Pakistan’s Army Chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, has announced a ‘zero tolerance’ policy against any threats to national security. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) issued a statement on Thursday confirming the declaration. During a visit to the Lahore Garrison, Munir addressed army personnel, reaffirming the military’s determination to confront growing challenges with professionalism and resolve.

According to the ISPR statement, the army chief emphasized that the armed forces remain committed to protecting Pakistan’s sovereignty, regional integrity, and internal stability. He also urged continued discipline, excellence, and selfless national service among the ranks.

Earlier, a military spokesperson alleged that Afghanistan has become a hub for terrorists and non-state actors, accusing the Taliban government, which came to power in 2021, of providing shelter to militant groups.

The Bangladesh government has reduced value-added tax (VAT) on both imported and locally produced liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). A notification issued on Thursday announced that VAT on LPG imports has been lowered from 15 percent to 10 percent, while domestic production will now be subject to a 7.5 percent VAT rate.

At the same time, the LP Gas Business Cooperative Association has declared a nationwide halt to LPG cylinder sales starting today. The association announced in a notice on Wednesday that all LPG marketing, supply, and plant operations across Bangladesh would remain suspended until their demands are met. The group had earlier held a press conference at the National Press Club, calling for price adjustments by the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission and an end to administrative fines and harassment of distributors.

The simultaneous tax reduction and supply suspension create uncertainty in the LPG market, as the government’s fiscal relief coincides with a business-led shutdown that could disrupt household and industrial gas availability.

A BNP leader and first-class contractor in Cox’s Bazar, Mohammad Shahjahan, has alleged that he was falsely implicated in an abduction and ransom case due to a long-standing family and property dispute. The case was filed on November 25, 2025, under human trafficking charges by Kamrunnesa Rumi, wife of businessman Selim Reza, at the Cox’s Bazar Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal. Police have begun investigating the case and initially suspect it may have been fabricated.

Shahjahan, an adviser to the BNP’s Chowfaldandi Union unit, claims that Selim Reza, who lost a contract bid for a wind power project road, orchestrated the case out of personal enmity. He also alleges that Reza influenced another case under the Anti-Terrorism Act, where Shahjahan was listed as the 30th accused. Local officials, including the acting union chairman, and the investigating officer have said the abduction claim appears staged, though the investigation continues.

The complainant, Kamrunnesa Rumi, maintains that the abduction allegation is genuine and says she filed the case after receiving threats. Police are awaiting mobile call data to verify the claims.

Two candidates from the Inquilab Moncho, contesting under the Shibir-backed 'Adommo Jobian Oikko' panel, have won in the Jagannath University Central Student Council (JAKSU) election. The winners are Nur Mohammad and Shanta Akter, who serve respectively as convener and member secretary of the university branch of Inquilab Moncho. The results were confirmed on Thursday morning following the official announcement of the election outcome.

Nur Mohammad secured victory in the health affairs post with 4,470 votes, defeating Al Shahriar Shawon from the Chhatra Dal-backed panel, who received 2,913 votes, marking a margin of 1,557 votes. The election results analysis revealed that the Shibir-backed panel won 16 out of 21 positions, including the vice president, general secretary, and assistant general secretary posts.

Additionally, the Chhatra Dal-backed panel won four positions, while one independent candidate secured a post, completing the overall distribution of the JAKSU election results.

Bangladesh is mourning the death of Begum Khaleda Zia, the country’s first and three-time elected prime minister, eight days after her passing. Crowds from all walks of life have continued to gather at her grave, offering prayers and expressing grief beyond political divisions. The article portrays her as a beloved national figure whose leadership and personal sacrifices left a lasting mark on the nation’s political and emotional landscape.

The piece recounts Khaleda Zia’s transformation from a devoted homemaker and mother into a determined political leader. It highlights her perseverance through personal loss, political persecution, and imprisonment, as well as her steadfastness in upholding democratic ideals. Her tenure as prime minister is described as a period of development, stability, and women’s empowerment, marked by integrity and moral conviction.

