Biman Bangladesh Airlines will launch direct flights between Dhaka and Karachi starting January 29, marking the resumption of direct air connectivity between Bangladesh and Pakistan after more than ten years. According to airline officials, two weekly flights will operate on this route for an initial three-month period, continuing until March 30 of the current year. The Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority has already granted approval for the route and designated airspace usage.

Currently, travelers between Bangladesh and Pakistan rely on transit hubs in the Middle East such as Dubai or Doha. The new direct service is expected to simplify travel, strengthen people-to-people connections, and enhance bilateral trade. Officials noted that the decision followed several months of discussions with Pakistani authorities.

Aviation experts described the Dhaka-Karachi route as both commercially and strategically significant. They believe that restoring direct air links will reinforce economic relations and mutual engagement between the two countries.

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) Chairman Abdur Rahman Khan announced that submission of Value Added Tax (VAT) returns will be made mandatory online from the next fiscal year. He made the announcement at an event held at the Revenue Building in Agargaon, Dhaka, marking the launch of an online VAT refund system that transfers refunds directly to taxpayers’ bank accounts.

According to the NBR chairman, while online submission of income tax returns is already mandatory, the VAT law has not yet required it. The upcoming budget will include a provision to make online VAT return submission compulsory. During the event, the chairman inaugurated the online VAT refund process by transferring Tk 45.35 lakh to the bank accounts of three taxpayers from three VAT commissionerates in Dhaka.

The NBR has instructed taxpayers who previously filed paper-based VAT returns to enter those records into the e-VAT system by March. After that, they will also be able to register online. The new system aims to ensure transparency and faster processing of refund applications without requiring taxpayers to visit VAT offices.

A student died after falling from the roof of a madrasa while trying to escape in Kaliakoir upazila of Gazipur on Wednesday morning. The incident occurred at Safiatul Ummah Hifz Model Madrasa in the Safipur area. According to local sources, the student, Alif Hasan, fell from the roof and was seriously injured. Madrasa authorities and locals rescued him and took him to a hospital, where doctors declared him dead.

Police said Alif, son of Shahid Shah of Kouchakuri village in Kaliakoir, had previously attempted to flee the madrasa several times. On Wednesday morning, he reportedly tried to climb down a pipe from the roof when he accidentally fell. His body was being sent to Gazipur Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmad Medical College Hospital morgue for autopsy.

Following the incident, the victim’s family and other guardians accused the madrasa authorities of negligence and lack of safety measures, expressing anger over the death.

A businessman named Shahabuddin, aged 40, was killed in an attack by miscreants in Dhaka’s Kadamtali area on Tuesday night. The incident occurred around 10 p.m. in the Kudar Bazar area, where Shahabuddin, who ran a gas cylinder business, was assaulted with sharp weapons. He was taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital in critical condition and declared dead by doctors at 11 p.m.

According to his elder brother, Mahiyuddin, Shahabuddin previously ran a scrap business in the Kadamtali-Jurain area and had started the gas cylinder business two months ago. He said the family was unaware of who attacked his brother or why. Police confirmed the death and said the body was kept at the hospital morgue.

Kadamtali Police Inspector (Investigation) Shafayet Hossain stated that initial findings suggest the killing resulted from previous enmity. Police are working to identify those involved in the attack.

A devastating fire in Ramganj municipality’s Ward 7 of Narimpur village in Lakshmipur killed a four-month-old child named Ayat Hossain on Tuesday around 5 p.m. The blaze began in the home of Dulal Mikar, reportedly caused by an electrical short circuit, and quickly spread to nearby houses. Before fire service units could arrive, three residential houses were completely burned down. The deceased child was the son of Dulal Mikar and Poran Begum.

According to local sources, Dulal’s wife had gone outside to collect clothes drying in the sun when the fire broke out. A gas cylinder explosion inside the house intensified the flames, spreading them to the homes of Md. Shahid Ullah, Siraj Mia, and Sabuj, which were all destroyed. Ramganj Upazila Nirbahi Officer Farashid Bin Enam visited the site and provided Tk 10,000 in immediate assistance. Officials from the local police and several political parties also inspected the scene.

Fire Station Leader Md. Rezaul Karim stated that the fire likely originated from an electrical short circuit, and the extent of the damage is being assessed.

