The Bangladesh Navy will conduct a missile firing exercise in the Bay of Bengal between Cox’s Bazar and Hatiya on Monday and Tuesday. The Inter-Services Public Relations Directorate (ISPR) announced the exercise in a statement issued on Saturday, urging all types of vessels to avoid the designated area during the operation for safety reasons.

According to the ISPR, the restriction applies to all maritime traffic, including fishing boats and trawlers, to ensure the safety of lives and property during the missile firing. The advisory emphasized that no vessels should remain or move within the specified zone while the exercise is underway.

The notice serves as a precautionary measure to prevent accidents and maintain operational security during the naval exercise in the Bay of Bengal.

Thirteen iron donation boxes of the historic Pagla Mosque in Kishoreganj were opened on Saturday morning, yielding thirty-five sacks of cash. The counting process began at 7 a.m. with the participation of more than four hundred people, including members of the mosque management committee, teachers and students from the mosque’s madrasa and orphanage, students from the nearby Jamia Emdadia Madrasa, and officials and employees of Rupali Bank.

The donation boxes, usually opened every three months, were opened this time after three months and twenty-seven days. Two new boxes were also added before this opening. The previous opening, held on August 30 of the same year, had revealed a record collection of 120.9 million taka along with a large amount of foreign currency and gold ornaments.

The opening was conducted in the presence of Kishoreganj Deputy Commissioner and Pagla Mosque Management Committee President Mohammad Aslam Molla, Superintendent of Police S.M. Farhad Hossain, and Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Mizabe Rahmat.

Eight days after the death of Inquilab Moncho spokesperson Shaheed Sharif Osman Hadi, large numbers of people continued to visit his grave at the Dhaka University Central Mosque premises. On Friday, December 26, after the Asr prayer, the gate of the Kazi Nazrul Islam Mausoleum was opened, allowing admirers to enter and pay their respects.

Visitors stood beside Hadi’s grave, offering prayers and supplications. Many were seen tearfully demanding justice for his killing, while some lamented over the perpetrators. The turnout reflected that public affection and interest in Hadi had not diminished but rather seemed to grow with time.

The continued gatherings at the site underscored the emotional connection many still feel toward Hadi and their ongoing call for justice surrounding his death.

The Directorate of Primary Education has postponed the recruitment examination for the position of accounts assistant. The exam was originally scheduled to take place on Friday from 3:00 p.m. to 4:20 p.m. According to an official notice issued on Thursday afternoon, the test was deferred due to unavoidable reasons. The authority stated that the new date and schedule for the postponed examination will be announced later.

The notice clarified that the decision to postpone was made under the Directorate’s jurisdiction and applies specifically to the accounts assistant post. No further explanation was provided regarding the cause of the postponement. The announcement emphasized that candidates should wait for further instructions and updates from the Directorate.

The Directorate confirmed that the revised schedule will be communicated in due course, ensuring that applicants are informed once a new date is finalized.

Dhaka University authorities announced that additional metro rail services will operate on Saturday, December 27, to ease transportation for candidates attending the 2025–26 academic year science unit undergraduate admission test. The measure aims to prevent travel congestion as both Dhaka University (DU) and the Military Institute of Science and Technology (MIST) are holding admission tests on the same day. The DU Public Relations Office confirmed the arrangements on Friday, December 26.

A total of 114,114 students will compete for 1,891 seats in the DU science unit admission test, which will be held at Dhaka University and seven public universities in divisional cities including Rajshahi, Chittagong, Barishal, Khulna, Sylhet, Mymensingh, and Rangpur. To accommodate students who shifted their DU exam centers to Dhaka due to the MIST schedule, three additional centers have been set up in Mirpur and Farmgate.

Authorities have also shortened metro rail intervals and arranged extra trains to ensure safe and smooth travel for examinees. Additionally, MIST rescheduled its architecture department’s second phase exam from December 27 to December 28 following DU’s request.

The National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) will upload the online versions of free primary and secondary textbooks for the 2026 academic year on its official website this Sunday, December 28. The launch event will be attended by Education Adviser Professor Dr. Chowdhury Rafiqul Abrar and Mass Education Adviser Professor Dr. Bidhan Ranjan Roy Poddar. According to a letter signed by NCTB’s public relations officer, students of both Bangla and English versions will be able to access and read the books before the new school year begins.

