A five-day Shaheed Osman Hadi Memorial Book Fair began at Dhaka University with large crowds from the first day. Visitors and students gathered at the TSC premises to browse books, purchase works by favorite authors, and learn about the life and ideals of Shaheed Osman Hadi. The fair features 22 publishing houses with stalls around the TSC’s Pigeon Square, where visitors were seen reading, bargaining, and taking photographs. Cultural performances including recitations, songs, and discussions are being held on a dedicated stage.

The event is jointly organized by the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) and the Dhaka University Young Columnists’ Forum, with support from Aurora Specialized Hospital Limited. The fair was inaugurated by Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Niaz Ahmad Khan. It remains open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and includes cultural programs and discussions commemorating Osman Hadi. DUCSU Vice President Sadiq Kayem and Writers’ Forum President Ashiq Khan said the fair aims to inspire the new generation through Hadi’s ideals and to promote books as tools of free thought and resistance.

Amar Desh editor Mahmudur Rahman stated that success in political struggles requires victory in cultural battles. He made the remark on Monday at 3 p.m. while presiding over the prize distribution ceremony of the Amar Desh Readers’ Fair creative competition held at the Syed Waliullah Auditorium of Bangla Academy in Dhaka. The event was attended by cultural affairs adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki as the chief guest.

Rahman emphasized that the younger generation is now aware of the ongoing cultural struggle and is resisting attempts to impose alien cultures during authoritarian regimes. He said efforts are underway to build a historically conscious and culturally aware nation. Chief guest Farooki discussed the coexistence of high and low culture, stressing that both must be preserved to ensure justice and fairness in Bangladesh. He also mentioned that the Ministry of Cultural Affairs has produced several documentaries on July-related themes.

Amar Desh executive editor Syed Abdal Ahmed highlighted the 1974 famine, attributing much of it to administrative failures, and urged the youth to engage in creative initiatives and read more books.

Daily Amar Desh has launched a new YouTube channel titled “Amar Desh Oitijjho” to showcase Bangladesh’s history and heritage. The inauguration took place on Monday afternoon at the newspaper’s headquarters conference room, led by Editor Mahmudur Rahman. The initiative follows the earlier success of the paper’s first YouTube channel, “Daily Amar Desh,” which gained significant viewer support within a year.

During the launch, Mahmudur Rahman explained that the new channel aims to go beyond political news by focusing on cultural, historical, and religious themes. He described Amar Desh as not only a news outlet but also a platform for asserting the identity of Bengali Muslims. To strengthen that mission, he emphasized the need to revisit both Bengal’s and the broader Muslim world’s history.

The editor added that “Amar Desh Oitijjho” will feature content on history, religious thought, values, literary analysis, and cultural aspects. Several senior editors and staff members of the newspaper were present at the event.

The Shaheed Osman Hadi Memorial Book Fair began on Sunday at the Dhaka University Teacher-Student Centre (TSC) premises. The five-day event, jointly organized by the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) and the Dhaka University Young Columnist Forum, was inaugurated by Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Niaz Ahmad Khan. Aurora Specialized Hospital Limited is supporting the fair, which features 22 participating publishing houses and will remain open to all from January 18 to 22, daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Alongside the fair, cultural programs and discussion sessions have been arranged to commemorate Shaheed Osman Hadi.

During the inauguration, DUCSU Vice President Sadiq Kayem presided over the event, conducted by Abid Hasan Rafi, General Secretary of the Young Columnist Forum. Several guests, including university officials and forum leaders, attended. In his speech, the Vice-Chancellor said such initiatives strengthen social bonds and called for justice in Osman Hadi’s killing. Speakers highlighted Hadi’s ideals of justice and resistance against oppression, emphasizing the fair’s goal to inspire the new generation through reading and critical thought.

The opening day saw a large turnout of students across the fairgrounds.

A nearly 900-year-old madrasa has been discovered in the central Turkish city of Kayseri during ongoing urban renewal work. The structure was found south of the city’s historic Grand Mosque, near the tomb of Malik Muhammad Ghazi. The finding was reported on Thursday by the Turkish news agency Anadolu. Kayseri Mayor Memduh Büyükkılıç said the city holds traces of various civilizations and has a significant place in the history of Islam in Anatolia.

According to the mayor, the discovery was made while carefully clearing the area, revealing traces of a religious educational structure built in the traditional style. Malik Muhammad Ghazi, a ruler from the Danishmend dynasty, is regarded as the founder of Kayseri and an important figure in early Turkish Islamic history in Anatolia.

