Farmers in Nilphamari district are reporting a bumper yield of early varieties of mustard during the 2025–2026 fiscal year. Harvesting is in full swing as growers take advantage of favorable weather, improved seeds, and government incentives. The Department of Agricultural Extension set a target of 9,023 hectares for mustard cultivation, but actual cultivation exceeded 11,000 hectares. Many farmers, previously affected by potato losses, have turned to mustard due to lower costs and higher profits.

Local farmers, including women entrepreneurs, said they achieved strong yields from early mustard varieties such as BARI-09, 14, 15, 18, and Tori-07. They noted that mustard requires less irrigation and labor, and its byproducts serve household fuel and cooking oil needs. The district’s deputy director of agriculture confirmed that quality seeds were distributed under government incentive programs, helping farmers achieve high productivity.

The success of early mustard cultivation has encouraged more farmers to adopt the crop, potentially expanding its acreage further in coming seasons if favorable conditions continue.

The Jagannath University Central Students’ Union (JAKSU) has strongly condemned the court-ordered suspension of the Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) Central Students’ Union (SACSU) election, calling it undemocratic and conspiratorial. In a statement signed by JAKSU’s Assistant General Secretary Masud Rana and published on the union’s official Facebook group, the organization alleged that a political party had influenced the court to deprive students of their voting rights. The election, originally scheduled for January 20, was postponed for four weeks by court order.

JAKSU stated that the suspension violated students’ democratic rights and undermined their long struggle for representative leadership on campus. It claimed that a political student organization used power and influence to halt the democratic process. The statement described the incident as part of a broader pattern of interference in student union elections across universities, aimed at weakening student governance.

JAKSU urged the Election Commission, university administration, and all relevant authorities to act responsibly and ensure a fair, transparent, and inclusive SACSU election within the shortest possible time.

Jamaat-e-Islami has strongly condemned the killing and injuries of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) members in a terrorist attack during an operation in Sitakunda, Chattogram. The incident occurred on Monday afternoon, and the party’s Secretary General and former MP, Mia Golam Porwar, issued a statement on Tuesday expressing grief and protest.

In the statement, Porwar said one RAB officer was killed and three others were injured when armed assailants opened fire during an operation to arrest terrorists in the Jungle Salimpur area. He expressed condolences to the family of the deceased officer, DAD Md. Motaleb, and prayed for the recovery of the injured. Porwar also voiced concern over the deteriorating law and order situation and urged law enforcement to take firm action against terrorists.

He further stated that the attack indicated attempts by terrorists to regroup ahead of the upcoming 13th national election to create fear and disrupt a fair electoral environment. Porwar called on authorities to enforce a zero-tolerance policy, recover illegal weapons, and ensure a thorough investigation to bring those responsible to justice.

Police recovered the body of a fugitive top criminal from inside a sawmill in Morjal Union of Raipura upazila, Narsingdi, on Tuesday morning. The deceased was identified as Opu Ahmed, 45, son of Habibur Rahman from Pahar Morjal area. Opu had escaped from Narsingdi jail during the July Movement incident and had been on the run since then, though locals said he continued to visit the area regularly.

According to local sources, unidentified assailants hacked him to death sometime late Monday night. On Tuesday morning, residents discovered the bloodied body inside the sawmill and identified it as Opu’s. Police from Raipura station arrived at the scene after being informed and recovered the body.

Sub-inspector Nazmul Islam of Raipura Police Station stated that a preliminary report had been prepared and that Opu was facing eight to nine cases, including charges related to weapons, drugs, and murder. The investigation is ongoing, and legal procedures are in progress.

Jamaat-e-Islami will contest 215 constituencies in the upcoming 13th parliamentary election through a ten-party alliance, while candidates from other allied parties will compete in the remaining 85 seats. The decision was announced on Tuesday, the final day for withdrawal of nomination papers, according to party sources.

Previously, Jamaat-e-Islami had planned to contest 179 seats, reserving 47 for Islami Andolan and distributing the rest among NCP, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis, Khelafat Majlis, LDP, AB Party, BDP, and Nezame Islam Party. However, after Islami Andolan decided not to join the alliance, its allocated seats were redistributed among the remaining partners.

According to the latest information, NCP has secured 30 seats, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis 23, and Khelafat Majlis 12, with some additional seats still open. Jamaat’s Assistant Secretary General and head of the central publicity and media department, Ehsanul Mahbub Zubair, said final details would be announced later in the day after the nomination withdrawal deadline.

U.S. President Donald Trump has warned that he will fully implement tariffs on European countries opposing his plan to acquire Greenland. He announced that starting February 1, imports from the United Kingdom will face a 10 percent tariff, rising to 25 percent on June 1. The same tariffs will apply to seven NATO allies—Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Finland—until Denmark agrees to a deal for selling Greenland to the United States.

