A prolonged 17-day cold wave and dense fog have severely affected Boro rice seedbeds in Saghata upazila of Gaibandha, causing cold injury and damaging seedlings across several unions. Farmers reported that seedlings have turned yellow, growth has slowed, and in some areas, seedbeds have completely rotted. The situation has created uncertainty about timely transplantation of seedlings for the current season.

Farmers said the lack of sunlight and low nighttime temperatures have hindered normal growth, while stagnant water in fields has worsened the cold’s impact. Many expressed concern that rebuilding seedbeds would require extra time and cost. Local farmers, including Abdul Mannan of Bonarpara and Mostafizur Rahman of Kochua, said their seedlings are dying despite protective measures like covering with straw and polythene.

According to the Saghata Agriculture Office, about 1,850 hectares were targeted for Boro cultivation this season, with 927 hectares already prepared. Upazila Agriculture Officer Md. Asaduzzaman said cold injury has appeared but the overall risk of major loss is low. Farmers have been advised to apply light irrigation in the evening, drain water in the morning, and cover seedbeds when necessary.

Environment, Forest and Climate Change Ministry adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan stated that the government is prepared to be accountable on any issue and suggested forming a citizen-led commission to determine actions for environmental protection. She made the remarks on Friday at the opening of the two-day BAPA-BEN National Environment Conference held at the Krishibid Institution auditorium in Dhaka.

Hasan explained that due to the government’s short tenure, it prioritized election-related reforms based on proposals from six commissions that led to the July National Charter. She emphasized that environmental issues were not neglected but that the government had only about one year to work amid various challenges. She also noted that the Public Administration Reform Commission recommended a separate environmental cadre, while the Constitutional Reform Commission proposed including the environment as a fundamental right, though these could not be implemented within the current government’s limited timeframe.

The conference was chaired by BAPA President Professor Nur Mohammad Talukder, with concept paper presented by BAPA Vice-President and BEN founder Dr. Nazrul Islam.

The Bangladesh Meteorological Department announced on Friday morning that a mild to moderate cold wave sweeping across 20 districts will continue for at least two more days. The lowest temperature recorded on Thursday was 6.9 degrees Celsius in Tetulia, Panchagarh. Meteorologist Muhammad Abul Kalam Mallik stated that all districts in Rangpur and Rajshahi divisions, along with Narsingdi, Jashore, Chuadanga, and Kushtia, are currently experiencing the cold wave.

According to the department, the cold conditions are expected to persist until at least mid-January, with possible variations in intensity and spread. On Wednesday, the season’s lowest temperature of 6.7 degrees Celsius was recorded in Badalgachhi, Naogaon. The number of affected districts decreased from 24 on Thursday to 20 on Friday.

The synoptic report noted that a deep depression over the southwest Bay of Bengal is moving northwestward and may cross the northern Sri Lanka coast around January 10. Its extension reaches the northern Bay of Bengal, while a subcontinental high-pressure ridge lies over West Bengal and adjoining western Bangladesh.

Dhaka’s residents are enduring worsening living conditions due to severe waste mismanagement across the city. Streets and alleys are covered with piles of garbage and plastic waste, while sidewalks have become unusable because of open urinals and foul odors. According to the two city corporations, Dhaka’s 129 wards generate between 6,800 and 7,500 tons of waste daily, but 55 percent remains uncollected. Despite spending about Tk 3,323 crore over seven years, more than 250 uncontrolled dumping sites persist, posing serious threats to public health and the environment.

Field visits revealed that waste workers operate without protective gear, exposing them to diseases. The waste management process—collection, transfer, transport, and disposal—shows weaknesses at every stage, with little recycling or treatment capacity. A study in Scientific Reports found that Dhaka produces 6,465 tons of waste daily, most of which ends up in nearly full landfills at Aminbazar and Matuail. Experts warn that uncontrolled dumping contaminates soil and groundwater and releases methane, worsening climate impacts.

City officials acknowledged manpower and equipment shortages and emphasized public awareness and participation as essential for sustainable cleanliness.

A 5.8-magnitude earthquake struck several regions of Pakistan on Friday, January 9, 2026, with tremors felt in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, and parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa including Swat, Shangla, and Buner. According to the National Seismic Monitoring Centre under the Pakistan Meteorological Department, the quake originated 159 kilometers deep near the China-Tajikistan border. Buildings reportedly shook, prompting residents to rush outdoors, but no casualties or major damage were reported.

The report noted that Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan frequently experience seismic activity due to their location at the junction of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates. In October of the previous year, a 5.3-magnitude quake hit Islamabad and surrounding areas, while a 5.6-magnitude tremor was recorded just days earlier. The region also witnessed a devastating 6.0-magnitude earthquake in eastern Afghanistan last September that killed over 2,200 people.

