Bangladesh’s National Security Adviser Dr. Khalilur Rahman met US Trade Representative Ambassador Jamison Greer in Washington, D.C. on Thursday afternoon, according to the Chief Adviser’s Press Wing on Friday. Dr. Rahman also held a separate meeting with US Deputy Trade Representative Brendan Lynch. During the talks, he highlighted progress in reducing the trade deficit between Bangladesh and the United States and proposed lowering the existing 20 percent reciprocal tariff.

Ambassador Greer assured that the proposal would be considered positively and agreed to review Dr. Rahman’s suggestion to reduce or remove tariffs on garments made with US raw materials. Both sides agreed to resolve outstanding issues quickly to finalize and implement the reciprocal tariff agreement. Dr. Rahman noted that increased trade would strengthen business connections between the two countries.

He also urged the US side to ease business travel for Bangladeshis following the country’s inclusion in the US visa bond program and requested access to Development Finance Corporation (DFC) funds for Bangladesh’s private sector. Ambassador Greer expressed willingness to cooperate on these matters.

Large portions of Dhaka’s roads, from main arteries to narrow lanes, have become nearly impassable due to potholes, open manholes, and prolonged excavation works. A report published on January 10, 2026, describes that about two-thirds of the city’s roads under Dhaka North and South City Corporations are in poor condition, with many areas turning into waterlogged pits during rains. Residents in newly added 18 wards face extreme hardship despite paying taxes, as basic urban services remain inadequate.

Field visits revealed that major routes such as Basabo–Madartek, Khilgaon, and Nikunja–2 are riddled with large potholes, causing constant traffic jams. Urban planner Adil Muhammad Khan stated that the city corporations have failed to meet citizens’ expectations due to uncoordinated digging, waste mismanagement, and encroachment. Officials from both corporations acknowledged limited budgets and pending project approvals worth nearly 1,900 crore taka.

The prolonged road and flyover construction has slowed city traffic to an average of four kilometers per hour, disrupting emergency services and daily commutes. Authorities have promised repairs, but visible progress remains minimal.

A prolonged 17-day cold wave and dense fog have severely affected Boro rice seedbeds in Saghata upazila of Gaibandha, causing cold injury and damaging seedlings across several unions. Farmers reported that seedlings have turned yellow, growth has slowed, and in some areas, seedbeds have completely rotted. The situation has created uncertainty about timely transplantation of seedlings for the current season.

Farmers said the lack of sunlight and low nighttime temperatures have hindered normal growth, while stagnant water in fields has worsened the cold’s impact. Many expressed concern that rebuilding seedbeds would require extra time and cost. Local farmers, including Abdul Mannan of Bonarpara and Mostafizur Rahman of Kochua, said their seedlings are dying despite protective measures like covering with straw and polythene.

According to the Saghata Agriculture Office, about 1,850 hectares were targeted for Boro cultivation this season, with 927 hectares already prepared. Upazila Agriculture Officer Md. Asaduzzaman said cold injury has appeared but the overall risk of major loss is low. Farmers have been advised to apply light irrigation in the evening, drain water in the morning, and cover seedbeds when necessary.

Environment, Forest and Climate Change Ministry adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan stated that the government is prepared to be accountable on any issue and suggested forming a citizen-led commission to determine actions for environmental protection. She made the remarks on Friday at the opening of the two-day BAPA-BEN National Environment Conference held at the Krishibid Institution auditorium in Dhaka.

Hasan explained that due to the government’s short tenure, it prioritized election-related reforms based on proposals from six commissions that led to the July National Charter. She emphasized that environmental issues were not neglected but that the government had only about one year to work amid various challenges. She also noted that the Public Administration Reform Commission recommended a separate environmental cadre, while the Constitutional Reform Commission proposed including the environment as a fundamental right, though these could not be implemented within the current government’s limited timeframe.

The conference was chaired by BAPA President Professor Nur Mohammad Talukder, with concept paper presented by BAPA Vice-President and BEN founder Dr. Nazrul Islam.

The Bangladesh Meteorological Department announced on Friday morning that a mild to moderate cold wave sweeping across 20 districts will continue for at least two more days. The lowest temperature recorded on Thursday was 6.9 degrees Celsius in Tetulia, Panchagarh. Meteorologist Muhammad Abul Kalam Mallik stated that all districts in Rangpur and Rajshahi divisions, along with Narsingdi, Jashore, Chuadanga, and Kushtia, are currently experiencing the cold wave.

According to the department, the cold conditions are expected to persist until at least mid-January, with possible variations in intensity and spread. On Wednesday, the season’s lowest temperature of 6.7 degrees Celsius was recorded in Badalgachhi, Naogaon. The number of affected districts decreased from 24 on Thursday to 20 on Friday.

