The United Arab Emirates has granted royal pardons to 440 Bangladeshi prisoners as part of celebrations marking its 54th National Day, known as Eid Al Ittihad. The announcement was made through a press release from the UAE Embassy in Dhaka, noting that the pardon was part of the 2025 Eid Al Ittihad festivities. During this period, the UAE leadership extended clemency to thousands of prisoners from various countries across the nation.

According to officials, the royal pardon program, implemented toward the end of 2025, allowed many inmates, including Bangladeshis, to rebuild their lives and reunite with their families. The initiative is described as a reflection of the UAE’s longstanding humanitarian values and commitment to compassion.

Eid Al Ittihad, observed annually on December 2, commemorates the 1971 unification of the emirates under one flag, symbolizing national unity and solidarity.

The United States has announced the suspension of all types of visa processing for citizens of 75 countries, including Bangladesh, effective from January 21, 2026. According to reports from Reuters and Fox News, the U.S. Department of State has sent instructions to consular offices in these countries to halt visa issuance indefinitely while the department reviews its current vetting procedures.

State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott stated that the ministry is reassessing visa processing based on long-standing experience, aiming to prevent entry of foreign nationals who might rely on U.S. public assistance or welfare programs. The suspension follows a November 2025 directive that required consular officers worldwide to strictly enforce the “public charge” provisions of immigration law.

That directive also instructed officers to deny visas to applicants deemed likely to depend on public aid, including those with poor health, limited English proficiency, or long-term medical needs. The suspension will remain in place until the review process is completed, with no specified end date.

Some members of the US military were advised on Wednesday evening to leave Qatar’s Al Udeid Air Base, according to Reuters citing three diplomats. The development comes amid ongoing protests in Iran and Washington’s warnings against interference. One diplomat described the move as a routine change rather than a directed relocation, adding that it was unclear whether any specific reason was behind it. The US Embassy in Doha did not immediately comment, while Al Jazeera reached out to Qatar’s foreign ministry for a response.

Al Udeid is the largest US base in the Middle East, hosting around 10,000 troops. Last year, before a US airstrike in Iran, some personnel and families were relocated from American bases in the region. Following that strike, Iran launched missile attacks on the Qatari base. An Iranian official had earlier warned that Tehran might target US military installations in regional countries in response to Washington’s actions.

Located in the desert outside Doha, the 24-hectare base serves as the forward headquarters of US Central Command, overseeing operations from Egypt to Kazakhstan.

The Bangladesh Meteorological Department has warned that a new cold wave may sweep across several regions of the country starting Wednesday. The cold spell is expected to last two to three days and may be accompanied by fog. The department said that the intensity of winter, which had recently eased, is likely to increase again.

According to the synoptic situation, an extension of the subcontinental high-pressure zone lies over West Bengal and adjoining western Bangladesh, while the seasonal low pressure is positioned over the southern Bay of Bengal. The forecast indicates that nighttime temperatures across the country may fall by 1 to 2 degrees Celsius, with daytime temperatures also dropping slightly. The temperature decline may continue until January 16.

At 9 a.m. today, the lowest temperature in the country was recorded at 8 degrees Celsius in Tetulia, Panchagarh, while Dhaka registered 15.5 degrees Celsius. The Met Office has cautioned that cold and foggy conditions could persist for several days.

The Pay Commission is scheduled to hold a full meeting on Thursday at 12 p.m. in the Cabinet Division’s old building at the Secretariat to discuss unresolved matters regarding the implementation of the new pay scale for government officials and employees. The session will address maximum and minimum salary levels, grade numbers, housing rent, medical and festival allowances, retirement benefits, and other facilities. Issues that reach consensus among members may be finalized during the meeting.

According to commission sources, the ratio between the highest and lowest salaries in the ninth national pay scale has already been set at 1:8, following a meeting on January 8. Three proposals for the minimum salary—Tk 21,000, Tk 17,000, and Tk 16,000—are under review, with a final decision expected in the upcoming session. The maximum salary scale has not yet been determined, as related allowances remain unsettled.

A commission member stated that the framework will incorporate inflation, commodity prices, family size, housing, and education costs as key indicators, serving as a reference for future governments in setting pay structures.

