Freedom fighter and administrator of the Freedom Fighters and Families Welfare Association, Ishtiak Aziz Ulfat, claimed that no member of the Awami League participated in Bangladesh’s Liberation War. He made the statement on Wednesday during a press conference at the Abdus Salam Hall of the National Press Club in Dhaka, organized by the association’s Bijoy Rakin City branch. In his written statement, Ulfat alleged that the Awami League government deprived genuine freedom fighters of their rightful benefits while favoring fake ones. He criticized the government for misusing the 5 percent quota reserved for freedom fighters and accused senior officials, police officers, and Awami League leaders of taking over flats meant for real freedom fighters. He said that out of 1,950 flats in a welfare project, only 870 were allocated to association members, and among them, just 32 genuine fighters received 49 flats. Ulfat demanded the cancellation of allocations held by non-freedom fighters and called for the return of those properties to legitimate freedom fighters and their families.

Police in Sherpur upazila of Bogura district conducted a special operation late Tuesday night, January 13, 2026, and seized 600 bottles of Phensedyl from a mini covered van. The raid took place around 11:30 p.m. in the Dhunat Mor area, where two individuals were arrested on the spot. The detainees were identified as driver Sharif Khan, 33, from Gazipur, and helper Amir Hossain, 25, from Chandpur. According to police sources, the operation was carried out based on secret information under the supervision of Additional Superintendent of Police Sajib Shahrin and led by Sherpur Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md. Ibrahim Ali. During the search, officers found the bottles hidden inside the vehicle. Police seized the van and filed a case under the Narcotics Control Act, with Sub-Inspector Bikash Chandra as the complainant. OC Ibrahim Ali stated that legal proceedings against the accused are underway and that police surveillance continues to maintain law and order and combat drug trafficking in the area.

An elderly man named Abul Kashem was killed after being hit by a truck on the Dhaka-Narayanganj Link Road on Wednesday around 12:30 p.m. The accident occurred in front of the District Commissioner’s office. Kashem, a resident of Araihazar upazila, had come to Narayanganj for a court-related matter when the incident took place. According to reports, the victim was crossing the road when a speeding oil drum-laden truck (Dhaka Metro D-14-2722) traveling from Dhaka to Narayanganj ran him over, killing him instantly. Fire service personnel and police recovered the body shortly after the accident. Fatullah Police Station Officer-in-Charge Abdul Mannan confirmed that the body had been recovered and the truck involved in the accident was seized. Legal proceedings regarding the incident are currently underway.

The United States government announced on Tuesday that it is canceling the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Somali nationals residing in the country. As a result, Somalis who lose their legal protection must leave the United States by March 17. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed the decision in a post on social media platform X, stating that those who do not return voluntarily will be deported. According to AFP, the move is part of an ongoing tough campaign against immigrants, with the greatest impact expected in Minnesota, home to the largest Somali community in the US. The state has recently become a focal point for immigration raids and searches. Last week, protests erupted in Minneapolis after an officer fatally shot a local woman during a raid. In response, Minnesota filed a court petition seeking a temporary injunction against ICE operations. Nearly 2,000 people have reportedly been arrested in these operations. Washington has recently taken a stricter stance toward Somali immigrants in Minnesota, where about 80,000 Somali-origin residents live, amid allegations of large-scale welfare fraud.

BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed announced that his party fully supports the signed July National Charter and will implement every proposal contained in it. He made the statement on Wednesday morning while addressing the Pekua Upazila Olama Mashayekh Conference and the prize distribution ceremony for students who passed the annual merit scholarship exam organized by Tanzim-e-Ahle Haq at Ashraful Ulum Madrasa field in Pekua, Cox’s Bazar. Ahmed emphasized that BNP’s politics is dedicated to ensuring peace, rule of law, democratic rights, and constitutional guarantees for the people of Bangladesh. He said the party’s reform proposals are based on national consensus and will be implemented accordingly. He also recalled that former President Ziaur Rahman had introduced the phrase invoking faith in Almighty Allah into the Constitution, which he claimed was later removed by the Awami League government. The event was presided over by Cox’s Bazar district Olama Dal convener Ali Hasan Chowdhury and conducted by Qari Ataullah Gani. Several religious scholars also spoke, and prizes were distributed among the scholarship recipients.

