Ali Riaz to visit Rangpur for referendum campaign tomorrowProfessor Ali Riaz, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser-File PhotoRANGPUR, Jan 13, 2026 (BSS) - Professor Ali Riaz, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser and Chief Coordinator of Public Awareness Campaign Activities related to Referendum, will visit Rangpur tomorrow. He will be accompanied by Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser (Senior Secretary rank) Monir Haider. This information was given in a press note issued by the Rangpur Regional PID Office on Monday night. The tour schedule states that Professor Ali Riaz will participate in the 'Imam Conference' organized at the divisional level at Shaheed Abu Sayeed Stadium in Rangpur at 1 pm to promote the referendum and motivate voters. After the tour, Professor Ali Riaz will leave Saidpur Airport for Dhaka at 7:30 pm on the same day.

Bangladesh has been placed 95th in the latest Henley Passport Index, marking a slight improvement from its 100th position in the previous year. According to the index, Bangladeshis currently enjoy visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 37 destinations. At the top of the latest ranking, Singapore retains its position as the world’s most powerful passport, with visa-free access to 192 of 227 countries and territories. At the other end of the scale, Afghanistan remains the weakest passport globally, with visa-free access to just 24 destinations. The index highlights gradual progress for countries like Bangladesh, but also underscores the persistent challenges faced by citizens of lower-ranked nations in accessing global mobility.

Photo: BSSPANCHAGARH, Jan 12, 2026 (BSS) - The northern district of Panchagarh, one of the country's cold-prone areas, has recorded the lowest temperature in Bangladesh for the fourth consecutive day, according to the weather office. At 9 am today, the Tetulia weather observation centre recorded 8.4 degrees Celsius, the lowest in the country for the day. Yesterday, the temperature at the same time was 7.3 degrees Celsius, while Saturday's reading was 8.3 degrees Celsius and Friday's was 6.8 degrees Celsius. According to the weather office, temperatures between 8.1 and 10 degrees Celsius indicate a moderate cold wave, meaning a moderate cold spell is prevailing over the area. Senior observer of Tetulia weather centre, Jitendranath Roy, said today's temperature at 9 am was 8.4 degrees Celsius, with humidity at 92 percent and wind speed of 8-10 km/h.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk. Photo: CollectedGENEVA, Jan 13, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - The United Nations rights chief said Tuesdayhe was "horrified" by the mounting violence directed at protesters acrossIran, amid reports that hundreds have been killed. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk urged Tehran to halt allforms of violence and repression against peaceful protesters, and to restorefull access to the internet and phone services. Turk said all killings, violence against protesters and other rightsviolations must be investigated in line with international human rights normsand standards -- and those responsible held to account. US President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly threatened Iran with militaryintervention, announced Monday a 25-percent tariff on any country doingbusiness with Iran.

Photo: BSSDHAKA, Jan 13, 2026 (BSS) - Both the semifinals of the TCL National YouthMen's Handball will be held at Shaheed Captain M Mansur Ali National HandballStadium in the capital tomorrow (Wednesday). Panchagarh district will face Jashore district in the first semifinal at 1.30pm while Dhaka district will meet Kushtia district in the second semis at 3pm. Meanwhile on the days' matches, Dhaka first beat Faridpur district by 31-3goals after leading the first half by 17-2 goals and then defeated Jashore by34-23 goals after dominating the first half by 18-13 goals. Panchagarh district beat Mymensingh district by 34-17 goals after leading thefirst half by 16-10 goals, Kushtia district outplayed Madaripur district by28-15 goals after leading the first half by 15-5 goals and then they defeatedChapainawabganj district by 28-16 goals in the another match after dominatingthe first half by 12-4 goals, Chaipainawabganj district beat Mymensinghdistrict by 28-27 goals after dominating the first half by 17-13 goals andJamalpur district defeated Narail district by 24-13 goals after dominatingthe first half by 13-4 goals.

Metro rail to open extended route up to Kamalapur in Jan, 2027File photoDHAKA, Jan 13, 2026 (BSS) – Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMCTL) which operates the metro rail service in the capital is expected to launch its extended service up to Kamalapur station on the new year’s day next year, officials said today. “We have completed 69 percent of works to extend the 1.16 km length of MRT Line-6 line from Motijheel to Kamalapur,” DMCTL Managing Director Faruque Ahmed said. Commercial operation of the country’s maiden metro rail from Uttara to Motijheel began in November 2023. Now the first train leaves Motijheel station at 7 am and the last train at 10:10 pm. On the other side the first train leaves Uttara Uttar station at 6:40 am and the last one at 9:30 pm.