The non-political social organization Mulyabodh Andolon has demanded that voters be given three options—'Yes', 'Yes with objections', and 'No'—in the referendum scheduled for the day of the 13th National Parliamentary Election. The demand was announced at a press conference held on Wednesday at the Maulana Akram Khan Hall of the National Press Club. The organization’s chairman, Dr. Mohammad Sarwar Hossain, an associate professor at Independent University, Bangladesh, presented the written statement.

According to the group, the interim government’s current referendum plan forces voters to either accept or reject all provisions of the July Charter in full. Mulyabodh Andolon argued that this approach is unjust and fails to reflect public aspirations. The organization expressed concern that the charter lacks references to Islamic values and faith in Allah, while giving undue prominence to Western pluralistic and secular ideologies. It also warned that undefined terms such as 'equality' and 'social justice' could open the door to values contrary to religious beliefs.

The group further urged the government to restore faith in Allah as a constitutional principle and to ensure that no law contradicting the Qur’an and Sunnah is enacted. If these demands cannot be met, it proposed excluding certain disputed articles from the referendum or adding the 'Yes with objections' option.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced that Moscow will continue its trade relations with Iran despite the recent U.S. decision to impose an additional 25 percent tariff on countries trading with Tehran. Speaking at a press conference in Moscow, Lavrov said Russia must carry on its work and implement existing agreements with Iran and other economic partners.

The Kremlin criticized the U.S. move, describing it as an attempt to isolate Iran. Lavrov argued that when a powerful country like the United States resorts to such measures, it signals a weakening position in the competitive global market. The statement came after China also rejected the U.S. tariff decision and confirmed its intention to maintain economic ties with Iran.

The Russian stance underscores continued resistance among key global players to U.S. economic pressure on Iran, suggesting that Washington’s tariff policy may face limited international compliance.

Depositors of five troubled Islamic banks in Bangladesh will not receive any profit on their deposits for the years 2024 and 2025. The directive was issued after approval from Bangladesh Bank Governor Ahsan H. Mansur, instructing the banks to suspend profit calculations during this period. The affected banks are Social Islami Bank, First Security Islami Bank, EXIM Bank, Union Bank, and Global Islami Bank, all of which are being merged into a newly formed Combined Islami Bank.

According to the central bank’s resolution scheme, all deposit accounts will be recalculated without profit for the specified two years, applying a defined haircut to determine final balances. The new bank will have an authorized capital of Tk 40,000 crore and a paid-up capital of Tk 35,000 crore, with the government already injecting Tk 20,000 crore as Class A shares. Portions of institutional deposits will be converted into Class B and C shares totaling Tk 15,000 crore.

The scheme also sets withdrawal limits and allows up to 20 percent of term deposits to be used for loans or investments, aiming to stabilize the merged entity’s financial structure.

Iran has warned neighboring countries that US military bases across the Middle East will be targeted if Washington launches an attack on Iran. According to Reuters, Tehran issued the warning after US President Donald Trump threatened military action in response to ongoing protests in Iran. A senior Iranian official said Tehran has urged regional states to prevent Washington from attacking Iran, naming Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Turkey among those cautioned.

The official added that direct communication between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US special envoy Steve Witkoff has been suspended amid rising tensions. An Israeli assessment cited by Reuters suggested that Trump has decided to intervene in Iran, though the scope and timing remain unclear. Meanwhile, US forces are stationed at several Middle Eastern bases, including Qatar’s Al Udeid base and the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain.

Reuters also reported that some US troops at Al Udeid have been advised to relocate to safer areas, though no specific reason was provided for the precaution.

Bangladesh’s interim government has decided to temporarily suspend the issuance of on-arrival visas ahead of the upcoming national election. Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain announced the decision on Wednesday at an event in Dhaka, stating that the move aims to prevent any unwanted situations before the election period.

According to statements released by Bangladeshi embassies in countries whose citizens previously received on-arrival visas, the suspension will be in effect from January 15 to February 15. The Bangladesh High Commission in the Maldives confirmed the one-month suspension through a notice on its official Facebook page. The measure applies to all countries whose nationals were eligible for on-arrival visas.

The decision reflects the government’s precautionary approach to maintaining stability and security during the sensitive pre-election period, as reported by BBC Bangla.

Leaders of Khelafat Majlis have called for a fair and just seat-sharing arrangement within the 11-party alliance to maintain unity ahead of Bangladesh’s 13th National Parliament Election. The remarks came during an emergency session of the party’s central Majlis-e-Shura held in Shahjahanpur, Dhaka, where the current situation surrounding the alliance’s seat negotiations was reviewed. The party emphasized that unity among Islamic political forces remains one of its key priorities.

