From Barguna Sadar to Patharghata, Amtali, Taltali, and Betagi upazilas, the sight of dew-kissed yellow blooms is drawing people from all walks of life to witness the beauty of the crop. Local mustard oil traders are also benefiting from the demand. Deputy Assistant Agriculture Officer Mizanur Rahman said farmers received incentives this year, especially in Nalotona union, which contributed to increased harvests in Gazimahmud village. Barguna Sadar upazila Agriculture Officer Md. Mustard fields, beyond their scenic beauty, have become a symbol of Barguna farmers’ economic potential.

Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain on Wednesday said Bangladesh has not yet taken any decision regarding sending its forces to Gaza under the International Stabilization Force (ISF), stressing that the country has clearly outlined three conditions. The interim government said some Muslim countries are interested in participating in the force. Bangladesh noted that the United Nations Security Council, on 17th November 2025, adopted resolution 2803, which provided for, among other things, the establishment of an ISF for Gaza. Alam said all Muslim countries members of the Security Council voted for the resolution. He also said a number of other Arab and Muslim countries jointly recommended the adoption of the resolution by the Security Council.

Early mango blossoms raise hopes for bountiful harvest across Rajshahi and Chapainawabganj amid shifting climate. Mango trees are sprouting early at various places like Kasiadanga, Police line, Vatapara, Raipara, Malopara, Meherchandi and Bhadra in the city. Abdur Razzaque, a mango grower of Meerganj village under Bagha upazila, said he has over 150 mango trees in his orchard. He said the impact of global climate change might be a cause of such early budding of mango trees. A number of early varieties of mango trees have already bloomed.

The Election Commission (EC) is set to begin training more than 800,000 presiding and assistant presiding officers from January 22 as part of preparations for the 13th National Parliamentary Election, scheduled to be held on February 12 alongside a referendum. He said the training will cover presiding and assistant presiding officers nationwide to ensure smooth conduct of the polls. According to the revised election schedule, appeals against returning officers’ decisions will be settled between January 10 and 18. Returning officers will publish the final list of candidates and allocate electoral symbols on January 21. Election campaigning will begin on January 22 and will continue until 7:30am on February 10.

A crane at a China-backed high-speed rail line in Thailand collapsed onto a passenger train on Wednesday, causing it to derail and killing at least 32 people, local authorities said. “Twenty-two people were killed and more than 30 were injured,” a local police chief in Nakhon Ratchasima province, Thatchapon Chinnawong, told AFP. “A crane collapsed onto a train, causing it to derail and catch fire,” the Nakhon Ratchasima provincial public relations department said in a statement. The Nakhon Ratchasima provincial department said the train was travelling from Bangkok to Ubon Ratchathani province. Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said 195 people were on board the train and authorities were rushing to identify the deceased.

A man was shot dead during a clash between rival robber gangs operating inside a Rohingya refugee camp in Hnila union of Teknaf upazila, Cox’s Bazar, early Wednesday. Locals said he was a member of the Salman Shah group, an armed gang active in the camp area. His bullet-riddled body was recovered from the Bikas Mor area of the Nayapara Rohingya refugee camp in the early hours of the day. According to locals, Abdur Rahim was considered a key member of the Salman Shah dacoit group, which has long been active in criminal activities inside the camp. Confirming the incident, Teknaf Model Police Station Officer-in-Charge Saiful Islam said police initially believed the killing was the result of an internal dispute among members of rival robber gangs.

Weather may remain dry with temporarily partly cloudy skies over the country on Wednesday, while a mild cold wave is likely to sweep at places over the northern and western parts, indicating a renewed spread of cold conditions compared to Tuesday, according to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD). The BMD forecast said a mild cold wave may affect parts of the north and west, suggesting a wider spatial influence than the previous day when the cold wave had eased and remained confined to a few northern districts. The figures underline a sharp thermal contrast between the south-eastern region and the northernmost fringe of the country. On the other hand, Feni's highest temperature of 30°C highlights the relative warmth of the south-eastern region. Proximity to the Bay of Bengal, higher moisture content in the air and greater daytime solar heating continue to keep southern and coastal areas warmer, even when cold conditions intensify in the north.

