Banglalink, a leading digital operator in Bangladesh, has officially launched its Voice over Wi-Fi (VoWiFi) calling service across the country. The service enables customers to make high-quality voice calls using Wi-Fi networks in addition to mobile networks, ensuring uninterrupted communication even in areas with weak mobile coverage. The nationwide rollout follows a successful trial phase conducted in Dhaka, Chattogram, and Khulna, where user feedback helped refine the service.

According to Banglalink’s Chief Corporate and Regulatory Affairs Officer Taimur Rahman, the VoWiFi technology will bridge connectivity gaps and deliver clear, high-quality voice calls regardless of location or infrastructure. The system automatically routes calls through Wi-Fi when mobile signals are weak, without requiring additional apps or authentication. The initiative was made possible through collaboration among mobile operators, regulators, ISPs, and technology partners.

Currently, the service is available on selected handset models and through specific ISP partners as per regulatory guidelines. Banglalink is working with device manufacturers and ISPs to expand access, positioning VoWiFi as a complement to its LTE network and a step toward strengthening Bangladesh’s digital transformation.

Bangladesh’s foreign exchange reserves have declined following payment to the Asian Clearing Union (ACU). On Thursday, the central bank paid $1.53 billion from reserves to settle ACU bills for November and December, reducing the total reserves to $32.43 billion. Under the International Monetary Fund’s BPM-6 calculation method, reserves now stand at $27.84 billion. The information was confirmed by Arif Hossain Khan, executive director and spokesperson of Bangladesh Bank.

According to Bangladesh Bank data, total reserves were $33.78 billion on January 7, while the BPM-6 adjusted figure was $29.18 billion. The ACU is a regional settlement system among nine Asian central banks, including Bangladesh, India, Iran, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Bhutan, and the Maldives. Through this mechanism, import and export payments among member countries are settled every two months.

The latest payment marks a continued decline in reserves, reflecting the country’s periodic obligations under the ACU settlement system.

A severe shortage of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) has hit Chattogram city over the past two weeks, leaving households and businesses struggling to find 12-kg cylinders. Despite the government-fixed price of Tk 1,253, consumers report being unable to purchase cylinders even at Tk 2,000. Visits to Bahaddarhat, Chawk Bazar, and New Market areas revealed that both retail and wholesale outlets are facing acute supply shortages, forcing many families to seek alternative fuels such as kerosene.

Traders attribute the crisis to a roughly 40 percent drop in LPG imports in December, reportedly caused by U.S. sanctions that disrupted shipping and by major importers temporarily halting operations. The LPG Operators Association of Bangladesh (LOAB) said companies like Bengal, Bashundhara, and United suspended imports, while banking complications prevented others from opening letters of credit. Some unscrupulous sellers are allegedly exploiting the situation by charging Tk 500–800 above the official price.

LOAB President Amirul Haque expressed optimism that government approval for new imports will normalize supply within 10–15 days. However, the Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) accused importers and distributors of creating artificial shortages for profit, urging immediate government intervention.

Bangladesh and Germany have signed a grant agreement worth €21.77 million to support five projects proposed by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). The signing took place between Shahriar Kader Siddiky, Secretary of the Economic Relations Division (ERD) on behalf of Bangladesh, and Heinrich-Jürgen Schilling, Country Director of GIZ Dhaka Office, representing Germany, according to an ERD press release issued on Thursday.

The projects include Policy Advisory for Promoting Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (PAP 2), Strengthening Urban Integration Capacities of Internally Displaced Persons and Supporting Host Communities (INTEGRATE), Professional Education in Industrial and Environmental Safety (PRECISE), Green Room Air-Conditioning (GRSCE), and Digital Skills to Succeed in Asia (DS2S). These initiatives will be implemented by relevant ministries between 2023 and 2029, focusing on energy transition, climate resilience, vocational education, and digital skills development.

Germany has been a long-term development partner of Bangladesh since 1972, with total financial and technical commitments of about €4 billion. Currently, GIZ is supporting 18 ongoing projects in Bangladesh with a total grant assistance of €100.72 million.

Bangladesh Bank has purchased 206 million US dollars through multiple auctions from 15 commercial banks as part of its ongoing strategy to prevent the depreciation of the taka against the US dollar and to support the recovery of remittance and export sectors. The central bank confirmed that the purchase took place on Thursday, January 8, 2026, at an exchange rate of 122.30 taka per dollar.

