The Bangladesh Army conducted a special operation early Monday in Udaypur area of Jhenaidah Sadar upazila, recovering looted tear gas and sound grenades. The raid was carried out by a patrol team of the East Bengal Regiment, which also detained Rubel Hossain, a local resident facing multiple criminal cases. The seized items included a multi-impact sound grenade, a cocktail, and a random-move tear gas grenade. According to army sources, the recovered equipment matches those used by the Bangladesh Police and is believed to be part of the gear stolen or lost during the July protests of the previous year. Local residents said Rubel Hossain had been active in violent activities during that period and had previously been in law enforcement custody. The army stated that the operation followed intelligence reports about attempts by criminal groups to create unrest in the area ahead of the national election. The recovered weapons have been handed over to Jhenaidah Sadar Police Station, whose officer-in-charge confirmed receipt of the evidence.

The International Crimes Tribunal-1 is set to deliver its verdict today, Tuesday, in the case concerning the killing of six people, including Shahriar Khan Anas, during the July Revolution in Dhaka’s Chan Kharpul area. The three-member judicial panel, led by Chairman Golam Mortuza Majumdar with members Justice Shafiul Alam Mahmud and retired judge Mohitul Haque Enam Chowdhury, will announce the ruling. The date was fixed on December 24 after closing arguments from both prosecution and defense. The verdict comes about eight months after formal charges were framed. This is the second judgment related to crimes against humanity committed during the 2024 July Revolution. The first verdict, delivered on November 17 last year, sentenced former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal to death. In the current case, eight former police officers stand accused of conspiracy, incitement, assistance, and direct involvement in the killings. Four of them are in custody, while the rest remain fugitives. Prosecutor Gazi Tamim stated that the prosecution presented testimony from 26 witnesses and extensive documentary, audio, video, and forensic evidence, asserting that the charges were proven beyond doubt and seeking maximum punishment and compensation for victims’ families.

Jamaat-e-Islami has intensified preparations for the upcoming parliamentary election, aiming for a major victory through an electoral alliance with ten parties. The party has finalized key policy papers on governance strategies and challenges, which were approved by its central executive council. These policies will be presented at a daylong 'Policy Summit' on Tuesday at the InterContinental Hotel in Dhaka, attended by political leaders, diplomats, academics, professionals, and policy experts. Party leaders said Jamaat seeks to establish a model of efficiency in governance if it comes to power, with plans to form a national government including coalition partners. Assistant Secretary General Ehsanul Mahbub Zubair stated that the finalized policies will be shared with experts for feedback. The party has also informed foreign diplomats about its plans and claims to have received positive responses. Jamaat leaders alleged that some groups are spreading misinformation about its international support and capacity to govern. According to the report, Jamaat has prepared expert teams comprising professionals from home and abroad to ensure skilled governance. The party’s slogan for this election emphasizes building a just, corruption-free, and citizen-centered Bangladesh.

Iran and Bolivia have withdrawn visa-free travel privileges for Indian passport holders, even as India’s position in the Henley Passport Index 2026 improved from 85th to 80th place. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs stated that Iran made visas mandatory from November 22, 2025, after reports that criminal groups exploited visa exemptions to lure Indians with false job offers and later kidnapped them for ransom. Indian travelers must now apply for a visa before visiting or transiting through Iran, and authorities have urged caution against agents offering visa-free transit. Bolivia has also revised its visa policy for Indians, replacing its previous visa-on-arrival system with a mandatory electronic visa. Applicants must complete the process online by submitting documents and paying the required fee, with the e-visa issued digitally for travel use. In 2025, Bolivia had introduced visa-on-arrival for Indians, allowing entry without prior approval, which effectively functioned as a visa-free arrangement. These policy changes come as India’s global travel access improves overall, but with new restrictions from two countries affecting Indian travelers’ mobility.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has been invited to join the ‘Board of Peace,’ a new initiative proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump to oversee global conflict resolution and Gaza’s governance and reconstruction. The invitation was reported on January 19 by Al Jazeera. The move comes as uncertainty deepens over the end of the Ukraine war, which continues despite Trump’s earlier pledge to halt it within 24 hours of taking office. According to White House sources, the board will be chaired by Trump and include influential leaders and figures from around the world. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Putin received the invitation and said Moscow is discussing the proposal’s details with Washington, though he did not comment on whether Putin intends to participate. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has also reportedly been invited. The ‘Board of Peace’ is part of Trump’s 20-point plan aimed at ending Israel’s war in Gaza and establishing a post-war governance structure. Analysts have criticized the initiative for allegedly giving top roles to controversial figures like Trump, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, while limiting Palestinians to lower-level administrative positions.