Khelafat Majlis leaders noted that despite their active participation in previous alliances of five, eight, and now eleven Islamic-minded parties, many of their important candidates and constituencies have been excluded from the latest discussions. They warned that such exclusions could harm both the party and the alliance. The party submitted 74 nomination papers nationwide, of which 72 were declared valid by the Election Commission.

The leaders also criticized the government for deteriorating law and order, alleging that the administration has failed to take effective measures. They urged the Election Commission to ensure a level playing field and enforce electoral rules strictly to guarantee a free and fair election on February 12.

BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman is scheduled to visit Cumilla on January 24 as part of his election campaign, confirmed Cumilla South District BNP General Secretary Ashiqur Rahman Mahmud Wasim. On January 14, BNP leaders, along with a CSF team, inspected the historic Town Hall ground in Cumilla to review preparations for the event, including stage setup, security arrangements, and crowd management.

Local BNP leaders expressed optimism that Rahman’s visit would energize party activists and strengthen the campaign momentum in the district. Cumilla Metropolitan BNP General Secretary Yusuf Molla Tipu noted that this would be Rahman’s first major rally in Cumilla since 2003, predicting that his presence would boost the prospects of BNP candidates in the district’s 11 constituencies. Cumilla Metropolitan BNP President Udbatul Bari Abu said extensive preparations were underway to welcome the party chief.

BNP leaders further stated that all levels of party members were working together to ensure the success of the program and expected spontaneous participation from the people of Cumilla.

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairperson Tarique Rahman has expressed his gratitude to popular cartoonist Uday after receiving a framed cartoon titled 'I Have a Plan for the People of My Country, for My Country'. The artwork was presented to Rahman at his political office in Gulshan on Tuesday night. The event was confirmed to the media on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, by BNP Chairperson’s political adviser Mahdi Amin.

During the handover, Uday shared that presenting a cartoon of Tarique Rahman to him had long been a dream, and he felt great joy in fulfilling it. Rahman accepted the framed artwork and thanked Uday warmly for his creative effort.

The exchange highlighted a moment of appreciation between a political leader and an artist, reflecting mutual respect and recognition of artistic expression within Bangladesh’s political and cultural landscape.

An elderly man named Jamshed Ali Dhali, aged 70, died on Tuesday while being taken from Shariatpur to Dhaka after repeated obstructions by a local ambulance syndicate delayed his transfer by nearly two hours. The patient, suffering from a stroke, was referred from Shariatpur Sadar Hospital to the National Institute of Neurosciences in Dhaka. Family members alleged that local syndicate members demanded an extra 2,000 taka beyond the agreed fare and blocked the ambulance when they refused to pay.

The ambulance was stopped twice—first at Premtala in Sadar upazila and again at Jamtala in Jajira upazila—where the driver and helper were reportedly assaulted. The patient died inside the ambulance before reaching Dhaka’s Banglamotor area. Police said they were informed verbally and would act upon receiving a written complaint. The local ambulance owners’ association condemned the obstruction and called for strict action against those responsible.

This is the second death in six months in Shariatpur allegedly linked to ambulance syndicate interference, following a similar incident last August that caused a newborn’s death, sparking renewed public outrage.

A joint operation led by the army in Shibpur upazila of Narsingdi recovered a large quantity of weapons and drugs and arrested seven individuals early Wednesday morning. The raid took place in the Kararchar and Jangaila areas under the leadership of Lieutenant Colonel Shamim Rahman, PSC Sigs of the 9 Signal Battalion. The seized items and detainees were handed over to Shibpur Model Police Station.

According to the report, the recovered materials included one firearm with two cartridges, three pistol magazines, 1,600 yaba tablets, cash amounting to Tk 1,540,100, 17 mobile phones, two samurai swords, six bottles of phensedyl, nine bottles of foreign liquor, two fake pistols, two machetes, and one laptop. The arrested persons were identified as residents of Kararchar, Shahapur, and Jangaila areas. Shibpur Model Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mohammad Kohinur Mia confirmed the incident.

The operation highlights ongoing law enforcement efforts in Narsingdi to curb illegal arms and narcotics activities, with the seized items now under police custody for further investigation.