Reports from India indicate a growing number of attacks on Muslim migrant workers from West Bengal, particularly in BJP-ruled states such as Odisha and Chhattisgarh. On January 4, 2026, a worker from Murshidabad named Ejaz Ali was allegedly assaulted in Sambalpur, Odisha, after being accused of being Bangladeshi. His left arm was broken, and he returned home without receiving medical treatment. Similar incidents have been reported in other regions, forcing many workers to leave their jobs and return to their home state out of fear.

According to the report, these assaults often involve groups identifying Muslim workers by their names on identity cards and labeling them as foreigners. Victims have reported losing their earnings and belongings during the attacks. In Chhattisgarh’s Narayanpur, three workers from Murshidabad were also beaten and nearly set on fire by attackers. The victims were unable to file complaints.

The repeated incidents have left many migrant laborers unemployed and fearful, highlighting rising communal tensions and insecurity among Muslim workers in BJP-governed areas.

A powerful earthquake struck southern Philippines on Wednesday, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The quake measured 6.7 on the Richter scale and occurred near the coastal region of Mindanao Island, about 27 kilometers east of Santiago city. The quake’s depth was recorded at approximately 58.5 kilometers below the surface. No tsunami warning was issued following the tremor.

Authorities reported that there were no immediate casualties or major damage from the earthquake. Local administration and emergency services are closely monitoring the situation to assess any potential aftereffects or structural impacts in the affected areas.

The absence of a tsunami alert and early reports of minimal damage suggest that the region may have avoided severe consequences, though monitoring continues to ensure public safety.

The Bangladesh Army recovered a pistol, bullets, and homemade explosives from an abandoned toilet in Sadarpur upazila of Faridpur on Tuesday night. The recovery took place around 9 p.m. in the Hospital Mor area, behind an abandoned sub-registrar office. According to army and police sources, the items were found wrapped in cloth and tape inside a bundle, which contained a 7.5 mm pistol, one round of ammunition, and four cocktails inside a black bag. No arrests have been made in connection with the discovery.

An officer from the Faridpur Army Camp stated that the seized weapons were handed over to Sadarpur Police Station. Officer-in-Charge Abdul Al Mamun Shah confirmed that the army recovered the abandoned weapons and later transferred them to police custody. He added that legal procedures regarding the incident are currently underway.

Authorities have not yet identified who may have left the weapons at the site, and the investigation is ongoing.

A hearing on the formation of formal charges against Sajeeb Wazed Joy, son of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her ICT adviser, and former State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak is scheduled to take place today. The charges relate to alleged crimes against humanity committed during the July Revolution. The hearing is set to be held before the three-member International Crimes Tribunal-1, headed by Justice Golam Mortuza Mozumdar, with Justices Shafiul Alam Mahmud and Mohitul Haque Enam Chowdhury as members.

Earlier, on December 4, the tribunal issued arrest warrants for both accused and ordered them to appear before the court by December 10. Joy did not appear, prompting a public notice for his appearance. Palak, who was already under arrest in another case, was produced before the court and shown arrested in this case. After Joy failed to appear following the notice, the court appointed a state defense lawyer for him on December 17 and set today for the charge formation hearing.

The tribunal’s proceedings mark a continuation of legal actions linked to alleged offenses during the July Revolution period.

On January 7, 2026, fifteen years passed since the killing of 14-year-old Felani Khatun, whose body was found hanging on the barbed wire fence along the Bangladesh-India border in Kurigram. Despite the global outrage that followed the 2011 shooting by Indian Border Security Force (BSF) member Amiya Ghosh, her family has yet to see justice. Felani’s father, Nurul Islam, continues to seek accountability through Indian courts, expressing frustration that the case remains unresolved.

The BSF court in Cooch Behar acquitted Amiya Ghosh twice, in 2013 and 2015. Following these verdicts, Nurul Islam and Indian human rights activist Kirity Roy filed a petition with the Indian Supreme Court, but repeated delays have stalled the case. Nurul Islam said the trial has not progressed since a change in government and appealed for his daughter’s killer to be punished.

Felani’s parents, Nurul Islam and Jahanara Begum, continue to struggle financially while raising their remaining five children. They have appealed to the government for educational support and renewed calls for justice, saying that only a fair verdict can prevent future border killings.

