Bangladesh’s interim government foreign affairs adviser Md. Touhid Hossain and Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar held their second telephone conversation within three days, according to Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The ministry announced on Facebook on January 8, 2026, that the two leaders discussed bilateral matters and recent regional developments. They also praised the convening of the upcoming OIC Council of Foreign Ministers session scheduled for January 10, 2026, in Jeddah.

Earlier, on January 4, Ishaq Dar had called Touhid Hossain while attending the seventh Pakistan-China strategic dialogue in Beijing. During that conversation, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing cooperation between Bangladesh and Pakistan. They also exchanged views on recent developments in Asia and the Middle East and agreed to maintain close communication between the two countries.

The repeated contact between the two officials highlights ongoing diplomatic engagement and mutual interest in strengthening bilateral ties and regional collaboration.

Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Imran Haider, met with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s (BNP) acting chairman, Tarique Rahman, on Friday afternoon. The meeting took place at the BNP chairperson’s office in Gulshan, Dhaka. The BNP’s verified Facebook page shared a photo of the meeting, describing it as a courtesy call between the two figures.

According to the post, the meeting was held at the BNP’s Gulshan office, where the Pakistani envoy paid a courtesy visit to Tarique Rahman. The report did not specify the topics discussed or the duration of the meeting. The event was reported by the online edition of the newspaper “Amar Desh.”

No further details were provided about the content of the discussion or any official statements from either side following the meeting.

A severe shortage of LPG cylinders has hit Nilphamari district and its upazilas, with allegations that certain dealers and distributors have created an artificial crisis by ignoring government-set prices. Despite the official price for a 12-kg cylinder being set at Tk 1,306 for January, consumers report paying between Tk 1,800 and Tk 2,100. Many households, hotels, and small businesses have been forced to halt cooking and operations due to the scarcity.

Retailers claim they are unable to obtain sufficient supply from dealers even when offering higher prices. Some dealers are reportedly selling limited quantities without receipts and at inflated rates. Consumers and traders allege that the crisis intensified after rumors of a price hike spread, leading to hoarding and speculative selling. A distributor representative, however, attributed the higher prices to transport costs and denied wrongdoing.

Experts and consumers have urged immediate administrative action against hoarding, overpricing, and unrecorded sales, warning that the artificial shortage could worsen if enforcement delays continue.

Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr. Ahsan H. Mansur stated that there is no possibility of announcing a new pay scale before the upcoming national election. Speaking at a stakeholder meeting in a local hotel in Barishal on Thursday afternoon, he said the current interim government will not make any final decision on the matter, which he described as reasonable.

Dr. Mansur explained that the interim government might prepare a framework, but its implementation will depend entirely on the next elected government. With the election only a month away, he noted that the government’s focus is now centered on election-related activities. He expressed confidence that the next government will be able to take a comprehensive decision after reviewing previous work.

During the same event, the governor discussed the benefits of digital transactions, suggesting that mandatory QR codes for new trade licenses could boost cashless payments. He also described the country’s import policy as complex and said inefficiency among officials often delays imports, leading to price increases in the market.

BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman’s upcoming visit to Bogura has stirred significant excitement among local party leaders and activists. According to the schedule, he will leave Dhaka on the morning of January 11, traveling by road through Tangail and Sirajganj, and is expected to reach Bogura around 9 p.m. that night. He will stay overnight at the Naz Garden Hotel, a decision confirmed by district BNP president Rezaul Karim Badsha after earlier speculation about a stay at the newly established five-star Mom-Inn Hotel.

Hotel sources said preparations are underway to receive the BNP leader, while the district BNP is coordinating security and crowd management during his stay. On January 12 at 10:30 a.m., Tarique Rahman will attend a public prayer event at Bogura Central High School field, which was finalized after earlier consideration of Altafunnesa playground as a possible venue.

Following the event, he will travel to Rangpur to visit the grave of July War hero Shaheed Abu Sayeed, and then continue his tour through Dinajpur, Panchagarh, Thakurgaon, and Kurigram before returning to Dhaka.

