Serious allegations of systematic extortion have emerged at the Balukhali Customs, Excise and VAT checkpost on the Ukhiya–Teknaf highway in Cox’s Bazar. Victims claim a syndicate collects illegal payments from over a hundred goods-laden vehicles daily, charging between Tk 200 and Tk 500 per truck. The alleged activities are reportedly conducted under cover, with drivers forced to pay to avoid harassment or vehicle detention. Several major companies’ local distributors, including those of Pran, Akij, and RFL, are said to face regular extortion while transporting goods.

Field observations described vehicles being stopped and drivers taken behind covers to pay money. Victims also alleged irregularities in customs auctions, claiming that required public announcements are bypassed and auctions are confined to a select group. Seized vehicles were reportedly left neglected in open spaces. According to the Customs Act 2023 and National Board of Revenue rules, cash collection at checkposts is prohibited, yet the situation at Balukhali appears contrary to regulations.

Balukhali Customs chief Masud Al Helal denied all allegations, asserting that no money is collected at his post and that all procedures, including auctions, follow official rules.

The United States has deployed the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln from the South China Sea to the Middle East amid ongoing tensions with Iran. According to the report, the carrier has already departed with its accompanying fleet, which includes destroyers, frigates, submarines, and other warships. News Nation reported that under Pentagon orders, the carrier strike group is expected to reach the US Central Command’s area of responsibility within a week.

The US Central Command oversees a region that includes the Middle East, northeastern Africa, and parts of Central and South Asia, covering a total of 21 countries. The deployment comes as part of Washington’s broader military posture in response to regional developments involving Iran.

The movement of the carrier strike group signals a potential increase in US military presence in the region, though the report does not specify further operational details or the duration of the deployment.

The Forest Department seized a dumper truck during a joint operation by the Ukhiya and Rajarkul ranges in Cox’s Bazar on Wednesday night. The raid took place around 10:30 p.m. in the Thoingakata area of the Aparruju beat under the Rajarkul range. The truck was allegedly being used for illegal hill cutting. The driver managed to escape, and the vehicle’s owner could not be identified as it lacked valid documents.

According to Forest Department sources, the area had long been under suspicion for illegal hill cutting. Acting on a confidential tip, forest officials from both ranges conducted the joint operation. Although those involved in the activity fled upon sensing the raid, the department successfully seized the dumper truck.

Ukhiya Range Officer Shahinur Islam stated that the Forest Department maintains a zero-tolerance policy against forest and environmental destruction. Hill cutting is completely prohibited, and a case under the Forest Act is in process.

The United Nations Security Council is set to hold a briefing on the situation in Iran at the request of the United States. A spokesperson for Somalia’s presidency, which currently holds the council’s rotating leadership, confirmed the plan. According to the scheduling note, the session will take place on Thursday afternoon, with member states expected to discuss the current circumstances surrounding Iran.

The note further stated that the United States formally requested the meeting. The briefing is considered significant in light of ongoing regional and international tensions involving Iran. The session aims to provide an opportunity for Security Council members to exchange views on developments affecting stability in the region.

While the source did not specify the exact agenda or expected outcomes, the meeting underscores heightened global attention to Iran’s role in regional affairs and the diplomatic efforts to address related challenges.

A Muslim laborer from Jharkhand named Diljani Ansari was attacked in Mangaluru, Karnataka, after being falsely accused of being a Bangladeshi national. The incident occurred on Sunday in the Kulur area when four young men stopped him, demanded his identification, and accused him of being an illegal immigrant. Despite Ansari’s insistence that he was Indian, the attackers beat him and struck his head with an object, leaving him seriously injured. A local woman rescued him, but he did not file a police complaint out of fear, instead informing local leaders who later notified the police.

Police investigations confirmed that Ansari is an Indian citizen who has worked in Mangaluru for about six months each year over the past 15 years. The suspects, identified as Sagar, Danush, Lalu Rathish, and Mohan, are reportedly linked to a right-wing organization. Authorities have charged them with attempted murder and criminal intimidation, though all four remain at large.

The report notes that incidents of violence against Muslims suspected of being Bangladeshis have been increasing, particularly in states with strong Hindu nationalist influence.