Her death is depicted as the end of a defining era in Bangladesh’s political history, closing a chapter of women’s leadership and democratic struggle. The nation continues to honor her as an enduring symbol of courage, sacrifice, and commitment to the people.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are in talks to convert a $2 billion Saudi loan into a defense deal involving JF-17 Thunder fighter jets, according to a report citing sources. The discussions come months after the two countries signed a mutual defense agreement, signaling deepening military cooperation. The proposed deal could be worth around $4 billion, with half covered by the loan conversion and the rest allocated for other military equipment purchases.

Sources indicate that the talks primarily focus on the supply of JF-17 jets jointly developed by Pakistan and China. Pakistan’s Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu recently visited Saudi Arabia, where bilateral defense cooperation was discussed. Retired Air Marshal and analyst Amir Masood noted that Pakistan is negotiating or finalizing defense export deals with six countries, including Saudi Arabia, though he could not confirm specific details.

The discussions reflect Saudi Arabia’s efforts to restructure its security partnerships amid uncertainty over U.S. commitments in the Middle East. Neither Pakistan’s defense ministries nor Saudi officials have issued formal comments on the matter.

The United States has suspended all ongoing food aid programs in Somalia following reports that Somali officials were involved in stealing food assistance. U.S. State Department officials announced the decision on Wednesday, citing a zero-tolerance policy toward theft. The move comes after allegations that Somali officials destroyed a warehouse funded by the U.S.-backed World Food Programme and stole 76 metric tons of food aid intended for impoverished Somalis.

According to the U.S. Assistant Secretary for Humanitarian Affairs, Foreign Assistance, and Religious Freedom, the theft deprived vulnerable Somalis of essential food supplies. U.S. officials stated that any future assistance to Somalia will depend on the federal government’s acknowledgment of responsibility and corrective action. Somali officials did not immediately comment on the suspension.

The suspension underscores Washington’s insistence on accountability in aid distribution and signals potential delays in humanitarian support until Somalia addresses the allegations.

U.S. President Donald Trump has approved a bill proposing import tariffs of up to 500 percent on India and several other countries that continue to buy oil from Russia. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said the bill will soon be presented to the U.S. Congress. He explained that the measure aims to punish nations purchasing cheap Russian oil, which he said supports President Vladimir Putin’s war efforts. Graham also named Brazil and China among the countries that could face these penalties.

Currently, India faces an additional 25 percent tariff on crude oil imports from Russia, bringing total tariffs on Indian goods to 50 percent. The Trump administration has also imposed sanctions on Russian oil companies Rosneft and Lukoil, while pressuring New Delhi to halt Russian oil imports as a condition for trade agreements with the United States.

The bill, co-authored by Graham and Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal, would authorize the Trump administration to impose secondary sanctions and tariffs on imports of Russian oil, gas, uranium, and other products, aiming to cut off funding sources for Russia’s military activities.

Malaysia’s Immigration Department detained 77 undocumented migrants, including 26 Bangladeshis, during a special operation in Negeri Sembilan. The raid took place on Tuesday, January 6, across 13 locations in Seremban and Nilai, following public complaints and a week of intelligence gathering. A total of 395 foreigners were screened between 9 a.m. and 1 a.m., and those detained were aged between 19 and 47. The operation proceeded peacefully without any untoward incidents.

According to Negeri Sembilan Immigration Director Kenneth Tan Ai Kiang, the detainees include nationals from Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Thailand, Myanmar, and India. The largest group, 55 individuals, was arrested at a soap manufacturing factory in Nilai. The detainees are accused of lacking valid passes or travel documents, overstaying, and violating immigration laws.

They have been sent to the Lenggeng Immigration Depot for investigation and further legal action. Tan also warned that strict measures will be taken against employers or individuals found to be hiring or sheltering undocumented migrants.

A young man named Ratul Islam Robi, aged 21, was killed and four others were injured in a three-motorcycle collision in Siddhirganj, Narayanganj. The accident occurred on Wednesday night at the Jalkuri Dashpipe area. The deceased was the son of Md. Faruk from Mizimiji Paglabari. The injured were identified as Nibir, Habib, and Bijoy, while the identity of another injured person remains unknown.

Eyewitnesses reported that the collision happened when three speeding motorcycles crashed head-on. One person died on the spot, and several others sustained serious injuries. Local residents immediately rescued the injured and took them to various hospitals in Narayanganj for treatment.

Siddhirganj Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mohammad Abdul Barik confirmed the death and said two of the motorcycles involved in the accident had been seized. An investigation into the incident is currently underway.

