Russian strikes kill 2, wound nearly two dozen in Ukraine
Russian strikes kill 2, wound nearly two dozen in UkraineODESA, Ukraine, Jan 27, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Russian forces killed two people and wounded nearly two dozen others -- including two children and a pregnant woman -- in separate attacks, Ukrainian officials said Tuesday. Their 20-year-old son survived the attack in the region the Kremlin claims to have annexed, local prosecutors said. A Russian drone barrage meanwhile wounded nearly two dozen people in the southern city of Odesa, the governor said. The Black Sea city key for Ukrainian exports has been pummelled routinely by Russian forces since they invaded Ukraine nearly four years ago. Russian drone and missile attacks have recently knocked out power, lighting and heat to millions of Ukrainians across the country.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
January 27, 2026 08:39 UTC
Micron builds $24 bn Singapore chip fab as AI demand soars
SINGAPORE, Jan 27, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - US chip firm Micron said Tuesday it was building a $24 billion plant in Singapore to help meet soaring AI-driven demand that has caused a global shortage of memory components. Micron said it had broken ground Tuesday on an "advanced wafer fabrication facility located within the company's existing NAND manufacturing complex in Singapore". "This new facility represents a planned investment of approximately US$24 billion (SG$31 billion) over 10 years" with output scheduled for the second half of calendar 2028, Micron said. It said the plant would "address growing market demand for NAND technology driven by the rapid expansion of AI and data-centric applications". Singapore said Saturday it would invest around US$785 million in public research on AI through 2030 to enhance its global competitiveness.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
January 27, 2026 08:35 UTC
President Shahabuddin to cast vote through postal ballot
President Mohammad Shahabuddin will cast his vote through a postal ballot in the upcoming 13th national parliamentary election and referendum. Election Commissioner Abdur Rahmanel Machud confirmed the matter on Tuesday, saying the president had expressed his intention to vote through the postal ballot system, which is being introduced for the first time. “The president has expressed his desire to vote through postal ballot. Accordingly, he will cast his vote in this manner,” the election commissioner said. According to the revised election schedule, election campaigning began on January 22 and will continue until 7:30am on February 10.
Source:Dhaka Tribune
January 27, 2026 08:26 UTC
RAB raids Gazipur counterfeit currency factory, arrests three
Rapid Action Battalion (RAB)-1 has busted a counterfeit currency factory in Gazipur and arrested three people along with fake notes and equipment used to produce them. During the operation, RAB members recovered counterfeit notes worth Tk5.4 lakh and arrested three individuals allegedly involved in producing and selling fake currency. Lieutenant Nafiz said RAB received intelligence that a counterfeit currency factory had been set up on the fifth floor of Khokon Villa, from where fake notes were being sold. After confirming the location using electronic surveillance and intelligence sources, RAB conducted the raid and arrested the suspects red-handed with counterfeit notes and equipment. According to RAB, the group was planning to circulate the fake currency in the market during various festivals, including the upcoming Eid.
Source:Dhaka Tribune
January 27, 2026 07:53 UTC
World Food Program welcomes new contribution from UK for Rohingya Food Assistance
The United Nations World Food Program (WFP)’s lifesaving food assistance for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh has received new support from the Government of the United Kingdom. The latest contribution of GBP 1.1 million (USD 1.4 million) received in December 2025, follows earlier allocations of GBP 8.7 million (USD 11.6 million) from the United Kingdom in 2025 for WFP’s Rohingya response. Families receive an entitlement of USD 12 per person per month to purchase a variety of staple and fresh food items. “We are deeply grateful to the UK for continuing to stand with the Rohingya community and supporting WFP’s efforts to meet their essential needs,” said Simone Parchment, WFP Country Director a.i. In 2026, WFP faces a USD 147 million shortfall for its lifesaving food and nutrition programs.
Source:Dhaka Tribune
January 27, 2026 07:29 UTC
Nasiruddin Patwary steps up Dhaka-8 campaign
Nasiruddin Patwary, candidate of the Shapla Koli (water lily bud) symbol in the Dhaka-8 constituency for the 13th national election, has intensified his election campaign. As part of the campaign, Nasiruddin Patwary held an exchange meeting in the morning with teachers and students of the local Misbahul Ulum Kamil Madrasa. After the madrasa meeting, he exchanged greetings with local business owners in the area. Addressing voters, Patwary said: “This time, a single vote against criminals, corruption and extortion is extremely important. Therefore, candidates must be chosen by remembering the past.”Senior leaders of the 11-party electoral alliance were present during the campaign.
