According to Hindustan Times, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to meet U.S. President Donald Trump on February 13. Modi will arrive in Washington on February 12 and meet American corporate leaders and representatives of various Indian communities. Last week, Trump mentioned that Modi was coming for a meeting with him. Trump is focused on selling U.S. defense equipment to India and ensuring a fair trade relationship. In the 2023-24 fiscal year, trade between the two countries exceeded $118 billion.

Out of 50,000 foreign nationals living illegally in Bangladesh, 15,618 have left the country as of January after being ordered to leave. However, 33,648 remain illegally. A 11-member task force, led by an additional secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs, has been formed to decide on further actions. Earlier, on December 8, the ministry instructed authorities to take legal actions against illegal foreigners. According to the Special Branch of Police, 27,000 Indians and 10,000 Chinese nationals have overstayed their visas and need to pay fines to renew them.

Three motorcyclists tragically lost their lives in an accident on the Feni-Noakhali regional highway. The incident occurred at Beker Bazar, Daangonbhunja, when the motorcycle lost control due to excessive speed. Two riders died at the scene, and one succumbed to injuries at the hospital. The victims, initially identified as residents of Bashurhat in Noakhali, were traveling from Noakhali to Daangonbhunja when the accident took place. Local authorities are investigating the cause of the crash.

The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council accused the country of witnessing 23 deaths in communal violence in the past four and a half months. However, the interim government, quoting the Police Headquarters, dismissed these claims. The government clarified that the police had investigated 22 incidents, with only a few related to theft and robbery. Two deaths were due to suicide and drowning. The interim government urged responsible reporting, warning that misleading information could harm communal harmony.

Interim government Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus has instructed law enforcement agencies to maintain the highest vigilance, stating that 2025 is crucial for the country. In a security review meeting, he emphasized the need for modern communication technology and a central command center. He accused Sheikh Hasina’s associates of funding chaos and spreading misinformation. He also ordered strict action against extortionists, protection of minorities, and swift trials for recent killings. Bangladesh has requested Interpol to issue a Red Notice against Sheikh Hasina.

Fears of a global trade war emerged after Donald Trump imposed tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China, causing the rupee to drop by 67 paise to 87.29. As investors sought safe-haven assets, the US dollar strengthened, weakening Asian currencies. Last week, India’s foreign exchange reserves faced a slight crisis, declining by $1.888 billion to $623.983 billion. The Indian stock market also saw a downturn, with the Sensex losing 575 points and the Nifty falling by 206 points.

Japan will provide a $5.45 million grant to help Bangladesh monitor air pollution. Representatives from both governments signed an agreement, with Bangladesh’s ERD Secretary, Japanese Ambassador Saida Shinichi, and JICA’s Chief Representative Ichiguchi Tomohide as signatories. The Environment Ministry will implement the project from March 2025 to June 2028. It aims to measure and analyze air pollution, particularly vehicle emissions. Continuous air monitoring stations will be set up in Dhaka and Chattogram to track pollution levels.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has formed an 11-member task force to address the issue of foreign nationals residing illegally in Bangladesh. The Additional Secretary (Security & Immigration) will lead the task force, with representatives from key government and security agencies. The committee will coordinate actions, provide recommendations, and issue directives regarding illegal foreign residents. It can also invite officials to meetings and co-opt members as needed. The initiative aims to streamline efforts to manage and regulate undocumented foreigners.

Students of Titumir College have blocked the railway tracks at the Mohakhali Railgate area. As a result, trains heading towards Noakhali have been redirected back to Dhaka Railway Station. On-site observation reveals that 20-30 students are on the railway tracks, with over a hundred more students gathered around the area. Police, DB, BGB, and ABBN forces have surrounded the students, with water cannons stationed behind. Their demand is for Titumir College to be upgraded to a university. A special committee was formed to address this demand, but after receiving no positive response, students have been staging a hunger strike and other protests since January 29.

In Thakurgaon, a group of over a hundred people, including family members of the accused Sumon (25), snatched him from the police after his arrest at Bongao Bazar in Haripur Upazila. The mob attacked the police and their vehicle, even detaining police officers. Upon receiving the news, a team of 11 police officers arrived and rescued their colleagues. The driver of the police microbus was also assaulted. The Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Haripur Police Station stated that efforts are underway to arrest those involved in the attack.

Tensions flared at BUTEX’s G.M.G. Osman Hall and Syed Nazrul Islam Hall following offensive remarks about Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) by student Muaz Mohammad Arefin Talukder. The comments, made on a post by Jannat Naim, quickly spread across social media, sparking outrage. University authorities and police intervened to control the situation. While being escorted to the police station, Talukder was assaulted by students. He attributed his actions to frustration over personal health issues, while students have demanded harsh punishment.

Students have been on an indefinite hunger strike for the sixth consecutive day demanding the declaration of Government Titumir College as a university. From 11 AM to 10 PM today, they gathered to carry out the ‘Barasat Barricade to North City’ program. Upon visiting the site, it was observed that Saraswati Puja activities were ongoing inside, and students were gathered around the hunger strikers, but there were no slogans or processions. Apologizing to the affected individuals, Mahmudul Hasan Mukta, an advisor to Titumir Unity, commented that the state has shown hypocrisy. The students have made three demands: recognition of Titumir as a university, withdrawal of the statement made by the education advisor, and an apology from the legal advisor for obstructing the formation of the commission.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in the United States on Sunday afternoon, just as the Middle East faces extreme uncertainty with Donald Trump’s second term in power! The Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. has confirmed that a meeting between Trump and Netanyahu is set to strengthen Israel-U.S. relations. Netanyahu will also meet with top officials of the U.S. administration. Before Trump’s inauguration on January 20th, the 15-month-long war in Gaza had come to an end.

Due to dense fog, the sky over Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport was blurred from midnight on Sunday, causing three flights to be unable to land and divert to Kolkata International Airport. Two of these flights came from Kuwait City, and one from Oman. They later landed in Dhaka at 9 AM. It was reported that from midnight until 9 AM, 16 flights were unable to land on time due to the fog. Flight operations returned to normal after 10 AM.

Israeli forces have demolished 23 multi-story buildings in the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank. The Palestinian Health Ministry reported that a 73-year-old man was killed earlier. Since mid-January, Israeli forces have killed 50 individuals. Local residents stated that they faced intense attacks and were in a state of war for two weeks. The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the actions strongly. Following the ceasefire in Gaza, Israeli forces have intensified attacks in the West Bank.