The NCTB website, www.nctb.gov.bd, will host a total of 647 textbooks covering all levels of primary and secondary education. The initiative aims to make the government’s free textbooks available online ahead of the academic session, ensuring early access for students across the country.

The official inauguration ceremony, titled “Uploading of 2026 Academic Year Textbooks Online,” will be organized by NCTB on December 28, marking a step toward digital accessibility in the national education system.

The Directorate of Primary Education has suspended the recruitment examination for the post of 'Accounts Assistant' that was scheduled for Friday afternoon. The decision was announced in an official notice signed by the director (administration) of the directorate, stating that the exam, set for 3:00 p.m. to 4:20 p.m., was postponed due to unavoidable reasons. The new date and time for the exam will be announced later.

Although the directorate cited unavoidable circumstances, individuals involved in the process claimed that the suspension followed allegations of a question paper leak. Job seekers reportedly raised the issue earlier in the day, alleging that the exam questions had been leaked and shared on social media platforms. The incident caused significant inconvenience to candidates who had arrived to take the test.

The report indicates that the alleged leak spread rapidly online, prompting the directorate to issue the suspension notice. No further details were provided regarding any investigation or rescheduling plans.

Jagannath University has announced that its undergraduate ‘A’ and ‘C’ unit admission tests will be held on December 26 and 27, 2025. The ‘A’ unit, covering Science and Life & Earth Sciences faculties, will test 72,474 applicants competing for 860 seats, while the ‘C’ unit, under the Commerce faculty, will see 20,537 candidates vying for 520 seats. Each one-hour exam will run from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.

The ‘A’ unit test will take place at 12 centers, including three outside Dhaka—Comilla University, Khulna University, and Rajshahi University—while the rest will be in Dhaka. The ‘C’ unit exam will be held at Jagannath University and three other Dhaka centers. Each test carries 100 marks, with 72 from multiple-choice questions and 18 based on SSC and HSC results.

Faculty deans confirmed that all preparations are complete, emphasizing the inclusion of regional centers to ease travel for candidates. Upcoming tests for other faculties are scheduled in January 2026, continuing the university’s phased admission process.

Biman Bangladesh Airlines has advised all passengers traveling through Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on December 25 to allow extra time for their journey due to expected severe traffic congestion around the airport area. The national carrier issued a statement on Tuesday warning that heavy public gatherings are anticipated near the airport, Gulshan link road, and the Purbachal Expressway (300 feet), which could lead to significant delays.

The advisory follows reports from multiple media outlets predicting large crowds in these areas on the day, possibly linked to public events and holiday travel. Biman requested both domestic and international passengers to plan their trips well in advance and arrive at the airport earlier than usual to avoid inconvenience. The airline expressed hope that passengers’ cooperation would ensure smooth and stress-free travel experiences.

Authorities have not announced any special traffic management plan yet, but travelers are being urged to monitor updates and plan accordingly to prevent missed flights or disruptions.

Nearly 72,000 students have applied for admission to Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) for the 2025–26 academic year, according to the university’s admission committee. As of December 23, 49,861 students applied to Unit A and 20,947 to Unit B, with an additional 1,185 applicants in sub-units. The application period, which began on December 8, will close on December 25 at 11:59 p.m., with no extension planned.

Admission Committee Member Secretary Professor Dr. Mohammad Selim confirmed that the final number of applicants will be known after the deadline. The admission tests are scheduled for January 13 for Unit A and January 14 for Unit B, to be held in Sylhet and Dhaka centers. This year, SUST will admit 1,566 students, including 985 in Unit A and 581 in Unit B, with 77 additional seats reserved under five quota categories.

The merit list will be based on a combined score of test marks and GPA from SSC and HSC results, following the updated admission guidelines.

Bangladesh’s National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) has scrapped more than two million faulty primary school textbooks, valued at around Tk 15 crore, after discovering widespread printing defects and substandard paper use. Over fifty printing presses have been implicated, and more than 3,000 tons of low-quality paper have been rejected. Officials said the books were destroyed using cutting machines as part of a drive to ensure quality compliance.