A joint operation by the army and police in the riverine char areas of Araihazar upazila in Narayanganj recovered a large quantity of weapons, ammunition, explosives, drugs, and cash early Friday. The raid, conducted from 5:30 a.m. across Khaliar Char, Madhyar Char, and Kadmir Char under Kalapaharia Union, led to the arrest of five local residents. Among the recovered items were a foreign-made pistol looted from Araihazar Police Station, magazines, bullets, shotgun cartridges, eight cocktails, local weapons, an electric shock device, a mobile phone, and over 1 million taka in cash.

According to a press briefing held at Jahanara High School field, the operation involved 140 army personnel and 10 police officers under the 45 MLRS Regiment Artillery of the 9th Infantry Division, deployed in Araihazar since August 2025 under the “In Aid to Civil Power” framework. The area, surrounded by the Meghna River, is described as geographically sensitive and crime-prone. Intelligence reports had indicated the presence of stolen and illegal arms and drugs.

Lieutenant Colonel Zubair, commanding officer of the 45 MLRS Regiment, said the operation is expected to significantly reduce criminal activity and that similar actions will continue to ensure security ahead of the upcoming national election.

Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company on Friday reported that a distribution pipeline under the Turag River in Dhaka’s Aminbazar area was damaged after being struck by the anchor of a cargo trawler. The incident caused extremely low gas pressure across the capital, disrupting supply in multiple neighborhoods.

According to the company, although the damaged pipeline has been repaired, water entered the line during the repair process. Combined with an overall shortage in gas supply to the city, this led to widespread low pressure in various parts of Dhaka. Titas Gas stated that technical and operational measures are ongoing to restore normal supply levels.

The company expressed regret for the temporary inconvenience caused to customers and assured that efforts to resolve the issue are continuing.

Mufti Mushahid Munawar, a lyricist, preacher, and Islamic scholar, has released six Islamic nasheeds dedicated to martyr Osman Hadi, a frontline fighter of the July Revolution and anti-imperialist movement. The songs, including 'Dilme Hadi', 'Ay Hadi Fire Ay', and 'Janau Interim', have gained wide popularity on YouTube and social media. Munawar confirmed that four more nasheeds on Osman Hadi are in progress. The compositions reflect themes of sacrifice, justice, and remembrance through restrained yet firm language.

'Dilme Hadi', voiced by Saynan Sayem, seeks to evoke the martyr’s memory with emotional restraint, while 'Ay Hadi Fire Ay', composed by Abu Ubaida and sung by Kazi Mashkure Elahi, expresses the pain of absence and longing. 'Janau Interim' stands out for its protest tone, calling for swift justice in Osman Hadi’s murder case and spreading rapidly among young audiences. Listeners have described the works as courageous and timely.

Munawar stated that his nasheeds are part of a broader cultural mission to preserve martyr memories beyond commemorative days. Cultural observers regard these works as significant additions to contemporary Islamic music and as cultural documents reflecting faith, social awareness, and historical responsibility.

Industrial Adviser Adilur Rahman Khan expressed optimism that the next elected government will take necessary initiatives to establish new industrial factories aimed at national industrial development and job creation. He made the remarks on Friday while visiting the Chhatak Cement Company Limited in Chhatak upazila of Sunamganj district.

During the visit, the adviser said that the company’s production activities would soon resume through conversion from the existing wet process to a dry process. The visit was attended by senior officials including Local Government Secretary Md. Rezaul Maksud Jahedi, Industries Secretary Md. Obaidur Rahman, BCIC Chairman Md. Fazlur Rahman, LGED Chief Engineer Kazi Golam Mostafa, and Chhatak Cement Company Managing Director Md. Abdur Rahman.

BCIC Chairman Md. Fazlur Rahman stated that production at the mill would start soon and that BCIC was actively working toward that goal.

Dhaka University is proceeding with steps to permanently expel four teachers reportedly aligned with the Awami League. The university’s highest policy-making body, the Syndicate, reached this decision during a meeting held on Thursday, January 8. The Syndicate resolved to issue show-cause notices asking the teachers why they should not be permanently dismissed from their positions.

The four teachers named are Professor Zinat Huda, Professor A K M Jamal Uddin, Professor Sadeka Halim, and Professor Moshior Rahman, all from the Department of Sociology. According to the university’s Proctor, Professor Dr. Saifuddin Ahmed, formal charges have been framed against them, and the show-cause notices will be issued accordingly.

The Syndicate’s decision marks a significant disciplinary move within Dhaka University, signaling a formal process toward permanent expulsion pending the teachers’ responses to the show-cause notices.