According to official data, Bangladesh Bank has bought a total of 617 million US dollars in January 2026 alone. Since the beginning of the 2025–26 fiscal year, the cumulative purchase has reached 3,752.50 million US dollars. The move is part of the central bank’s broader effort to manage foreign exchange reserves and stabilize the domestic currency amid ongoing economic adjustments.

The continued dollar purchases indicate Bangladesh Bank’s active intervention in the currency market to maintain exchange rate stability and support key economic sectors linked to foreign currency inflows.

The Non-Government Teachers’ Registration and Certification Authority (NTRCA) has issued its 2026 recruitment circular, announced on January 4, 2026, and published on its official website on January 5, 2026. The authority will appoint a total of 67,208 qualified and experienced male and female candidates to one permanent job category for teacher positions. Online applications will open on January 10, 2026, and close at 11:59 p.m. on January 17, 2026.

Applicants must fill out the online form by providing educational certificates, national ID information, a color photograph, and a signature image. The maximum age limit for general candidates is 35 years as of June 4, 2025, and the application fee is set at 1,000 taka. The positions are categorized as permanent government jobs under the NTRCA.

The recruitment process aims to fill a large number of teaching positions across non-government educational institutions, with the online application period providing a short window for interested candidates to complete their submissions.

Leaders of the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) have accused a business syndicate of turning public suffering into profit amid a prolonged gas supply crisis. Speaking at a protest rally on Thursday in front of the Titas Gas office in Karwan Bazar, Dhaka, CPB leaders demanded immediate resolution of gas shortages and an end to what they described as chaos in the gas cylinder market. CPB President Sajjad Zahir Chandan said gas supply disruptions across Dhaka and other regions have severely disrupted daily life, while the interim government has failed to address the issue.

Former CPB General Secretary Ruhin Hossain Prince alleged that the syndicate deliberately restricts gas supply to profit from importing and selling gas at higher prices. He also called for increased domestic production of LPG cylinders. Following the rally, a CPB delegation submitted a memorandum to the Titas Gas Managing Director, outlining seven demands including uninterrupted 24-hour gas supply, cancellation of monthly bills during supply outages, and breaking the syndicate to reduce cylinder prices.

The protest was chaired by CPB Dhaka North President Hasan Hafizur Rahman Sohel and attended by several central and student leaders.

Over the past 35 years, the amount of saline-affected land in Bangladesh has increased by about 26 percent, now totaling approximately 1.056 million hectares. Around 30 percent of the country’s coastal arable land is affected by salinity, while 41 to 50 percent of the total area experiences drought at some point. In response to these growing climate-related challenges, a team from Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) has begun research on seaweed-based biostimulants to enhance crop resilience.

The research was presented at a workshop held at BAU’s Faculty of Agriculture under the project “Higher Education for Agricultural Transformation (HEAT),” jointly organized by the University Grants Commission and the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Researchers highlighted that Bangladesh’s coastal areas host abundant seaweed resources, including 47 green, 59 brown, and 94 red species, which contain compounds that promote plant growth and tolerance to salinity and drought.

BAU Vice-Chancellor Professor A.K. Fazlul Haque Bhuiyan emphasized that climate change poses multidimensional challenges to agriculture and that sustainable, eco-friendly technologies like seaweed-based biostimulants could play a vital role in ensuring the sector’s future resilience.

A severe shortage of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) has gripped Fatullah in Narayanganj, where consumers are unable to buy 12-kilogram cylinders even at double the government-fixed price of 1,306 taka. The crisis, ongoing for about 15 days, has forced many residents to search for firewood as an alternative fuel source. Retail shops have run out of stock, and those with limited supply are reportedly charging arbitrary prices.

Local residents and business owners expressed frustration over the situation, saying the artificial shortage and price hikes have worsened their daily lives and business operations. Some reported that LPG cylinders are available only on the black market, where prices range from 2,200 to 2,500 taka per cylinder, delivered by rickshaw. Retail sellers said they too face supply shortages and cannot meet customer demand.

Residents have urged the authorities to take immediate action to restore normal LPG supply and control illegal trading practices that have intensified the crisis.

The government has ordered an investigation into allegations of indiscriminate hill cutting for landfilling at the Ramgarh land port in Khagrachhari. Following a report published in the daily Amar Desh, Brigadier General (Retd.) Dr. M Sakhawat Hossain, Adviser to the Ministry of Shipping and the Ministry of Labour and Employment, took the matter seriously and directed the immediate formation of a three-member investigation committee. The committee has been instructed to conduct an on-site inspection and submit a detailed report within three working days.

