The trial of Border Guard Bangladesh officer Lieutenant Colonel Redwanul Islam and three others begins today at the International Crimes Tribunal-1 in Dhaka. The case concerns the killing of 28 people in the Rampura area during the July uprising. The three-member tribunal, chaired by Justice Golam Mortuza Mojumdar, will open proceedings with introductory statements. The other members of the panel are Justice Shafiul Alam Mahmud and retired district judge Mohitul Haque Enam Chowdhury. On December 24, the tribunal rejected discharge petitions and formally framed charges against the four accused, setting January 20 for the trial’s start. Redwanul and former BGB officer Major Rafat Bin Alam are in custody, while former DMP ADC Rashedul Islam and former Rampura OC Mashiur Rahman remain absconding. Earlier hearings were delayed, and the prosecution submitted formal charges following investigations that identified the accused as participants in the Rampura killings. The tribunal had previously ordered newspaper notices for the absconding defendants. The case stems from widespread violence during the July–August student and public protests, in which 28 people were killed and many injured in Rampura.

The parents of martyr Shahriar Khan Anas appeared at the International Crimes Tribunal on Tuesday morning to hear the verdict in a case concerning crimes against humanity. The case involves the killing of six people in Dhaka’s Chankharpul area during the July Movement. They arrived at the tribunal at 10:50 a.m. to attend the session. According to the report, Anas’s father, Shahriar Khan Palash, and mother, Sanjida Khan Deepti, had previously given testimony against eight accused individuals in the case. The tribunal is set to deliver its verdict on January 26. The case is one of several related to incidents of violence and killings during the July Movement. The tribunal proceedings mark a significant step toward concluding the long-running case, which has drawn attention due to its connection with the July Movement killings in the capital.

A massive pileup involving more than 100 vehicles occurred on Interstate 196 in Michigan on Monday morning, January 19, amid a severe snowstorm and whiteout conditions. The crash took place near Ottawa County, about 24 miles southwest of Grand Rapids, prompting authorities to close a 10-mile stretch of the highway between Hudsonville and Zeeland for several hours. According to the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office, at least 10 people were injured, though none critically, and around two dozen semitrucks were involved. No deaths were reported. Michigan officials said the region experienced heavy snowfall, strong winds, and poor road conditions throughout the day. The National Weather Service office in Grand Rapids had earlier warned residents to avoid unnecessary travel due to the Arctic cold front affecting the Great Lakes area. By 6 p.m., the sheriff’s office confirmed that the highway had been cleared and reopened to traffic. Experts noted that subfreezing temperatures cause ice buildup on roads, significantly increasing accident risks, as even four-wheel-drive vehicles struggle to stop on slippery surfaces.

A devastating fire broke out early Tuesday, January 20, 2026, at the Shafiullah Kata Rohingya camp in Ukhia, Cox’s Bazar, destroying more than 300 makeshift shelters. The blaze began around 3 a.m. in a BRAC-run learning center at Block D-4 of Camp 16 and quickly spread to nearby sheds and huts. Thousands of Rohingya refugees have been left homeless, though no casualties were reported. Multiple fire service units from Ukhia and Teknaf responded promptly and managed to bring the fire under control after about three hours. The cause of the fire remains unknown, and the extent of damage has yet to be fully assessed, according to Ukhia Fire Station Master Dollar Tripura. Law enforcement personnel from the 8 APBn coordinated rescue and security operations, relocating affected residents to safer areas and deploying additional police forces. The report notes that fires have occurred previously in Rohingya camps, including incidents in December of the previous year that damaged a hospital and several shelters, highlighting ongoing vulnerability in the densely populated settlements.

U.S. President Donald Trump has warned that his administration will fully implement tariffs on European countries opposing his stance on taking control of Greenland. In an interview with NBC News on January 19, Trump said that if NATO member states, including the United Kingdom, resist his position, all their exports to the United States will face tariffs. He announced that a 10 percent tariff on British imports will begin on February 1, rising to 25 percent on June 1, and will remain until an agreement is reached with Denmark over Greenland. The same policy will apply to Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Finland. European leaders have responded with a unified stance defending Greenland’s sovereignty. Denmark’s foreign minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said ownership cannot be claimed through threats, while the UK’s foreign minister Yvette Cooper affirmed that only Greenlanders and Denmark can decide Greenland’s future. Trump did not rule out military action, prompting Denmark to warn of serious NATO consequences. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said the alliance will coordinate with Denmark and Greenland on Arctic security. The EU’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas stated that sovereignty is not a matter of trade and called an emergency meeting of EU leaders in Brussels on Thursday to decide next steps.

