A fire broke out at a shoe factory in the Nazira Bazar area of Old Dhaka on Saturday evening, January 17, 2026. Four units of the Fire Service and Civil Defence responded promptly and brought the blaze under control. The fire started on the third floor of a four-storey building, but the cause of the incident has not yet been determined.

According to the Fire Service, they received the report of the fire at 7:13 p.m. and reached the site within ten minutes. After about half an hour of effort, the fire was brought under control at around 7:45 p.m. Md. Enamul Haque, Deputy Assistant Director (Zone-1) of the Fire Service, confirmed that the fire was fully contained and that further investigation would reveal the source of ignition.

Authorities have not yet provided details on damages or casualties, and an official investigation is underway to determine the cause of the fire.

The Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP) has released a new wanted list containing 330 individuals accused in multiple criminal cases, including murder, robbery, arms, narcotics, extortion, and vandalism. The public notice, issued on Saturday and signed by Police Commissioner Hasib Aziz, prohibits these individuals from entering or staying within the city until further orders. The CMP stated that the listed persons pose a significant threat to Chattogram’s public safety and that legal action will be taken against anyone violating the order.

Assistant Commissioner (Media) Aminur Rashid said the list reflects the city’s current security situation, noting that most of the suspects are fugitives with several police case records. He added that technology is being used to monitor their movements, with additional checkpoints set up at all 17 city entry points. Facial recognition cameras and mobile tracking are also being deployed to prevent unauthorized entry.

Rashid emphasized that the measure is temporary and aimed at ensuring safety around key economic zones, ports, and tunnels. The CMP’s intensified surveillance seeks to prevent potential sabotage and maintain law and order in the city.

A report by Middle East Eye describes how Palestinians in the occupied West Bank are trading household goods for basic food items amid worsening economic conditions. A mother from Bethlehem wrote in a private Facebook group that she exchanged kitchen utensils for olive oil and za’atar so her children could take food to school. Since the Gaza war began and Israeli restrictions tightened, such exchanges have become common, reflecting widespread hardship.

Economist Dr. Haitham Weida said the West Bank is being pushed toward a hunger crisis, where families cannot secure enough nutritious food. The region’s economy has deteriorated sharply since October 2023, with poverty reaching 28 percent and unemployment at similar levels. Israel’s restrictions have halted most Palestinian labor access, tourism, and tax revenues, while international aid has fallen to about $710–770 million in 2025. Nearly 898 checkpoints now hinder trade and movement.

The worsening situation has forced many Palestinians to risk their lives crossing into Israel for work. Labor unions report at least 38 workers killed and over 1,500 injured between October 2023 and September 2025 while attempting to find employment.

Foreign Affairs Adviser Md. Touhid Hossain has alleged that Bangladesh experienced extensive money laundering and looting through accounting manipulation and corruption over the past 15 years. He made the remarks on Saturday, January 17, at the ‘SAFA International Conference’ held at a hotel in Dhaka.

Hossain stated that a lack of transparency and weaknesses in financial accounting have hindered both foreign investment and the proper use of domestic resources. He said the burden of financial mismanagement ultimately falls on ordinary citizens, emphasizing the urgent need to ensure professional ethics and competence. He also urged South Asian countries to work together to address global instability.

The adviser added that the next generation of professionals—including accountants, auditors, and economic analysts—will play a vital role in restoring the economy through integrity, accountability, and innovation, helping to strengthen Bangladesh’s position amid global challenges.

Police in Dhaka recovered the bodies of four women from separate locations in Badda, Mirpur, Demra, and Jatrabari between Friday night, January 16, and Saturday morning, January 17, 2026. The bodies were sent to Dhaka Medical College morgue for autopsy. Authorities initially suspect suicide in all four cases, but the exact causes of death will be confirmed after post-mortem reports.

In Jatrabari’s Konapara Adarshabagh area, Asha Akter, 29, was found dead after reportedly hanging herself. In Demra’s Purbo Boxnagar, police recovered the body of Kohinur, 36, around 3 a.m. In Mirpur’s Sector 10, Sanjida Islam Mim, 19, was declared dead at Dhaka Medical College Hospital after being found hanging early Saturday. In Badda’s Aftabnagar Baghapur area, Suborna Khatun, 30, a domestic worker, was found dead following an alleged family dispute.

Police are awaiting autopsy results to determine the exact causes of death in all four cases.

