Police in Ishwardi, Pabna recovered the hanging body of Fasiul Alam Onik, a 22-year-old Chhatra Dal leader, on Sunday evening. The body was found in a rented room at Diyar Sahapur village under Sahapur Union. Onik, son of Mahidul Islam Rana, was a student of Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology in Dhaka and served as the ward vice-president of Khilgaon Thana Chhatra Dal.

According to police and local sources, although Onik usually stayed in Dhaka for his studies, he had recently rented a room at the house of Ruhul Driver near his village. When locals noticed no response from his room for a long time, they informed police, who broke open the door and found him hanging from a ceiling fan. Witnesses said one of his feet was on the bed and the other touched the floor, raising questions and mystery in the area.

Ishwardi Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md. Mominuzzaman said the body was sent to Pabna General Hospital morgue for autopsy to determine the cause of death. Legal action will follow after investigation.

A seven-year-old Bangladeshi girl named Afnan was critically injured when a bullet fired from Myanmar struck her home in the Techchibridge area of Hwaikyang Union, Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar. The incident occurred amid intensified fighting between the Arakan Army and a Rohingya armed group in Myanmar’s Rakhine State. Afnan was first treated at the Kutupalong MSF hospital and later transferred to Chattogram Medical College Hospital (CMCH), where she remains in the intensive care unit. CMCH Director Brigadier General Taslim Uddin said the child was admitted around 4:30 p.m. on Sunday with a gunshot wound to the head and remains in extremely critical condition.

Earlier reports mistakenly claimed the child had died, prompting local protests and road blockades. Police later corrected the information, confirming that Afnan was alive but severely injured. Local authorities and law enforcement intervened to restore calm in the area. The child’s condition remains life-threatening, and doctors are monitoring her closely.

The cross-border incident has heightened tension in the border region, where stray gunfire from Myanmar’s internal conflict continues to pose risks to Bangladeshi civilians.

Bangladesh’s interim government spent about USD 3,877.74 million in 2025 to import 109 LNG cargoes, up from USD 3,022.32 million for 86 cargoes in 2024, according to Petrobangla officials. The imports totaled 350,766,440 MMBtu of LNG, reflecting a USD 855.42 million increase from the previous year. Officials said the rise was driven by growing industrial demand and insufficient domestic gas supply.

Petrobangla and Rupantarita Prakritik Gas Company Limited (RPGCL) reported that LNG was procured under long-term, short-term, and spot market contracts. QatarEnergy supplied 40 cargoes worth USD 1,204.49 million, while Oman’s OQ Trading delivered 16 cargoes under long-term deals and five under short-term contracts. Bangladesh also purchased 48 cargoes from the spot market through suppliers including PetroChina International and TotalEnergies Gas & Power. The government plans to import 115 cargoes in the 2025–2026 fiscal year.

Officials noted that daily gas demand reached 3,800 million cubic feet against production of 2,594.7 million cubic feet on January 5–6, 2026. The Integrated Energy and Power Master Plan 2023 projects demand to rise to 6,240 million cubic feet per day by 2030.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has filed seven separate cases accusing 93 individuals of embezzling at least Tk 47 crore from various branches of United Commercial Bank (UCB) PLC. The cases were lodged on Sunday at the ACC’s Chattogram-1 integrated district office. According to the case reports, fake identities of rural farmers, day laborers, and tailors were used to open current accounts and secure loans under the names of non-existent companies such as Hossain Trading, Karnaphuli Emporium, Zahid International, Cat’s Eye Corporation, Shah Trading, Harun & Sons, and Mallik & Brothers.

Investigations revealed that former top UCB officials, branch managers, and credit operations staff were directly involved in the scheme. The fraudulent loans were approved using forged trade licenses, fake documents, and fabricated verification reports prepared by an organized group. The funds were later transferred across accounts and withdrawn in cash. The ACC report also named former UCB director and executive committee chairman Anisuzzaman Chowdhury Rony and former director Bashir Ahmed as directly linked to the scam.

The ACC stated that similar embezzlement cases had been filed earlier and several related investigations remain ongoing.

Bangladesh’s Commerce Adviser Sheikh Bashiruddin stated that the ongoing IPL issue has not caused any negative impact on trade between Bangladesh and India. Speaking to reporters at the Secretariat on Sunday after a meeting on the new import policy order, he said that business activities with India are continuing normally.