Source:Dhaka Tribune
January 27, 2026 07:29 UTC
Engaging Gen Z: Politics beyond rhetoric
During the July uprising, Gen Z attracted nationwide attention as politically-conscious, yet they express themselves, react, and protest in their own distinct language and style. At the same time, how Tarique Rahman, the leader of BNP, engages with Gen Z has also become a pressing issue of public discussion. Tarique Rahman has his own distinct style of appealing to and impressing Gen Z. As a result, Gen Z largely knew Tarique Rahman not through engagement, but through the narratives constructed by the ruling AL regime. His compassion toward animals’ projects empathy that Gen Z increasingly associates with ethical and humane leadership.
Source:Dhaka Tribune
January 27, 2026 07:29 UTC
Nothing artificial about misinformation
The recent revelation of AI-generated content being used by political parties to influence voters is deeply concerning -- especially with national elections on the horizon. Artificial intelligence undoubtedly has enormous potential to enhance many aspects of life, but when political actors deploy AI to spread misinformation, manipulate narratives, or amplify falsehoods, that potential is turned against the public interest. Misinformation erodes trust, polarizes communities, and confuses citizens at a time when clarity and truth are absolutely crucial. Political parties and actors must be held to a higher standard than this. Election periods ought to be the peak of civic engagement and informed choices -- not battlegrounds for artificial distortion.
Source:Dhaka Tribune
January 27, 2026 07:29 UTC
The need for empathy
Who the man was, that he was imprisoned, or what his crimes were, should not matter in this case. It signals a deeper cultural shift -- one where human distress is assessed purely through procedural checkboxes rather than with understanding. Empathy cannot be assumed -- it must be consciously cultivated, especially in institutions entrusted with enforcing rules, and in citizens who engage with those systems. There is no denying that rules are necessary, but responses to human suffering must balance legality with compassion. Restoring empathy in public life is not sentimental -- it is an imperative move that must shape how policies are implemented, how services are delivered, and how we, as a society, treat one another.
Source:Dhaka Tribune
January 27, 2026 07:29 UTC
Bangladeshi workers ‘lured to Russia’ for jobs forced to fight in Ukraine war
A labour recruiter reportedly persuaded Maksudur Rahman to leave the tropical warmth of his hometown in Bangladesh and travel thousands of miles to frigid Russia for a job as a janitor. Within weeks, he found himself on the front lines of Russia’s war in Ukraine. An Associated Press (AP) investigation found that Bangladeshi workers were lured to Russia under the false promise of civilian work, only to be thrust into the chaos of combat in Ukraine. AP spoke with three Bangladeshi men who escaped from the Russian military, including Rahman, who said that after arriving in Moscow, he and a group of fellow Bangladeshi workers were told to sign Russian documents that turned out to be military contracts. They were taken to an army camp for training in drone warfare techniques, medical evacuation procedures and basic combat skills using heavy weapons.
Source:Dhaka Tribune
January 27, 2026 07:27 UTC
55,000 local observers to watch elections
DHAKA, Jan 27, 2026 (BSS) - The Election Commission (EC) has allowed 55,454 local observers to monitor the 13th National Parliamentary Election and the Referendum scheduled for February 12. Of them, 7,997 observers from 81 observation organizations centrally registered with the EC, and constituency-based 47,457 observers have been given permission to observe the elections. The EC launched a web portal (https://pr.ecs.gov.bd/) to issue identity cards and car stickers for the local observers. Observers must follow these instructions:Central and local observers should display their identification cards at all times during observation, ensuring they are clearly visible. Observers must not interfere with the work of election officials, and no election materials may be touched or removed.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
January 27, 2026 07:04 UTC
Russia's military chief of staff visits troops in east Ukraine: defence ministry
MOSCOW, Jan 27, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - The Russian army's chief of staff, Valery Gerasimov, has visited troops fighting in eastern Ukraine, Russia's defence ministry said on Tuesday. Gerasimov "inspected the progress of combat missions conducted by formations and unites of the Zapad (West) force group," the ministry wrote on Telegram, without providing details on when or where the visit took place.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
January 27, 2026 06:48 UTC
Human rights, security must go hand in hand in prison management: Home Adviser
Human rights, security must go hand in hand in prison management: Home AdviserHome Adviser Lieutenant General (Retd) Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury today said that security and human rights are complementary in modern prison administration. "The state has a responsibility to return prisoners to society as reformed citizens while protecting their basic human rights in jails," he said. “Human rights must be ensured alongside prison security, and the role of trained, humane prison guards in this process is undeniable,” he added. He emphasized that prison guards are central to building a non-discriminatory, fair, transparent and accountable prison administration.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
January 27, 2026 06:40 UTC
Zverev beats Tien to blast into Australian Open semi-finals
MELBOURNE, Jan 27, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Last year's runner-up Alexander Zverev served his way into the Australian Open semi-finals on Tuesday as he crushed young American Learner Tien under a barrage of aces. Zverev won 6-3, 6-7 (5/7), 6-1, 7-6 (7/3) and faces world number one Carlos Alcaraz or home hope Alex de Minaur for a place in the final in Melbourne.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
January 27, 2026 06:29 UTC