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.

Default loans in Bangladesh’s non-bank financial institutions (NBFIs) have risen sharply, reaching about Tk 29,409 crore by the end of September last year, accounting for over 37 percent of total loans. Bangladesh Bank Executive Director and spokesperson Arif Hossain Khan confirmed the figures. The central bank’s report shows that total loans in the sector increased to Tk 79,251 crore in September from Tk 77,092 crore in June, while defaults grew by Tk 1,868 crore during the same period.

Sector insiders attribute the ongoing crisis to long-standing irregularities and fund misappropriation in several institutions, particularly those linked to PK Halder. Bangladesh Bank has issued notices to 20 NBFIs for failing to repay deposits and plans to close nine of them, including FAS Finance, Bangladesh Industrial Finance Company, and People’s Leasing. These nine hold about 55 percent of total default loans in the sector.

Governor Ahsan H. Mansur announced that individual depositors of the nine institutions will receive their principal amounts before Ramadan in February. The government has verbally approved Tk 5,000 crore to facilitate repayments, though no interest will be paid.

A long-standing feature of Chattogram’s criminal underworld is the widespread use of nicknames that overshadow real identities. Locals rarely know offenders by their given names, instead recognizing them through fear-inducing aliases such as “Gulibappa,” “Chhapaty Faruk,” or “Bhagina.” The Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP) recently released a list of 330 wanted criminals, revealing that at least 15 of them are known primarily by such nicknames. These aliases are deeply rooted in the city’s alley-based culture, where youth gangs, neighborhood rivalries, and local social ties give rise to new monikers.

Police officials acknowledge that this nickname culture complicates investigations, as matching aliases with legal identities often takes significant time. CMP Additional Commissioner Wahidul Haque Chowdhury cited “Barma Saiful” as an example, noting that his nickname originated from his residence in Barma Colony and that he faces over 30 cases. Security analyst M Shahiduzzaman described nicknames as tools of intimidation and survival, helping criminals evade law enforcement.

The persistence of this culture across areas like Chawkbazar, Sadarghat, and Pahartali underscores how deeply it has shaped local crime networks, making law enforcement’s task of identification and prosecution increasingly complex.

At least 19 people have been killed and more than 50,000 displaced as uncontrolled wildfires swept through southern Chile’s Ñuble and Biobío regions, about 500 kilometers south of Santiago. Fueled by strong winds and high temperatures, the fires have destroyed homes, vehicles, and infrastructure over two days, leaving towns like Penco and Lirquén in ruins. Most of the deaths occurred in Penco, while residents in Lirquén described flames spreading within seconds.

President Gabriel Boric declared a state of emergency in the affected regions, enabling the deployment of armed forces to assist nearly 4,000 firefighters battling the blazes. He visited Concepción to oversee firefighting efforts and imposed a nighttime curfew in the hardest-hit areas, calling the situation extremely difficult. The national disaster agency reported that most evacuations took place in Penco and Lirquén, home to about 60,000 people.

Officials warned that weather conditions remain unfavorable, with high temperatures and strong winds complicating containment efforts. The report noted that climate change has intensified wildfire risks in central and southern Chile in recent years.

The Bangladesh government has launched multiple measures to keep essential commodity prices stable ahead of the upcoming Ramadan. According to Trade Adviser Sheikh Bashir Uddin, preparations for supply and market management are satisfactory, with import letters of credit exceeding last year’s levels. The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has reduced import duties on dates by 40 percent, lowering the rate from 25 to 15 percent until March 31, and removed VAT on several daily essentials including mustard oil, flour, lentils, LPG, biscuits, salt, and spices.

The NBR has also halved advance income tax on fruit imports from 10 to 5 percent, maintaining a 50 percent rebate introduced last year. Market visits show lower prices for chicken, beef, mutton, sugar, onions, and potatoes compared to last year. Residents and traders in Dhaka report improved affordability, crediting government oversight and increased imports. The Department of Agricultural Marketing’s data indicates that prices of 20 key agricultural products have fallen since the 2024 mass uprising, with notable declines in potatoes, onions, garlic, and pulses.

Officials and traders expect further price reductions before Ramadan if current monitoring and supply conditions continue.

Police recovered the hanging body of Akash Sarkar, a student of the Drama Department at Jagannath University, from a mess in the Bhattikhana area of Gendaria, Dhaka, on Sunday, January 18. He was a student of the 2014–15 session, 10th batch. Officers from Gendaria Police Station arrived at the scene around 9:30 p.m. after receiving information and sent the body to Midfort Hospital for autopsy.

A roommate named Ishtiaq stated that he was studying for an exam when he received a call from Akash’s girlfriend. After repeatedly knocking on the door, he found it unlocked and discovered the hanging body, after which he informed the police. Investigation officer Nazmul Hasan confirmed the recovery and the transfer of the body for post-mortem examination.

Authorities have not yet disclosed further details about the circumstances surrounding the death, and the investigation is ongoing.

A mobile court in Boalmari, Faridpur, seized a large quantity of adulterated food products worth about Tk 1.5 million during a joint operation on Sunday, January 18. The raid targeted a factory and warehouse in Andharkotha village, where counterfeit baby food, pickles, and chips were being produced and marketed. The operation, led by Upazila Assistant Commissioner (Land) Shibbir Ahmed, resulted in the confiscation and destruction of the seized goods and a fine of Tk 100,000 imposed on the responsible business.

