In Sitakunda upazila of Chattogram, large-scale filling of farmland, ponds, and natural drainage channels is taking place under the guise of industrialization. Despite repeated incidents, local administration has yet to take effective action, leaving residents fearful of environmental damage and future flooding. In Bashbaria Union’s Magpukur area, a company named Automation Engineering has reportedly begun filling a one-acre waterbody, blocking a key drainage route and alarming hundreds of nearby families.

Locals allege that unplanned and illegal landfilling is threatening food production and causing waterlogging even after light rainfall, endangering homes, mosques, schools, and roads. A former union member said he filed a written complaint two weeks earlier but no action followed, while company representatives allegedly filed false police cases against protesters. Experts say changing land use or filling wetlands without permission is illegal and call for coordinated action by environmental and land authorities, though such oversight appears absent in Sitakunda.

Officials stated that unauthorized filling will be halted if proven, while the accused company owner claimed ignorance about the need for permission and promised to obtain it if required.

The Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) announced that from 9 a.m. today, the country will experience mainly dry weather with partly cloudy skies for the next 24 hours. Mild cold waves are currently sweeping across Moulvibazar, Panchagarh, Rajshahi, and Pabna districts, and these conditions may persist for a few more days. Light to moderate fog may form in river basin areas during early morning hours.

According to the BMD, both day and night temperatures across the country are expected to remain largely unchanged. The highest temperature recorded today was 31.6 degrees Celsius in Teknaf, while the lowest was 8.4 degrees Celsius in Sreemangal. In Dhaka, winds are blowing from the west-northwest at speeds of 8 to 12 kilometers per hour, with relative humidity measured at 68 percent at 6 a.m.

The department also reported that sunset in Dhaka will occur at 5:48 p.m. today, and sunrise tomorrow will be at 6:37 a.m.

Multiple earthquakes struck India’s Himalayan state of Sikkim late Wednesday night, with tremors also felt across northern Bangladesh. According to India’s National Center for Seismology (NCS) and the US Geological Survey (USGS), the epicenters were located in Sikkim’s Namchi and Mangan areas. The first major quake, measuring 4.6 on the Richter scale, occurred at 1:39 a.m. Bangladesh time, followed by two more of magnitudes 4.4 and 4.0 at 2:50 a.m. and 3:31 a.m. respectively. Several smaller aftershocks were recorded until around 6 a.m., totaling eight to ten tremors overall.

The quakes were shallow, with depths between 5 and 10 kilometers, which made the shaking more intense. Residents in Bangladesh’s Rangpur division reported strong vibrations and fear during the night. A resident of Nilphamari described the experience as terrifying, saying it felt as though the room might collapse.

Geological experts noted that Sikkim and the adjoining Himalayan region lie on an active fault line, making aftershocks common following a major tremor. Earlier in the week, a 5.9-magnitude quake in Myanmar and another in Satkhira’s Kalaroa area had also been felt across Bangladesh.

Heavy rainfall has caused extensive flooding across northern Morocco, prompting the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of people from four provinces. Authorities confirmed that rescue operations are ongoing to ensure public safety and minimize damage. In Larache province’s Souk El Khemis city, about 81,709 residents were evacuated, while 9,728 people were moved from Sidi Kacem, 2,853 from Sidi Slimane, and 14,133 from Kenitra.

Officials stated that emergency shelters have been established and essential assistance is being provided to those affected. The Ministry of Water reported that rising water levels in the Massen Valley triggered flash floods near Guercif in eastern Morocco early Wednesday.

Flooding has disrupted traffic on major roads across several provinces, including routes connecting Tangier and Tetouan, as well as roads in Larache, Kenitra, Sidi Kacem, and Sidi Slimane.

The interim government of Bangladesh has issued the Fisheries Protection and Conservation (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026, amending the 1950 law to prohibit fishing using electricity or electrofishing devices in any river, canal, or waterbody. The ordinance was promulgated by the President under Article 93(1) of the Constitution and took immediate effect. The Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs issued the ordinance, confirmed by the ministry’s public relations officer Dr. Md. Rezaul Karim.

The amendment expands the legal definition of “waterbody” to include rivers, streams, estuaries, canals, haors, baors, lakes, floodplains, ponds, dighis, enclosures, and seasonally submerged wetlands. It also introduces explicit bans on using explosives or electric devices for fishing and allows strict legal action against violators. A new provision authorizes the government to declare “Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures” (OECMs) to protect aquatic biodiversity beyond designated protected areas.