In Matlab North of Chandpur, a contractor demolished a fragile culvert during canal excavation and then disappeared, leaving 19 landless families stranded for one and a half years. The culvert, located over a Water Development Board canal in Dubgi village of Gazra Union, was the only access route for residents of a government-funded housing project built in 2019 between Kolakanda and Palalokdi villages. Since its destruction, the families have faced severe hardship, crossing the canal daily using a precariously placed palm tree.

Residents report multiple injuries from falls while attempting to cross, including a woman who broke her leg. A representative from the contractor’s firm, speaking anonymously, claimed their company was not responsible for rebuilding the culvert. Matlab North Upazila Nirbahi Officer and Chengarchar municipal administrator Mahmuda Kulsum Moni said she learned of the issue through the media and promised that the matter would be addressed urgently through the relevant department.

Local authorities have indicated that a new culvert will likely be constructed soon to restore safe access for the affected families.

A severe cold wave has gripped Naogaon, where the country’s lowest temperature of the season—6.7 degrees Celsius—was recorded on Wednesday, January 7, according to the local agricultural meteorological observatory. The temperature, measured at 6 a.m., marks the coldest point in Bangladesh so far this winter.

Despite relatively low fog density, chilly winds have intensified the cold, paralyzing daily life across both urban and rural areas. The cold weather has disrupted seasonal paddy planting and caused hardship for the homeless population. Residents have been enduring similar conditions for the past three days.

Mizanur Rahman, acting officer of the Badalgachhi Weather Observatory, said that adverse weather has affected public life for three consecutive weeks and that a moderate cold wave is currently sweeping the district. Temperatures may drop further in the coming days, he added.

Local residents in Ramgarh, Khagrachhari, have accused contractors of indiscriminately cutting hills to fill land for a land port project built primarily to serve India’s interests. Despite visible environmental destruction, they claim the administration has taken no effective action. Soil from at least three nearby hills was reportedly used to fill about 10 acres of land, violating tender conditions that required sand. The project, initiated under the former Awami League government, resumed full-scale construction after a brief slowdown following the 2024 uprising and government change.

Officials and experts have acknowledged the issue, with the local administration confirming limited fines and ongoing investigations. Engineers warn that using hill soil instead of river sand could compromise the project’s durability, risking subsidence and structural damage. The Tk 161 crore project includes customs, passenger, and warehouse facilities, with contractors blaming subcontractors for the violations.

Security analysts have also raised concerns that the port’s location near the Indian border could pose strategic risks for Bangladesh. The interim government has announced a review of the project’s costs and benefits, while construction nears completion.

The Pay Commission has finalized a new date for its previously postponed full meeting on the ninth pay scale. According to the latest decision, the meeting will take place on Thursday at the Secretariat, beginning at noon. The session is expected to finalize decisions on the number of pay grades and other related matters.

Commission sources indicate that discussions are ongoing regarding whether to retain the existing 20-grade structure or reduce it to 16. Many members support keeping the current number of grades while recommending a rational increase in salaries and allowances, while others strongly favor reducing the number of grades. The commission stated that it has thoroughly analyzed opinions received from various organizations and agencies and that the report writing process is nearly complete.

The final meeting aims to reach consensus on remaining issues before setting a submission date for the recommendations. Due to the upcoming national election, the report is likely to be submitted by February, allowing the new pay scale to be implemented before the 13th National Parliament election.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Detective Branch (DB) chief Additional Commissioner Md Shafiqul Islam stated that Faisal Karim Masud, accused in the murder of Inquilab Mancha spokesperson Shahid Sharif Osman Hadi, is currently in India. He made the remark on Tuesday during a briefing at the DMP Media Centre regarding the submission of the charge sheet in the Hadi murder case.

Two recently viral videos showed Faisal claiming he was in Dubai and denying involvement in the killing. However, law enforcement earlier reported that Faisal and his associate Alomgir Sheikh fled to India’s Meghalaya through the Haluaghat border after shooting Hadi. Questions arose over the authenticity of Faisal’s videos and his actual location. The DB chief clarified that while the video message was genuine, Faisal’s location was not Dubai but India.

According to the DB, charges have been filed against 17 individuals, with 12 already arrested. The remaining five include Faisal, Alomgir Sheikh, human trafficker Philip Snal, alleged mastermind and former Pallabi ward councillor Taizul Islam Chowdhury Bappi, and Faisal’s sister Jesmin. Investigators said Bappi planned and ordered the killing, and supplementary charges may follow if further involvement is found.