Over a hundred workers at two units of Expert Village Limited garment factory in Tongi, Gazipur, suddenly fell while protesting for their November wages on Wednesday, triggering panic among other employees. During these protests, workers began falling ill one by one, though the exact cause remains unclear. Factory management immediately admitted the affected workers to Tongi Government Hospital and nearby clinics for treatment. Factory Administrative Manager Sujon said the cause of the sudden illness was unknown. Dr Nahid Sultana of Tongi Government Hospital’s emergency department said the workers exhibited symptoms including panic attacks, vomiting, dizziness, and breathing difficulties.

The International Court of Justice in The Hague began hearings on Monday in a landmark case accusing Myanmar of genocide against the country’s ethnic minority Rohingya, more than six years after the case was filed. It also challenged both the court’s jurisdiction over the alleged crimes and The Gambia’s right to bring the case against Myanmar. Myanmar is currently under investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC), also in The Hague, for its alleged crimes against the Rohingya. He and other experts say the ICJ could rule on the Gambia vs. Myanmar case by the end of this year. She said the court could order Myanmar to compensate victims financially, though it denied that request in a previous genocide case.

Kyiv on Wednesday announced the mandatory evacuation of children from several villages in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, pointing to a dangerous uptick in fighting and recent Russian gains. In a departure from previous evacuation announcements, he did not name the villages, but said that around 40 children impacted would be relocated to the central Cherkasy region. “Mandatory evacuation is always a hard step. But under constant shelling, it is the only responsible way to save lives -- first and foremost, the lives of children,” Kuleba added in his statement. Ukrainian authorities routinely urge residents of frontline areas to flee, but mandatory evacuation notices are enforced and indicate that the safety of an impacted area has sharply deteriorated.

Trump -- who earlier told the protesters in Iran that “help is on its way” -- said Tuesday in a CBS News interview that the United States would act if Iran began hanging protesters. “We will take very strong action if they do such a thing,” said the American leader, who has repeatedly threatened Iran with military intervention. Iranian state media has said dozens of members of the security forces have been killed, with their funerals turning into large pro-government rallies. “On Thursday night, my friends and I saw protesters in Tehran’s Sarsabz neighbourhood amid a heavy military presence. “You are the national military of Iran, not the military of the Islamic Republic,” he said in a statement.

BNP senior leader Mirza Abbas on Wednesday alleged that some candidates are making provocative remarks during the mass campaign, which he termed as a violation of the electoral code of conduct. “Some candidates are making provocative remarks. They are violating the Election Commission’s code of conduct by speaking against other candidates,” he said. “They are deliberately making provocative remarks to irritate us,” he said. If they try, they will have to bear the consequences,” the BNP leader said.

The death toll from a crackdown on protests in Iran jumps to at least 2,571, activists said early Wednesday. That death toll dwarfs the death toll from any other round of protest or unrest in Iran in decades and recalls the chaos surrounding the country’s 1979 Islamic Revolution. Security officials in plainclothes were visible in public spaces. Several banks and government offices were burned during the unrest, witnesses said. On the streets, people also could be seen challenging plainclothes security officials, who were stopping passersby at random.

The glittering FIFA World Cup trophy arrived in Dhaka on Wednesday morning as part of the FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour. The trophy, accompanied by Brazilian 2002 FIFA World Cup winner and FIFA ambassador Gilberto da Silva, landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at around 10:00 am. Tabith Awal, president of the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF), received the trophy at the airport. The FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour was jointly launched by FIFA and its beverage partner Coca-Cola on January 3 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with Italian football legend Alessandro Del Piero unveiling the trophy. The trophy previously visited Bangladesh prior to the Russia and Qatar World Cups.

A writ petition has been filed with the High Court seeking the suspension of the upcoming national election until the country’s security situation improves and weapons looted during the 2024 mass uprising are fully recovered. According to the writ, media reports indicate that 5,750 firearms and 651,609 rounds of ammunition were looted from police stations and law enforcement offices across the country during the 2024 uprising. The petition argues that the presence of these illegal arms poses a serious threat to voters and candidates ahead of the election. Holding the election without recovering the looted arms, the petition claims, would violate voters’ and candidates’ fundamental right to life under Article 32 of the Constitution. The writ seeks a court directive to postpone the election until all looted firearms and ammunition are recovered and a secure environment for voting is ensured.