According to the adviser, the government attaches the highest importance to protecting the environment, maintaining ecological balance, and safeguarding national interests. He stated that any illegal hill cutting or landfilling would not be tolerated and that those found responsible would face legal action. He also noted that the Ramgarh land port, built during a previous government, had already been reviewed for its geo-economic significance, and a separate expert committee had been formed to reassess the project's costs and benefits.

The government emphasized its commitment to ensuring transparency and accountability in this public interest matter.

Bangladesh Bank has instructed all banks to ensure that remittances sent by expatriate Bangladeshis are deposited into recipients’ accounts on the same day or the next working day. The directive, issued through a circular on Thursday, gives banks until March to fully implement the system. Authorized dealer banks must notify customers electronically as soon as remittance messages are received. Remittances received during banking hours must be credited the same day, while those received afterward must be credited the next working day.

According to the circular, the move aims to reduce delays and improve efficiency in cross-border payment processing. The central bank emphasized the use of secure electronic communication to inform customers promptly. The instruction is part of ongoing efforts to streamline remittance management and enhance the reliability of financial transactions for expatriate workers and their families.

The directive is expected to strengthen confidence in formal remittance channels and support faster fund availability for recipients across Bangladesh.

Gold prices in the international market declined on Thursday, with spot gold falling 0.4 percent to 4,435.62 dollars per ounce, according to a Reuters report. U.S. gold futures for February delivery also dropped by the same margin to 4,444.40 dollars per ounce. The current price marks a decrease of about 110 dollars from the record high of 4,549.71 dollars per ounce reached on December 29.

The report attributes the decline to a stronger U.S. dollar and increased profit-taking by investors, which have limited the upward momentum of gold prices. Alongside gold, silver prices also fell sharply, with spot silver dropping 2.6 percent to 76.08 dollars per ounce, down from its all-time high of 83.62 dollars per ounce recorded on December 29.

HSBC projected that silver prices in 2026 could range between 58 and 88 dollars per ounce, driven by investment demand and high gold prices, though the bank also warned of potential sharp declines later in the year.

The Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology announced that the ICT Division has published its white paper on the official website ictd.gov.bd. The document was prepared by a task force formed on 3 April 2025 with the approval of the Chief Adviser to investigate irregularities and mismanagement in ICT-related initiatives during the previous government. After a long process of inquiry and review, the task force submitted the finalized white paper, which has now been made public.

According to the ministry’s statement, the white paper presents a detailed account of irregularities, corruption, administrative weaknesses, and structural problems observed in the ICT Division’s activities over the past fifteen years. It also includes a set of recommendations aimed at ensuring transparency, accountability, and good governance in future operations.

The government expects the white paper to serve as a key guideline for institutional reform within the ICT Division, helping to prevent corruption and improve citizen-oriented services.

Australia is facing severe wildfires amid an intense heatwave, with authorities warning of potentially catastrophic conditions across eastern and southeastern regions. On Thursday, firefighters battled multiple blazes as temperatures were forecast to exceed 40 degrees Celsius. Residents in Victoria and New South Wales, including major cities such as Sydney and Melbourne, were urged to remain on high alert, according to AFP.

Victoria’s Country Fire Authority chief Jason Heffernan said fire danger levels could reach “catastrophic” in some areas, warning that any ignition could spread rapidly and become uncontrollable. Emergency Management Commissioner Tim Wiebusch noted that hot, dry winds would intensify the fires, while Acting Premier Ben Carroll instructed officials to prepare early evacuations. Meteorologist Sarah Scully reported that extreme heat and dry thunderstorms could trigger new fires.

Authorities fear the situation could become the most dangerous since the 2019–2020 “Black Summer” fires, which devastated vast areas of forest and property. Researchers have linked the increasing frequency of extreme weather to a 1.5°C rise in Australia’s average temperature since 1910.

Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) traders in Bangladesh have withdrawn their strike following a meeting with Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) Chairman Jalal Ahmed. The announcement came after discussions held at the BERC office on Thursday, leading to the immediate resumption of LPG sales across the country.

According to Gas Traders Cooperative Association President Selim Khan, the strike was linked to demands that consumer rights raids on LPG shops be halted. Traders also urged authorities to fix the retail price of a 12-kilogram LPG cylinder at 1,500 taka. The strike had been declared on Wednesday night in response to nationwide raids and fines, with traders threatening to suspend LPG supply from all company plants until their demands were met.

In the broader context, the government has initiated steps to revise VAT and tax structures on imported and locally produced LPG amid rising shortages and price instability. Efforts are also underway to ease bank loan and letter of credit procedures for LPG imports.