One of FBI's 10 most wanted fugitives caught in MexicoMEXICO CITY, Jan 18, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Mexican military and police have arrested a man accused in the 2016 murder of a young woman in the United States, where the FBI had named him one of its 10 most wanted fugitives, authorities said on Saturday. Alejandro Rosales Castillo, a 27-year-old American, is accused of killing Truc Quan "Sandy" Ly Le, a woman with whom he worked at a restaurant in Charlotte, North Carolina. Castillo was captured Friday in the city of Pachuca, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) northeast of Mexico City, the FBI said. Rosales Castillo was brought before the public prosecutor to begin legal proceedings. US media reported that Rosales Castillo had a brief relationship with his victim, then 23, and had borrowed money from her.

# News DeskRajbari, Bangladesh: A Hindu fuel station worker was crushed to death in Bangladesh after he tried to stop a vehicle from leaving a petrol pump without paying, police said, sparking fresh concerns amid reports of rising violence against minorities in the country. When Saha blocked the vehicle to stop it, the driver allegedly ran him over and sped away, killing him on the spot. Another worker, Jakir Hossain, reportedly chased the vehicle and later found Saha’s body on the highway with severe head and facial injuries. The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council (BHBCUC) earlier said communal violence has been rising sharply, claiming 51 incidents were recorded in December 2025 alone, allegedly aimed at intimidating minority voters. In recent weeks, several violent incidents involving members of the Hindu community have been reported across Bangladesh, including lynchings, shootings, and fatal assaults.

Photo: BSSDHAKA, Jan 17, 2026 (BSS) - BNP Chairperson's Adviser and Chief Coordinator of the Dhaka-17 Election Campaign Committee Abdus Salam has called on party leaders and activists to unite behind the Sheaf of Paddy and seek votes through a door-to-door campaign. He said there is no alternative to BNP and its acting chairman Tarique Rahman to save the country and restore democracy. Abdus Salam made the remarks while speaking at an exchange-of-views meeting with members of the Tati Dal at the BNP election office for Dhaka-17 constituency in Banani. He said people want to vote for Tarique Rahman because they love him and believe in his leadership. Martyr President Ziaur Rahman and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia worked for the people, and Inshallah, Tarique Rahman will do the same," he added.

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — Journalists, editors and owners of media outlets in Bangladesh on Saturday demanded that authorities protect them following recent attacks on two leading national dailies by mobs. The newspaper authorities blamed the authorities under the interim government for failing to adequately respond to the incidents despite repeated requests for help to disperse the mobs. Hours later, the trapped journalists who took shelter on the roof of the Daily Star newspaper were rescued. A leader of the Editors Council, an independent body of newspaper editors, was manhandled by the attackers when he arrived at the scene. Several journalists who are known to have close links with Hasina have been arrested and jailed under Yunus.

Private sector estimates suggest the number of e-bikes exceeds 1.1 million, alongside battery rickshaws and other three-wheeled electric vehicles. Across four million vehicles, that means roughly 800 million kilograms of lead entering the environment annually. Daily charging of one million vehicles places enormous pressure on the national grid. Despite official bans, battery-powered rickshaws continue to operate on major roads, including VIP routes. Calls for regulation, not prohibitionPolicy experts argue that outright bans are neither realistic nor fair, given that millions depend on battery-powered vehicles for livelihoods and affordable transport.

A tense, rain-interrupted contest at Bulawayo ended with a show of sportsmanship as Bangladesh Under-19 and India Under-19 players exchanged handshakes after the latter clinched an 18-run victory via the DLS method in their ICC Men’s Under-19 World Cup Group B opener on Friday. The match had earlier drawn attention at the toss when Bangladesh’s acting captain Zawad Abrar and India skipper Ayush Mhatre did not shake hands, a moment that briefly sparked discussion on the field. Fahad struck early, removing Indian captain Mhatre and Vedant Trivedi in consecutive deliveries, and later returned to dismantle the lower order. Bangladesh were bowled out for 146 in 28.3 overs, falling 18 runs short. Despite the disappointment of a narrow defeat, the post-match scenes of mutual respect and handshakes between the young cricketers stood out, bringing a fitting end to a hard-fought, rain-affected World Cup opener.

He said that the Constitution explicitly protects two institutions, an independent judiciary and an independent media, because of their central role in upholding democracy. Anam urged journalists to uphold ethical standards in both professional and personal lives, warning that moral failure erodes public trust in the entire profession. He cautioned against assuming that a political transition alone would guarantee press freedom, citing past experiences of repression under different regimes. The convention concluded with broad consensus that defending press freedom is not only a professional struggle but a national responsibility. Organizers said the convention could pave the way for similar initiatives in the future, signaling a renewed effort to confront threats to press freedom through unity and reform.

The aspirations that inspired the Liberation War in 1971 and the mass uprising of 1990 remain unfulfilled, and there is now a growing risk that the July 2024 mass uprising may also be derailed, said Badiul Alam Majumdar, Secretary of Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik (SUJON). He added that the framework agreed upon by the three political alliances during the 1990 uprising was also never realised. Whether an authoritarian structure persists, he said, depends on the democratic values and political culture of those parties. Dr Majumdar also emphasised that free and credible elections alone are not enough for democratic transition; structural reforms are essential. In this context, he said, a referendum is extremely important, and added that the government faces no obstacle in campaigning for a “yes” vote in a referendum based on expert opinions.

