A report from the Chief Adviser’s Press Wing in Bangladesh stated that out of 645 recorded attacks on minority communities in 2025, police identified communal elements in only 71 cases. The data, covering incidents from January to December 2025, was compiled from verified First Information Reports, General Diaries, charge sheets, and nationwide investigation updates.

According to the report, the 71 communal incidents mainly involved vandalism or desecration of religious sites and idols, along with a few other crimes. The remaining 574 incidents were assessed as non-communal, linked instead to disputes such as land conflicts, neighborhood quarrels, political rivalries, theft, sexual violence, and personal enmity. The report emphasized that while all crimes are concerning, most were criminal rather than communal in nature.

It further noted that the findings highlight challenges in law and order management and underscore the importance of evidence-based discussion over fear or misinformation.

A Dhaka court has ordered the appointment of a receiver to manage the seized properties of Mohammad Saiful Alam, chairman of S Alam Group. The order was issued on Monday, January 19, 2026, by Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Md Sabbir Foyez. According to court bench assistant Md Riaz Hossain, the decision concerns 463.87 decimals of land and structures in Chattogram that had previously been confiscated.

The Anti-Corruption Commission’s Deputy Director, Tahasin Munabil Haque, had earlier filed a petition seeking the appointment of a receiver to oversee the seized assets. After a hearing, the judge granted the request. The same court had earlier, on January 11, ordered the seizure of the properties belonging to the S Alam Group chairman.

The appointment of a receiver indicates that the court aims to ensure proper management and preservation of the confiscated assets while legal proceedings continue.

Six members of the same family were killed in a shooting incident in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The attack occurred in Karak district following a domestic dispute, according to a report published on Sunday, January 18. Police said the suspected gunman opened fire indiscriminately on his family members, killing six people on the spot, including two women and two young daughters.

Authorities identified the victims as the suspect’s two brothers, his sister-in-law, wife, and daughter. After the attack, the suspect reportedly fired at law enforcement officers in an attempt to evade arrest. Police spokesperson Shaukat Khan stated that officers quickly conducted an operation, apprehended the suspect near the scene, and recovered the weapon used in the killings.

The report did not mention further details about the motive or the condition of the surviving relatives. The investigation into the incident is ongoing, according to police sources cited in the report.

A two-year-old child named Yanur drowned in a bucket of water at his home in Kumarpara village under Bilchalon Union of Chatmohar upazila, Pabna. The incident occurred around noon on Monday when the child accidentally fell into a bucket while playing. After a search, family members and locals found him submerged in the water.

Locals immediately rescued Yanur and took him to Chatmohar Upazila Health Complex, where the on-duty doctor declared him dead. The incident was confirmed by Anwar Hossain, a member of the local union parishad. The report described the death as tragic and accidental, with no indication of foul play or further investigation mentioned.

The incident highlights the vulnerability of young children to household accidents, particularly in rural areas where supervision challenges and open water containers are common.

Police from the Bharadoba Highway Station in Valuka, Mymensingh, recovered a newborn from an abandoned carton by the roadside at Hajir Bazar on the evening of January 18. Locals first noticed the baby alive inside the carton and alerted the highway police, who took the infant to Valuka Government Hospital. The attending doctor later declared the baby dead.

Residents suspect the incident may be linked to a local clinic, though no official confirmation has been made. The discovery took place around 7 p.m. in the Hajir Bazar area of Valuka upazila. Police have initiated legal procedures following the recovery.

Officer-in-Charge Zahidul Islam of Valuka Model Police Station stated that the body will be handed over to Anjuman Mofidul Islam for burial after an autopsy, and necessary legal steps will be taken regarding the case.

Two men were killed in a mob beating in Chayani village under Joymontop Union of Singair upazila in Manikganj. The incident occurred around 3 a.m. on Sunday when they allegedly attempted to steal cattle by cutting the grill of a cowshed at the house of a local resident named Inuch Ali. The deceased were identified as Din Islam, 22, son of Bandu Mia of Chayani village, and Majnu, 25, son of Tota Mia of Dashani village.

