The United Arab Emirates has announced a unified schedule for Friday sermons and prayers across all seven emirates, including Dubai. Starting Friday, January 2, 2026, all mosques nationwide will hold the Jumu’ah prayer at 12:45 PM. The Islamic Affairs, Awqaf and Zakat General Authority stated that the new timing will take effect from the first Friday of the new year, urging worshippers to arrive early to avoid missing the sermon.

According to the authority, the initiative aims to standardize Friday worship practices across the country, ensuring that all worshippers can listen to the full sermon and maintain discipline during prayer. The unified timing is also expected to help families, workers, and students better plan their Fridays, aligning with the government’s broader policy of social coordination.

The UAE government has declared 2026 as the “Year of the Family.” Officials said the new prayer schedule supports family time, balanced living, and greater comfort on Fridays. Religious scholars confirmed that the 12:45 PM timing falls within the prescribed period for Jumu’ah prayer and meets all Shariah requirements.

Students of ibtedayi madrasas in Nawabganj upazila of Dinajpur expressed joy after receiving new textbooks on the first day of the year. The distribution began at 10 a.m. on Thursday, January 1, across 39 affiliated and 34 independent ibtedayi madrasas. From early morning, students gathered at their madrasa premises to collect the colorful new books, while teachers and parents expressed satisfaction with the government’s timely distribution.

Madrasa authorities said that receiving books on the first day of the year would increase students’ interest in studies and help ensure regular classes from the start of the academic session. Parents from several madrasas thanked the government and education officials for providing free textbooks at the beginning of the school year.

Upazila Secondary Education Officer Dipak Kumar Bonik stated that the distribution was completed on schedule under government directives, generating widespread enthusiasm among students. He added that timely delivery of textbooks would make the education process more dynamic. The event followed the national curriculum policy of distributing free textbooks to primary and ibtedayi students on the first day of every year.

Students of ibtedayi madrasas in Nawabganj upazila of Dinajpur expressed joy after receiving new textbooks on the first day of the year. The distribution began at 10 a.m. on Thursday, January 1, across 39 affiliated and 34 independent ibtedayi madrasas. From early morning, students gathered at their madrasa premises to collect the colorful new books, while teachers and parents expressed satisfaction with the government’s timely distribution.

Madrasa authorities said that receiving books on the first day of the year would increase students’ interest in studies and help ensure regular classes from the start of the academic session. Parents from several madrasas thanked the government and education officials for providing free textbooks at the beginning of the school year.

Upazila Secondary Education Officer Dipak Kumar Bonik stated that the distribution was completed on schedule under government directives, generating widespread enthusiasm among students. He added that timely delivery of textbooks would make the education process more dynamic. The event followed the national curriculum policy of distributing free textbooks to primary and ibtedayi students on the first day of every year.

On January 1, 2026, many secondary-level students in Bangladesh did not receive all their free textbooks, though primary students received complete sets. According to the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB), over 27 percent of secondary textbooks had not yet been supplied by the first day of the new school year. Officials said about 75 percent of secondary books had been distributed by December 31, with the remainder expected by mid-January.

NCTB officials explained that while printing and distribution for primary books were completed on time, delays occurred for grades seven and eight after the government canceled printing tenders for grades six to eight in November and reissued them. As a result, only 72.71 percent of secondary books had reached field level by the end of December, though 88 percent had been printed and 81.13 percent passed pre-distribution inspection.

Officials expect all secondary students to receive their remaining books by mid-January, though some sources indicated that full distribution could extend through January or even into February.

Primary and Mass Education Adviser Professor Bidhan Ranjan Roy Poddar announced that all primary school students have received their textbooks on the first day of the new year. He made the statement on Thursday, January 1, after inaugurating the book distribution program at Abul Basar Government Primary School in Agargaon, Dhaka. The adviser also noted that the quality of this year’s books is better than before.

According to Poddar, the government has printed a total of 300 million free textbooks for both primary and secondary levels this year. Due to the ongoing state mourning following the death of BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia, the usual book distribution festival was not held. Instead, the books were handed over to students in a simple, informal manner.

The adviser’s remarks highlight the government’s continued effort to ensure timely textbook distribution and maintain educational continuity despite national mourning.

A total of 94,000 applications have been submitted for the 2025–26 undergraduate admission tests at Comilla University (CoU), according to the university’s admission committee. The application process closes tonight at 11:59 p.m. The committee’s convener, Professor Dr. Md. Tofayel Ahmed, confirmed the information on Wednesday, December 31, 2025.