The adviser emphasized that Bangladesh believes in open trade with all countries and does not take country-specific bilateral decisions unless domestic trade is disrupted. He added that various trade measures with India are being monitored to assess any possible effects. Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman noted that daily events rarely affect bilateral trade, though India’s closure of several land ports last May reduced Bangladesh’s exports. He clarified that Bangladesh did not take any countermeasures.

Rahman further explained that the decision to halt jute exports to India was made to maintain domestic supply and not to harm another country. He reiterated that Bangladesh’s trade policies are designed to protect internal markets rather than target any nation.

Commerce Adviser Sheikh Bashir Uddin announced that a meeting will be held on January 19 to review commodity prices ahead of Ramadan. He made the statement after a meeting at the Secretariat, noting that all relevant stakeholders will participate in the review to assess the overall market situation.

He also confirmed that the Ministry of Commerce has prepared a draft of the new Import Policy Order (IPO) for 2025–2028, introducing major changes from the existing 2021–2024 policy. The adviser said the revisions aim to liberalize and simplify trade procedures. Final approval will be sought through the Cabinet before details are disclosed.

Responding to questions about current tensions between Bangladesh and India, Sheikh Bashir Uddin stated that no impact on bilateral trade has been observed so far.

The International Crimes Tribunal-2 in Bangladesh has, for the first time, granted bail to an accused in the July Revolution murder case. The accused, Humayun Kabir Patowary, a local-level Awami League leader from Lakshmipur, received the order on Sunday. The three-member tribunal, chaired by Justice Nazrul Islam Chowdhury and including retired judges Manjurul Basit and Nur Mohammad Shahriar Kabir, issued the decision.

The tribunal granted bail on health grounds, as Patowary suffers from liver cirrhosis, a disease that had previously claimed the lives of his two brothers. The court imposed four conditions: he must inform investigators of his residence, refrain from media or social media engagement, notify authorities of any address change, and avoid contact or intimidation of witnesses. Violation of any condition will lead to immediate arrest and permanent denial of bail.

This marks the first instance of bail being granted in connection with the July Revolution murder case, signaling a rare judicial decision within the tribunal’s proceedings.

The interim government of Bangladesh has decided not to announce a new pay scale for public servants before the upcoming national election, citing financial constraints and the approaching polls. Instead, the Pay Commission has been instructed to continue its work and prepare a framework for the next administration. The final meeting of the commission, chaired by former finance secretary Zakir Ahmed Khan, is expected on January 21, after which recommendations will be submitted to the chief and finance advisers.

According to commission sources, the new pay structure—known as the ninth pay scale—is in its final stage. Three salary ratio proposals of 1:8, 1:10, and 1:12 were considered, with 1:8 being finalized. Minimum salary proposals range from Tk 16,000 to Tk 21,000. The 23-member National Pay Commission 2025 was formed on July 27 to adjust government salaries in line with inflation and economic conditions. The commission’s term ends in mid-February, coinciding with the February 12 national election.

Officials indicated that the interim government will finalize recommendations but leave implementation to the next elected administration. Until then, public employees will continue receiving dearness allowances as per existing rules.

Police in Kishoreganj upazila of Nilphamari arrested six individuals on Saturday night for alleged involvement in visa fraud and online gambling. The arrests were made during separate raids in different areas, and the detainees were sent to the district jail on Sunday under the Cyber Security Act. The arrested persons include residents of Nitai Union and Kishoreganj Sadar Union, identified by police as Abu Alam, Lal Mia, Bulbul Mia, Goffar Mia, Manjurul, and Selim.

According to Sub-Inspector Kazi Ripon, four suspects were detained from Bajedumuria Dakupura village based on secret information, and evidence of online casino activity was found on their mobile phones. In a separate operation the same night, two others were arrested from Kacharipara village, where one was found with evidence of visa fraud and another with online gambling traces. Officer-in-Charge (Investigation) Abdul Kuddus confirmed the arrests and legal action.

The suspects were placed in district jail on Sunday following the filing of cases under the Cyber Security Act, as confirmed by Kishoreganj police officials.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) seized a large consignment of illegal Indian cigarettes from the border area of Kulaura upazila in Moulvibazar on Saturday night. The operation took place near the Alinagar border outpost, where 2,550 packets of Indian cigarettes were recovered without an identified owner. The seized goods have an estimated market value of Tk 510,000.

According to the BGB’s Srimangal Battalion (46 BGB), its border outposts in Kulaura, Kamalganj, and Srimangal upazilas conduct round-the-clock patrols and regular anti-smuggling drives along the district’s border areas. The battalion oversees about 115 kilometers of border, focusing on preventing illegal drugs and other contraband from entering the country.