According to local residents and family sources, the two men were caught during the attempted theft and beaten by villagers, leading to their deaths. The report did not include any official statement from law enforcement or details about subsequent actions by authorities.

The incident highlights ongoing tensions in rural areas over cattle theft and community responses to such crimes, though further details about investigations or arrests were not available in the report.

A retired army member named Mahbub Alam has died after being assaulted in the Uttara area of Dhaka. He was under treatment at the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) and passed away late Sunday night. The incident was confirmed by Sub-Inspector Md Kamrul of Uttara West Police Station, who said the body was sent to Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College morgue for autopsy. Mahbub Alam, originally from Shibganj in Chapainawabganj, lived and worked in the Uttara East police area for a private company.

According to police, the assault took place on Friday evening on Road 12 of Sector 14 in Uttara West. Mahbub had gone there for a bodyguard job interview when two private cars arrived. A man from one of the vehicles struck him on the head with a stick, and several others joined in, beating him severely before fleeing. Locals rescued him and took him to CMH, where he later died.

Police have filed a case and are continuing efforts to arrest the attackers involved in the incident.

China’s birth rate has fallen to its lowest level since records began in 1949, according to official data released Monday. The National Bureau of Statistics reported that only 7.92 million babies were born in 2025, resulting in a birth rate of 5.63 per 1,000 people. This marks the fourth consecutive year of population decline, with the total population dropping by about 3.39 million to 1.4 billion, as deaths outnumbered births.

Experts cited declining marriage and childbirth trends, rising living costs, and difficulties balancing work and family life as key reasons for the sustained drop in births. Despite government measures such as child allowances, tax breaks for housing, and free preschool education, younger generations remain reluctant to have children due to economic uncertainty and the high cost of raising families.

The continuing demographic decline is reducing China’s labor force and increasing the proportion of elderly citizens, posing a significant long-term challenge for the world’s second-largest economy.

The prosecution has submitted formal charges against Shamim Osman, his son Wan Osman, and ten others for alleged crimes against humanity committed during the July Revolution in Narayanganj. The charges were filed on Sunday morning with the registrar of International Crimes Tribunal-1. Prosecutor Gazi M H Tamim confirmed the submission, stating that the charges were based on the investigation agency’s report.

According to the prosecution, widespread killings occurred across the country during the July-August Revolution, including in Narayanganj. The investigation report linked the accused to acts of mass killing in the area, leading to the formal filing of charges. A total of twelve individuals have been named in the case.

The tribunal will now review the submitted charges to determine the next steps in the judicial process.

A 25-year-old man named Komol was found dead by hanging in his room at his residence on Anandabazar Secretariat Road in Dhaka’s Shahbagh area on Sunday night. Family members discovered the incident after breaking open his room door and found him hanging from a ceiling fan with a rope. He was taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where doctors declared him dead at around 10:45 p.m.

Inspector Md. Faruk, in charge of the Dhaka Medical College Hospital police outpost, confirmed the death and said the body had been kept in the hospital morgue. The relevant police station has been informed about the incident. Komol’s father, Md. Kamal, could not immediately explain the reason behind his son’s decision to hang himself.

Authorities have not yet determined the cause of the death, and further investigation is expected following the police notification.

The trial of 39 accused, including expelled ISKCON leader and Sanatani Jagaran Jote spokesperson Chinmoy Krishna Das alias Chandan Dhar, has begun in the murder case of advocate Saiful Islam Alif in Chattogram court premises. On Monday morning, Judge Md Zahidul Haque of the Chattogram Speedy Trial Tribunal framed charges after reviewing the case documents, charge sheet, CCTV footage, witness statements, seized evidence, autopsy, and forensic reports. Tight security was maintained around the court as 23 arrested accused, including Chinmoy, were produced before the tribunal, while 16 others remain absconding.

During the hearing, Chinmoy claimed innocence, stating he was arrested a day before the murder and has been in custody since. The prosecution, represented by Assistant Public Prosecutor Md Raihanul Wazed Chowdhury, alleged that on the day of the incident, Chinmoy’s followers seized control of the prison van carrying him and incited violence through speeches, leading to the fatal attack on Alif.