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman has convened an emergency meeting of the party’s Standing Committee. The meeting is scheduled to take place at 9:30 p.m. on Friday night at the BNP Chairperson’s political office in Gulshan, according to Standing Committee member Dr. Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain. Tarique Rahman will preside over the session.

A senior BNP leader stated that the meeting was not part of the committee’s regular schedule and therefore has no fixed agenda. However, the leader emphasized that the meeting is considered important. The announcement underscores the urgency of internal discussions within the BNP leadership.

No further details were provided about the specific issues to be discussed or the expected outcomes of the meeting.

The Cricketers’ Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB) has strongly protested a Facebook post by Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) director M Nazmul Islam, who referred to former national captain Tamim Iqbal with a derogatory term. The post, made in response to a statement by Tamim, quickly went viral and drew widespread criticism from the cricket community. CWAB issued a statement expressing shock, anger, and disappointment over the remark, calling it unacceptable and insulting to the entire cricket fraternity.

In its statement, CWAB said that such comments from a responsible board official are deeply condemnable and raise questions about the code of conduct for BCB directors. The organization has already sent a formal protest letter to the BCB president, demanding that Nazmul Islam publicly apologize and be held accountable for his actions. CWAB urged the board to take appropriate measures as soon as possible.

The controversy has sparked debate within Bangladesh’s cricket circles about professionalism and accountability among board officials.

The National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) of Bangladesh has made major revisions to the 2026 academic textbooks for primary and secondary levels. The new editions, distributed from January 1, include significant changes to the portrayal of the Liberation War, the declaration of independence, subsequent political developments, and the 2024 July uprising. In the revised Bangladesh and Global Studies books for grades six through ten, Ziaur Rahman is identified as the proclaimer of independence on March 26, 1971, replacing earlier references to Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The books also describe Zia’s political, agricultural, and economic contributions.

The updated textbooks omit Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s March 7 speech and remove terms such as “Father of the Nation” and “Bangabandhu.” They newly include accounts of the 2024 July uprising, Sheikh Hasina’s fall, and descriptions of her rule as authoritarian. The revisions were approved by the National Curriculum Coordination Committee following recommendations from experts and the interim government’s directive.

According to NCTB officials, the goal of these changes is to present a balanced and realistic depiction of Bangladesh’s political history and to free textbooks from exaggerated or imposed narratives.

Dhaka’s residents are enduring worsening living conditions due to severe waste mismanagement across the city. Streets and alleys are covered with piles of garbage and plastic waste, while sidewalks have become unusable because of open urinals and foul odors. According to the two city corporations, Dhaka’s 129 wards generate between 6,800 and 7,500 tons of waste daily, but 55 percent remains uncollected. Despite spending about Tk 3,323 crore over seven years, more than 250 uncontrolled dumping sites persist, posing serious threats to public health and the environment.

Field visits revealed that waste workers operate without protective gear, exposing them to diseases. The waste management process—collection, transfer, transport, and disposal—shows weaknesses at every stage, with little recycling or treatment capacity. A study in Scientific Reports found that Dhaka produces 6,465 tons of waste daily, most of which ends up in nearly full landfills at Aminbazar and Matuail. Experts warn that uncontrolled dumping contaminates soil and groundwater and releases methane, worsening climate impacts.

City officials acknowledged manpower and equipment shortages and emphasized public awareness and participation as essential for sustainable cleanliness.

The government has taken all necessary measures to ensure a level playing field for the upcoming 13th National Parliament Election, according to Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam. Speaking on Friday afternoon after visiting the Shibbari Temple in Mymensingh and exchanging greetings with members of the Hindu community, he said there has been no visible incident suggesting the absence of a fair environment. He added that all political parties, large and small, currently enjoy equal opportunities in the electoral process.

Shafiqul Alam emphasized that Bangladesh is a country of communal harmony where people of all religions and communities live together peacefully. He condemned recent attacks on shrines under various pretexts, calling them highly reprehensible. Earlier in the day, he visited the shrine of Hazrat Shah Sufi Syed Kalu Shah (R.) at Bura Pir’s shrine and ghat area on Jubilee Road in Mymensingh.

The press secretary reiterated that the government remains committed to maintaining a fair electoral environment and social harmony across the country.