The operations of the Pangaon Inland Container Terminal (PICT) in Keraniganj, Dhaka, have officially begun under the management of Medlog Bangladesh Private Limited, a subsidiary of Switzerland-based logistics company Medlog. The inauguration took place on Saturday morning, led by Brigadier General (Retd.) M Sakhawat Hossain, advisor to the Ministry of Shipping. He stated that upgrading the terminal to international standards would enhance domestic container movement and strengthen multimodal transport connectivity, opening a new chapter in the country’s port management and inland water transport.

Shipping Secretary Dr. Nurunnahar Chowdhury said the 22-year concession agreement would make cargo handling at the terminal more dynamic and positively impact the national economy. The partnership between the government and the private sector is expected to play a key role in achieving set goals. The terminal, built at a cost of about Tk 155 crore, had been incurring losses for a decade before the government decided to bring it under professional private management.

Under the concession signed last November, Medlog Bangladesh will operate, maintain, and modernize the terminal in partnership with the Chittagong Port Authority.

Severe flooding caused by continuous heavy rainfall has killed more than 100 people across southern Africa, according to a report by Al Jazeera on Saturday. The floods have affected South Africa, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe, where rivers have overflowed and infrastructure has collapsed, cutting off communication in many areas. In South Africa’s Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces, at least 30 people have died, prompting the deployment of army helicopters to rescue stranded residents. A border checkpoint near Zimbabwe was evacuated after being surrounded by floodwaters.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa visited affected areas in Limpopo, reporting nearly 400 millimeters of rain in less than a week and the destruction of 36 houses in one district. Limpopo Premier Phophi Ramathuba said more than 1,000 homes were damaged. In Zimbabwe, the disaster management agency confirmed at least 70 deaths since the start of the year, with over 1,000 homes destroyed and multiple schools, roads, and bridges washed away.

The World Food Programme (WFP) stated that over 200,000 people have been affected, with 70,000 hectares of farmland submerged, raising fears of worsening food insecurity for small farmers in the region.

More than 3,000 people have been killed in nationwide protests across Iran, according to the US-based human rights group HANA, which confirmed 3,090 deaths, including 2,885 protesters. The demonstrations began on December 28 over economic hardship and quickly spread across the country. After eight days of a near-total internet blackout, online activity has shown a slight increase, with connectivity reaching only about 2 percent of normal levels.

Residents reported that the crackdown has largely halted protests, and state media continues to report new arrests. In Tehran, the capital, the situation has remained relatively calm for four consecutive days, with drones observed flying over the city but no major demonstrations on Thursday or Friday. A resident from a northern Caspian Sea city also described local streets as quiet.

NetBlocks, an internet monitoring group, said connectivity began to recover slightly on Saturday morning after roughly 200 hours of shutdown. Some Iranians living abroad reported being able to send messages to users inside Iran for the first time since the blackout began.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) issued a show-cause notice to its director M Nazmul Islam for making disparaging comments about cricketers. As of Saturday morning, January 17, 2026, he had not responded to the notice within the given deadline. It remains uncertain whether he will submit a reply at all.

The notice followed remarks Nazmul Islam made to the media after an event at Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Wednesday. He had previously made critical comments about player Tamim Iqbal as well. The BCB had set a deadline of 11 a.m. Saturday for his response, but no reply was received by that time.

The board is reportedly still uncertain about whether Nazmul Islam intends to respond, leaving the matter unresolved for now.

Professor Dr. Ali Riaz, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser, has called on deputy commissioners (DCs), upazila nirbahi officers (UNOs), and election officials to help explain to citizens the importance of voting 'Yes' in the upcoming national referendum. He made the appeal on Saturday, January 17, at a views-exchange meeting held at the BIAM Foundation in Eskaton, Dhaka.

Dr. Riaz stated that the money looted from Bangladesh over the past 16 years could have made the education and health sectors self-reliant. Emphasizing the need for an independent and effective Anti-Corruption Commission, he said that ensuring a 'Yes' victory in the referendum was essential for positive national change. He also criticized the use of the presidency for partisan interests during the Awami League era, including the appointment of election commissioners based on individual decisions.

Riaz added that political parties have agreed to end one-person rule in state governance and urged members of parliament to work for their constituents’ rights rather than party loyalty.