The interim government of Bangladesh has lifted the temporary ban on on-arrival visas that had been imposed in connection with the national election. According to information from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday, January 19, foreign nationals can now obtain on-arrival visas at airports under the previous regulations. Earlier, the government had announced that the suspension would remain in effect from January 15 to February 15, during which time travelers were advised to obtain visas from Bangladeshi missions abroad. The restriction was introduced as a precautionary measure surrounding the election period. With the withdrawal of the ban, regular on-arrival visa services have resumed, allowing foreign visitors to enter Bangladesh more conveniently through airports.

Four accused, including former Shahbagh police inspector Arshad Hossain, were produced before International Crimes Tribunal-1 on Tuesday morning in connection with the July Revolution killings at Dhaka’s Chankharpul area. The case involves the murder of Shahriar Khan Anas and five others, allegedly through indiscriminate police firing. The three-member tribunal, led by Chairman Golam Mortuza Mojumdar, is set to deliver its verdict after eight months of formal proceedings. According to the prosecution, the state presented testimony from 26 witnesses and extensive documentary, audio, video, and forensic evidence, including recorded conversations, wireless messages, and weapon issuance records. Prosecutor Gazi Tamim stated that the evidence conclusively proved the charges and sought maximum punishment, confiscation of fugitives’ properties, and compensation for victims’ families. The case names eight police officials, four of whom are in custody while the others remain fugitives. This will be the second verdict related to crimes against humanity committed during the 2024 July Revolution, following the tribunal’s earlier ruling against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her associates.

A Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) officer was killed and three others injured during an anti-crime operation in Sitakunda’s Salimpur area of Chattogram on Monday afternoon. The attack occurred when a 16-member RAB-7 team raided an office after receiving information that a suspect was hiding there. Armed assailants surrounded the team, seized the weapon of Naib Subedar Abdul Metaleb, shot him in the leg, and beat him severely. He died before reaching the hospital. The same area had been the site of a major army operation on August 30, 2025, when a local arms factory was discovered and four suspects were detained. Locals say the region has long been plagued by conflicts over hill occupation, extortion, and illegal construction, with repeated attacks on law enforcement. RAB-7 officials said the situation was not suitable for controlled fire during the ambush. Additional forces have now taken control of the area, and operations are underway to identify those involved.

Bangladesh has introduced its first modern irrigation system, the Center Pivot Irrigation System, at the North Bengal Sugar Mill’s sugarcane farm in Bhabanipur, Baraigram, Natore. The project, implemented with technical assistance from Austria and financial support from the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation’s (BADC) Panasi Project, was officially handed over to the farm authorities after a successful trial run on Thursday morning. The system uses sprinklers attached to pipes to distribute water from above like rainfall. The pilot project, costing Tk 3.98 crore across two sites in Natore and Pabna, was implemented by Sherpa Power Engineering with Austrian company Bayer’s cooperation. Two foreign experts, from China and Vietnam, supervised technical training. The system can irrigate 125 acres simultaneously, using less water and time than traditional methods. Officials said it will reduce water waste and improve year-round irrigation efficiency. BADC engineers and local agricultural officers expect the technology to bring a major shift in farming efficiency, enabling uniform irrigation even on uneven land and converting fallow plots into productive farmland.

Severe wildfires have continued for a third consecutive day in southern Chile, fueled by high temperatures and strong winds. Officials reported at least 20 deaths and widespread destruction across several towns. The fires began Saturday in the Ñuble and Biobío regions, about 500 kilometers south of Santiago, and quickly spread over an area comparable to the size of Detroit in the United States, destroying or severely damaging around 1,000 homes. President Gabriel Boric said Monday that while some areas were under control, conditions remained “very active and dangerous” in others, with new fires emerging in nearby Araucanía. Both Ñuble and Biobío have been declared disaster zones, and the military has been deployed to assist. More than 3,500 firefighters were working to contain the blazes as temperatures dropped to around 25 degrees Celsius but the situation remained critical. Experts cited climate change as a key factor behind the increasing frequency of extreme wildfires in central and southern Chile during the dry summer months. Past fire seasons in 2016–17, 2022–23, and February 2024 also caused severe destruction and loss of life.