Malaysian immigration authorities detained 150 undocumented foreign nationals, including 25 Bangladeshis, during anti-illegal immigration operations in Kuala Lumpur early Wednesday. The raids took place at an apartment block in Selayang and near Old Klang Road, according to The Star. Datuk Lokman Efendi Ramli, Deputy Director General (Operations) of the Immigration Department, said 52 officers conducted the Selayang raid based on intelligence, arresting 79 people aged between 17 and 55. Those detained were accused of lacking valid passports or work permits and overstaying their visas. Among them were 39 Indonesians, 25 Bangladeshis, 10 Nepalis, two Indians, two Pakistanis, and one Myanmar national. Ramli stated that the detainees were employed in various sectors, including security, food service, laundry, housekeeping, and construction. A second operation near Old Klang Road led to the arrest of 71 more foreigners, comprising 33 Indonesian men, 33 Indonesian women, two Myanmar men, one Myanmar woman, one Indian man, and one Pakistani. The operations reflect Malaysia’s continued enforcement against undocumented migrant workers.

Md. Arfan Hossain, the younger brother of Felani Khatun who was killed by BSF gunfire at the border, has officially joined the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) as a sepoy. He took an oath to protect the nation’s sovereignty and integrity during the passing-out parade of the 104th recruit batch at the Bir Uttam Mujibur Rahman Parade Ground of the Border Guard Training Center and College in Baitul Izzat, Satkania, Chattogram. The event marked the induction of 3,023 new BGB members, including 2,950 men and 73 women—the highest number in the force’s history. Arfan had passed the recruitment examination organized by 15 BGB on February 23 before beginning his training. His enlistment carries deep emotional significance for his family, who have long sought justice for Felani’s death in 2011 at the Anantapur border in Kurigram’s Phulbari. The family and local residents believe Arfan’s service symbolizes hope and the continuation of Felani’s unfulfilled dream. The ceremony underscored BGB’s ongoing expansion and the inclusion of new recruits dedicated to safeguarding Bangladesh’s borders.

A rickshaw puller named Babul Hawlader Sagar, aged 45, was killed after being hit by a covered van in Dhaka’s Jatrabari area early Wednesday morning. The incident occurred around 5:30 a.m. near the Kajla area. According to witnesses and police, Sagar was repairing a battery-run autorickshaw near the Kajla toll plaza when a covered van struck him from behind and fled the scene. He was rescued in critical condition and taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where doctors declared him dead around 6:15 a.m. Sub-inspector Shahnewaz of Jatrabari Police Station confirmed the incident. The victim, originally from Madanpur in Narayanganj, lived in the Shonir Akhra area with his wife and two children. His body has been kept at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital morgue for autopsy. Police have not yet identified the vehicle or driver responsible for the accident, and no further details on the investigation were provided in the report.

Iran’s Chief Justice Gholamhossein Mohseni has pledged to expedite the trials of individuals arrested during recent protests across the country. The announcement was made on Wednesday through state television, which described the demonstrations as “riots.” During a visit to a Tehran prison where many detainees are being held, Mohseni stated that authorities must act quickly in cases involving violence such as arson or beheadings. According to Iranian news agencies, Mohseni also called for the trials to be conducted publicly. Reports said he spent about five hours at the Tehran facility reviewing case files of those detained in connection with the unrest. Human rights organizations have claimed that thousands of people have been arrested in the recent protests and expressed fears that Iran’s judiciary may impose widespread death sentences. The situation has heightened international concern over human rights conditions in Iran, as observers warn that the judiciary’s approach could further escalate tensions within the country.

Thirteen-year-old Omar Halawa from northern Gaza lost his right leg after being hit during an Israeli attack in October 2025 while fetching water near the Jabalia area. His mother, Yasmin Halawa, told Al Jazeera that the family had been displaced more than 15 times and that Omar’s injury occurred amid severe water shortages. The family buried his severed leg near their tent, and Omar visits the grave daily, saying his leg has gone to heaven before him. Omar’s sister Layan was also injured in a November 2023 airstrike, and their eight-year-old cousin was killed. Yasmin said her children have been deeply traumatized, with Omar now frightened even by small noises. UNICEF spokesperson Kazem Abu Khalaf told Al Jazeera that Gaza’s children are living in the world’s most terrifying place instead of enjoying their childhood. According to the report, more than 71,000 Palestinians, including 20,000 children, have been killed in two years of Israeli attacks, and around 42,000 children have been injured. UNICEF noted that even after a ceasefire, over 95 children have been killed, underscoring the continuing danger for Gaza’s young population.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) conducted a raid at the University of Chittagong on Wednesday following allegations of irregularities in more than 150 appointments approved by a university syndicate. The operation began at 11:30 a.m. under the leadership of ACC Chittagong Assistant Director Sayed Alam, and the matter was confirmed to the media by ACC Chittagong Deputy Director Subel Ahmed. According to university authorities, the 565th syndicate meeting held on January 9 approved the appointment of 113 individuals, including teachers, officers, and employees. Among them, 21 were appointed as teachers, 8 as officers, and 84 as third- and fourth-class employees. The list also included Mahira Khan, daughter of the university’s Pro-Vice-Chancellor Shamim Uddin Khan, who was appointed as a lecturer. The ACC raid followed public allegations that the recruitment process involved irregularities, prompting the commission to investigate the matter further.