Authorities have not issued any immediate warnings, but the frequent tremors highlight the region’s ongoing vulnerability to seismic hazards.

The UK Met Office has issued a nationwide red alert warning for extreme weather conditions, citing the risk of severe storms, heavy rainfall, and widespread snowfall. The alert, effective from Wednesday afternoon, warns that the situation poses a serious threat to public safety. Forecasts indicate wind speeds could reach 90 to 100 miles per hour, with up to one foot of snow expected in hilly and elevated areas. The most affected regions are expected to include southwest England, Wales, the Midlands, and parts of northern England.

Coastal areas face the possibility of storm surges and large waves, while strong winds could cause trees to fall and damage power lines and roofs, leading to potential power outages. Heavy rain may trigger flash floods and waterlogging, and icy roads could severely disrupt rail, bus, and air transport.

Authorities have advised residents to stay indoors unless absolutely necessary, urging coastal communities to remain alert for tidal surges and to take extra care of the elderly and children.

Over the past 35 years, the amount of saline-affected land in Bangladesh has increased by about 26 percent, now totaling approximately 1.056 million hectares. Around 30 percent of the country’s coastal arable land is affected by salinity, while 41 to 50 percent of the total area experiences drought at some point. In response to these growing climate-related challenges, a team from Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) has begun research on seaweed-based biostimulants to enhance crop resilience.

The research was presented at a workshop held at BAU’s Faculty of Agriculture under the project “Higher Education for Agricultural Transformation (HEAT),” jointly organized by the University Grants Commission and the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Researchers highlighted that Bangladesh’s coastal areas host abundant seaweed resources, including 47 green, 59 brown, and 94 red species, which contain compounds that promote plant growth and tolerance to salinity and drought.

BAU Vice-Chancellor Professor A.K. Fazlul Haque Bhuiyan emphasized that climate change poses multidimensional challenges to agriculture and that sustainable, eco-friendly technologies like seaweed-based biostimulants could play a vital role in ensuring the sector’s future resilience.

The government has ordered an investigation into allegations of indiscriminate hill cutting for landfilling at the Ramgarh land port in Khagrachhari. Following a report published in the daily Amar Desh, Brigadier General (Retd.) Dr. M Sakhawat Hossain, Adviser to the Ministry of Shipping and the Ministry of Labour and Employment, took the matter seriously and directed the immediate formation of a three-member investigation committee. The committee has been instructed to conduct an on-site inspection and submit a detailed report within three working days.

According to the adviser, the government attaches the highest importance to protecting the environment, maintaining ecological balance, and safeguarding national interests. He stated that any illegal hill cutting or landfilling would not be tolerated and that those found responsible would face legal action. He also noted that the Ramgarh land port, built during a previous government, had already been reviewed for its geo-economic significance, and a separate expert committee had been formed to reassess the project's costs and benefits.

The government emphasized its commitment to ensuring transparency and accountability in this public interest matter.

Australia is facing severe wildfires amid an intense heatwave, with authorities warning of potentially catastrophic conditions across eastern and southeastern regions. On Thursday, firefighters battled multiple blazes as temperatures were forecast to exceed 40 degrees Celsius. Residents in Victoria and New South Wales, including major cities such as Sydney and Melbourne, were urged to remain on high alert, according to AFP.

Victoria’s Country Fire Authority chief Jason Heffernan said fire danger levels could reach “catastrophic” in some areas, warning that any ignition could spread rapidly and become uncontrollable. Emergency Management Commissioner Tim Wiebusch noted that hot, dry winds would intensify the fires, while Acting Premier Ben Carroll instructed officials to prepare early evacuations. Meteorologist Sarah Scully reported that extreme heat and dry thunderstorms could trigger new fires.

Authorities fear the situation could become the most dangerous since the 2019–2020 “Black Summer” fires, which devastated vast areas of forest and property. Researchers have linked the increasing frequency of extreme weather to a 1.5°C rise in Australia’s average temperature since 1910.

Dhaka’s traffic congestion has reached alarming levels, paralyzing movement across the city day and night. Long queues of vehicles stretch up to 15 kilometers on major entry routes such as Jatrabari, Mirpur, and Malibagh, causing severe delays for commuters and emergency services. The situation worsens during school hours and in the evenings when intercity buses depart, while limited nighttime traffic policing allows gridlock to persist into the early morning.