Mayor Büyükkılıç added that the search and excavation work will continue and that the municipality plans to coordinate with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism for restoration efforts.

During the tenure of the fallen Awami government, Bangladesh’s creative publishing sector reportedly faced severe corruption and mismanagement. Numerous projects, including Mujib birth centenary and Bangabandhu-Muktijuddho corners, were created across ministries and institutions, allegedly leading to large-scale embezzlement of public funds. Publishers close to the ruling party were accused of receiving work orders for low-quality books glorifying the Mujib family and distorting history, while dissenting publishers were systematically excluded. The Ministry of Cultural Affairs secretary acknowledged that significant government funds were spent on such books, though they are no longer displayed or sold.

Publishers’ associations and industry leaders claimed that a politically connected syndicate dominated government book procurement, exploiting programs like the Secondary Education Development Program (SEDP) and other ministry projects to secure contracts worth hundreds of crores of taka. They demanded investigations and support for affected publishers. Several named publishers denied wrongdoing, asserting that all purchases followed official procedures. The controversy has left the creative publishing industry weakened and calls for reform and accountability continue.

Samsul Alam has been appointed as the director and Imran Hasan as the assistant director of Rajshahi University’s literary and cultural organization, Bikalpo Sahitya Sangskritik Sangsad. The announcement was made on Thursday during an artists’ gathering organized by the group. The new leadership was declared by H M Abu Musa, executive director of Samonnito Sangskritik Sangsad (SASAS), along with Bikalpo chairman Mujahid Faisal and outgoing director Ahmed Raihan.

According to the report, Samsul Alam is a master’s student in the Department of History, while Imran Hasan is a third-year student in the Department of Arabic. Change TV director Amirul Momenin Manik congratulated the newly appointed committee and expressed hope that the new leadership would play a leading role in promoting a healthy and progressive cultural environment at Rajshahi University.

The leadership transition marks a continuation of student-led cultural activities at the university, emphasizing the organization’s commitment to fostering creativity and progressive values among students.

In a commentary published on January 16, 2026, writer and PIB Director General Faruk Wasif argued for the adoption of a concept he calls 'Bangladeshpantha'—a philosophy rooted in the shared cultural, social, and historical traits of the Bangladeshi people. He described Bangladesh as a society of deep communal intersections where religion, language, and ethnicity blend into a collective identity. Wasif highlighted that this unity, built over centuries through agricultural and social cooperation, has made Bangladesh less affected by caste or racial divisions compared to its neighbors.

He traced this inclusive spirit to the Sultani era, folk traditions, and the Liberation War, emphasizing that Bangladesh’s identity is shaped by compassion, cooperation, and a balance between faith and humanism. According to Wasif, 'Bangladeshpantha' represents a positive, non-antagonistic nationalism that avoids anti-foreign or sectarian politics. Instead, it seeks harmony between culture and politics, portraying Bangladesh as a cooperative society rather than a fragmented multicultural one.

Wasif concluded that this collective ethos—embodied in shared customs, festivals, and social practices—should guide the nation’s political and cultural direction in the future.

The demolition of the historic Chhoto Rajbari, known locally as the Zamindar House, in Maghia Union of Kachua upazila, Bagerhat, has been stopped following the intervention of the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO). The building, located on private land and considered old and risky, was being dismantled when the matter drew public attention through social media posts. Acting on the directive of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, the upazila administration visited the site on January 14 and requested the owners to suspend demolition until further government instructions.

According to the report, an application to preserve the structure as an archaeological heritage site has already been submitted to the Department of Archaeology. The current owners stated they were unaware of this application and claimed legal ownership of the land, which they had sold due to the building’s fragile condition. The UNO confirmed that the site has historical significance and that all activities potentially damaging to the structure have been ordered to stop.

Authorities have instructed all concerned parties to suspend any construction or demolition work until official decisions are made regarding the building’s heritage status.

Louise Adler, director of Adelaide Writers’ Week, resigned on Tuesday after the festival’s board cancelled the participation of Palestinian-Australian author Randa Abdel-Fattah. The decision sparked widespread backlash, with former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and many writers and guests boycotting the event. According to local media, around 180 artists and participants have withdrawn their names from the festival.

Adler said she resigned in protest against what she described as extreme and repressive pressure from pro-Israel lobbies. In an open letter published in The Guardian, she wrote that art is being labeled as unsafe and artists are being portrayed as threats to society. She argued that repeated references to “security” were being used to suppress dissent and that such reasoning was applied only to the Palestinian invitee.