BGB officials stated that such operations will continue to ensure border security and curb smuggling activities. The seized cigarettes are being prepared for handover to the relevant authorities following legal procedures.

Members of the Anti-Terrorism Unit (ATU) from Dhaka successfully defused a powerful bomb recovered in Faridpur on Sunday morning. The operation took place around 10 a.m. at the bank of the Kumar River in the Goalachamot area, where the device was detonated in a controlled explosion after being surrounded with sandbags. ATU Inspector Shankar Kumar Ghosh confirmed that the bomb was a remote-controlled improvised explosive device (IED).

The explosive had been discovered the previous morning, Saturday at around 10 a.m., inside a school bag near the southern side of Alipur Bridge in a slum area of the city. Following the recovery, local police increased surveillance across Faridpur to ensure public safety. Officer-in-Charge of Faridpur Kotwali Police Station, Shahidul Islam, stated that investigations are underway to identify those involved in the incident.

Authorities have not yet disclosed any suspects or motives behind the placement of the device, and the investigation remains ongoing.

A pedestrian named Kabir Ali, aged 57, was killed after being struck by an Indian truck at the Sonamasjid land port area in Shibganj upazila of Chapainawabganj on Sunday morning. The accident occurred in the Madhyabazar area of the port while Kabir Ali, a resident of Baliadighi village, was crossing the road. He was severely injured and died on the way to Shibganj Upazila Health Complex.

According to Shibganj Police Station Officer-in-Charge Humayun Kabir, the Indian truck hit Kabir Ali from behind as he was crossing the road. Local residents rescued the injured man and took him for treatment, but he succumbed to his injuries en route. Police later recovered the body and confirmed that locals had detained the truck involved in the incident.

Law enforcement authorities stated that legal action has been initiated regarding the accident.

A severe communal clash erupted in Unakoti district of India’s northeastern state of Tripura, reportedly triggered by a dispute over a donation demand for a local festival. The incident occurred in Kumarghat area under Fatikroy police station, where refusal to pay the donation allegedly led one community to set fire to several establishments, including a timber shop, and vandalize a place of worship. At least five to six people were injured, and several houses and shops were burned. Authorities imposed an internet shutdown and took strict measures to restore order.

Security forces, including the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Tripura State Rifles (TSR), were deployed across Kumarghat subdivision and nearby areas. Mobile internet services were suspended for 48 hours, and police used mild baton charges and drone surveillance to maintain control. Eight people were detained in connection with the violence, and special monitoring continues under Section 163 to prevent further unrest.

Officials said the situation is now calm and fully under control. The administration remains vigilant ahead of the upcoming Bhairab Mela to ensure communal peace and prevent renewed tensions.

A joint force operation in Munshiganj’s Tongibari upazila on the evening of January 10, 2026, led to the arrest of ten individuals with local weapons, drugs, and cash. The raid took place near Baligaon Bridge under Tongibari Police Station, conducted by a team from the Munshiganj Sadar Army Camp under the 99 Composite Brigade, based on intelligence information and with police cooperation. Authorities seized approximately 250 grams of cannabis, two yaba tablets, over 200 unidentified drugs, and Tk 494,505 in cash from the scene.

The detainees were identified as residents of Tongibari and nearby areas and described by law enforcement as known drug dealers. Following the operation, the arrested individuals and the recovered items were handed over to Tongibari Police Station for legal proceedings.

The army stated that it remains firm in maintaining law and order in Munshiganj and will continue anti-drug and anti-crime drives regularly to prevent violence and sabotage ahead of the upcoming national election.

Police in Mirzaganj, Patuakhali have arrested Mostafa Mridha, 53, a known drug dealer accused in the sensational Siyam murder case. He was detained on Saturday night from the Subidkhali area. According to police, Mostafa, son of Ketab Ali Mridha from Uttar Subidkhali village, faces six ongoing drug cases in court. Officer-in-Charge Md. Abdus Salam confirmed that Mostafa was sent to Patuakhali jail through the court on Wednesday.

The murder case stems from the death of 18-year-old Siyam, who had visited his aunt’s house in Mirzaganj on December 23. That afternoon, Siyam and his cousin Abdullah Al Mahmud went to the Subidkhali Government College area, where they argued with a local youth named Raiyan. Raiyan and his associates allegedly beat Siyam at a nearby sand field and later took him to the Upazila Health Complex, where doctors declared him dead.

Siyam was the son of Abdul Baset Talukder from Ghopkhali village under Itbaria Union in Patuakhali Sadar Police Station.