At least seven people were killed and more than twenty others injured in a powerful explosion in Kabul, Afghanistan’s capital, according to the country’s Interior Ministry. The blast occurred on Monday, January 19, in the Shahr-e-Naw area, which is known for housing foreign residents and is considered one of the city’s relatively secure zones. Taliban officials confirmed the incident through news agencies AFP and Reuters, stating that further details would be released later. The Italian NGO Emergency, which operates a hospital in Kabul, reported that the explosion took place near its facility. The organization said twenty victims were brought to its surgical center, seven of whom were already dead upon arrival. The cause of the explosion has not yet been disclosed. Since the Taliban took power following the 2021 withdrawal of U.S. forces, the frequency of explosions in Kabul has decreased. However, Islamic State–linked militant groups remain active in Afghanistan and have continued to carry out sporadic attacks, including several suicide bombings in 2025.

With only 22 days left before Bangladesh’s 13th parliamentary election, the country’s administration is showing signs of paralysis as ministries and departments await the transition to a new government. Routine work continues in some offices, but many ministries remain inactive. The interim government, in power for a year and a half since the July Revolution, has failed to implement meaningful administrative reforms, leaving bureaucracy and red tape intact. Former bureaucrats and governance experts blame weak government initiatives and excessive reliance on the civil service for the lack of reform. They also cite unhealthy political competition to control the bureaucracy. The Muyeed Commission’s draft reform proposals, which sought to change promotion rules and restructure cadres, angered officials and deepened divisions within the administration. Meanwhile, the government’s demand for asset declarations from all civil servants created unease among officials. Experts warn that the current stagnation poses a serious challenge for the incoming government. Unless political influence is removed from the bureaucracy, they say, the establishment of an effective welfare state will remain elusive.

United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan paid a brief two-hour visit to India, arriving at Indira Gandhi International Airport where he was received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The UAE leader was given a red-carpet welcome and guard of honor before attending a significant meeting with Modi, according to the report. Despite the short duration, international relations experts described the visit as diplomatically important. Cooperation between India and the UAE has recently expanded in defense, trade, energy, and regional security sectors. During the visit, photographs showed Modi and Sheikh Mohammed smiling together in a car, reflecting the cordial nature of their meeting. Prime Minister Modi also referred to Sheikh Mohammed as a “brother” in a post on social media platform X, signaling the close and friendly ties between the two nations.

Popular Islamic scholar Dr. Mizanur Rahman Azhari has issued a public warning after discovering that a group is using artificial intelligence to clone his voice and misuse his photos and videos for fraudulent activities on social media. In a verified Facebook post on January 19, he said these fake contents and advertisements are deceiving people and damaging his personal reputation. He urged the public not to be misled by such materials and confirmed that legal action will be taken against those responsible. Azhari explained that the fraudulent campaigns include false product promotions and misleading medical advertisements, particularly for unscientific herbal products. He noted that Hasanah Foundation’s official phone number has been receiving frequent calls about these fake products, disrupting its official work. He clarified that neither he nor his foundation has any connection to these promotions. He stated that a list of the fraudulent media pages has already been prepared and will soon be submitted to the police cybercrime unit. Azhari warned that if the fake content is not removed immediately, strict legal measures will follow.

The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) announced that strict punitive measures will be taken against anyone honking in or around Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. The decision was detailed in a press release signed by Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Talebur Rahman of the DMP’s Media and Public Relations Division on Monday, January 19, 2026. According to the release, the Dhaka North City Corporation declared the airport area and a 1.5-kilometer stretch from Scholastica School to Hotel Le Méridien, as well as Gulshan, Banani, Baridhara, and Niketan, as silent zones since September of the previous year. Under the Road Transport Act 2018 and the Noise Pollution (Control) Regulations, honking in these silent zones is a punishable offense, carrying a maximum fine of 10,000 taka or up to three months’ imprisonment. The newly issued Noise Pollution (Control) Regulations 2025 authorize police to impose fines for honking or causing noise pollution in silent zones. The DMP stated that it will take strict disciplinary action against violators in these designated areas.

