A joint operation by the army and the local administration was carried out in Ward 6 of Bajalia Union under Satkania upazila in South Chattogram to prevent illegal hill cutting. According to the upazila administration, the raid took place around 1 a.m. on Sunday, January 11, led by Assistant Commissioner (Land) Shamsuzzaman, following a tip-off. Clear evidence of hill cutting was found at the site, but no suspects were apprehended. The perpetrators fled, leaving behind an excavator, which was later disabled with army assistance to prevent future misuse.

The upazila administration stated that operations against environmentally destructive activities such as hill and farmland soil cutting will continue. It also warned that strict legal action will be taken against those responsible for environmental damage and threats to public safety. Local residents reported that illegal hill cutting and soil sales had been ongoing in the Bajalia area for a long time, and the recent operation has brought relief to the community.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has said her country is facing a 'critical crossroads' following U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat to take control of Greenland. Speaking in Washington, D.C., ahead of a meeting on global mineral supply, she stated that the crisis involves not only Greenland’s future but also broader strategic and policy interests. Frederiksen emphasized Denmark’s readiness to defend its values, particularly in the Arctic, and reaffirmed her belief in international law and the right to self-determination.

Germany and Sweden have expressed support for Denmark in opposing Trump’s claim over the autonomous Danish territory. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson warned that any U.S. attempt to seize Greenland would constitute a serious violation of international law. Several Nordic, Baltic, and European nations have also voiced solidarity with Denmark.

According to The Telegraph, military leaders from the United Kingdom and other European countries are discussing a potential NATO mission in Greenland to counter Russian and Chinese influence. Public opinion polls indicate that most Greenlanders oppose any U.S. takeover, while regional governments are reinforcing cooperation under international legal frameworks.

A Palestinian detainee from Gaza, identified as Hamza Abdullah Abdulhadi Adwan, has died in an Israeli prison, according to a joint statement by the Prisoners’ Affairs Commission and the Palestinian Prisoners Society. The statement said Adwan had long suffered from heart disease and required medical treatment. He was arrested on November 12, 2024, at a military checkpoint in northern Gaza. Adwan was married and the father of nine children, two of whom were killed in Israeli attacks in October 2023.

Rights groups have accused Israel of systematic abuse of Palestinian prisoners, including starvation, medical neglect, sexual assault, humiliation, and detention under degrading conditions. The statement noted that since the start of the Gaza war, more than 100 Palestinian prisoners have died in Israeli custody, though Israeli authorities have officially confirmed the identities of only 87.

The continuing deaths in custody have drawn attention to the conditions of Palestinian detainees and the lack of transparency surrounding their treatment and deaths.

Two senior staff nurses at Feni General Hospital have been temporarily suspended after a video surfaced showing cooking on a gas stove inside the labor ward’s operation theater. The suspension order, signed on Sunday evening by Md. Anwar Hossain Akand, Acting Director General of the Directorate of Nursing and Midwifery and Joint Secretary of the Health Services Division, named Nursing Supervisor Kalpana Rani Mondal and Senior Staff Nurse Rani Bala Halder.

The order stated that the incident, which occurred at the 250-bed district hospital, was a serious breach of discipline and professional conduct. The video’s circulation on social media and subsequent news coverage reportedly damaged public health confidence, patient safety, and the reputation of the nursing profession. Authorities said the nurses failed to maintain discipline and hygiene in the sensitive operation theater environment.

Hospital Superintendent Dr. Mohammad Saiful Islam confirmed receipt of the suspension order and said further action would follow after the investigation committee submits its report. The incident had earlier sparked widespread discussion and criticism across the district.

Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) Executive Director Dr. Iftekharuzzaman has accused the government of surrendering to bureaucratic power. Speaking at a press conference on Monday morning at TIB’s headquarters in Dhanmondi’s Midas Center, he said the bureaucracy has become more powerful than the advisory council, reflecting group and political interests. He argued that a section of the bureaucracy is stronger than government advisers.

Dr. Iftekharuzzaman stated that the government has given no importance to the urgent recommendations of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Reform Commission. He alleged that as long as the bureaucracy maintains exclusive control, the ACC’s full independence will remain deliberately excluded. He further said that the formation of the Police Commission contradicts the July Charter.

The remarks highlight TIB’s concern over bureaucratic dominance in governance and the lack of priority given to institutional reforms aimed at ensuring transparency and accountability.