A murder case has been filed at Tejgaon Police Station over the killing of Azizur Rahman Musabbir, former general secretary of the BNP’s Dhaka North volunteer wing. The case, lodged by Musabbir’s wife on Thursday morning, names five unidentified individuals as accused. Musabbir was shot dead on Wednesday night around 8:15 p.m. in an alley behind Star Kabab at Karwan Bazar while returning home.

According to CCTV footage, two assailants were seen sitting with a sack in the alley. As Musabbir appeared, they drew a pistol from the sack and shot him from behind. He fell to the ground, tried to run, and dropped his phone, which the attackers took before fleeing. His body is scheduled to be taken to Nayapaltan, where funeral prayers will be held in front of the BNP central office after the noon prayer, as confirmed by the office’s chief administrative officer.

Police have begun investigating the incident based on the filed case, though no arrests or further details have been reported yet.

Air travel in the French capital Paris was severely disrupted on Wednesday due to intense cold and heavy snowfall. Around 100 flights were canceled at Charles de Gaulle Airport and at least 40 more at Orly Airport, according to the country’s transport minister. The cancellations began early in the morning as authorities worked to manage runway conditions and ensure passenger safety.

The French news agency AFP reported that forecasts on Tuesday night had already warned of possible flight disruptions. Paris Transport Minister Philippe Tabarro told CNews that the situation was expected to normalize by the afternoon. Thousands of passengers were affected by the cancellations, facing delays and travel difficulties.

Airport authorities urged travelers to stay in contact with their respective airlines for the latest flight updates as operations gradually resumed.

The 40th National Table Tennis Championship, organized by the Bangladesh Table Tennis Federation, will begin on Friday, January 9, 2026, at the Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmed Indoor Stadium in Dhaka. The tournament will continue until January 16, bringing together players from across the country for one of Bangladesh’s major national sporting events.

Ahead of the competition, a press conference was held on Thursday, January 8, at the same venue to brief the media about the overall arrangements and preparations. According to the organizers, around five hundred table tennis players from 50 districts, various public universities, and different organizations will participate in the national-level event.

The championship aims to promote table tennis across Bangladesh and provide a platform for players from diverse regions and institutions to showcase their skills in a competitive setting.

Dr. Mohar Ali’s study outlines archaeological and historical evidence of early Muslim presence in Bengal’s coastal areas. Excavations at Paharpur in Rajshahi during 1937–38 uncovered a coin from the Abbasid Caliph Harun al-Rashid dated 788 CE, while two similar coins were found at Mainamati in Comilla. These findings suggest that Arab traders or missionaries reached Bengal by the 8th or 9th century. The mention of the term ‘Tajik’ in a 9th–10th century inscription further supports contact with Arab or Persian merchants.

The article discusses scholarly debates on whether Arab traders established permanent settlements in Bengal. Historical records from Arakan describe a shipwreck around 780–810 CE that led surviving Arabs to settle near Chittagong. Later accounts mention a local leader named Thura-tan, possibly derived from the Arabic ‘Sultan,’ indicating a Muslim colony’s growth. Scholars like Dr. Muhammad Enamul Haq and Dr. M.A. Rahim interpret this as evidence of an early Muslim community rather than a formal kingdom.

The study concludes that Arab merchants likely settled in Chittagong and Noakhali long before Muslim military conquests, with linguistic traces such as the possible Arabic origin of the name ‘Chittagong’ reinforcing this early connection.

Britain and France have agreed to send troops to Ukraine following a ceasefire between Kyiv and Moscow, as part of a 20-point peace plan mediated by U.S. President Donald Trump. The announcement came after the 'Coalition of the Willing' summit hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris, where leaders from 27 nations gathered to strengthen post-war security guarantees for Ukraine. The declaration was signed by Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Starmer stated that Britain and France would establish military bases across Ukraine after the ceasefire, though their forces are unlikely to engage directly with Russian troops if hostilities resume. Macron said the plan includes a multinational European force led by the United States and a ceasefire monitoring mechanism involving European participation. Italy and Poland declined to send troops, while Germany indicated possible contributions to a joint force.

The initiative marks a significant step in post-war planning for Ukraine, though Moscow’s acceptance of the arrangement remains uncertain.