According to Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), unplanned urbanization, illegal parking, random bus stops, and poor enforcement of traffic laws are key causes. The city corporations report that nearly half of Dhaka’s roads and footpaths are occupied by illegal parking, hawkers, and encroachments, forcing pedestrians onto main roads. Experts note that private cars occupy over half of the city’s road space, while inadequate public transport management and lack of coordinated planning exacerbate the crisis.

Urban planners urge reforms including disciplined public transport, removal of unfit buses, separate transport for schools and offices, restrictions on private cars, and integrated traffic management. The DMP has begun limited diversion trials at key intersections, reporting modest improvements.

A cold wave is sweeping across Bangladesh and is expected to intensify over the next few days. According to weather and climate researcher Mostafa Kamal Palash from the University of Saskatchewan, Canada, data from the European Union’s artificial satellite indicates that by Thursday morning, minimum temperatures in several districts of Rangpur, Rajshahi, and Khulna divisions may fall between 5°C and 7°C.

Palash stated in a Facebook post that the cold wave could become more severe from Thursday morning, with the possibility of a stronger spell on Saturday and Sunday. During that period, minimum temperatures in the same regions could drop further to between 4°C and 6°C. On Wednesday morning, Rajshahi recorded the country’s lowest temperature at 6.8°C, while Chuadanga and Gopalganj recorded 7°C, Jashore 7.4°C, Panchagarh 8.2°C, and Dhaka 11°C.

The researcher added that by Wednesday morning, at least five of the country’s eight divisions were experiencing cold wave conditions, suggesting a widespread and persistent weather pattern.

Titas Gas authorities have completed the repair of a gas line leak under the Buriganga River that was caused by a ship’s anchor. The repair work was finished on Wednesday, restoring gas supply that had been disrupted in parts of Dhaka. According to Titas Gas, the leak occurred in a 12-inch by 50 PSIG line originating from the Aminbazar DRS and running deep under the river toward Dhaka.

The repair was carried out with assistance from the Fire Service, Bangladesh Coast Guard, River Police, and BIWTA. A leak repair clamp was installed at the damaged section, and gas is now being supplied to Dhaka’s network at a pressure of 25 PSIG. Titas Gas reported that no external gas leakage is currently visible.

With the repair completed, gas supply across affected areas is gradually stabilizing, and normal operations are expected to resume fully soon.

The Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA) and Bangladesh Environmental Network (BEN) will jointly hold their two-day environmental conference starting January 9 at the KIB Convention Center in Dhaka’s Farmgate. This will be BAPA’s 26th conference, running daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The event’s theme is “Environmental Reforms and Actions,” as announced at a press briefing held at the Dhaka Reporters Unity.

At the briefing, Professor Nazrul Islam, a founding member of BAPA-BEN, said that no environmental reform commission was formed during the interim government, creating a policy gap that the conference aims to address. He emphasized the need for political parties to prioritize environmental issues in their manifestos and called for internal reforms within environmental agencies to ensure effective policy implementation.

Professor Md. Khalekuzzaman, global coordinator of BEN and a geologist at the Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania, said the conference will also discuss how to restore Bangladesh’s rivers, canals, and wetlands to their natural flow, drawing lessons from environmental management practices in developed countries.

Heavy snowfall and blizzards have caused widespread travel disruption across Europe, leaving at least six people dead. Five fatalities were reported in different regions of France due to road accidents, while one woman died in Sarajevo, Bosnia, after a tree collapsed under heavy wet snow. In France’s Landes area, three people were killed in two separate accidents, and two others died in the Paris region in weather-related crashes.

The severe weather has also led to the cancellation of hundreds of flights across the continent. Thousands of passengers were stranded at airports in Paris and Amsterdam. More than 400 flights were canceled at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport on Wednesday, while Paris’s Charles de Gaulle Airport temporarily suspended about 40 percent of its flights, and Orly Airport canceled roughly one-quarter of scheduled departures.

French Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot warned of further snowfall and urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel and work from home if possible. France’s national meteorological agency issued orange alerts in 38 districts, with conditions expected to persist through Wednesday.

A powerful earthquake struck southern Philippines on Wednesday, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The quake measured 6.7 on the Richter scale and occurred near the coastal region of Mindanao Island, about 27 kilometers east of Santiago city. The quake’s depth was recorded at approximately 58.5 kilometers below the surface. No tsunami warning was issued following the tremor.

Authorities reported that there were no immediate casualties or major damage from the earthquake. Local administration and emergency services are closely monitoring the situation to assess any potential aftereffects or structural impacts in the affected areas.

The absence of a tsunami alert and early reports of minimal damage suggest that the region may have avoided severe consequences, though monitoring continues to ensure public safety.