General Daily Insight for January 13, 2026 When tension and healing collide, we can find wisdom amidst the chaos. By 5:33 PM EST, combative Mars squares healing Chiron, urging us to face tender spots with firm kindness, especially regarding our oldest aches. Ambitious Mars squares Chiron, throwing your career drive and your personal identity into the cosmic blender. Libra September 23 – October 22 Don’t lie to yourself in your home — it should be a safe place for truth to emerge. Hot-headed Mars and measured Chiron are fussing over your communication style and your daily habits, which means it’s time to think about how you speak on a daily basis.

Swami Vivekananda. Photo : CollectedDHAKA, Jan 13, 2026 (BSS)- The 163rd birth anniversary of Swami Vivekanandawas observed today at Dhaka University (DU) through a day-long programmemarked by floral tributes, garlanding, special prayers and discussions. On the occasion of Swami Vivekananda's birth anniversary, flowers wereoffered at the base of his sculpture at the Jagannath Hall of theuniversity. "One of the key aspects of Swami Vivekananda's life and philosophy wasinterfaith harmony and brotherhood. Harmony among people of differentreligions, colours, castes and genders can be strengthened through practicinghis philosophy," Dr Mamun said.

Photo: BSSDHAKA, Jan 13, 2026 (BSS) – The Foreign Ministry today summoned Myanmar Ambassador U Kyaw Soe Moe and expressed deep concern of Bangladesh at the recent incident of gunfire from Myanmar towards Bangladesh near Whykong Union of Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar. “Bangladesh reminded that the unprovoked firing towards Bangladesh is a blatant violation of the international law and a hindrance to good neighbourly relationship,” read a press release issued by the foreign ministry here. During the summon, Bangladesh asked Myanmar to take full responsibility and requisite measures to stop such cross-border firings in future. Dhaka also asked to ensure that whatever happens between the Myanmar authorities and the armed groups in Myanmar should not anyway affect lives and livelihoods of the people in Bangladesh. The Myanmar ambassador assured that his government would take measures to stop such incidents and expressed their sincere sympathy to the injured and her family.

COPENHAGEN, Jan 13, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Denmark's foreign minister said Tuesday that he and his Greenlandic counterpart would meet with US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the White House on Wednesday. Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen told reporters that he and his Greenlandic counterpart Vivian Motzfeldt had requested a meeting with Rubio, and Vance had asked to "take part in that meeting and will host it." Meanwhile Danish Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said he would be meeting with NATO's Secretary General Mark Rutte on Monday to discuss Arctic security, also together with Motzfeldt.

In light of the July National Charter 2025, the referendum on constitutional reform will be held on the same day of the upcoming 13th national elections. All education offices under the two directorates have also been asked to follow these directives. Two separate letters issued from the DSHE and DME were sent to all educational institutions and education offices across the country on Monday. In addition, necessary measures must be taken to display at least two vertical banners in visible places in the front of the buildings in all educational institutions, colleges and offices under the directorate. This campaign should also be carried out through the notice boards of the institutions and social media, it said.

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At least 100 children killed in Gaza since ceasefire: UNGENEVA, Jan 13, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - At least 100 children have been killed in airstrikes and violence in Gaza since the start of the ceasefire three months ago, the United Nations said Tuesday. "More than 100 children have been killed in Gaza since the ceasefire of early October. That's roughly a girl or a boy killed here every day during a ceasefire," James Elder, spokesman for the UN children's agency UNICEF, told reporters in Geneva from Gaza City. He said the children had been killed in "airstrikes, drone strikes, including suicide drones... tank shelling... live ammunition".

Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi says all branches of the country’s armed forces have communication channels open with Bangladesh in order to “avoid misunderstandings”. He made the remarks on Wednesday during an annual press conference of the Indian Armed Forces in New Delhi, bdnews24.com reports. “As of today, all three services have kept their communication channels fully open,” Dwivedi said. “The Indian Army has multiple channels of communication open, and I remain in regular touch with their chief there.”“In the same way, we are also in contact through our other channels as well. Similarly, the chief of the naval staff and the chief of the air staff have also spoken.

They stayed.”Starting from and staying with the nature of place. We call them life places. Starting from and staying with what we can learn from nature in our watersheds, our life places, the idea is to live in ways that are materially simple and inwardly rich. Individuals and neighborhoods, families, and organizations are engaged in doing pieces of the work to reinhabit their life places. Besides the grass-roots, life place politics, I was drawn to bioregionalism by the intense amateur interest in natural history, meaning what’s naked-eye observable.