The synoptic report noted that a deep depression over the southwest Bay of Bengal is moving northwestward and may cross the northern Sri Lanka coast around January 10. Its extension reaches the northern Bay of Bengal, while a subcontinental high-pressure ridge lies over West Bengal and adjoining western Bangladesh.

The Pay Commission is set to hold its final meeting on January 21 to finalize recommendations for Bangladesh’s ninth national pay scale. The decision to hold the conclusive session was made during a full commission meeting on Thursday. A commission member, speaking anonymously, confirmed that all aspects of the pay scale will be finalized at that meeting, though another full session may occur beforehand due to limited time.

According to a reliable commission source, the new pay ratio between the lowest and highest grades has been fixed at 1:8. This means if the lowest grade salary is 1 taka, the highest will be 8 taka. Three proposals have been submitted for the minimum salary—Tk 21,000, Tk 17,000, and Tk 16,000—with one expected to be finalized. The highest salary scale remains undecided as allowances such as housing and medical benefits are still under review.

Once finalized, the ninth pay scale is expected to bring significant changes to the salary structure of government employees, according to the report.

The Credit and Development Forum (CDF), a national network of microcredit organizations, has issued a statement defending the proposed Microcredit Bank Ordinance 2025 amid recent media debates. CDF described the ordinance as a positive and exemplary step, rejecting claims that it promotes profit-oriented banking or undermines microcredit principles. The organization said the proposed bank would operate as a social business, with investors barred from taking dividends beyond their initial capital.

According to CDF, the ordinance aims to strengthen the microfinance structure by focusing on poverty reduction, employment generation, and support for small enterprises and cottage industries. The bank’s operations would include loans, insurance, remittance services, and access to domestic and foreign grants and credit. CDF clarified that NGOs would not be forced to convert into banks, and dual regulation would not occur because the Bangladesh Bank and Microcredit Regulatory Authority would oversee separate parts of operations.

CDF also highlighted that 60 percent of the bank’s shares would be owned by poor members, ensuring empowerment and equitable benefit distribution. The group argued that the model represents a unique, socially driven approach compared to profit-based microcredit banks in Asia and Africa.

A severe shortage of LPG cylinders has hit Nilphamari district and its upazilas, with allegations that certain dealers and distributors have created an artificial crisis by ignoring government-set prices. Despite the official price for a 12-kg cylinder being set at Tk 1,306 for January, consumers report paying between Tk 1,800 and Tk 2,100. Many households, hotels, and small businesses have been forced to halt cooking and operations due to the scarcity.

Retailers claim they are unable to obtain sufficient supply from dealers even when offering higher prices. Some dealers are reportedly selling limited quantities without receipts and at inflated rates. Consumers and traders allege that the crisis intensified after rumors of a price hike spread, leading to hoarding and speculative selling. A distributor representative, however, attributed the higher prices to transport costs and denied wrongdoing.

Experts and consumers have urged immediate administrative action against hoarding, overpricing, and unrecorded sales, warning that the artificial shortage could worsen if enforcement delays continue.

Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr. Ahsan H. Mansur stated that there is no possibility of announcing a new pay scale before the upcoming national election. Speaking at a stakeholder meeting in a local hotel in Barishal on Thursday afternoon, he said the current interim government will not make any final decision on the matter, which he described as reasonable.

Dr. Mansur explained that the interim government might prepare a framework, but its implementation will depend entirely on the next elected government. With the election only a month away, he noted that the government’s focus is now centered on election-related activities. He expressed confidence that the next government will be able to take a comprehensive decision after reviewing previous work.

During the same event, the governor discussed the benefits of digital transactions, suggesting that mandatory QR codes for new trade licenses could boost cashless payments. He also described the country’s import policy as complex and said inefficiency among officials often delays imports, leading to price increases in the market.

Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company on Friday reported that a distribution pipeline under the Turag River in Dhaka’s Aminbazar area was damaged after being struck by the anchor of a cargo trawler. The incident caused extremely low gas pressure across the capital, disrupting supply in multiple neighborhoods.

According to the company, although the damaged pipeline has been repaired, water entered the line during the repair process. Combined with an overall shortage in gas supply to the city, this led to widespread low pressure in various parts of Dhaka. Titas Gas stated that technical and operational measures are ongoing to restore normal supply levels.

The company expressed regret for the temporary inconvenience caused to customers and assured that efforts to resolve the issue are continuing.