A leaked document has alleged that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) provided military, intelligence, and logistical support to Israel during its ongoing military operation in Gaza. The document reportedly proposed opening UAE military bases in the Red Sea region for Israeli use. The investigative platform Emirateleaks published the secret document, dated October 2023, which was addressed to the UAE Armed Forces Joint Operations Command and authored by Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, representative of the Al-Dhafra region and chairman of the UAE Red Crescent Authority.

According to the report by Middle East-based outlet The Cradle, the document stated that following the October 7 attacks and under previous cooperation agreements with Israel, UAE bases in Yemen’s Al-Mokha, Eritrea’s Massawa and Assab, and Somalia were prepared to assist Israel. The bases were reportedly equipped with necessary resources to support Israeli operations against Palestinian resistance groups, with instructions for the UAE to play an active role until those groups were defeated.

Meanwhile, Gaza’s health authorities reported that 24 people, including 21 children, have died amid worsening humanitarian conditions and severe winter cold under the ongoing blockade.

Rabeya Islam Sampa, wife of slain activist Shahid Sharif Osman Hadi, posted on Facebook on Wednesday afternoon demanding justice for her husband’s killing. In her post, made at 2:40 p.m., she questioned why the organization Inkilab Moncho had not yet announced any program related to the case. Sampa insisted that justice must be ensured at any cost and expressed frustration over the delay in legal proceedings.

The post recalled Hadi’s earlier remarks about perseverance and struggle, urging supporters to continue his fight. Sampa also reflected on the grief of Hadi’s family and followers, describing their emotional state since his death. The post has drawn attention to the lack of visible action from the platform Hadi once led.

According to the report, Osman Hadi, aged 32, a front-line activist of the July Movement and convener of Inkilab Moncho, was shot in the head during an attack in Dhaka’s Bijoynagar on December 12. He was later taken to Singapore for advanced treatment, where he died. His funeral drew thousands, and he was buried beside the national poet’s mausoleum.

A newly released 223-page report by the commission on enforced disappearances has revealed that during the administration of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh’s judiciary was often used to legitimize state repression. The report, published on Tuesday, found that the legal system was manipulated to portray victims as criminals, normalize illegal detentions, and record coerced confessions as legal truths. It concluded that the judiciary was diverted from protecting citizens’ rights and instead served political objectives.

The commission identified a systematic pattern of forced confessions, procedural manipulation, and strategic case filing that allowed enforced disappearances to persist under legal cover. Testimonies from victims described being coerced into memorizing scripts, threatened with violence, and denied access to legal counsel. Magistrates often failed to verify whether confessions were voluntary, and in some cases, recorded statements under duress or in the presence of law enforcement officers.

The commission emphasized that the judiciary must act as the guardian of constitutional rights, stressing that no law enforcement agency is above the law and that even the most serious offenders are entitled to justice.

China’s export trade reached a record $3.77 trillion in 2025 despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s year-long imposition of high tariffs on multiple countries. According to customs data released Wednesday, exports rose 5.5 percent from the previous year, while imports remained stable at $2.58 trillion, resulting in a trade surplus of $1.19 trillion. Although exports to the United States declined, Beijing expanded sales to markets in Southeast Asia, Africa, Latin America, and Europe.

The data showed that China’s exports grew 6.6 percent in December, surpassing economists’ forecasts of 3 percent, while imports increased 5.7 percent, also exceeding expectations. However, trade with Russia fell for the first time in five years, as demand for Chinese cars dropped and crude oil imports from Russia declined due to Western sanctions imposed after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

At a press briefing, China’s Vice Minister of Customs Administration Wang Jun said global trade growth remained insufficient and the current environment was not favorable for China’s foreign trade development.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs has urged its citizens currently in Iran to leave the country immediately. The advisory follows reports from human rights organizations that thousands of people have been killed or arrested during a government crackdown on widespread protests. The Indian Embassy in Tehran announced on social media that Indian nationals, including students, pilgrims, businesspeople, and tourists, should depart using any available transportation.

According to the ministry’s estimates, around 10,000 Indian citizens are usually present in Iran. The embassy’s message, issued on Wednesday night, emphasized the need for all Indian nationals to prioritize their safety and make immediate travel arrangements.

The advisory reflects growing concern over the deteriorating security situation in Iran and signals India’s effort to ensure the safety of its nationals amid escalating unrest.

