A stampede at the Maha Kumbh Mela in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India, left 15 people dead and many injured during the ‘holy bath’ ritual. The incident occurred early on January 29 amid massive crowds. Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed the situation with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and urged immediate relief efforts. This year’s Kumbh Mela, marked by a rare celestial alignment, has already seen 148 million attendees. Hindus believe bathing in the sacred rivers cleanses sins and grants liberation from rebirth.

Six more individuals injured in the July Revolution are being taken to Bangkok, Thailand, for advanced medical care. A flight carrying them will depart from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Wednesday (January 29) at 11:20 AM. Among them, three were undergoing treatment at the Combined Military Hospital (CMH), while the other three were at Dhaka Medical College Hospital. This move follows the interim government’s previous efforts, where 22 injured individuals were sent abroad at different times for better treatment.

Government primary school teachers are protesting today, demanding the resignation of Dr. Bidhan Ranjan Roy Poddar, Advisor to the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education. His remark—“If your salary is insufficient, switch to another profession”—angered teachers. A nationwide human chain will take place at 4 PM across all upazilas. Dr. Poddar made the statement during a January 26 meeting in Chattogram, later claiming his words were distorted. Teachers argue his comments reflect a lack of respect for their profession.

Bangladesh Railway’s running staff have called off their strike after assurances that their demands will be met. Train services resumed early Wednesday, with the Sagordari Express departing Rajshahi for Khulna at 6:10 AM. A railway ministry official confirmed that normal operations are restoring, leading to the withdrawal of temporary BRTC bus services. Running staff leader Saidur Rahman stated that an official notification regarding their demands would be issued by Wednesday. The decision followed a late-night meeting with the Road and Railways Advisor.

Bangladesh Railway’s running staff called off their strike after receiving assurances regarding their demand to include the running allowance in pensions and gratuity. Train operations, halted since Monday midnight, resumed early Wednesday. Despite resumption, delays persisted due to technical issues, with some trains leaving up to two and a half hours late. Many passengers were unaware of the strike’s withdrawal, resulting in empty seats. Officials expect normalcy within a few days. Passengers expressed relief as services gradually returned to schedule.

Md. Mohiuddin (59), a constable of Debidwar Police Station, lost his life while trying to prevent a thief’s escape in Cumilla. Locals captured and beat up the thief, Rubel Mia, before handing him over to the police. Due to his injuries, officers took him to the Upazila Health Complex for treatment. However, as they were unloading him from an auto-rickshaw at the hospital gate, Rubel suddenly broke free and fled. The incident occurred around 9:30 PM on Tuesday near Government College Road.

Biman Bangladesh Airlines has upgraded its Ground Support Equipment (GSE) to boost efficiency at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport’s third terminal. Newly added equipment includes seven air conditioning units, two air start units, and nine belt loaders, with more equipment like ambulifts and baggage carts arriving soon. These additions will improve passenger comfort, speed up baggage handling, and ensure timely flight operations. The initiative is part of a broader effort to enhance ground handling capabilities, marking a major step forward in Biman’s operational readiness.

Following a 10-day-long protest by teachers, the government has announced a plan to gradually nationalize all independent Ebtedayee madrasas. Initially, 1,519 grant-supported madrasas will be included under the MPO scheme starting in 2025. The Ministry of Education has accepted the teachers’ six-point demands in principle and expressed regret over police actions during the protests. Teachers have suspended their movement until June 30, warning of further action if demands are not met. This decision marks significant progress for the Ebtedayee education sector.

A violent clash erupted in Rupganj’s Sawghat area over a dispute regarding a warehouse. Supporters of Selim Pradhan and Mujibur Rahman, backed by Chhatra Dal and Swechchhasebak Dal factions, respectively, engaged in gunfire and vandalism, leaving 20 injured, including two gunshot victims. Several motorcycles and vehicles were set ablaze. Police and local authorities inspected the site, but no arrests or formal complaints have been made yet. Officials plan to seek a court ruling to resolve the warehouse ownership conflict.

Protesting students of the seven affiliated colleges have added five new demands, including publishing a university framework within 15 days and starting operations through a presidential ordinance within a month. They also demand ongoing exams to continue as scheduled and the inclusion of current students in the new university upon its launch. Additionally, they call for a discussion involving all stakeholders within two days to resolve the crisis. The students warned of announcing new programs if their six previously declared demands remain unfulfilled within 24 hours.

BNP’s Acting Chairman, Tarique Rahman, stated that betraying the people’s trust will lead to consequences, referencing August 5 as a warning. Speaking at a workshop in Khulna, he urged BNP leaders to prioritize public interest and deliver the party’s 31-point plan to every household. He emphasized unity beyond religion or caste, advocating equal rights for all Bangladeshis. Tarique promised reforms to constitutional structures and initiatives for economic prosperity if BNP comes to power, warning against political discrimination and the damages caused by autocratic regimes.

Nvidia’s market cap plunged by nearly $600 billion, the largest single-day loss in U.S. history, as its stock fell 17% to $118.58. The drop was triggered by competition from China’s DeepSeek, which unveiled a cost-effective AI model. Concerns over declining GPU demand also impacted Broadcom, Dell, and Oracle. Analysts believe AI growth will boost compute demand long-term. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang’s net worth dropped by $21 billion. DeepSeek’s app surpassed ChatGPT as the most-downloaded in the U.S., escalating the global AI race.

Education Adviser Professor Wahiduddin Mahmud revealed that a new independent university will be established for the seven colleges currently affiliated with Dhaka University, following years of complications. The process will take time, as creating a university involves constitutional work, teacher recruitment, legal and financial considerations, and state-level accreditation. The authorities have decided to admit students separately from the next session. Opinions from current students will be gathered to finalize the admission process for the 2024-25 academic year.

A deadly clash between Bangladeshi and Indian farmers occurred on January 26 at the Moulvibazar-Tripura border. The conflict, which began over a crop dispute, escalated into violence, leading to the death of a Bangladeshi farmer, Ahad Ali, from Kulaura. Despite two Indian farmers also being injured, the fatality was on the Bangladeshi side. The incident, linked to land disputes, has raised tensions and prompted complaints to both countries’ border forces.

The U.S. Department of the Interior has officially renamed the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, acknowledging the shared coastline between Mexico and the U.S. Google Maps will adopt this new name, but in Mexico, it will remain the Gulf of Mexico. Outside North America, both names—Gulf of Mexico and Gulf of America—will be displayed. This decision follows other name changes, such as the renaming of Denali (formerly Mount McKinley), and reflects the evolving dynamics of geographic naming in the region.