The ordinance empowers the government to take necessary steps to prevent damage to inland and coastal aquatic ecosystems and to issue directives for sustainable fisheries management, aiming to preserve fish resources and ecological balance.

At least 30 people have died in Japan over the past two weeks due to record levels of heavy snowfall, government officials confirmed on Tuesday. Among the victims was a 91-year-old woman found buried under nearly three meters of snow outside her home. The northern Aomori Prefecture has been the hardest hit, prompting the central government to deploy military forces to help manage the situation, as some remote areas remain buried under up to 4.5 meters of snow.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi convened an emergency cabinet meeting on Tuesday morning, directing all ministries to take preventive measures against snow-related accidents and fatalities. Authorities said strong cold airflows along the Sea of Japan coast have caused snowfall more than double the usual levels. The Fire and Disaster Management Agency reported that snow-related incidents since January 20 have resulted in 30 deaths.

Aomori Governor Soichiro Miyashita said military assistance was requested to support elderly residents living alone with snow removal. He warned that the risk of roof collapses and snow slides remains extremely high as temperatures fluctuate.

A mild earthquake was felt in Bangladesh early Tuesday, February 3, 2026, at around 4:36 a.m. The tremor measured 4.1 on the Richter scale, with its epicenter located in Kalaroa, Satkhira. According to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) and India’s National Center for Seismology (NCS), the quake struck at a depth of 150 kilometers beneath the surface, which reduced its intensity.

Residents in Satkhira, Khulna, Jashore, and surrounding areas experienced light shaking, but no immediate reports of casualties or damage were received. The deep epicenter contributed to the mild nature of the tremor.

Just two days earlier, on Sunday morning, a separate mild earthquake had been recorded in Dhaka and nearby regions. That quake, measuring magnitude 3, originated southeast of Sylhet city, according to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department.

The Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock of Bangladesh has clarified that the government has not granted any approval for hilsa fish farming through artificial or indoor methods. In a press release issued on Monday, the ministry urged the public and all concerned parties not to be misled by misinformation or rumors circulating in the media and on social platforms regarding such farming initiatives.

According to the statement, the ministry reviewed recent discussions and reports about hilsa cultivation using recirculating aquaculture systems in controlled environments. A meeting held on February 1 at the ministry, chaired by adviser Farida Akhter, concluded that hilsa is a vital geographical indicator product deeply linked to Bangladesh’s rivers, coastal ecosystems, food security, and the livelihoods of many fishers. The ministry emphasized that hilsa production depends on natural breeding cycles and river-based environments, making any artificial cultivation initiative highly sensitive and policy-dependent.

The ministry further stated that any research or experimental activity related to hilsa must comply with existing laws, policies, and national interests, and must receive prior approval from relevant authorities. Unauthorized activities will not be accepted.

A devastating snowstorm across the United States has claimed more than 100 lives, with the highest fatalities reported in New York, Kentucky, and Tennessee. North Carolina also experienced multiple deaths and over a thousand vehicle collisions due to icy roads. In Kannapolis, 14 inches of snow were recorded, while Charlotte and Greenville saw more than 11 inches, marking Charlotte’s fourth-highest snowfall on record.

Significant snowfall was also reported in South Carolina, Georgia, and Virginia. North Carolina Governor Josh Stein confirmed two deaths from road accidents. In Florida, temperatures dropped to record lows, with Vero Beach and Melbourne reaching 27 and 26 degrees respectively, breaking decades-old February records. Along the East Coast, winds of 20 to 30 miles per hour intensified the cold.

Weather forecasts suggest that temperatures in the northeastern United States may rise slightly in the coming week, with wind speeds expected to decrease.

Ferry services on the Mongla River in Bagerhat have been severely disrupted due to a navigability crisis, leaving operations suspended for about 20 hours each day. As a result, ambulances, trucks, and other vehicles are forced to wait for high tide to cross, causing widespread suffering among residents and traders. The disruption has particularly affected the transport of perishable goods and emergency patients.

According to the Roads and Highways Department in Bagerhat, the ferry service was launched in 2003 after two terminals were built at a cost of around 2.5 million taka. Initially, the service reduced transport time and costs, becoming popular among locals. However, within a few years, siltation began to obstruct navigation, and the situation has now worsened, with only one ferry currently operating.