US President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, announced the start of the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire plan on Wednesday through a post on social media platform X. According to Witkoff, this phase will focus on disarmament, technocratic governance, and reconstruction. He warned that Hamas must fully comply with its obligations under the agreement, including the handover of all Israeli hostages’ bodies, or face serious consequences.

The report stated that since October 2023, Israel has killed more than 70,000 Palestinians in Gaza over a two-year period. A fragile ceasefire has been in place in the enclave for the past three months. The first phase of the plan included the exchange of Palestinian prisoners for Israeli hostages.

Witkoff thanked Turkey, Egypt, and Qatar for their mediation efforts, crediting them for the progress achieved so far. The US State Department welcomed Palestinian support for Trump’s 20-point plan, describing it as a positive step toward stability in the region.

Bir Muktijoddha Rafiqul Baset, former president of Gazipur Metropolitan Freedom Fighter unit and vice-president of BNP’s central Freedom Fighter unit, has left the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) to join Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami. He formally joined the party on Wednesday evening at the Jamaat office of Ward 57 under Tongi East Police Station in Gazipur. Baset announced his decision through a Facebook post, stating that he had voluntarily resigned from all responsibilities within BNP and its affiliated organizations.

In his post, Baset explained that after long self-reflection and contemplation, he decided to lead his life according to Islamic ideals. He joined Jamaat through Gazipur Metropolitan Nayeb-e-Ameer and Jamaat’s nominated candidate for Gazipur-2 constituency, Hossain Ali, and Metropolitan Assistant Secretary Afzal Hossain. He expressed his belief that the Islamic way of life ensures justice in personal, social, and state affairs, and sought forgiveness for past mistakes.

After joining, Baset said that Jamaat-e-Islami follows the path of Allah and His Messenger and that he had long desired to join the party. He added that he had been involved with BNP politics since the era of Ziaur Rahman.

Iran reopened its airspace after keeping it closed for nearly five hours due to concerns over possible military tensions with the United States. The temporary closure led several airlines to cancel, reroute, or delay flights. According to a notice published on the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) website, Iran announced the closure of its airspace to all flights at 5:15 p.m. local time on Wednesday, though government-authorized international flights were still allowed to enter and leave the country.

Flight tracking service Flightradar24 reported that the notice was withdrawn shortly before 10 p.m. Eastern Time, equivalent to 0300 GMT. Following the reopening, five flights operated by Iranian carriers Mahan Air, Yazd Airways, and Ava Airlines resumed operations through Iranian airspace.

The temporary closure and subsequent reopening occurred against the backdrop of ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, raising renewed concerns about the safety and stability of international air travel in the region.

The Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) has found evidence that former Bangladesh Bank deputy governor S M Moniruzzaman received Tk 20 million in bribes from the controversial business conglomerate S Alam Group. The BFIU report states that the payment was made in August 2021 through a pay order from an S Alam-owned company account, shortly after Moniruzzaman opened a new savings account. The funds were later used to open three fixed deposits. The report found no documentation of any legitimate service or contract behind the payment and described the transaction as highly suspicious.

The BFIU also discovered that Moniruzzaman worked for 27 months after retirement at an S Alam-owned company, earning Tk 650,000 monthly. Investigators suspect he may have provided undue advantages to S Alam-linked banks and institutions during his tenure as deputy governor between 2016 and 2020. The findings have been forwarded to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) for further action.

Moniruzzaman denied all allegations, claiming the Tk 20 million was payment for a property he sold to S Alam Group.

U.S. President Donald Trump said he has been assured that the killing of anti-government protesters in Iran has stopped. Speaking to reporters at the Oval Office on Wednesday, Trump stated that he learned executions of protesters had also been suspended. He did not specify the source of this information but described it as coming from 'very important sources.' Trump added that the situation in Iran would continue to be closely monitored and did not rule out possible U.S. military action, noting that a formal statement would be issued later.

In a separate interview with Fox News, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said there were no plans to execute anti-government protesters. The protests in Iran began over the country’s economic crisis, with years of currency devaluation making the Iranian rial one of the world’s weakest currencies. The report noted that one U.S. dollar currently equals 994,055 Iranian rials.

The statements from both sides suggest a temporary easing of tensions, though the situation remains under observation by the U.S. administration.