A man named Rafiqul Islam, aged 45, was critically injured after jumping under a moving train in Goaland, Rajbari, on Saturday morning. The incident occurred around 8 a.m. near the Goaland Bazar rail crossing when a shuttle train from Daulatdia Ghat to Kushtia–Poradah was passing. Witnesses said Rafiqul suddenly jumped under the train, resulting in both his legs being completely severed. Fire service personnel rescued him in critical condition and took him to the Upazila Health Complex.

Family sources said Rafiqul had been suffering from mental health issues for a long time and was the father of three sons. The attending doctor at the health complex confirmed that both of his legs were fully detached and referred him to Faridpur Medical College Hospital for advanced treatment.

According to the Goaland Ghat Railway Police outpost in-charge, the injured man was rescued through the fire service and later transferred to Faridpur Medical College Hospital for further care.

Syeda Rizwana Hasan, adviser to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Information and Broadcasting, has called for an end to unnecessary honking to control noise pollution. She made the remarks while inaugurating a motor rally against honking, jointly organized by the Department of Environment and Dhaka Metropolitan Police under the ‘Integrated and Participatory Project for Noise Pollution Control’. The event took place in Dhaka, where the adviser emphasized that both legal measures and behavioral change are needed to address the issue.

Hasan noted that the ‘Noise Pollution (Control) Rules 2025’ have been gazetted, assigning responsibilities to both the Department of Environment and the police to take immediate action against offenders. Several areas in Dhaka have already been declared silent zones, and monitoring will be strengthened there. She identified honking and fireworks as major sources of noise pollution and suggested designating specific areas for New Year fireworks. The adviser urged media professionals to promote awareness and called on youth to build a social movement against noise pollution.

The rally, themed “No more noise pollution, let healthy life prevail,” concluded a ten-day mobile court and campaign held at ten key points in Dhaka since January 5, supported by Green Voice volunteers.

The operations of the Pangaon Inland Container Terminal (PICT) in Keraniganj, Dhaka, have officially begun under the management of Medlog Bangladesh Private Limited, a subsidiary of Switzerland-based logistics company Medlog. The inauguration took place on Saturday morning, led by Brigadier General (Retd.) M Sakhawat Hossain, advisor to the Ministry of Shipping. He stated that upgrading the terminal to international standards would enhance domestic container movement and strengthen multimodal transport connectivity, opening a new chapter in the country’s port management and inland water transport.

Shipping Secretary Dr. Nurunnahar Chowdhury said the 22-year concession agreement would make cargo handling at the terminal more dynamic and positively impact the national economy. The partnership between the government and the private sector is expected to play a key role in achieving set goals. The terminal, built at a cost of about Tk 155 crore, had been incurring losses for a decade before the government decided to bring it under professional private management.

Under the concession signed last November, Medlog Bangladesh will operate, maintain, and modernize the terminal in partnership with the Chittagong Port Authority.

Severe flooding caused by continuous heavy rainfall has killed more than 100 people across southern Africa, according to a report by Al Jazeera on Saturday. The floods have affected South Africa, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe, where rivers have overflowed and infrastructure has collapsed, cutting off communication in many areas. In South Africa’s Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces, at least 30 people have died, prompting the deployment of army helicopters to rescue stranded residents. A border checkpoint near Zimbabwe was evacuated after being surrounded by floodwaters.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa visited affected areas in Limpopo, reporting nearly 400 millimeters of rain in less than a week and the destruction of 36 houses in one district. Limpopo Premier Phophi Ramathuba said more than 1,000 homes were damaged. In Zimbabwe, the disaster management agency confirmed at least 70 deaths since the start of the year, with over 1,000 homes destroyed and multiple schools, roads, and bridges washed away.

The World Food Programme (WFP) stated that over 200,000 people have been affected, with 70,000 hectares of farmland submerged, raising fears of worsening food insecurity for small farmers in the region.

A petrol pump employee named Ripon Saha, aged 30, was killed early Friday morning, January 16, in Rajbari’s Goaland Mor area when he was run over by a car while trying to stop it from fleeing without paying for fuel. CCTV footage later identified the car’s owner as former Jubo Dal leader Abul Hashem Sujon and his driver Kamal Hossain Sardar. Police arrested both men from their homes that night, and Ripon’s younger brother, Protap Saha, filed a murder case against them at Rajbari Police Station.

According to eyewitness Nazrul Islam, two men arrived in a private car around 4:30 a.m. and took fuel worth 5,000 taka. When asked for payment, they became aggressive and attempted to drive away. Ripon tried to stop them, but the driver reversed the car, fatally hitting him. Police said Sujon has multiple prior cases involving weapons and drugs and has served jail time. Local Jubo Dal leaders clarified that Sujon resigned from the party in 2019 and later joined Awami League politics.

