Law enforcement authorities have arrested another suspect in connection with the killing of a Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) officer in Sitakunda, Chattogram. The detainee, identified as Mamun, 38, was apprehended on Monday from the Bayezid area of Chattogram city. The victim, RAB-7 officer Abdul Motaleb, was attacked by armed assailants on January 19 while participating in an operation at Jungle Salimpur. He later died while undergoing treatment. According to the investigating officer, Sub-Inspector Idris, a total of seven suspects have been arrested so far, including Jahir alias Zahid, Kala Bachchu, Sagar, Yunus, Arif, Mamun, and Mizan. Police sources said the case filed over the killing named 29 individuals and listed an additional 150 to 200 unidentified suspects. Multiple teams are continuing operations to identify and arrest others involved. Sitakunda Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mohinul Islam stated that he has visited the crime scene several times and observed that many residents have left the area, possibly due to fear of arrest or for livelihood reasons.

The Directorate of Primary Education (DPE) has announced plans to appoint 14,385 assistant teachers in government primary schools before the upcoming 13th national election. Written exams were held on January 9, 2026, after a short delay, and results were released on January 21, with 69,265 candidates passing. Oral exams in Chapainawabganj, Manikganj, and Barishal districts are scheduled from January 28 to February 3, with further schedules to follow for other districts. According to DPE data, 34,106 head teacher posts and 24,536 assistant teacher posts remain vacant across the country. Many schools, particularly in remote areas, are operating with only one to three teachers, severely affecting administrative and academic activities. DPE Director General Abu Noor Md. Shamsuzzaman stated that the recruitment process is routine and unrelated to the election, emphasizing the need to accelerate hiring to address the shortage. Interim government adviser Dr. Bidhan Ranjan Roy Poddar said the government is prioritizing the teacher shortage issue and expects the problem to be resolved soon.

France’s National Assembly has passed a bill aiming to ban social media use for children under 15, seeking to protect them from excessive screen time and its negative effects. The bill, strongly supported by President Emmanuel Macron, was approved after a lengthy session from Monday to Tuesday night and will now move to the Senate for further approval. Macron described the measure as a major step forward in safeguarding French youth. The proposed law also includes restrictions on mobile phone use in high schools. If enacted, France would become the second country after Australia to impose such strict limits on minors’ social media access. The law would take effect at the start of the 2026 school year, with social media companies required to deactivate non-compliant accounts by December 31, 2025. Renaissance Party leader and former Prime Minister Gabriel Attal expressed hope that the Senate would approve the bill by mid-February. A recent report by France’s public health agency ANSES warned that platforms like TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram negatively affect teenagers’ mental health, especially among girls. The law will exclude educational and encyclopedic platforms and introduce a European-level age verification system.

The interim government led by Professor Muhammad Yunus has completed all preparations to hand over power to the incoming administration following the February 12 parliamentary election. Officials said the oath-taking ceremony for the new government is expected between February 16 and 18, with February 17 being prioritized. The Cabinet Division, Parliament Secretariat, and other relevant offices have been instructed to finalize arrangements, while Bangabhaban has been asked to remain ready to host the event. According to government sources, multiple meetings have been held to coordinate the swearing-in of both new members of parliament and the incoming cabinet. The Election Commission has been requested to publish the gazette of elected MPs by February 13 or 14. The Ministry of Home Affairs is responsible for ensuring protocol and security for guests attending the ceremony, which is planned to be festive and inclusive. The President’s military division will oversee overall management at Bangabhaban’s Darbar Hall. Meanwhile, the Parliament building and related facilities have been fully renovated after damage during the 2024 uprising, and a committee has been formed to select the new prime minister’s official residence from four proposed options.

An explosion was alleged near the election campaign rally of BNP candidate Ershad Ullah in the Chattogram-8 (Boalkhali–Chandgaon) constituency on Monday evening, January 26. The incident occurred around 6 p.m. in front of Purba Kadhurkhil High School in Boalkhali, where Ullah was conducting a public meeting. Witnesses reported hearing two loud blasts about 50 yards from the rally site, causing panic among attendees. No injuries were reported, and police later said they found no evidence of explosives at the scene. BNP leaders quickly brought the situation under control and concluded the meeting briefly before holding a protest march in the upazila town. District BNP leaders condemned the incident, calling for the perpetrators to be identified and arrested. One local BNP leader alleged that the attack was a deliberate attempt to disrupt the election atmosphere and blamed rival groups. Police confirmed they responded promptly but found no physical traces of any explosive devices. BNP candidate Ershad Ullah described the explosions as an attempt to create unrest and destabilize the electoral environment.