The festival board stated that its decision followed the December 14 Bondi Beach shooting at a Jewish festival that left 15 people dead. Abdel-Fattah condemned the move as blatant anti-Palestinian racism and called attempts to link her to the violence “vile and baseless.”

The Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) and the Bangladesh Young Column Writers’ Forum, Dhaka University branch, will jointly organize the Shaheed Osman Hadi Memorial Book Fair 2026. The five-day event will take place from January 18 to 22 at the TSC Payra Chattar on the university campus, remaining open to the public daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. The fair will be inaugurated by Omar Bin Hadi, brother of Shaheed Sharif Osman Hadi, with Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Niaz Ahmad Khan attending as chief guest.

The announcement was made at a press conference held in front of Madhur Canteen, where Forum President Ashiq Khan stated that the fair aims to highlight the life and ideals of Shaheed Osman Hadi, portraying him as a symbol of protest and resistance against oppression. The event will feature stalls from various publishers, memorial sessions, discussions, seminars, and interactive programs involving young writers and readers.

Organizers said the fair seeks to promote books as tools of free thought and resistance and will be held annually as a platform for cultural and intellectual exchange.

The High Court of Bangladesh has ruled that a Muslim man no longer needs his wife's consent to enter into a second marriage. The decision came in response to a petition concerning the Muslim Family Law, with the court clarifying that approval from the Arbitration Council, not the first wife, is the determining factor for a lawful second marriage.

Previously, it was widely practiced that a husband required his first wife's permission before remarrying. The court stated that no such direct obligation exists in the Muslim Family Law. The 24-page verdict explained that the authority to approve a second marriage lies with the Arbitration Council, making spousal consent non-mandatory. Historically, under Section 494 of the Penal Code of 1860, marrying again without spousal consent carried a seven-year prison term, later revised in 1961 to require council approval instead.

Petitioners have announced plans to appeal, arguing that the ruling could weaken regulations on polygamy. Sociologists warned that misuse of multiple marriages could increase inequality and family instability, urging final resolution by the Supreme Court.

An Israeli literary organization has been barred from participating in the upcoming Bologna Children’s Book Fair in Italy, according to reports from Middle East Monitor and Haaretz. The fair’s board decided not to allow any official Israeli institutions to exhibit, preventing the Israel Institute for Hebrew Literature from joining the event. The organization, funded by Israel’s culture and foreign ministries, was established to promote Israeli literature abroad and had previously participated in the Frankfurt Book Fair.

The Bologna Children’s Book Fair, one of the world’s largest and most influential publishing events, traditionally includes national stands from various countries. However, organizers cited a board decision to exclude official Israeli representation this year. The move comes amid ongoing violence in Gaza and allegations by human rights experts and legal scholars accusing Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians.

Observers described the decision as a reflection of political and moral positioning within the global cultural sector, signaling a broader trend of cultural boycotts against Israel.

The three-day 9th Non-Fiction Book Fair began on Saturday, January 10, 2026, at the Faculty of Business Studies premises of Dhaka University. The event is jointly organized by the Faculty of Business Studies and the newspaper Bonik Barta. Dhaka University Pro-Vice Chancellor (Administration) Professor Dr. Saima Haque Bidisha inaugurated the fair as the chief guest. She highlighted the fair’s role in promoting reading, knowledge creation, and social engagement between the university and the wider community.

Professor Bidisha expressed hope that such initiatives would encourage students to develop reading habits and analytical skills. Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) Literary and Cultural Secretary Mosaddik Ali Ibn Mohammad remarked that the fair was a welcome initiative, especially as the annual international book fair would be delayed due to upcoming elections. Several other academic and publishing figures also spoke at the opening ceremony.

The fair features 39 publishing houses, including Dhaka University Press, and will remain open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. until January 12, 2026.

Photographer Parvez Ahmed Rony has launched a solo exhibition titled 'Border That Bleeds' at the lake beside Korail slum in Dhaka’s Mohakhali. The exhibition began on Friday and is open to the public. It protests border killings and commemorates Felani Khatun, who was shot dead by India’s Border Security Force (BSF) on January 7, 2011, and whose body was left hanging on the barbed wire for hours. The exhibition features seven selected photographs displayed as floating installations on the lake.

According to the source, nearly 1,400 Bangladeshi civilians have been killed by India’s border guards over the years. Rony worked continuously on this subject between 2012 and 2025, documenting the human cost of violence along the Bangladesh-India frontier. The exhibition serves as both an artistic statement and a call for justice for victims like Felani.

The event highlights ongoing concerns about accountability for cross-border killings and aims to raise public awareness through visual storytelling.