Authorities are continuing the investigation into the murder and the suspects’ criminal background.

Iranian police announced the seizure of nearly 60,000 illegal weapons during an operation in the southern city of Bushehr, according to a statement released on January 17, 2026. Two suspected terrorists were arrested in the raid, and the weapons were reportedly being transported to the capital, Tehran. The statement, cited by Press TV, said the country’s intelligence forces identified and detained members of a 'dangerous and armed terrorist group' allegedly trained by Israel’s intelligence agency Mossad.

Authorities claimed the group had been assigned to carry out killings and was involved in multiple terrorist activities. The weapons were said to have been obtained from smugglers. The announcement came as Iran faced widespread anti-government protests that have continued for about 20 days across the country.

The demonstrations began on December 28 in response to the falling value of the Iranian rial and rising living costs. The protests have since turned violent, marking the largest unrest since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Saudi Arabia’s state-owned mining company Ma’aden has extracted a total of 7.8 million ounces, equivalent to 221,000 kilograms, of gold from four locations across the country. The extraction took place at Mansourah Massarah, Uruk 20/21, Umm al-Salam, and Wadi al-Jawaa. According to the company, Mansourah Massarah yielded 3 million ounces, Uruk 20/21 and Umm al-Salam produced 1.607 million ounces, and Wadi al-Jawaa contributed 3.08 million ounces.

Ma’aden’s Chief Executive Officer Bob Wilt stated that this achievement strengthens Saudi Arabia’s global position as a leading gold producer. He attributed the success to the company’s long-term strategic plan, emphasizing that the results demonstrate its effectiveness in practice.

The report, citing Gulf News, suggests that the large-scale extraction will enhance Saudi Arabia’s mineral reserves and accelerate Ma’aden’s operations as a world-class gold producer.

Bangladesh Border Guard (BGB) seized narcotics worth Tk 2.9 million during operations along the Naogaon border in Dhamoirhat upazila. The 14 BGB battalion recovered 14,600 tapentadol tablets from a mustard field in Chakshobdol village near border pillar 266/1S late Saturday night. The operation was led by Havildar Mehedi Hasan of the Chakilam Border Outpost, and the seizure was confirmed in a statement by Lieutenant Colonel Abdullah Al Mamun, commanding officer of the Patnitala 14 BGB battalion. The confiscated drugs are being processed for handover to Dhamoirhat police.

On the same night, another BGB team from the Kalupara Border Outpost, led by Havildar Badsha Alamgir, seized 126 bottles of narcotic cough syrup from the Ustamabad area near border pillar 272MP. Both operations were conducted inside Bangladeshi territory, and no owners were identified for the seized items.

The BGB stated that the operations were part of ongoing efforts to curb cross-border drug trafficking in the Naogaon region.

Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed, Adviser in charge of the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Finance, visited the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant in Ishwardi, Pabna, on Friday, January 16, 2026. During the inspection, he reviewed the final preparations for nuclear fuel loading and assessed the overall progress of Bangladesh’s first nuclear power project. He toured the training center, main control room, electrical and water systems, and cooling tower, and discussed safety and technical matters with engineers and officials.

The Managing Director of Nuclear Power Plant Company Bangladesh Limited (NPCBL), Dr. Zahedul Hasan, briefed the adviser on the project’s safety systems, construction progress, and readiness for fuel loading. Senior government officials, including secretaries from the Cabinet Division, Finance Division, Economic Relations Division, and Science and Technology Ministry, were present during the visit.

Project authorities stated that construction is in its final phase, with testing activities ongoing. They expressed optimism that nuclear fuel loading will begin soon, marking a major step toward enhancing Bangladesh’s energy security and supporting sustainable development goals.

Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Limited has allegedly collected around Tk 400 crore in bills from customers in Shibaloy and surrounding areas of Manikganj over the past 16 years without providing regular gas supply. Residents claim they were forced to pay monthly bills despite receiving little or no gas since 2010. Protests demanding uninterrupted supply reportedly faced police action in 2014, injuring journalists and locals.

Regional manager Md. Alamgir Hossain said daily demand in the area is 22.6 MMCFD, but supply stands at only 11.8 MMCFD, creating a shortfall of about 11 MMCFD. He added that bill payment is mandatory for active connections, though disconnection requests are being processed. Locals estimate that residential users alone paid Tk 285 crore, with industrial and CNG users bringing the total to about Tk 400 crore.

District officials acknowledged the issue as a consumer rights violation and said legal action is underway against companies overcharging for cylinder gas. Consumers have demanded either regular gas supply or installation of meters to ensure fair billing.