer named Md. Azgar Ali, also known as Bhola, aged 55, from the Shyampur area of the capital on Thursday, January 22, 2026. The arrest took place during a special operation in the West Dholai Par area, where police recovered two illegal foreign pistols, four magazines, and 21 rounds of ammunition from his possession.

According to DB-Lalbagh sources, the operation began around 1 p.m. after receiving a tip-off that an armed individual was entering Dhaka through the Dhaka-Mawa Highway on a passenger bus. Acting on the information, the police team took position near Dholai Par roundabout, stopped the bus upon arrival, and conducted a search. The suspect was found carrying the illegal weapons and ammunition.

Police sources confirmed that Azgar Ali has previous cases filed against him under the Arms Act at Khilgaon Police Station and under the Narcotics Control Act at Savar Police Station.