The LP Gas Traders Cooperative Society Limited has announced a nationwide suspension of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinder sales in Bangladesh starting Thursday, January 8, 2026. The organization issued a notice on Wednesday stating that all LPG marketing, supply, and gas extraction activities from company plants will remain halted until their demands are fulfilled.

According to the notice and a press conference held at the National Press Club on Wednesday, the traders demanded a new price adjustment for LPG cylinders by the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) and an end to administrative harassment and fines against distributors. They warned that if their demands were not met within 24 hours, they would enforce an indefinite suspension of LPG supply and sales across the country.

The traders’ decision follows their earlier ultimatum, and the suspension is set to continue until authorities address their stated concerns regarding pricing and regulatory treatment.

Titas Gas authorities have completed the repair of a gas line leak under the Buriganga River that was caused by a ship’s anchor. The repair work was finished on Wednesday, restoring gas supply that had been disrupted in parts of Dhaka. According to Titas Gas, the leak occurred in a 12-inch by 50 PSIG line originating from the Aminbazar DRS and running deep under the river toward Dhaka.

The repair was carried out with assistance from the Fire Service, Bangladesh Coast Guard, River Police, and BIWTA. A leak repair clamp was installed at the damaged section, and gas is now being supplied to Dhaka’s network at a pressure of 25 PSIG. Titas Gas reported that no external gas leakage is currently visible.

With the repair completed, gas supply across affected areas is gradually stabilizing, and normal operations are expected to resume fully soon.

Bangladesh Bank has set a maximum passport endorsement fee of 300 taka for licensed money changers handling foreign currency transactions for outbound Bangladeshi travelers. The directive, issued on Wednesday, states that the fee will remain the same regardless of the amount of foreign currency purchased. This measure applies to all licensed money changers operating under the central bank’s authority.

According to the circular, under the existing ‘Guideline for Foreign Exchange Transactions (GFET)–2018,’ each transaction must be recorded in the traveler’s passport and, for air travel, on the air ticket with the authorized person’s seal and signature. Money changers are also required to clearly display the endorsement fee at their business premises, issue written receipts for all collected fees, and maintain proper records of all such transactions.

The directive aims to standardize service charges and improve transparency in foreign exchange dealings for travelers, ensuring compliance with existing regulatory guidelines.

Poet Zia Haque’s revolutionary poem and song series centered on Inquilab Mancha spokesperson Sharif Osman Hadi has gone viral across social media platforms. Within days, the works collectively reached hundreds of millions of views, making Haque the top global search on Reels four days ago. The song ‘Hadir Zindabad,’ sung by artist Abu Ubaida, surpassed 11 million views on Facebook and over three million on YouTube, while other related pieces such as ‘Hadi Tui Fire Ay’ and ‘Guli-Tuli Hadider Chultao Chhere Na’ also broke records with millions of views.

The works have been widely shared and recited by audiences, parents, teachers, and students, with excerpts appearing as wall writings. Scholars and writers, including Aman Abdullah and Iqbal Khondokar, praised the creations for their emotional depth and cultural resonance. Many public figures, including politicians, journalists, and intellectuals, have shared the song online. Zia Haque expressed surprise and gratitude for the overwhelming response, calling it an inspiration to continue writing.

Artist Abu Ubaida announced that all YouTube earnings from the next month will be donated to Hadi’s family, while numerous performers have recited the poems, expanding their reach and popularity.

A major shipment of 57,855 tons of yellow corn from the United States arrived in Bangladesh after an eight-year gap. The unloading began on Wednesday at the Confidence Cement Jetty in Chattogram Port. The vessel, MV Beltokyo, departed from Vancouver Port in Washington State and entered Bangladeshi waters on December 31. The U.S. Embassy in Dhaka confirmed the arrival in a press release. The corn, produced in North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota, was jointly imported by Nahar Agro Group, Paragon Group, and Nourish Poultry and Hatchery Limited.