The High Court on Monday suspended the Shahjalal University of Science and Technology Central Students’ Union (SUSTCSU or ShakSU) election for four weeks, triggering widespread protests on campus. Following the sudden announcement, students staged demonstrations, blocked highways, and locked the vice-chancellor’s office for nearly 12 hours before releasing him and other officials early Tuesday. The suspension came after three independent candidates filed a writ petition challenging the Election Commission’s approval of the polls. Earlier, nationalist teachers announced they would not participate in election duties, citing internal disputes. The university’s appeal to the Supreme Court’s chamber judge was not heard due to procedural issues. Meanwhile, the Islamist student group Islami Chhatra Shibir called for nationwide protests demanding immediate implementation of the ShakSU election, announcing a four-day program of rallies and human chains. University authorities stated they would comply with the court order, while students vowed to continue pressing for their electoral rights. The next hearing date has yet to be set.

Across Bangladesh, fertile topsoil from agricultural land is being sold and used in brick kilns, severely reducing arable land and threatening crop production. Despite repeated government crackdowns, the illegal trade continues in districts including Chandpur, Moulvibazar, Cumilla, and Lakshmipur. Officials report that much of the soil is taken from farmlands and riverbanks, leaving deep pits that later turn into water bodies. In Faridganj of Chandpur, around 30 brick kilns, mostly illegal, are reportedly using topsoil from croplands. In Kamalganj of Moulvibazar, soil traders operate day and night despite administrative raids and fines. Similar illegal excavation continues along the Gomti River in Cumilla and in Raipur, Lakshmipur, where fertile land is being stripped to feed brick kilns. Local officials confirm ongoing mobile court operations, fines, and vehicle seizures. Authorities have pledged continued enforcement and investigations, but the persistence of the trade indicates enforcement challenges. The ongoing loss of topsoil poses serious risks to agricultural diversity, economic stability, and food security in affected regions.

Today marks the final day for candidates to withdraw from Bangladesh’s 13th national parliamentary election, according to the election schedule. By the end of the day, the list of final or contesting candidates will be confirmed. Rebel independent candidates from any party must also withdraw by today if they wish to do so. After this deadline, there will be no further opportunity to resolve any alliance-related complications. Election Commission officials stated that returning officers will allocate election symbols among candidates tomorrow, Wednesday. If a political party has more than one candidate in a constituency, the party must finalize one name and inform the returning officer. Independent candidates may also withdraw their candidacy if they choose. As per the schedule, the final candidate list and symbol allocation will occur on January 21, campaign activities will begin on January 22, and continue until the morning of February 10. Voting is scheduled for Thursday, February 12, from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Earlier, about 2,500 nomination papers were submitted, 723 were rejected, and 1,842 candidates were declared valid across 300 constituencies, with 645 appeals filed afterward.

The Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) has expelled Junayed Hasan for life after he contested the Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) Central Students’ Union (ShakSU) election as a rebel candidate. The decision was announced following his participation in the election outside the party’s official nomination process. Junayed Hasan had been serving as the joint general secretary of the SUST unit of JCD before his expulsion. According to the report, the expulsion was a disciplinary action taken by the central leadership of JCD for violating party directives during the ShakSU election. The report did not mention any official response from Junayed Hasan or further details about the election outcome or other candidates involved.

A severe cold spell continues in Nawabganj upazila of Dinajpur on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, with the lowest temperature recorded at 10.3 degrees Celsius at 6 a.m. The humidity level stood at 93 percent, intensifying the cold sensation across the district. Dense fog and chilly winds since dawn have brought daily life to a near standstill, particularly affecting laborers, farmers, day workers, and students. Road traffic has also slowed due to poor visibility caused by the fog. According to Tofazzal Hossain, an official from the Dinajpur Meteorological Department, the cold conditions in the northern region have not yet subsided. The combination of low temperature and high humidity has made the cold more biting and prolonged the foggy conditions. The persistent cold weather continues to disrupt normal activities in Nawabganj, with residents struggling to cope as the chill lingers across northern Bangladesh.