Tamanna Zerin, the alleged head of a human trafficking network that smuggled Bangladeshis to Russia, has been arrested at Dhaka’s Shahjalal International Airport by the CID. She faces charges of sending individuals to Russia under false job promises, only for them to be forced into fighting against Ukraine. One victim, Humayun Kabir from Natore, was killed in combat, while his brother-in-law, Rahmat Ali, now seeks a way to return home. Following increased surveillance, Zerin was captured while attempting to flee to Nepal.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has warned U.S. President Donald Trump against supporting actions that could lead to ethnic cleansing in Gaza. Speaking at the UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, Guterres emphasized the importance of adhering to international law and avoiding policies that could worsen the crisis. He reiterated that a two-state solution remains the only viable path to resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The Ministry of Public Administration has issued a notice appointing veteran journalist Monir Haider as the Special Assistant to Interim Chief Advisor Mohammad Yunus, with the rank of a senior secretary. Haider, who has worked for Ekushey TV, Manabzamin, Janakantha, and Ittefaq, confirmed his appointment and stated that he would return from the U.S. soon to assume his duties. He is well-known as a civic rights activist and political analyst. His role will involve maintaining liaison and communication with various political parties and stakeholders to foster political unity.

The United States has deported 104 Indian nationals via a military aircraft as part of its strict immigration enforcement under the Trump administration. The C-17 aircraft carrying the deportees from Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Punjab landed in Amritsar. This marks the longest-distance deportation flight since military aircraft were allocated for migrant transportation. Relatives of the deported individuals expressed their distress, stating that they endured extreme hardships to reach the U.S., only to be sent back. One returnee, Akashdeep, spent $60,000—selling two-thirds of his property—only to be deported within seven months.

A dispute over TikTok led to a deadly clash in Lohagara, Chattogram, resulting in the death of a school student named Mumin. Another individual, Mukit, was critically injured and has been admitted to Chattogram Medical College Hospital. The incident occurred around 8 PM near Tatipara Mosque during its annual gathering when Mumin and Mukit were out for a walk. A verbal altercation over TikTok ensued near a floating cosmetics stall, escalating into violence as the opposing group stabbed both Mumin and Mukit before fleeing. The Upazila hospital authorities confirmed that Mumin succumbed to his injuries before reaching the hospital. Officer-in-Charge Arifur Rahman assured that the perpetrators would be brought to justice.

Interim government-appointed diplomat and journalist Mushfiqur Fazal Ansari has stated that the decision of whether fascism or personality worship will persist in Bangladesh lies entirely with the people. In a Facebook post, he questioned how a leader with so much blood on her hands dares to display such arrogance. Referring to the July massacre, he asked whether it is acceptable to show sympathy toward those whose crimes could never be truly atoned for, even with the highest punishment. He further alleged that Hasina's allies are disguised as civil society members, adding that fascism is not only evident in concrete structures but is ingrained within the state's administrative framework. He emphasized that this is his personal opinion.

Russia and Ukraine have successfully exchanged 150 prisoners each under a deal brokered by the United Arab Emirates, according to the Russian Defense Ministry. The released soldiers have been transferred to Belarus, where they are receiving medical and psychological support, with plans to reintegrate them into service in the near future. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky praised the exchange and expressed gratitude to the UAE for its mediation. Earlier, in mid-January, both sides had exchanged 25 prisoners each as part of their ongoing negotiations.

In a Facebook post titled "Do We Have Strength?" Mahfuz Alam argued that instead of demolishing statues, counteracting enemies with strength, strategy, and dominance should be the priority. He emphasized that regional and global dominance must be addressed strategically, stating that Sheikh Hasina and the ruling League are extensions of regional hegemony. He argued that counter-hegemony can only be built through realistic state planning, skilled human resource development both domestically and in the diaspora, and strengthening state institutions. He criticized the focus on destruction and instead called for constructive efforts. Additionally, he blamed regional dominance for the ongoing political turmoil triggered by Hasina’s statements and reactions, urging a more strategic response to the challenges.