According to importers, the shipment took about 46 days to reach Bangladesh, with an import cost of USD 246 per ton and an estimated landed cost of BDT 34 per kilogram—lower than recent Brazilian imports priced between USD 251 and 260 per ton. Nahar Agro’s chairman Rakibur Rahman noted that only 30 percent of national corn demand is met locally, with imports filling the rest. The U.S. Embassy described the shipment as a milestone in agricultural and food sector cooperation between the two nations.

Officials believe that regular U.S. supply could enhance competition in the feed industry and stabilize animal protein production in Bangladesh.

Mobile phone prices in Bangladesh have increased despite a recent reduction in import tariffs. According to the report, government-registered mobile traders raised prices following the launch of the National Equipment Identity Register (NEIR). Allegations suggest that a mafia syndicate influenced the price hikes. Since January 1, prices have risen by Tk 500 to Tk 5,000 per handset depending on the model.

Consumers claim that official brands took advantage of the closure of grey market handset shops amid the NEIR controversy. Brands such as Redmi, Vivo, Infinix, Realme, OnePlus, and Samsung Galaxy have raised prices across various models. For example, the Vivo Y21D (8/128) model increased from Tk 21,000 to Tk 23,000, while the Infinix Smart 10 (4/64) rose by Tk 1,000 to Tk 12,000.

Mobile traders argue that rising memory component costs contributed to the price increases. Zakaria Shahid, president of the Mobile Phone Industry Owners Association of Bangladesh (MIOB), described the tariff reduction as deceptive, suggesting that the benefits were not passed on to consumers.

The Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA) and Bangladesh Environmental Network (BEN) will jointly hold their two-day environmental conference starting January 9 at the KIB Convention Center in Dhaka’s Farmgate. This will be BAPA’s 26th conference, running daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The event’s theme is “Environmental Reforms and Actions,” as announced at a press briefing held at the Dhaka Reporters Unity.

At the briefing, Professor Nazrul Islam, a founding member of BAPA-BEN, said that no environmental reform commission was formed during the interim government, creating a policy gap that the conference aims to address. He emphasized the need for political parties to prioritize environmental issues in their manifestos and called for internal reforms within environmental agencies to ensure effective policy implementation.

Professor Md. Khalekuzzaman, global coordinator of BEN and a geologist at the Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania, said the conference will also discuss how to restore Bangladesh’s rivers, canals, and wetlands to their natural flow, drawing lessons from environmental management practices in developed countries.

Heavy snowfall and blizzards have caused widespread travel disruption across Europe, leaving at least six people dead. Five fatalities were reported in different regions of France due to road accidents, while one woman died in Sarajevo, Bosnia, after a tree collapsed under heavy wet snow. In France’s Landes area, three people were killed in two separate accidents, and two others died in the Paris region in weather-related crashes.

The severe weather has also led to the cancellation of hundreds of flights across the continent. Thousands of passengers were stranded at airports in Paris and Amsterdam. More than 400 flights were canceled at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport on Wednesday, while Paris’s Charles de Gaulle Airport temporarily suspended about 40 percent of its flights, and Orly Airport canceled roughly one-quarter of scheduled departures.

French Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot warned of further snowfall and urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel and work from home if possible. France’s national meteorological agency issued orange alerts in 38 districts, with conditions expected to persist through Wednesday.

Bangladesh Bank has increased the maximum home loan limit for banks with low default rates. According to a circular issued on Tuesday, banks with classified loans below 5 percent can now lend up to Tk 4 crore for flat purchases. The previous uniform ceiling for all banks was Tk 2 crore. The revised policy takes immediate effect and replaces earlier directives, while other consumer loan guidelines remain unchanged.

The central bank stated that the revision aims to address rising housing and construction material costs and growing demand in the real estate sector. Under the new rules, banks with default loans between 5 and 10 percent may lend up to Tk 3 crore, and those with over 10 percent defaults will maintain the previous Tk 2 crore limit. The loan-to-equity ratio remains unchanged at 70:30, meaning borrowers must contribute 30 percent of the property value.

The last adjustment to the home loan ceiling occurred in 2019, when the limit was raised from Tk 1.2 crore to Tk 2 crore for all banks.

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 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.

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.