S M Jilani, the BNP-nominated candidate for the Gopalganj-3 constituency and president of the party’s central volunteer wing, carried out a grassroots campaign in Tungipara’s Patgati Dakshinpara area on Monday, January 12, 2026. Starting early in the morning, he met farmers in the fields and visited local homes to exchange greetings and discuss community issues. He listened to residents’ concerns about local hardships and expectations.

During the campaign, Jilani stated that standing beside the people in their joys and sorrows is the core of his political philosophy. He pledged to work for the rightful interests of the people of Tungipara and Kotalipara if elected. Local residents shared their views on development, employment, education, and healthcare, while Jilani assured them of sincere efforts to address their problems.

Local BNP leaders and representatives from affiliated organizations were present during the campaign and interactions with residents.

Japan has launched a deep-sea expedition to extract rare minerals in an effort to reduce its dependence on China. On Monday, the scientific drilling vessel Chikyu departed from Shimizu Port in Shizuoka at 9 a.m. local time, heading toward the remote Pacific island of Minami Torishima. The area is believed to contain vast reserves of rare minerals. The mission, led by JAMSTEC, involves experimental drilling at a depth of 6,000 meters, marking a world first, and will continue until February 14.

The initiative comes as China, the world’s largest supplier of rare minerals, exerts pressure on Japan amid heightened political tensions following Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s visit to Taiwan in November. Cabinet Office program director Shoichi Ishii stated that Japan aims to diversify supply sources and build domestic production capacity to avoid overreliance on any single country. Researcher Takahiro Kamisuna noted that regular extraction near Minami Torishima could secure a stable domestic supply chain for Japan’s industries.

Reports indicate that China has recently delayed imports of Japanese goods and slowed rare mineral exports, further motivating Japan’s push for resource independence.

Iran has summoned the British ambassador in Tehran following an incident in London where protesters removed the Iranian national flag from the country’s embassy. The protest took place on Saturday outside the Iranian embassy, drawing hundreds of participants. At one point, a demonstrator climbed onto the embassy balcony and took down the flag, prompting Tehran’s formal protest.

Iran’s state television reported that authorities also accused a specific terrorist organization of spreading false information through media and encouraging violence and terrorism. The report noted that the BBC Persian Service and Iran International, both based in the United Kingdom, have long faced accusations from Iranian officials. Meanwhile, London’s Metropolitan Police confirmed that two protesters were arrested and that officers were searching for another individual involved in the intrusion.

Many demonstrators reportedly carried images of Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s deposed monarch Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, whose regime was overthrown in the 1979 revolution. Some protesters called for his return to Iran.

Exiled opposition leader Reza Pahlavi, son of Iran’s last Shah, has said that Iran’s freedom is imminent. In a message posted on social media platform X, he claimed that widespread protests over the past two weeks, particularly in the last four days, have shaken the foundations of what he called the “illegitimate Islamic Republic.” Pahlavi announced the beginning of a new phase of a “national uprising” aimed at overthrowing the Islamic Republic and restoring Iran, adding that international support would soon follow.

The protests, which began on December 28, have spread across multiple cities and regions, driven by economic hardship, rising prices, and severe inflation. According to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), at least 538 people have been killed and more than 10,600 arrested so far, though the actual figures may be higher due to government suppression and information restrictions. The Iranian government has not released any official casualty or arrest data.

U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly supported the Iranian protesters and warned that Washington could take military action if Tehran continues to suppress demonstrations violently. Analysts say Iran is facing a deep political crisis fueled by domestic unrest, opposition activity, and international pressure.

A Bangladeshi fisherman was seriously injured in a landmine explosion on Monday morning near the Hwaikyang border area of Teknaf upazila in Cox’s Bazar. The victim, Mohammad Hanif, 22, from Lombabil area of Hwaikyang Union, lost his right leg in the blast that occurred between Shahjahan’s Island and Hansher Island on the Bangladeshi side of the Naf River.

According to family and local sources, Hanif was fishing with nets and a boat when the landmine exploded, leaving him critically wounded. His father, Fazal Karim, confirmed the incident and claimed the mine had been planted by the Arakan Army. Locals rescued Hanif and took him to the MSF hospital in Kutupalong, Ukhiya, for initial treatment before he was referred to Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital for advanced care.

Following the incident, agitated locals blocked the Cox’s Bazar–Teknaf highway for about half an hour before traffic resumed. No official statement was available from the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) regarding the explosion.