The spokesperson of the National Citizen Party (NCP), Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuiyan, has alleged that the Election Commission (EC) is behaving in a biased manner. Asif Mahmud said: “Tomorrow (Sunday) is a ‘red line’ for the Election Commission. He further claimed that the Election Commission is attempting to provide its own interpretation of the Constitution regarding dual citizenship, which he described as extremely dangerous. NCP leaders issued a stern warning, stating that if the Election Commission fails to uphold its dignity as an independent institution, it will be confronted both politically and legally. They reaffirmed that the National Citizen Party will not allow loan defaulters or individuals with dual citizenship to participate in the election by exploiting any legal loopholes.

Despite earning profits, Bangladesh Railway has handed over the operation of Betna Express train, running on the Benapole–Khulna–Mongla route, to the private sector, triggering dissatisfaction among the passengers in the southwestern region. H&M Trading Corporation, a private company, has assumed responsibility for the train’s commercial and ticket management since January 11, 2026. Railway sources said that Bangladesh Railway issued a tender on April 22, 2025 to lease ticket management for the route. Benapole Railway Stationmaster Aynal Hasan said that train fares would remain unchanged despite the shift to private management. Implementation was delayed due to budgetary and administrative issues, he said, adding that the train has been operating under private ticket management since Sunday.

BNP National Standing Committee member Dr AZM Zahid Hossain on Saturday warned that any attempt by a political party to monopolize the achievements of the July Uprising would fail, saying the movement was a collective effort of people from all walks of life. Dr Zahid made the remarks while speaking at a winter clothes distribution programme for poor and orphaned students, organised by the Hakimpur Upazila, Dinajpur and Municipality BNP units at noon. Referring to accountability, Dr Zahid said those responsible for disappearances, killings and other brutal acts during the ousted regime would be brought to justice. The programme was chaired by Hakimpur Upazila BNP President Ferdous Rahman. District BNP President Advocate Md Mofazzal Hossain Dulal, Adviser Akram Hossain, Upazila BNP General Secretary Sakhawat Hossain Shilpi, Municipality BNP President Md Farid Khan and General Secretary Nazmul Haque were also present.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has reiterated its formal request to the International Cricket Council (ICC) to relocate Bangladesh’s matches in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 from India to Sri Lanka, citing serious safety and security concerns. The BCB said it conveyed the Bangladesh government’s concerns regarding the safety of players, support staff, fans, media personnel and other stakeholders should the team travel to India. The renewed appeal comes amid visibly heightened tensions between Bangladesh and India, which have spilled onto the cricket field during the ICC Under-19 World Cup in Zimbabwe on the same day. In a press release issued, the BCB said: “During the discussions, the Board reiterated its formal request to the ICC to relocate Bangladesh’s matches to Sri Lanka. Among other proposals, the BCB raised the possibility of shifting Bangladesh to a different group so that its matches could be played in Sri Lanka with minimal logistical adjustments.

Thirty-five swimmers, including two women, have begun an attempt to swim across the Bangla Channel, a stretch of water off the coast of Bangladesh known for its strong currents. The Bangla Channel forms part of the sea route between Teknaf and St Martin’s Island and measures about 16.1 kilometres. Among the participants is Saiful Islam Russell, a former member of Dhaka University Central Students’ Union, who has previously crossed the Bangla Channel six times and completed a double crossing in 2021. The Bangla Channel swim was first attempted in 2006 under a plan devised by the late scuba diver and cinematographer Kazi Hamidul Haque. The two women taking part this year are Ferdousi Akhtar, a student at Daffodil University, and Shohagi Akhtar, the first woman to have previously completed the Bangla Channel crossing.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Sheikh Md Sazzat Ali on Saturday urged the police members to teach their children ethical education and moral values alongside academic education, as it is impossible to build a developed nation without morally sound people. “You have to teach them ethical education from childhood, and you have to obey morality yourselves,” he said while speaking at the Scholarship-2024 award ceremony for meritorious children of DMP personnel at the Bangladesh Police Auditorium in Rajarbagh. At the event, scholarships were awarded to 517 meritorious students under different categories to inspire them in their academic pursuits. Addressing the students, the DMP Commissioner emphasised the importance of technical education in line with present-day demands and stressed the need to focus on English language proficiency. If you (meritorious students) become good human beings, that would make your parents proud, he added.

Search for Indonesia plane missing with 11 people on boardMAKASSAR, Indonesia, Jan 17, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Indonesian authorities aresearching for a small passenger plane after contact with the aircraft waslost on Saturday, rescue officials told AFP. The Indonesia Air Transport turboprop plane left from Yogyakarta and washeaded for the city of Makassar on Sulawesi island, carrying three passengersand eight crew members, according to the Makassar search and rescue agency. Muhammad Arif Anwar, the head of the local search and rescue agency, saidteams were deployed to a mountainous area of Maros Regency, which bordersMakassar, near the last known location of the plane. Andi Sultan, operations chief at the Makassar search and rescue agency, saida helicopter and drones were being used to find the plane. In September last year, a helicopter carrying six passengers and two crewmembers crashed shortly after taking off from South Kalimantan province,killing everybody on board.