The university has 890 seats across three units—Science, Humanities, and Business Studies—excluding quotas, with an additional 107 seats reserved under various quotas. The Science unit (‘A’) received 44,827 applications for 300 seats, Humanities (‘B’) received 36,700 for 390 seats, and Business Studies (‘C’) received 12,473 for 200 seats. Admission tests will be held on January 30 for the ‘A’ unit, and on January 31 for the ‘B’ and ‘C’ units.

Each test will be one hour long, carrying 100 marks in multiple-choice format, with 0.25 marks deducted per wrong answer. The minimum passing score is 33. After the application period ends, seat distribution and related details will be published on the university’s admission website. Applicants may correct their information between January 1 and 5 during office hours.

Administrators, faculty representatives, and trustees from Bangladesh’s private universities have voiced deep concern over the future of the country’s private higher education sector. Their alarm follows the University Grants Commission’s (UGC) proposed amendment to the Private University Act 2010, discussed at an emergency joint meeting in Dhaka attended by over a hundred representatives from 85 institutions. The Bangladesh Association of Private Universities (APUB) issued a statement on Monday warning that without changes to discriminatory and restrictive policies, the sector could face serious instability and conflict.

Speakers at the meeting said private university students bear full tuition fees along with VAT and other taxes but receive no government scholarships, student loans, or research support. They criticized delays in UGC approval for modern programs and PhD initiatives, which they said hinder global competitiveness. Participants argued that excessive regulatory control has left more than 400,000 students and thousands of teachers, researchers, and trustees in uncertainty.

The meeting proposed six key reforms, including forming an independent higher education commission, adopting education-friendly global policies, introducing student loans and research support, strengthening industry-academia collaboration, reviewing VAT and taxes, and ensuring transparent approval processes.

The Ministry of Education has released the 2026 academic year holiday schedule, reducing the total number of holidays by 12 days. Several holidays, including Shab-e-Meraj, Janmashtami, and Ashura, have been canceled. According to the published list, schools will remain open for much of the holy month of Ramadan, with the Ramadan and Eid-ul-Fitr holidays beginning on March 8, 2026. As Ramadan is expected to start on February 17, depending on the moon sighting, schools will remain open until the 21st day of Ramadan.

In 2025, there were 28 days of holidays for Ramadan, Doljatra, Independence Day, Jummatul Wida, Shab-e-Qadr, and Eid-ul-Fitr combined. For 2026, these holidays have been reduced to 19 days. The Eid-ul-Azha and summer vacation period has also been shortened from 15 to 12 days, and the winter vacation has been reduced by one day.

The revised schedule reflects the ministry’s effort to adjust the academic calendar and maintain more instructional days within the school year.

Education adviser Professor Dr. Chowdhury Rafiqul Abrar stated that the government made its utmost effort to ensure high-quality and error-free textbooks for students. He made the remarks on Sunday during the inauguration of the ‘2026 academic year textbook softcopy upload’ program. Despite various obstacles and pressures, he said no shortcomings were allowed in fulfilling this responsibility.

Abrar explained that the Ministry of Education and the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) held multiple meetings to ensure textbook accuracy. Around 250 skilled teachers from Dhaka schools worked for weeks editing hard copies, while about 6,000 teachers nationwide provided feedback online. Their verified suggestions were incorporated through an expert committee. Printing challenges such as unpaid bills, bank loans, electricity supply, and book transport were addressed through continuous supervision by ministry officials.

He added that 26 printing institutions have completed full delivery of textbooks, with six more expected to finish by tomorrow. The government chose to rely on domestic printers instead of foreign printing or direct purchase proposals, emphasizing trust in local capacity.

The National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) has released online versions of all 2026 academic year textbooks as concerns grew that not all students would receive printed copies on time. Starting Sunday, students from primary, ibtedayi, secondary, and dakhil levels can read and download free PDF versions of their textbooks from the NCTB website. The launch event was inaugurated by Education Adviser Professor Dr. Chowdhury Rafiqul Abrar and Mass Education Adviser Professor Dr. Bidhan Ranjan Roy Poddar.

According to NCTB, a total of 647 textbooks covering pre-primary, primary (Bangla and English versions), ibtedayi, five indigenous languages, secondary (Bangla and English versions), dakhil, dakhil (vocational), and technical levels are now available online. The board reported that 100 percent of pre-primary and primary textbooks—totaling 117,046,461 copies—were printed and distributed nationwide by December 16. Printing and distribution for other levels are nearing completion, with 78.72 percent of ibtedayi and secondary books printed and 58.68 percent delivered.