The Home Affairs Adviser stated that threats made by individuals living abroad hold no value and urged those with courage to return to Bangladesh and face the law. He made the remarks on Wednesday morning at the Border Guard Training Center and College in Baitul Izzat, Satkania, Chattogram, following the 104th Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) recruiting parade. Responding to questions about threats directed at the Prime Minister and her son over the election, he said that such statements from fugitives abroad are meaningless unless made within the legal framework of the country. Addressing election security, the adviser said that the number of security forces is being increased to prevent any disorder during the polls and expressed confidence that the election would remain peaceful with public cooperation. On border issues, he noted that the Arakan Army currently controls parts of Myanmar’s Rakhine region, creating problems for Bangladesh. He added that Bangladesh maintains communication with Myanmar’s government and protests whenever incidents occur along the border. The adviser also mentioned that clashes between Myanmar forces and the Arakan Army sometimes cause shells to land inside Bangladesh, and the government is taking all necessary measures to prevent future incidents.

UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran, Mai Sato, has warned that Iran’s use of the death penalty to suppress anti-government protests is illegal and demonstrates the authorities’ readiness to execute protesters. In a statement issued Wednesday, Sato said the announcement of death sentences against protesters constitutes a clear violation of international human rights standards. She cited the case of 26-year-old protester Erfan Soltani, arrested on January 8 in Fardis, west of Tehran, who was sentenced to death and scheduled for execution the same day. Sato wrote on social media platform X that although the execution did not take place on Wednesday, the declared intent to use the death penalty and the sentencing of a protester under the charge of “moharebeh” or “enmity against God” reflect the authorities’ deep disregard for freedom of peaceful assembly and expression. She emphasized that the death penalty cannot be a legitimate response in a country that respects these freedoms. The statement underscores growing concern over Iran’s handling of dissent and its adherence to international human rights obligations.

The Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) Central Students’ Union (ShakSU) election will be held on January 20, as scheduled. However, the Bangladesh Election Commission (EC) required all candidates to sign a pledge form containing specific conditions. On January 13, vice president candidates from various panels confirmed that they had collectively rejected this requirement and decided instead to submit a memorandum expressing their commitment to a peaceful and disciplined election. According to the EC’s proposal, the pledge form included three conditions: that the ShakSU election would have no link to the national election, would not influence it adversely, and would not lead to any deterioration of law and order. The university administration had instructed candidates to include their names, mobile numbers, and positions in the signed document. Candidates from panels supported by different student groups argued that ensuring non-violence was the responsibility of the administration and the EC, not the contestants. After prolonged discussions with the acting vice-chancellor and other officials, all candidates agreed to submit a memorandum instead of signing the EC’s pledge form, reaffirming their cooperation in conducting a fair and festive election.

Students from seven affiliated colleges in Dhaka have announced a new phase of their movement demanding the issuance of the final ordinance for the proposed Dhaka Central University. The announcement came on Wednesday afternoon on behalf of Bangla College students, who said that the current sit-in program had been suspended for the day but would resume as a continuous peaceful protest from Thursday. According to student representative Masum Billah, the coordinated decision was made at Gabtoli Technical intersection. He stated that starting Thursday at 11 a.m., students would hold simultaneous peaceful sit-ins at Science Lab, Technical, and Tantibazar intersections in the capital. The students emphasized that their movement centers on a single demand—the final issuance of the ordinance to establish the proposed university. Participants described the campaign as a long struggle for their future and rights, asserting that even though the day’s program ended, they would not retreat from their main demand.