Adilur Rahman Khan, adviser to the interim government for housing, public works, industries, local government, rural development, and cooperatives, said that the people's movement supports the 'Yes' vote, the July Charter, and a new Bangladesh. He made the remarks on Saturday morning at a public awareness meeting on the upcoming referendum, organized by the Cox’s Bazar district administration at the Public Library Hall. He emphasized that citizens should vote for their preferred candidates in the national election and also cast a 'Yes' vote in the February 12 referendum.

Khan stated that the sacrifices of the July martyrs and the contributions of the July fighters led to the birth of a new Bangladesh. To sustain this transformation, he said, a 'Yes' vote in the referendum is essential. He added that Bangladesh should be free from crossfire killings and secret detention centers, envisioning a non-discriminatory and fascism-free country where all ethnic groups enjoy equal rights.

The meeting was chaired by Cox’s Bazar Deputy Commissioner Md. A. Mannan and attended by senior officials, teachers, students, civil society members, and professionals. Khan later inaugurated campaign vehicles for the referendum and told reporters that ordinary people support 'Yes' as a stand against fascism.

The Election Commission (EC) of Bangladesh has decided to introduce a new design for postal ballots used within the country, while keeping the format for overseas postal ballots unchanged. Election Commissioner Abdur Rahmanel Ma’shud announced the decision on Saturday, January 17, following an informal meeting held the previous night. The redesigned domestic postal ballots will include only the final candidates’ names and symbols, removing the multiple symbols previously featured.

The move follows concerns raised by a delegation from the BNP, led by Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed, who met the EC on Thursday to discuss complications with the current postal ballot design. The delegation proposed making postal ballots simpler and more similar to regular ballot papers, containing only the names and symbols of contesting candidates.

According to the EC, the redesign aims to make the voting process clearer and more accessible for domestic voters, while maintaining consistency for ballots sent abroad.

BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed has alleged that a political party is looking for an opportunity to withdraw from the election. He made the remark on Saturday at a meeting with families of victims of alleged enforced disappearances, killings, and torture attributed to the Awami League, held at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Center in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka.

Ahmed said their leader had planned to begin his first tour by visiting the graves of martyrs, including that of Abu Sayeed in Rangpur, and laying wreaths. However, the program was postponed at the request of the Election Commission in the interest of peace. He added that the Election Commission and another political party misinterpreted this decision as a sign of weakness, which he described instead as an act of courtesy.

He further accused the Election Commission and the unnamed political party of attempting to question the election process and seeking ways to withdraw through various tactics. Ahmed warned that those obstructing the path of democratic progress would not be spared.

The junta-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) has taken a commanding lead in Myanmar’s second round of the disputed general election. According to Al Jazeera, the party won 90 out of 102 seats contested in the latest phase. In the first round held on December 28, the USDP secured 86 of 102 seats. Combined results from the two rounds give the party 182 out of 330 total seats, surpassing the threshold for a simple majority. The election is being conducted in three phases across the country.

Voting for the first phase covered 202 constituencies on December 28, while the second phase took place on January 11. The final phase of voting is scheduled for January 25, with complete results for both national and regional legislatures expected by the end of January. Military spokesperson Major General Zaw Min Tun stated last weekend that parliamentary sessions for both houses will be convened in March, and a new government is expected to assume office in April.

The ongoing election process remains controversial, with final outcomes anticipated to shape Myanmar’s political direction in the coming months.

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Vice Chairman Shamsuzzaman Dudu has warned that the country’s independence and sovereignty could be at risk if the upcoming national election is not conducted properly. Speaking on Saturday in front of the National Press Club, he said the February 12 parliamentary election is crucial for protecting democracy and national sovereignty. Dudu cautioned that failure to hold a fair election would bring severe consequences for the entire nation, not just the government.

He made the remarks during a protest organized by the Nationalist Alliance against gas price hikes and demanding the recovery of illegal weapons. Dudu said the government has less than a month left before the election and urged immediate steps to improve law and order so that voters can safely go to polling centers. He criticized the authorities for not taking adequate measures despite knowing the situation.

Dudu also linked recent killings in Dhaka and other areas to government negligence and called for the rapid recovery of both legal and illegal arms to ensure a credible election process.