Mongla municipal administrator and Upazila Nirbahi Officer Sharmin Akter Sumi acknowledged the problem, stating that repeated terminal extensions failed to solve it. She said dredging is the only permanent solution and that the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority has been contacted to take prompt action.

A sudden earthquake measuring 4.8 on the Richter scale struck large parts of Jammu and Kashmir early Monday morning. According to preliminary data from the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), the tremor occurred at 5:35 a.m. The National Center for Seismology reported that the epicenter was located in Budgam district, about 10 kilometers below the surface, at coordinates 33.9°N and 74.76°E.

The quake was felt across several nearby areas, including Charar-i-Sharif, Pulwama, Srinagar, and Shopian. Many residents, awakened by the shaking, rushed outdoors in fear. Around the same time, a mild earthquake was also recorded in India’s Andaman region.

As of the latest reports, no casualties or property damage have been reported from the affected areas.

Dhaka has ranked first among 100 cities worldwide for air pollution, according to data recorded on Monday morning. The Air Quality Index (AQI) in the Bangladeshi capital reached 259, categorized as very unhealthy. Measurements were taken around 8:15 a.m., and Swiss-based monitoring organization IQAir reported that pollution levels in one area of the city exceeded 400. Eight locations across Dhaka recorded particularly poor air quality.

At the same time, Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Cairo in Egypt ranked second and third, with AQI readings of 247 and 227 respectively. The report noted that AQI levels above 200 are considered very unhealthy, while readings over 300 are deemed hazardous. The AQI scale classifies 0–50 as good, 51–100 as moderate, 101–150 as unhealthy for sensitive groups, 151–200 as unhealthy, and 201–300 as very unhealthy.

The data highlights Dhaka’s ongoing struggle with severe air pollution, which continues to pose serious health risks to residents.

Tourist travel to Bangladesh’s only coral-rich island, Saint Martin, has been suspended for nine months following a government decision. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change ended the current tourism season last Saturday, and from Sunday, no tourist vessels are allowed to operate to the island. Authorities said the restriction aims to preserve the island’s fragile environmental balance, limiting tourist access to only three months each year.

Typically, tourists are permitted to visit Saint Martin from October 1 to March 31, but this year the period was shortened to January 31 due to environmental risks. Cox’s Bazar Additional Deputy Commissioner Imran Hossain Sajib confirmed that Saturday marked the last day for tourist ships to travel to the island. He added that future changes would depend on government decisions.

Saint Martin Union Parishad Chairman Foyezul Islam expressed concern that most island residents depend on tourism for their livelihood. He said the extended closure has caused disappointment among locals and suggested that a longer tourist season would help them sustain their income.

A 5.3-magnitude earthquake struck the town of Mohr in Iran’s Fars province on Sunday morning, February 1, 2026. The tremor occurred at 8:11 a.m. local time at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers. The German Research Centre for Geosciences confirmed the event, noting that many residents near the epicenter felt the quake. No reports of major damage have been received so far.

According to earthquake experts, tremors of this magnitude can cause minor incidents such as items falling from shelves or windows breaking, but they are unlikely to trigger a large-scale natural disaster. The Volcano Discovery website also reported the same preliminary magnitude and depth.

Authorities and monitoring agencies continue to assess the situation, though early indications suggest limited impact in the affected area.

The Bangladesh Meteorological Department has forecast partly cloudy skies over Dhaka and surrounding areas today, with mainly dry weather conditions. The forecast, issued for six hours from 7 a.m. Sunday, indicates that light fog may occur in some places. Winds are expected to blow from the west or northwest at speeds between 5 and 10 kilometers per hour. The department also reported that daytime temperatures are likely to remain nearly unchanged.

According to the morning observation, Dhaka recorded a temperature of 18.2 degrees Celsius at 6 a.m., with humidity at 98 percent. The highest temperature in the capital on the previous day was 27.7 degrees Celsius, while the lowest today was 17.5 degrees Celsius. No rainfall was recorded in the last 24 hours. Sunset is expected at 5:45 p.m. and sunrise tomorrow at 6:40 a.m.

The nationwide forecast suggests that skies across Bangladesh may remain temporarily partly cloudy until 6 p.m., with dry weather prevailing and both day and night temperatures likely to stay nearly steady.