Prince Turki Al-Faisal, a former Saudi ambassador to the United States, has strongly condemned Donald Trump’s recent comments on Gaza, warning that his proposed plans for control of the region amount to ethnic cleansing. He stated that forcibly removing Palestinians from Gaza would lead to bloodshed and conflict. He urged Arab and Muslim nations, along with other global powers and Europe, to raise the issue at the United Nations to demonstrate global opposition to such an extermination plan. He further accused Trump of fully endorsing Israel’s stance, stating that the former U.S. president has aligned his position with that of recently resigned Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.

The interim government has set a target to bring inflation down to 8% by June of the current fiscal year. This decision was made in a meeting chaired by the Chief Adviser on Wednesday. The meeting also discussed the revised budget for the 2024-25 fiscal year. The previous government allegedly did not present the real picture of inflation. Although the last finance minister had set a target of 6.5% inflation, post-government collapse instability led the economic adviser to revise the target to 7%. Currently, inflation stands at 9.94%. Additionally, the GDP growth target for 2024-25 was initially set at 6.8% but has now been revised down to 5.25% by the interim government. The revenue collection target has also been reduced from BDT 6.8 trillion to BDT 4.635 trillion.

Abdul Hannan Masud, a leader of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, has called for the demolition of houses belonging to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and other Awami League MPs and ministers to build apartments for the families of those martyred in the July movement. Shortly after his statement, he described the demolition of the historic Dhanmondi 32 residence as a response to decades of political repression and bloodshed. In a separate Facebook post, Sarjis Alam likened the fate of certain political figures' residences to the historical transformation of Abu Jahl’s house into a public toilet. Meanwhile, Hasnat Abdullah wrote about the growing unity of Bangladesh, while Rifat Rashid claimed that the entire country stands united to demolish Dhanmondi 32.

The upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled for December, as announced by the Chief Adviser, are now facing uncertainty. The election preparations have been stalled due to amendments in the Political Party Registration section of the Representation of the People Order and the Delimitation Act. The Election Commission has no clear idea about the proposed amendments and has received no official instructions regarding them. Additionally, 1,849,326 new voters will be eligible to vote starting January 2, 2026, meaning they will be excluded if elections are held in December. The Chief Election Commissioner stated that election preparations are currently on hold due to ongoing reforms. He added that unless there is clarity on whether the elections will be conducted under amended laws or existing ones, holding them in December would be impossible. The Press Secretary affirmed that the election date would be announced based on national consensus. Earlier, on December 16, the Chief Adviser had indicated that the elections would take place in late December 2025 or early 2026.

Fugitive Sheikh Hasina’s provocation is mainly responsible for the overall situation, commented Shafiqul Rahman in a Facebook post at 11:45 PM on Wednesday. He wrote that it should be remembered that Sheikh Hasina has never truly embraced the people of Bangladesh in her heart—this is her hateful nature. A little earlier, in another post, he had urged the people of the country to remain patient and not fall for any provocation. In that post, he wrote: “The call of Bangladesh’s patriotic and responsible citizens—do not fall for any provocation, remain patient, and demonstrate your love for the beloved country.”

Beximco Industrial Park has announced the closure of four more factories—Yarn Unit-2, Textile, Denim, and Knitting—due to insufficient work. With this, the total number of shut-down factories now stands at 20. The decision, effective from February 5, was made following a government-formed advisory committee meeting. Laid-off workers will receive wages as per labor laws but are not required to be physically present. Industrial police are ensuring security in Gazipur, while no workers have reported to the factories since the announcement.

A Bangladeshi man, Sirajul Islam, was allegedly detained by India’s BSF from the Adatala border in Naogaon’s Sapahar Upazila. According to his wife, Sirajul left home at 10:30 PM and was taken by BSF around 3 AM while returning from India with a group. Others escaped, but he was caught near border pillar 44/1-S. Locals later informed his family. BGB contacted BSF regarding the incident, but BSF denied detaining any Bangladeshi citizen.