Nearly 50 migrants are feared dead after a boat carrying them sank in the Mediterranean Sea, according to a report by Malta’s Times of Malta on January 27, 2026. One survivor was rescued and taken to Malta for medical treatment. The Maltese military said the man had floated in the sea for about 24 hours before being rescued by a commercial ship heading toward Tunisia. He estimated that around 50 people on board drowned. The boat had departed from the coast of Tunisia in North Africa, a common starting point for risky sea journeys toward Europe. Such incidents occur frequently as migrants from Asia and Africa attempt to cross the Mediterranean in small, unsafe boats. The nationalities of the rescued person and other passengers remain unknown. According to the organization Missing Migrants, 33,326 migrants have died or gone missing in the Mediterranean since 2014. So far this year, 26 people have been reported dead or missing, compared with 1,873 in 2025.

A powerful snowstorm has caused widespread disruption across the United States, leaving at least 30 people dead and millions without electricity. The storm has led to the cancellation of thousands of flights and prompted weather-related emergency declarations in at least 25 states, according to the Associated Press. The extreme cold and heavy snowfall have affected areas from New York and Massachusetts in the northeast to Texas and North Carolina in the south. Snowfall reached up to 18 inches in some regions, with temperatures dropping to minus 18 degrees Celsius. The storm directly impacted about 118 million people, while more than 150 million were advised to remain cautious. New York reported the highest number of fatalities, with five deaths. Governor Kathy Hochul deployed the National Guard in New York City, and Mayor Zohran Mamdani urged residents to assist those in need. Deaths were also reported in Tennessee, Louisiana, Texas, Massachusetts, and Kansas. The U.S. National Weather Service said the storm’s main system was moving toward the Atlantic Ocean but warned that new Arctic air could bring more snow and rain to the northeast in the coming days.

The Election Commission (EC) of Bangladesh has instructed all returning and election officials not to engage in any campaign related to the ongoing referendum, warning them against supporting either the ‘yes’ or ‘no’ side. The EC said the directive aims to preserve neutrality and credibility in the electoral process and may be formally communicated to the government. Commissioner Anwarul Islam Sarkar confirmed that all officers involved in election duties must refrain from referendum campaigning to avoid questions about impartiality. The EC has also decided to amend sections of the electoral code of conduct midway through the election schedule, a move that has sparked debate about its timing and consistency. The revisions include lifting the restriction on using only three microphones at political rallies and allowing candidates to distribute voter slips containing their names, party affiliations, and symbols. Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed confirmed these changes, citing practical needs. Civil society leader Dr. Badiul Alam Majumdar criticized the mid-election amendments, saying they could cause confusion at the grassroots level and undermine confidence in the EC’s decision-making process.

India has not yet responded to an invitation to join U.S. President Donald Trump’s newly formed Peace Board, which was launched in Davos, Switzerland. The country was notably absent from the charter signing ceremony, prompting speculation that New Delhi fears the board might intervene in the Kashmir dispute. The board was introduced by Trump as a global initiative extending beyond the Gaza ceasefire to address conflicts in other regions. The Peace Board’s creation comes as the United States withdraws from several United Nations bodies, raising concerns that Trump aims to diminish the UN’s global relevance. Pakistan, India’s long-time rival, has already joined the board, which Indian media described as a warning signal for New Delhi. Analysts and former diplomats noted that if Trump includes Kashmir in his peace agenda, India could face difficulty opposing international peacekeeping involvement. Former Indian envoys and UN officials cited in local media confirmed that Trump’s peace plan might be applied beyond Gaza, suggesting potential diplomatic challenges ahead for India.

Saudi Arabia is significantly reducing the scope and size of its ambitious Neom megaproject following a year-long internal review. According to a Financial Times report cited on Sunday, the project’s cost has been cut and its design reworked. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is now pursuing a smaller development plan due to delays, rising expenses, and technical challenges. The Neom project, launched in 2017 as part of the kingdom’s economic transformation plan, spans the Red Sea coast and includes the futuristic city concept known as “The Line,” which is now being redesigned and downsized. Sources told the Financial Times that “The Line” may be converted into a conventional project using existing infrastructure, while Neom could evolve into a data center hub as Saudi Arabia seeks a stronger role in the global artificial intelligence sector. The review comes amid lower oil prices and a government cost-cutting drive, as the country prepares for major events such as Riyadh Expo 2030 and the 2034 FIFA World Cup. Several subprojects, including the Trojena ski resort and the Oxagon industrial zone, are being scaled back or redesigned to align with Saudi Arabia’s current economic realities.