Former and current NCTB officials confirmed that similar irregularities occurred in previous years, with some presses allegedly linked to a long-standing political and business syndicate accused of embezzling billions of taka through low-quality textbook production. Industry leaders and inspectors reported threats and bribery attempts aimed at avoiding penalties. The Education Ministry has pledged strict action against those responsible.

Observers note that the crackdown marks one of the largest quality-control interventions in Bangladesh’s textbook printing history. However, questions remain about whether entrenched networks within the printing sector can be dismantled and accountability sustained in the coming academic years.

Students at Begum Rokeya University in Rangpur have renamed two academic buildings to honor slain anti-hegemony activists Sharif Osman Hadi and Abrar Fahad. On December 22, students placed banners renaming Academic Building-3 as ‘Shaheed Osman Hadi Bhaban’ and Academic Building-2 as ‘Shaheed Abrar Fahad Academic Building,’ marking a symbolic tribute to their sacrifice.

Student organizers said the initiative aims to preserve the memory of those who spoke against foreign dominance and paid with their lives. Nezaj Ahmed from the Gender and Development Studies Department stated that future generations would learn about their courage through these building names. Other students echoed that the renaming reflects the spirit of justice and protest that universities should uphold.

Abrar Fahad, a BUET student, was beaten to death in 2019 for his criticism of foreign influence, while activist Osman Hadi died in December 2025 after being shot earlier that month. The move has sparked discussions on student activism and remembrance culture in Bangladesh’s universities.

At the seventh convocation of State University of Bangladesh (SUB) in Purbachal, Professor Dr. Asif Nazrul, Adviser to the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, emphasized that academic degrees alone are insufficient for success in global competition. He called on graduates to cultivate capability, discipline, and credibility, noting that Bangladesh has achieved much at the individual level but lagged in building sustainable institutions.

Dr. Nazrul observed that once-strong institutions such as the police, judiciary, and administration have weakened over the past decade and a half, making effective governance difficult. Drawing on post–World War II Europe, he stressed that strong institutions are vital for sustainable development. University Grants Commission Chairman Dr. S.M.A. Faiz also addressed the event, urging graduates to transform technological challenges into opportunities and contribute to a humane, knowledge-driven Bangladesh.

The convocation awarded degrees to 672 graduates across ten departments, with several receiving gold, silver, and dean’s awards. The event concluded with a colorful procession and cultural program celebrating the university’s achievements.

Dhaka University has announced a new date for its postponed Science Unit admission test for the 2025–2026 academic year. According to an official notice signed by Acting Director of Public Relations Mohammad Rafiqul Islam, the first-year undergraduate entrance exam will now be held on Saturday, December 27, 2025, from 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The university also stated that candidates who had applied to sit for the exam at centers outside Dhaka and have overlapping admission tests at other universities on December 26 or 27 will be allowed to change their exam centers to Dhaka. Applicants can submit their requests online between 5:00 p.m. on December 21 and midnight on December 23 through the admission website admission.eis.du.ac.bd.

Students must upload copies of their HSC registration card and the admit card of the conflicting university exam when applying for a center change. The new schedule aims to minimize conflicts and ensure fair access for all applicants ahead of the competitive admission season.

Panchchar High School in Shibchar, Madaripur, has marked over a century of educational excellence, evolving from its 1920 founding as 'The Panchchar High English School' into a model institution blending traditional learning with modern technology. Established by a group of visionary youths led by Dhirendranath Chatterjee, the school has produced generations of accomplished alumni, including national leaders, educators, and professionals.

Currently hosting 950 students, the school features digital classrooms, a library, and sports facilities, while maintaining strong academic results — achieving a 100% pass rate in the 2025 SSC exams with 21 students earning GPA-5. Principal Md. Shah Alam Siraji highlighted the school’s commitment to inclusive education, offering free tuition and uniforms to underprivileged students. However, he noted the need for additional classrooms and a new computer lab to meet growing demands.

School board president and former national football coach Sajjad Hossain Siddiqui emphasized preserving the institution’s legacy and ensuring continued academic excellence as Panchchar High School advances toward becoming a fully smart educational model.