A petrol pump employee named Ripon Saha, aged 30, was killed early Friday morning, January 16, in Rajbari’s Goaland Mor area when he was run over by a car while trying to stop it from fleeing without paying for fuel. CCTV footage later identified the car’s owner as former Jubo Dal leader Abul Hashem Sujon and his driver Kamal Hossain Sardar. Police arrested both men from their homes that night, and Ripon’s younger brother, Protap Saha, filed a murder case against them at Rajbari Police Station.

According to eyewitness Nazrul Islam, two men arrived in a private car around 4:30 a.m. and took fuel worth 5,000 taka. When asked for payment, they became aggressive and attempted to drive away. Ripon tried to stop them, but the driver reversed the car, fatally hitting him. Police said Sujon has multiple prior cases involving weapons and drugs and has served jail time. Local Jubo Dal leaders clarified that Sujon resigned from the party in 2019 and later joined Awami League politics.

Authorities are continuing the investigation into the murder and the suspects’ criminal background.

BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman stated that no conspiracy or propaganda can suppress his party. He made the remarks on Saturday at the Hall of Fame in the China-Bangladesh Friendship Conference Center in Dhaka during a meeting with families of victims of enforced disappearances, killings, and torture.

In his speech as chief guest, Rahman said that for more than one and a half decades, families who lost loved ones have continued the anti-fascist movement despite abductions, killings, false cases, and harassment. He emphasized that BNP activists have never abandoned the streets, even when the movement’s intensity fluctuated. He cited examples of family members replacing disappeared relatives to continue protests.

The event was jointly organized by ‘Mayer Dak’ and ‘Amra BNP Poribar’. Senior BNP leaders including Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, Salahuddin Ahmed, Tahsina Rushdir Luna, and Hummam Quader Chowdhury attended. The session was conducted by Sanjida Islam Tuli and Atiqur Rahman Ruman.

Israel has reportedly violated the Gaza ceasefire nearly 1,200 times since it was declared on October 10 last year. According to Gaza’s government media office, between October 10 and January 9, Israel breached the truce at least 1,193 times, with hundreds killed in the attacks. Out of 97 days of ceasefire up to January 14, Israel carried out assaults on 82 days, leaving only 15 days without reports of violence, deaths, or injuries. Despite the continued attacks, the United States maintains that the ceasefire remains in effect.

Meanwhile, discussions on the Gaza peace plan are moving into a second phase even though the first stage has not been fully implemented. U.S. President Donald Trump announced several members of the new Gaza Peace Board on Friday. The board will oversee interim governance in the war-torn territory. The seven-member founding executive board includes U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff, former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, and World Bank President Ajay Banga, with Trump himself serving as chair. The board will eventually have 15 members.

The European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) has deployed 56 long-term observers across all 64 districts of Bangladesh. The observers began their fieldwork on Saturday morning after departing from Dhaka, marking the official start of the mission’s activities. The announcement was made by Deputy Chief Observer Inta Lase at a press conference held at Hotel Intercontinental in Dhaka. The mission operates under an invitation from the Government of Bangladesh, with Chief Observer Ivars Ijabs, a member of the European Parliament, having inaugurated the mission on January 11.

According to EU officials, the observers will work in two-member teams to monitor key aspects of the electoral process at the regional level. They will meet voters, election officials, candidates, political party representatives, civil society observers, and youth activists in both urban and rural areas. The mission includes participants from EU member states as well as Canada, Norway, and Switzerland. Before deployment, the observers received detailed briefings on Bangladesh’s political, legal, and media environment.

The EU EOM will release its preliminary findings on February 14 in Dhaka, followed by a final report with recommendations after the election process concludes. The mission emphasizes neutrality and non-interference, adhering to international election observation principles adopted under UN auspices in 2005.

U.S. President Donald Trump has offered to mediate the ongoing dispute between Egypt and Ethiopia over the use of Nile River waters. According to Reuters, Trump made the proposal in a letter to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, which he also shared on his social media platform Truth Social. In the post, Trump said he was ready to responsibly restart mediation between the two nations to find a lasting solution to the issue of Nile water distribution.

The dispute intensified after Ethiopia officially inaugurated the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on September 9. The massive dam, built on a tributary of the Nile, has drawn strong objections from Egypt. Ethiopia, with a population exceeding 120 million, views the nearly $5 billion project as crucial for its economic development.

Egypt, however, argues that the dam violates international agreements and could expose the country to both drought and flooding risks. Ethiopia has rejected these allegations, maintaining that the project complies with its rights and development goals.