A Dhaka court has acquitted actress Mehazabien Chowdhury and her brother Alishan Chowdhury in a case filed by a businessman alleging threats and intimidation. The order was issued on Monday by Dhaka District Executive Magistrate Md Adnan Zulfikar after a hearing. Earlier, the siblings had surrendered and secured bail on November 16 of the previous year. The court had set January 12 for submission of their written response, which was found satisfactory, leading to their release from the case.

According to the complainant’s lawyer Raihan Gazi Noyon, the actress and her brother submitted a written undertaking promising not to issue further threats, which the court accepted before granting acquittal. Defense lawyer Tuhin Howlader stated that the court found their explanation satisfactory. The case was filed under sections 107 and 117(3) of the Criminal Procedure Code after the complainant, businessman Amirul Islam, alleged that Mehazabien and her brother had taken 2.7 million taka under a business pretext and later threatened him when he demanded repayment.

The court’s decision effectively ends the proceedings, contingent on the defendants’ compliance with their written undertaking.

A Dhaka court has granted two additional days to Abdullah Al Jaber, member secretary of Inqilab Moncho, to review the Detective Branch (DB) police charge sheet in the murder case of the platform’s spokesperson, Shahid Sharif Osman Bin Hadi. The plaintiff appeared before the court on January 12 and sought more time, after which Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Jashita Islam set January 15 for the hearing on the charge sheet’s acceptability. Three state-appointed lawyers—Abdus Sobhan Torofdar, Barrister S.M. Moinul Karim, and Assistant Attorney General Mostafizur Rahman Mukul—have been assigned to represent the plaintiff.

According to the case, DB Inspector Faisal Ahmed submitted the charge sheet on January 6 against 17 accused. The main accused, Faisal Karim Masud alias Dawood, and five others remain absconding, while 11 are in custody. The case stems from the December 12 shooting of Hadi in Dhaka’s Bijoynagar area, after which he was treated in Dhaka and later in Singapore, where he died on December 18.

The court will decide on January 15 whether to accept the charge sheet or raise objections.

A mobile court led by Assistant Commissioner (Land) Tania Akter Lubna fined two excavator operators a total of one lakh taka for illegally cutting and selling soil from farmland and government land in Bhitikandi Union of Titas upazila, Cumilla. The operation took place on Sunday in the Dorikandi area, where excavators were found removing soil from the banks of the Gomti River near local brickfields.

According to local residents, a powerful group has long been involved in illegal soil extraction due to weak administrative monitoring. The activity has reportedly damaged the fertility of agricultural land, weakened riverbanks, and increased the risk of embankment collapse. Heavy vehicle movement has also deteriorated local roads and caused severe dust pollution, disrupting normal farming and daily life.

Following the mobile court’s action, the excavators were removed from the site. The administrative move came after local journalists drew attention to the ongoing illegal activities, prompting authorities to intervene.

Police in Tongibari upazila of Munshiganj arrested a man for operating a secret yaba manufacturing factory inside a rented house. The raid took place around 10 p.m. on Sunday in Dakshin Betka village under the leadership of Officer-in-Charge Monirul Haque Dablur. The arrested man, identified as Md. Firoz, aged between 35 and 37, is the son of Abu Taher from Dhaka’s Basabo area. Police recovered 800 yaba tablets, 25 grams of crystal meth, modern production machines, and a large quantity of chemicals from the site.

Investigations revealed that Firoz had been involved in drug trafficking in Dhaka for nearly a decade and had several drug-related cases filed against him. About five years ago, he moved to Tongibari to hide and secretly set up the factory inside a concrete building. Police said Firoz brought modern yaba-making equipment from Hong Kong six to seven months ago and imported hazardous chemicals via courier to start production.

According to police, Firoz admitted during interrogation that he had recently begun producing and attempting to distribute yaba. Authorities are now working to identify and arrest other members of the network based on his information.

Two unidentified bodies were recovered from the Atrai River at the border of Dinajpur Sadar and Chirirbandar upazilas on Monday morning. Local residents discovered the floating bodies around 7 a.m. while heading to work and informed the Chirirbandar police after pulling them ashore. Police officials, including the officer-in-charge (investigation) Ahsan Habib, arrived at the scene and began preparations to send the bodies for autopsy.

According to police, the cause of death and the identities of the deceased remain unknown. No family members have yet come forward to claim the bodies. Local residents suspect that the victims may have been killed elsewhere and dumped in the river, as the waterway has little current, making it unlikely for bodies to drift naturally.

Authorities are continuing their investigation to determine the victims’ identities and the circumstances surrounding their deaths.