The Israeli military announced that the body of Ran Gavili, the last hostage held in Gaza, has been recovered. Gavili, an Israeli police officer, was killed during the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, and his body had remained in Gaza for over 840 days. The army said the body will be returned to Israel for burial. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the recovery as an “incredible achievement” for the state and called Gavili a “national hero.” The recovery fulfills a key condition in the initial phase of a U.S.-proposed plan to end the Gaza war, potentially paving the way for a limited reopening of the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt. A U.S.-supported Palestinian technocrat committee indicated the crossing could reopen this week, though Israel has not commented. Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem said the group provided information that aided the recovery and reaffirmed its commitment to uphold all aspects of the agreement. Gaza’s health authorities reported that more than 71,000 Palestinians have been killed during nearly two years of Israeli attacks. Israeli officials had previously opposed reopening Rafah until the last hostage’s body was returned.

Bangladesh’s interim government led by Dr. Muhammad Yunus has strongly protested what it calls India’s attempt to destabilize the country ahead of the February 12 general election and an upcoming referendum linked to the July Charter. According to diplomatic sources cited by the newspaper, Indian policymakers and intelligence agencies have launched a campaign to make the election controversial and prevent approval of the referendum. The report claims that Delhi’s efforts include bringing former prime minister Sheikh Hasina back into the political spotlight. On January 23, an audio message from Hasina was played at a Delhi event titled “Safe Democracy in Bangladesh,” where she allegedly urged her supporters to boycott and resist the election. Dhaka’s foreign ministry said the speech incited violence and aimed to overthrow the government, calling India’s role a serious threat to Bangladesh’s democratic transition and bilateral relations. Analysts quoted in the report said India is anxious about the election outcome, given the absence of the Awami League and the uncertain position of other parties. The controversy has heightened diplomatic tension, with Bangladesh warning that such actions could harm future bilateral cooperation and vowing to prevent any violence or conspiracy surrounding the polls.

Train movement on the Dhaka–Sylhet and Dhaka–Chattogram routes resumed around 10:30 a.m. Tuesday after a derailed coach of the Dhaka Mail train was recovered at Bhairab Bazar Railway Junction in Kishoreganj. The derailment occurred at about 3:30 a.m. near the station’s outer signal area when the Chattogram-bound Dhaka Mail was crossing from line 1 to line 2, causing two wheels of one coach to go off the track and blocking the line completely. Railway authorities dispatched a relief train from Akhaura at 7:00 a.m., which began recovery operations at the site. After roughly three and a half hours of work, the derailed coach was removed, allowing train services to restart. The incident had halted all train traffic on the route for several hours. During the disruption, multiple trains including the Cox’s Bazar Express, Egarsindur Express, Parabat Express, Chattogram Mail, and Turna Nishitha Express were stranded at Bhairab and nearby stations, leaving thousands of passengers delayed and inconvenienced.

The Ministry of Cultural Affairs of Bangladesh has decided to reduce stall rent for the Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2026 by 25 percent following requests from participating publishers. Cultural Affairs Adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki issued the directive, and the decision was announced in a ministry press release on Monday. The fair is scheduled to begin on February 20, 2026. According to the statement, the decision came after a productive meeting between the cultural affairs adviser, the ministry’s secretary, and the director general of Bangla Academy. The Bangla Academy will implement the rent reduction promptly. The ministry expressed optimism that this initiative will help the fair continue as a gathering place for writers, readers, and publishers, while also encouraging book publishing and reading. Professor Md. Azam, director general of Bangla Academy and convener of the fair’s implementation committee, said that the Bangladesh Publishers and Booksellers Association had requested to postpone the fair, but the timing could not be changed due to possible rain and other issues. Therefore, the rent reduction was approved to support publishers and sellers.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has strongly condemned a terrorist attack on professional journalists from Dhaka that occurred in front of Dream Holiday Park in Narsingdi. The party’s Assistant Secretary General and head of its central publicity and media division, Advocate Ehsanul Mahbub Zubair, issued a statement on Monday night expressing the condemnation. According to the statement, on the evening of January 26, members of the Crime Reporters Association of Bangladesh (CRAB) were preparing to return from a family picnic when local assailants demanded extortion money. After the journalists protested, an altercation ensued, leading the attackers to assault them with local weapons, injuring ten people including journalists Mohsin Kabir, Mohammad Shahed, S M Foyez, and CRAB staff Lal. In the statement, Zubair described the attack as a heinous and barbaric act aimed at silencing journalists and undermining press freedom. He demanded the immediate identification and arrest of those involved and called for exemplary punishment. He also urged authorities to ensure proper medical treatment and security for the injured journalists.