NCTB expects that at least 80 percent of secondary students will receive their printed books on the first day of the new year, with the remainder distributed within days.

The Bangladesh Navy will conduct missile firing exercises on December 29 and 30 in the sea area between Cox’s Bazar and Hatiya. The Inter-Services Public Relations Directorate (ISPR) announced the exercise in a press release issued on Saturday. The navy has requested all vessels, including fishing boats and trawlers, to avoid the designated area during the operation period for safety reasons.

According to the ISPR statement, the advisory aims to ensure the safety of lives and property while the missile firing takes place. The notice specifically calls on maritime operators to refrain from staying or moving within the affected zone during the scheduled dates.

The announcement serves as a precautionary measure to prevent accidents or disruptions during the naval exercise, which is part of routine operational activities in Bangladesh’s maritime region.

Authorities in Kishoreganj reported that the donation boxes of the Pagla Mosque contained Tk 11 crore 78 lakh 48 thousand 538 after counting on Saturday. The counting took place under the supervision of Additional District Magistrate Md Ershadul Ahmed, who confirmed the total amount at night. Alongside the cash, foreign currency, gold, and silver ornaments were also found. An anonymous individual left a note in the donation box demanding public justice for the killing of Hadi.

The counting began at 9 a.m. after the boxes were opened at 7 a.m. in the presence of District Commissioner Mohammad Aslam Molla, Police Superintendent Dr. S.M. Farhad Hossain, and other officials. More than 400 students, mosque staff, bank employees, and law enforcement members participated in the process. Officials said 35 sacks of money were collected from 13 donation boxes.

District Commissioner Aslam Molla announced plans to build a ten-story Islamic complex centered on the mosque, which will include education facilities for orphans, a library, cafeteria, and IT section.

The Inter-Services Public Relations Directorate (ISPR) has issued a special advisory urging all fishing boats, trawlers, and other vessels to avoid the sea area between Cox’s Bazar and Hatiya on December 29 and 30, 2025. The notice, released on December 27, stated that the Bangladesh Navy will conduct missile firing exercises in that maritime zone during those two days.

According to the ISPR statement, the advisory aims to ensure the safety of lives and property while the naval exercise is underway. All types of marine vessels, including fishing boats and trawlers, have been specifically requested not to remain or move within the designated area during the exercise period.

The ISPR emphasized that the temporary restriction is precautionary and limited to the missile firing schedule, after which normal navigation is expected to resume.

The Directorate of Primary Education has opened the online portal for downloading admit cards for the government primary school assistant teacher recruitment written examination. The process began on Saturday, December 27, 2025, at 10 a.m. Applicants can access their admit cards through the website http://admit.dpe.gov.bd/applicant/login using either their user ID and password or their SSC roll, board, and year. The written examination is scheduled to take place on Friday, January 2, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in each candidate’s respective district.

According to the official notice, candidates will receive an SMS from the number 01552-146056 with instructions for downloading their admit cards. Participants must bring a color printout of the downloaded admit card along with their original national identity card (NID or smart card) to the examination center. The admit card will also contain instructions for filling out the OMR sheet and other exam-related details.

The Directorate emphasized that only candidates with valid printed admit cards and identification will be allowed to sit for the examination.

A new madrasa and orphanage named Alhaj Mawlana Bakhtiar Ahmad Nurani Madrasa and Orphanage has been inaugurated in Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar, to provide both religious and general education for dropout, underprivileged, and orphaned children. The inauguration took place on Saturday morning at Kutupalong Amgachtala area along the Ukhiya-Teknaf main road, with local Union Parishad member Engineer Helal Uddin officiating the opening.

According to the madrasa authorities, the institution will offer free education for orphaned and Nurani (primary-level) students, along with accommodation, food, and moral instruction. Plans are in place to help students pursue higher education at reputed institutions across the country. During the ceremony, Helal Uddin praised the initiative as a vital step to reintegrate dropout children into mainstream society and pledged continued support.

Ukhiya Upazila Nirbahi Officer Rifat Asma described the project as a humanitarian effort, emphasizing that free education and housing for disadvantaged children strengthen the nation’s foundation. Local teachers, community leaders, and residents attended the event, which concluded with prayers for national welfare.