A joint army team arrested a notorious criminal, Sajjad Hossain, and his wife, Jannat Akter, in Ashakpur Union of Shahjahanpur upazila, Bogura, around 9 p.m. on January 27, 2026. Acting on intelligence information, the operation was led by Captain Sadif and Lieutenant Fahad. The couple was detained with a foreign-made firearm, and several sharp local weapons were also recovered from their residence.

During interrogation, Sajjad admitted to possessing a 9mm pistol made in Germany. When the army team went to recover the weapon, Jannat attempted to dispose of it by throwing it into a nearby drain. Later, under the direction of Lieutenant Colonel Tanvir, the search team recovered the pistol and seized additional weapons from the house. The arrested couple and the recovered arms were handed over to the police for legal proceedings.

According to the army, such operations will continue to maintain law and order during the election period in the region.

Former Indian cricketer Jacob Martin was arrested by Vadodara police in Gujarat for allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol and causing a road accident. The incident occurred early Tuesday morning in the Akota area of Vadodara. According to police, around 2:30 a.m., Martin lost control of his MG Hector vehicle near the Puneet Nagar Society and hit several parked cars, causing severe damage. Police suspect the 53-year-old was intoxicated at the time of the crash.

Authorities said Martin was arrested under charges of drunk driving and rash driving, and his vehicle was seized. Police believe he had consumed alcohol with a friend before driving that night. The report did not mention any injuries resulting from the collision.

Jacob Martin represented India in 10 One Day Internationals between 1999 and 2001. He also captained the Baroda Ranji Trophy team and was known as a prominent domestic batsman during his playing career.

An Oxford University study published in the British journal Nature Sustainability warns that nearly half of the world’s population could suffer from extreme heat by 2050 if fossil fuel use continues at the current rate. The research, based on a projected two-degree Celsius rise in global temperature from pre-industrial levels, found that 41 percent of people—about 3.79 billion—would be exposed to dangerous heat, up from 23 percent in 2010.

The study, led by Dr. Jesus Lizana of Oxford’s Department of Engineering Science, highlights a sharp contrast between national temperature averages and actual living conditions. It identifies India, Nigeria, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and the Philippines as particularly vulnerable to severe heat exposure. The findings also show that regions with high population density will experience over 3,000 cooling degree days, indicating a growing demand for air conditioning and other cooling systems.

Researchers noted that extreme cold conditions will decline globally, with the share of “severely cold” populations dropping from 14 percent to 7 percent. This shift will increase cooling needs in tropical countries while reducing heating requirements in northern nations such as Canada and Russia.

The government of Bangladesh has approved separate proposals to buy 10 million liters of refined soybean oil and 10,000 tons of lentils to stabilize the market ahead of the upcoming holy month of Ramadan. The approvals were granted at the fourth meeting of the Advisory Council Committee held at the Cabinet Division on Tuesday, chaired by Economic Adviser Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed. After the meeting, Energy Adviser Muhammad Faozul Kabir Khan said the decision was taken to keep the prices of edible oil and lentils stable during Ramadan.

According to the approved plans, the lentils will be purchased from local company KBC Agro Products Pvt. Ltd. through open tender in 10 lots at a total cost of Tk 70.96 crore, with the price set at Tk 70.96 per kilogram. The soybean oil purchase will cost Tk 185.92 crore, with 5 million liters to be bought from Super Oil Refinery Ltd. at Tk 185.95 per liter and another 5 million liters from Shabnam Vegetable Oil Industries Ltd. at Tk 185.90 per liter.

The same meeting also approved fertilizer imports, a road sector project, and the purchase of a research vessel and speedboats for oceanographic research.

Bangladesh’s mobile phone sector is facing severe instability following the government’s implementation of the National Equipment Identity Registrar (NEIR) system. The Mobile Phone Industry Owners Association of Bangladesh (MIOB) raised branded handset prices soon after the rollout and donated Tk 46 crore to the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) to support the project. Meanwhile, grey market traders have protested the initiative, claiming it will render their unsold stock unusable. After a 20‑day closure, they reopened shops but suspended sales of officially distributed smartphones, pledging to continue demonstrations until March 15.

Industry sources said the price surge is not sudden but linked to a global rise in memory chip costs, which have increased by up to 60% since 2025. The higher component prices, coupled with growing demand for AI‑enabled smartphones requiring more RAM and processing power, have pushed production costs up by 10–15%. Retail prices in Bangladesh have risen 10–25% across categories, with brands such as Xiaomi, Vivo, Infinix, Realme, Samsung, and OnePlus all increasing prices.

The BTRC stated that it accepted MIOB’s donation due to the absence of government budget for NEIR, describing the move as being in the national interest.

Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser’s Special Envoy for International Affairs, Lutfey Siddiqi, has said that the United States is likely to announce a reduction in counter-tariffs on Bangladeshi products early next week. Speaking at a press conference at the Foreign Service Academy on Tuesday, he stated that the US is sincere about lowering tariffs and that an official announcement could come by the end of this week or the beginning of next. The current tariff rate stands at 20 percent, though the extent of the reduction has not yet been clarified.

Siddiqi explained that he held detailed discussions on the issue with US Treasury Secretary and cabinet member Scott Besent during the World Economic Forum in Davos. He noted that many elements of the US non-tariff policy align with Bangladesh’s interim government’s reform agenda and that the trade deficit between the two countries, previously around six billion dollars, has significantly narrowed. These developments, he said, have contributed to a positive outlook from the US regarding easing trade barriers for Bangladesh.

Siddiqi also discussed Bangladesh’s ongoing trade talks with the European Union, Japan, Singapore, and South Korea, highlighting both opportunities and challenges in securing future trade benefits after the country’s graduation from LDC status.

The long-anticipated Padma Barrage construction project, valued at Tk 50,444 crore, has been halted at the final stage after it was not presented for approval at the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) meeting. The project aimed to restore biodiversity across 26 districts and 123 upazilas in Bangladesh’s southwest region, severely affected by India’s upstream water withdrawal. The Planning Ministry confirmed that despite all preparations, the project was not tabled for reasons not disclosed.

Geopolitical analysts view the delay as a sign of the interim government’s concession to India, while experts stress that India’s unilateral withdrawal of water from shared rivers has caused severe environmental and agricultural damage in Bangladesh. The Planning Ministry stated that the government’s current priority is to ensure a free and fair national election, after which the elected administration will decide on the project.

Documents show that India has repeatedly objected to the project during bilateral and technical discussions. Officials indicated that the proposal may be reconsidered in a future ECNEC meeting or by the next elected government.

A fire broke out on Tuesday night in a house at Islamnagar near Jahangirnagar University, leaving four people, including a university student, injured. The incident occurred around 9 p.m. when local residents managed to control the blaze before firefighters arrived. The injured include Saiful Islam (Roni), a student of the university’s anthropology department, along with house owner Abdur Rahman’s sons Md. Raihan and Md. Rahat, and tenant Md. Hasinur.

According to reports, the fire started after a family dispute between brothers Rahat and Raihan. Raihan allegedly poured petrol in a room intending to set it on fire. When their acquaintances Roni and Hasinur tried to intervene, Raihan ignited a lighter, causing the fire to spread rapidly and burn all four individuals. They were first taken to the university’s medical center, where doctors said two were critically injured.

Medical staff estimated that Saiful Islam sustained burns over 70 percent of his body. All four victims were later transferred to the burn unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital for further treatment.

Rifat Niloy Jowardar, known as the cashier of former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Benazir Ahmed, has been arrested by a unit of the Detective Branch (DB) police. The arrest took place at Monorama Apartment, House No. 29, Road No. 14/A in Dhanmondi, Dhaka. According to the report, he was detained with arms and drugs. Jowardar had allegedly provided financial support to suppress the July movement and had been accused in multiple murder cases but remained active until his arrest.

The report states that Jowardar managed several flats in Dhaka allegedly occupied by former SB chief Monirul Islam and former IGP Benazir Ahmed. He was reportedly responsible for renting out these properties and delivering the collected rent money to Benazir and Monirul each month. Despite his criminal allegations, he had continued these activities until the DB operation led to his detention.

The arrest marks a significant development in ongoing investigations involving associates of former senior police officials, though further official details were not provided in the report.

A rickshaw driver named Nasiruddin Basu, aged 50, was allegedly beaten to death on Tuesday afternoon in Alinagar Bhutpukur area of Chapainawabganj municipality. The incident occurred around 2 p.m. following a dispute over collecting water from a government tube well. Police and family members said Basu had a long-standing conflict with neighbors regarding the use of the tube well. During the altercation, members of the opposing side reportedly struck him on the head with a tree branch, leaving him critically injured. He died on the way to the district hospital.

According to duty doctor Abdur Rahman at the 250-bed district hospital, Basu was dead before arrival, with visible injuries to the back of his head. The body has been sent to the morgue for autopsy. Chapainawabganj Sadar Model Police Station Officer-in-Charge Nure Alam said police reached the scene, brought the situation under control, and launched an operation to identify and arrest those involved.

Police investigations are ongoing to locate the suspects and determine the full circumstances of the fatal clash.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has filed three separate cases against three Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) officers for allegedly using forged academic certificates to obtain government positions. The accused are Abu Saleh Md. Musa, Sukanta Kundu, and Sanjoy Das. Two of them joined the BCS Administration cadre, while one joined the Foreign Affairs cadre. The announcement was made by ACC Director General Md. Akhter Hossain at a press conference held at the commission’s headquarters in Segunbagicha, Dhaka, on Tuesday afternoon.