The High Court has issued a rule asking why no legal action has been taken against private hospitals and diagnostic centers operating without mandatory fire licenses in Bangladesh. The bench of Justice Ahmed Sohel and Justice Fatema Anwar issued the order on January 18, 2026, after a preliminary hearing of a public interest writ petition. The court directed the secretaries of the Health and Family Welfare Ministry, the Home Ministry, the Director General of the Directorate General of Health Services, and the Director General of Fire Service and Civil Defence to respond within four weeks. The writ petition, filed by lawyer Md. Kawsar Hossain, stated that under the Fire Prevention and Extinction Act, 2003, all hospitals, clinics, and diagnostic centers must have fire licenses. However, official data show that out of 18,113 private healthcare institutions nationwide, only 7,565 have licenses, leaving about 10,518 facilities operating without them. Many of these are housed in unsafe buildings lacking proper fire exits and safety measures. The court also ordered that the petitioner’s application seeking action to ensure safe healthcare in such risky establishments be resolved within 90 days by the relevant authorities.

Police have arrested Abul Kashem, a 50-year-old BNP leader, in connection with a case alleging an attempt to occupy government land in Hatiya, an island upazila of Noakhali. The arrest was made in Dhaka earlier on Monday, January 19, and confirmed later that night by Hatiya Police Station Officer-in-Charge Saiful Alam. Kashem, also known as Kashem Dubai, is the son of Nur Ahmed from Ward 3 of Hatiya Municipality and a former organizational secretary of the local BNP unit. According to the case statement, a group had been trying for a long time to illegally occupy government khas land near the Goltola tourism center in Burirchar Union’s Rahmat Bazar area. On January 8, land officials visited the site after receiving complaints that the accused were showing fake documents to sell land to landless people. The group allegedly demanded Tk 2 crore in extortion and threatened violence if the demand was not met. Local administration and police later conducted an operation to control the situation, detaining two people while others fled. Police said Kashem faces charges of obstruction of government work, extortion, fraud, and attempted land grabbing.

A Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) officer, Deputy Assistant Director Abdul Motaleb, was killed in a gun attack by armed assailants in the remote hilly area of Jungle Salimpur in Sitakunda, Chattogram. Three others, including a RAB source, were seriously injured and admitted to the Combined Military Hospital. According to allegations, the attack was led by followers of local crime leader Yasin. In response, large numbers of RAB, police, and Border Guard Bangladesh personnel have been deployed across Chinnamul, Alinagar, and Link Road areas, with a sweeping operation underway inside Jungle Salimpur. Local sources said the assault occurred around 3 p.m. Monday during a special RAB operation to arrest an armed suspect. Around 400–500 members of Yasin’s group reportedly ambushed the team, using mosque loudspeakers to rally attackers. They beat RAB members, vandalized a microbus, and abducted three people, later torturing them in the Alinagar hills before police rescued them. RAB-7 confirmed the incident in a press release, stating one officer was killed and three injured. The report adds that Yasin’s group has long controlled Jungle Salimpur and Alinagar, engaging in illegal land trading and extortion from local businesses and utilities.

In Syedpur, Nilphamari, the local unit of Jamaat-e-Islami launched a campaign supporting the 'Yes' vote in the upcoming national referendum. The event began on Monday night in front of the Press Club on Shaheed Dr. Zikrul Haque Road. It was presided over by Syedpur city Jamaat Ameer Md. Sharafuddin Khan, with Hafiz Abdul Muntakim, Jamaat’s nominated parliamentary candidate for Nilphamari-4 and Syedpur upazila Ameer, attending as the chief guest. During the campaign, Abdul Muntakim urged citizens to vote 'Yes' to help build a new Bangladesh, encouraging supporters to motivate others to participate and bring them to polling centers. Leaders from various levels of the organization, including the city secretary, assistant secretary, youth division president, and publicity secretary, were present at the event. According to the report, the 13th national parliamentary election and the referendum on implementing the July Charter are both scheduled for February 12.

Authorities are investigating how a loudspeaker announcement rapidly gathered 400–500 people before a deadly attack on Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) members in Sitakunda’s Jungle Salimpur area of Chattogram. The incident occurred after RAB-7 entered the area to apprehend a suspected militant. Within minutes of their arrival, a loudspeaker announcement urged residents to come out, leading to a coordinated assault that left one RAB member dead. Officials are probing whether the call came from a mosque’s sound system or another source, possibly linked to a nearby political event. RAB officials stated that the attack appeared pre-planned rather than spontaneous. They refrained from firing inside the area, fearing civilian presence, and later recovered audio clips, mobile footage, and CCTV evidence for forensic analysis. Local mosque committee members denied involvement, claiming their microphones were not misused. Some residents reported hearing announcements resembling mobile speaker sounds rather than mosque systems, suggesting multiple simultaneous broadcasts. Investigators are now verifying whether the loudspeaker call was an improvised reaction or part of a rehearsed plan. A digital forensic team is reviewing all available recordings to identify those responsible for the announcement and the organized attack.