European nations have taken a united stance to defend 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 stated that only Greenlanders and Denmark can decide Greenland’s future. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte affirmed that the alliance will continue working with Denmark and Greenland to ensure Arctic security.

The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, said the EU will not back down from its position and called an emergency meeting in Brussels on Thursday to coordinate responses. Denmark has warned that U.S. interference in Greenland could jeopardize NATO’s future.

Delegates from 30 countries, including the United States, India, China, Japan, and members of the European Union, attended the Jamaat-e-Islami Policy Summit 2026 held on Tuesday morning at Hotel Intercontinental in Dhaka. The event was organized by Jamaat-e-Islami’s foreign affairs department, which confirmed participation from representatives of 30 nations.

At the opening session, Jamaat Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman presented the keynote paper, emphasizing that Bangladesh’s main challenge is not survival but ensuring stability. He outlined a political and economic roadmap for a new and prosperous Bangladesh ahead of the 13th National Parliamentary Election scheduled for February 12. Dr. Rahman described Bangladesh’s independence as a long and unfinished struggle for political freedom, economic emancipation, and human dignity.

He further stated that over the past 17 years, governance failures and authoritarian practices have weakened democratic institutions, reduced accountability, and restricted citizens’ voices. He noted that in July 2024, people, particularly the youth, stood up again to reclaim their rights and future.

The International Crimes Tribunal-1 in Dhaka has postponed the verdict in the Chan Kharpul six-murder case to January 26, 2026. The case concerns the killing of Shahriar Khan Anas and five others during the July Revolution of 2024. The three-member tribunal, led by Chairman Golam Mortuza Mojumdar, delayed the ruling as the judgment was not yet ready. The verdict was initially scheduled after both prosecution and defense completed their arguments on December 24, 2025.

According to the prosecution, 26 witnesses and extensive documentary, audio, video, and forensic evidence were presented, including recordings and police communication data. Prosecutor Gazi Tamim stated that the evidence proved the charges beyond doubt and sought maximum punishment and confiscation of fugitives’ assets for victim compensation. Eight former police officials are accused, four of whom are in custody while the rest remain fugitives.

This will be the second verdict related to crimes against humanity committed during the July Revolution, following the tribunal’s first ruling in November 2025 against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her associates.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Detective Branch has arrested Evaly Chairman Shamima Nasrin and Chief Executive Officer Mohammad Rassel. The arrest took place just after midnight on Tuesday, January 20, in the Dhanmondi area of the capital. The information was confirmed by Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Talebur Rahman of the DMP’s Media and Public Relations Division.

According to reports, more than two hundred arrest warrants have been issued against Shamima Nasrin and Mohammad Rassel in cases filed with Dhanmondi, Kafrul, and Savar police stations. Over one hundred of these warrants are from Dhanmondi Police Station alone. The arrests are linked to these pending cases.

Previously, both were arrested on September 16, 2021, from their Mohammadpur residence in connection with allegations of fraud and embezzlement. Shamima Nasrin was released on bail in April 2022, and Mohammad Rassel in December of the same year.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman has said that the country’s main challenge is no longer survival but ensuring stability. He made the remark while presenting a political and economic roadmap for a new and prosperous Bangladesh ahead of the February 12 national election. The statement came during Jamaat-e-Islami’s Policy Summit 2026, held on Tuesday with diplomats, political leaders, academics, entrepreneurs, civil society representatives, and journalists in attendance.

Dr. Rahman described Bangladesh’s independence as a long and unfinished struggle for political freedom, economic emancipation, and human dignity. He said that despite more than five decades since independence, the promises of social justice and economic liberation remain unfulfilled. He criticized the past 17 years of governance for weakening democratic institutions and reducing accountability, while citizens’ voices have been constrained. He also highlighted economic challenges such as declining job quality, rising unemployment and inflation, and barriers faced by women in the workforce.

He emphasized that economic success should be measured by people’s security, dignity, and planning capacity, not just growth. Dr. Rahman called for zero tolerance against corruption and stronger partnerships among the state, citizens, private sector, and international community to build Bangladesh’s future.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has publicly dismissed his deputy premier, Yang Song Ho, during an official government event. According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the dismissal was carried out immediately. Kim sharply criticized government officials, calling them irresponsible, rude, and incompetent, and accused many of becoming accustomed to defeatism, irresponsibility, and inactivity.

KCNA quoted Kim as saying that Yang was unfit to handle heavy responsibilities and described his appointment as a mistake in the leadership selection process. Yang previously served as minister of machinery industry before being promoted to deputy premier overseeing that sector. South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported that he was also an alternate member of the Workers’ Party leadership council. His successor has not yet been announced.

The public nature of the dismissal and Kim’s strong criticism highlight ongoing dissatisfaction with bureaucratic performance within North Korea’s leadership structure, though no further details were provided on potential replacements or policy changes.

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.