Mufti Mushahid Munawar, a lyricist, preacher, and Islamic scholar, has released six Islamic nasheeds dedicated to martyr Osman Hadi, a frontline fighter of the July Revolution and anti-imperialist movement. The songs, including 'Dilme Hadi', 'Ay Hadi Fire Ay', and 'Janau Interim', have gained wide popularity on YouTube and social media. Munawar confirmed that four more nasheeds on Osman Hadi are in progress. The compositions reflect themes of sacrifice, justice, and remembrance through restrained yet firm language.

'Dilme Hadi', voiced by Saynan Sayem, seeks to evoke the martyr’s memory with emotional restraint, while 'Ay Hadi Fire Ay', composed by Abu Ubaida and sung by Kazi Mashkure Elahi, expresses the pain of absence and longing. 'Janau Interim' stands out for its protest tone, calling for swift justice in Osman Hadi’s murder case and spreading rapidly among young audiences. Listeners have described the works as courageous and timely.

Munawar stated that his nasheeds are part of a broader cultural mission to preserve martyr memories beyond commemorative days. Cultural observers regard these works as significant additions to contemporary Islamic music and as cultural documents reflecting faith, social awareness, and historical responsibility.

Industrial Adviser Adilur Rahman Khan expressed optimism that the next elected government will take necessary initiatives to establish new industrial factories aimed at national industrial development and job creation. He made the remarks on Friday while visiting the Chhatak Cement Company Limited in Chhatak upazila of Sunamganj district.

During the visit, the adviser said that the company’s production activities would soon resume through conversion from the existing wet process to a dry process. The visit was attended by senior officials including Local Government Secretary Md. Rezaul Maksud Jahedi, Industries Secretary Md. Obaidur Rahman, BCIC Chairman Md. Fazlur Rahman, LGED Chief Engineer Kazi Golam Mostafa, and Chhatak Cement Company Managing Director Md. Abdur Rahman.

BCIC Chairman Md. Fazlur Rahman stated that production at the mill would start soon and that BCIC was actively working toward that goal.

Dhaka’s residents are enduring worsening living conditions due to severe waste mismanagement across the city. Streets and alleys are covered with piles of garbage and plastic waste, while sidewalks have become unusable because of open urinals and foul odors. According to the two city corporations, Dhaka’s 129 wards generate between 6,800 and 7,500 tons of waste daily, but 55 percent remains uncollected. Despite spending about Tk 3,323 crore over seven years, more than 250 uncontrolled dumping sites persist, posing serious threats to public health and the environment.

Field visits revealed that waste workers operate without protective gear, exposing them to diseases. The waste management process—collection, transfer, transport, and disposal—shows weaknesses at every stage, with little recycling or treatment capacity. A study in Scientific Reports found that Dhaka produces 6,465 tons of waste daily, most of which ends up in nearly full landfills at Aminbazar and Matuail. Experts warn that uncontrolled dumping contaminates soil and groundwater and releases methane, worsening climate impacts.

City officials acknowledged manpower and equipment shortages and emphasized public awareness and participation as essential for sustainable cleanliness.

A 5.8-magnitude earthquake struck several regions of Pakistan on Friday, January 9, 2026, with tremors felt in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, and parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa including Swat, Shangla, and Buner. According to the National Seismic Monitoring Centre under the Pakistan Meteorological Department, the quake originated 159 kilometers deep near the China-Tajikistan border. Buildings reportedly shook, prompting residents to rush outdoors, but no casualties or major damage were reported.

The report noted that Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan frequently experience seismic activity due to their location at the junction of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates. In October of the previous year, a 5.3-magnitude quake hit Islamabad and surrounding areas, while a 5.6-magnitude tremor was recorded just days earlier. The region also witnessed a devastating 6.0-magnitude earthquake in eastern Afghanistan last September that killed over 2,200 people.

Authorities have not issued any immediate warnings, but the frequent tremors highlight the region’s ongoing vulnerability to seismic hazards.

The UK Met Office has issued a nationwide red alert warning for extreme weather conditions, citing the risk of severe storms, heavy rainfall, and widespread snowfall. The alert, effective from Wednesday afternoon, warns that the situation poses a serious threat to public safety. Forecasts indicate wind speeds could reach 90 to 100 miles per hour, with up to one foot of snow expected in hilly and elevated areas. The most affected regions are expected to include southwest England, Wales, the Midlands, and parts of northern England.

Coastal areas face the possibility of storm surges and large waves, while strong winds could cause trees to fall and damage power lines and roofs, leading to potential power outages. Heavy rain may trigger flash floods and waterlogging, and icy roads could severely disrupt rail, bus, and air transport.

Authorities have advised residents to stay indoors unless absolutely necessary, urging coastal communities to remain alert for tidal surges and to take extra care of the elderly and children.