According to the ACC, Sukanta Kundu of the 41st BCS Administration cadre submitted a falsified graduation certificate to the Public Service Commission (PSC), which was later verified as fake. Similar allegations were confirmed against Abu Saleh Md. Musa of the 38th BCS Foreign Affairs cadre and Sanjoy Das of the 38th BCS Administration cadre. PSC’s internal investigation verified the authenticity of the allegations and recommended legal action.

Based on the investigation report and recommendations, the ACC filed the cases under Rule 10(cha) of the ACC Rules, 2007, to initiate legal proceedings against the three officials.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Traffic Mirpur Division officer Sergeant Mehedi Hasan Lawrence arrested a mugger in the Mirpur-1 area after the suspect held a young man at knifepoint and snatched his mobile phone. Acting swiftly on the report, Sergeant Mehedi conducted an immediate operation, detaining the mugger with both the stolen phone and the knife. The recovered phone was later returned to the victim.

The Traffic Mirpur Division announced the arrest on Monday, crediting Sergeant Mehedi’s prompt action and courage. In recognition of his bravery, the division awarded him a prize, which was handed over by the division’s Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Sanowar Hossain on behalf of the DMP Commissioner. The department publicly praised the officer’s decisive response to the incident.

The recognition highlights the Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s emphasis on quick and courageous field action by its officers in maintaining public safety in the capital.

A joint force has arrested former BNP leader Syed Ahmed Bepari, 45, with weapons in Chandpur’s Faridganj upazila. The arrest was confirmed on Tuesday evening by Additional Superintendent of Police (Crime) Md Lutfor Rahman. Bepari, a former joint general secretary of the Char Dukhiya Paschim Union BNP, was detained early Monday night from Howlader Bazar area in Haimchar upazila. Based on his information, a large cache of locally made weapons was later recovered from his home in Faridganj.

The seized items include three Chinese axes, two machetes, one iron knife, one local cleaver, four steel pipes, a hammer, a chain, a bench gear, three steel knives, and two smartphones. Local BNP leader Md Shahjahan said Bepari previously held a union-level position, but all BNP committees at the upazila and union levels are currently suspended. Police officials stated that Bepari was first handed over to Haimchar Police Station and later transferred to Faridganj Police Station due to his permanent address.

According to police, a case is being processed against Bepari at Faridganj Police Station, and he will be presented before the court following legal procedures.

Bangladesh Bank has decided not to immediately liquidate three non-bank financial institutions—GSP Finance, Prime Finance, and Bangladesh Industrial Finance Company (BIFC)—while proceeding with closure plans for six others. The decision was made at a board meeting chaired by Governor Ahsan H. Mansur, where the institutions were given three to six months to improve their financial indicators. The central bank had earlier initiated liquidation proceedings against nine NBFIs due to high default loans and failure to return deposits.

The nine institutions under scrutiny include FAS Finance, BIFC, Premier Leasing, Fareast Finance, GSP Finance, Prime Finance, Aviva Finance, Peoples Leasing, and International Leasing. Their default loans reportedly range between 75 and 98 percent, attributed to long-standing irregularities and weak management. Hearings on the liquidation process concluded last Sunday, after which the board approved conditional time extensions for the three firms.

Governor Mansur also stated that depositors of the nine distressed NBFIs will receive their principal amounts before Ramadan, with the government verbally approving around Tk 5,000 crore for repayments. No interest will be paid on these deposits.

District Detective Branch (DB) police recovered the body of a five-year-old boy, Md. Rayan Mallik, three days after he went missing in Bhola’s Bhandaria upazila of Pirojpur district. The body was found around 1 a.m. on Monday inside a haystack in a neighbor’s cowshed. Rayan, son of Malaysia expatriate Russell Mallik, was a kindergarten student at Pashuribunia Afsaria Nurani Kindergarten. His family alleged that a rival uncle, Abdul Kader Mallik, killed the child and hid the body.

Police arrested four suspects in connection with the incident: Riyad Mallik, Mizan Mallik, Sayedul Islam, and Parvin Begum. The victim’s grandfather, Abdul Haque Mallik, filed a murder case at Bhandaria Police Station. According to Pirojpur Superintendent of Police Mohammad Manzur Ahmed Siddiqui, Rayan went missing on Friday afternoon, and his mother filed a general diary after failing to locate him.

During the investigation, police recovered a note from a nearby mosque veranda. Handwriting analysis led to the detention of cousin Riyad Mallik, who later admitted writing the note. Based on his information and intelligence, the remaining three suspects were quickly identified and arrested.