The next hearing date has been set for February 2, with legal aid lawyers to be appointed for the detained accused. The case marks the formal start of proceedings in one of Chattogram’s most sensational murder incidents.

Seven people were killed when a passenger bus and a battery-run autorickshaw collided head-on on Sunday evening, January 18, 2026, at the Milgate area of Mustafapur Union in Madaripur Sadar upazila along the Dhaka-Barishal Highway. The bus lost control after the collision and fell into a roadside ditch. Highway police and fire service teams conducted a joint rescue operation, recovering the bus around 9:30 p.m. and restoring traffic flow.

The deceased were identified as Pannu Munshi, 50, a bus supervisor from Madaripur; autorickshaw driver Sagar Bepari, 22; and five day laborers from Gopalganj’s Kotalipara upazila—Shefali Barai, 42; Kamona Biswas, 41; Dulal Barai, 45; Abha Barai, 50; and Anita Barai, 40. At least five others were injured and admitted to Madaripur 250-bed District Hospital.

According to officials, the accident likely occurred due to the bus’s excessive speed and an attempt to overtake an illegal autorickshaw on the highway. Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the full cause of the crash.

The International Crimes Tribunal will announce its verdict on Tuesday, January 20, in the Chankharpul murder case involving the killing of six people, including Shahid Anas. Bangladesh Television (BTV) will broadcast the verdict live. The case stems from the police shooting during a student protest in the Chankharpul area on August 5, 2024, which left several people dead and many injured.

Four accused are currently in custody: former Shahbagh Police Station officer (operations) Md Arshad Hossain, constable Md Sujon Mia, Md Imaje Hossain Imon, and Md Nasirul Islam. Four others remain fugitives, including former DMP Commissioner Habibur Rahman, former Joint Commissioner Sudip Kumar Chakraborty, former Additional Deputy Commissioner Shah Alam Md Akhtarul Islam, and former Assistant Commissioner Mohammad Imrul.

The tribunal had earlier, on July 14, 2025, framed charges against all eight accused and ordered the trial to begin. The upcoming verdict marks a key moment in the judicial process surrounding the 2024 Chankharpul protest killings.

Uncontrolled sand extraction from the Teesta River’s char areas in Dakshin Kolkond of Gangachara upazila, Rangpur, has put the river protection groyne embankment at risk of collapse. According to local reports, a syndicate has been illegally removing and selling sand by cutting into the embankment. The groyne, originally built to protect homes, farmland, schools, roads, and infrastructure, is now being damaged by these activities. Police attempted to stop the illegal extraction on December 20, 2025, but were attacked by the accused while trying to seize sand-laden vehicles.

Upazila Nirbahi Officer Jesmin Akter stated that legal action will be taken against those cutting the embankment for sand extraction. Water Development Board Executive Engineer Mehedi Hasan warned that if the groyne is damaged, the Teesta River’s flow could shift, affecting not only Dakshin Kolkond but also wider areas including Rangpur city. Locals have demanded strict action against all members of the syndicate, including landowners, occupiers, and vehicle operators.

Residents fear that without immediate repair of the damaged groyne, the upcoming monsoon could bring severe river erosion and humanitarian disaster across greater Rangpur.

In Keshabpur upazila of Jashore, waterlogging across 20 wetlands has raised concerns that boro rice cultivation on about 500 hectares of land may not be possible this season. The local agriculture office reported that due to the refusal of several fish farm owners to release water for irrigation, around 195 hectares will remain uncultivated. The upazila set a target of cultivating 13,000 hectares with an expected yield of 84,500 tons of rice worth Tk 34.2 crore, but production could fall short by about 12,067 tons, affecting nearly 1,000 farmers.

According to the agriculture office, boro planting has been completed on 8,000 hectares so far, with preparations continuing on the remaining land. Farmers in areas such as Bil Baldhali, Burli Banar Bil, and others have expressed frustration as they cannot prepare seedbeds due to stagnant water. The government has launched a project to dredge 81.5 kilometers of five rivers, including the Harihar, to address long-term waterlogging in the Bhobdah region.

Local farmers have sought assistance from the upazila administration and agriculture office to resolve the irrigation crisis and save their crops.