According to court sources, two brothers, Baharul Biswas and Ruhul Biswas, had been running the illegal production under the guise of a store and factory for a long time. Four truckloads of fake and harmful food items were seized, including imitation juice, pickles, chocolates, chips, biscuits, fried snacks, and sweets made from rotten coconuts. All confiscated products were destroyed using a roller.

Assistant Commissioner Shibbir Ahmed stated that the operation was based on complaints about the long-term production and sale of adulterated food. He added that such drives would continue in the public interest.

The Forest Department has recovered and destroyed more than 200 traps used for deer hunting in the Satkhira range of the western Sundarbans. The operation took place on Sunday morning through noon in the Phulkhali area under the Kolagachhia patrol outpost. Forest officials and members of the local Community Patrolling Group (CPG) participated in identifying and dismantling the traps.

Forest Ranger Md. Fazlul Haque stated that regular foot patrols in the forest can help protect wildlife. He noted that poachers often enter the forest using various tactics to set traps in convenient locations, endangering deer and other important wildlife species. The operation was led by foresters Taibur Rahman and Shahinur Rahman, along with CPG members.

Fazlul Haque expressed hope that strengthening regular foot patrols would significantly reduce wildlife poaching in the Sundarbans, contributing to the protection of its biodiversity.

The Department of Narcotics Control in Manikganj has taken former BNP Mahila Dal leader Raha Mahamuda Poli into custody for questioning over alleged involvement with drugs. She was detained on Sunday, January 18, after local residents in Joyra area reported her to the authorities. The department’s deputy director Sheikh Muhammad Khaledul Karim confirmed the detention, stating that officials are interrogating her to determine whether she is linked to the seized narcotics.

According to the department, further legal action will be taken if the allegations are proven. Investigators are also examining whether anyone might have planted the drugs to falsely implicate her. Poli had previously been expelled from all party positions on September 23 of the previous year for activities deemed contrary to party policy, ideals, and discipline.

The expulsion notice, signed by Mahila Dal’s central president Afroza Abbas and general secretary Sultana Ahmed, cited multiple allegations against Poli, including land grabbing, drug use and trade, harassment of neighbors, and unethical relationships.

RAB-11 has arrested a notorious robber named Sabbir along with local weapons and illegal drugs in Fatullah, Narayanganj. The arrest took place at 3:20 p.m. on Sunday in the Godaraghata Haji’s Field area under Fatullah Police Station. Two of Sabbir’s associates were also detained during the operation. According to RAB-11, the raid was conducted by the CPC-1 team of Narayanganj based on secret intelligence and surveillance.

RAB sources stated that Md. Sabbir is a well-known robber and drug dealer with four criminal cases filed against him in different police stations, including charges of robbery, theft, mugging, drug trafficking, and murder. For a long time, he and his associates had been spreading fear in Fatullah and nearby areas through robbery, mugging, and drug trading.

After the arrest, the detainees were handed over to Fatullah Police Station for further legal action, according to RAB-11.

A 24-year-old woman named Amena Begum died after allegedly being forced to drink poison by her husband and mother-in-law in Bardona village of Satkania upazila, Chattogram. The incident occurred on January 16, and she died the following night while undergoing treatment at Chittagong Medical College Hospital. Police confirmed the incident and said that legal action would be taken after investigation.

According to family members, Amena married Mohammad Yusuf in 2022, and since then, she had faced frequent physical and mental abuse over family disputes. Her nephew alleged that on the day of the incident, she was beaten throughout the day before being forced to consume poison. Afterward, the accused reportedly fled the house. Before her death, Amena allegedly stated that her husband and mother-in-law had forced her to drink poison.

Local union panel chairman Md. Belal Uddin said there had been several arbitration meetings over the couple’s disputes, and he expressed sorrow over Amena’s death. Police are continuing their investigation into the case.

Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) recovered a 120-kilogram ancient stone idol from Alfadanga in Faridpur on Sunday afternoon. Acting on a tip-off, a team from RAB-10 Faridpur CPC-3 camp conducted an operation at Buraiich village and found the idol behind the pond of Akbar Sheikh’s house. During the operation, RAB detained Akbar Sheikh’s younger son, Saddam Sheikh, aged 34.

Following the recovery, RAB filed a case with Alfadanga Police Station. The station’s Officer-in-Charge, Abul Hasnat, confirmed that RAB handed over the arrested person and the idol to local police. He added that the suspect would be presented before the court after completion of legal procedures.

The recovered idol is believed to be around a hundred years old, and authorities are proceeding with legal actions regarding its possession and recovery.

Police in Faridpur upazila of Pabna recovered the body of 13-year-old schoolgirl Suraiya Khatun from a pond in Bilnolua village on Sunday, January 18, 2026, five days after she went missing. Her hands, feet, and mouth were found tied when the body was discovered by local farmers. Suraiya, daughter of Swapan Khan of Jontihar village under BLbari Union, was an eighth-grade student at Jontihar Adarsha High School.

According to police and family sources, Suraiya went missing from in front of her home on January 13. After extensive searches failed, her grandfather Abdul Jabbar Khan filed a general diary with Faridpur Police Station on January 16. Two days later, locals found the body floating in the pond and informed the family, who identified it before police retrieved it and sent it for autopsy.

Faridpur Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md Shamim Aknji confirmed the recovery and said the body was sent to Pabna Hospital morgue for post-mortem. He added that police are investigating the case seriously to identify and arrest those involved.