Many secondary-level students in Bangladesh have not yet received their textbooks for the new academic year, though the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) claims improved performance compared to previous years. In a statement issued Sunday, NCTB said that despite printing contracts running until February 3, all remaining secondary and technical books would be delivered by January 15 through intensive monitoring. As of January 3, 84.78 percent of the total 300.25 million textbooks had been supplied.

The board reported that all pre-primary and primary books, totaling 85.93 million copies, were fully printed and distributed before Victory Day, ensuring delivery to students on January 1. However, printing and delivery for secondary and Ebtedayee levels remain incomplete, with 88.50 percent printed and 78.69 percent delivered. School heads from Dhaka and Keraniganj confirmed shortages, particularly for grades eight and nine.

Officials and publishers cited low tender rates as a key reason for delays, with some presses reluctant to print at reduced prices. NCTB’s distribution controller said more than half of grade eight books had reached schools and expressed confidence that all secondary books would be delivered by January 15.

Police in Chatmohar upazila of Pabna district arrested two alleged drug dealers in separate operations on Sunday evening and night. According to Chatmohar Police Station Officer-in-Charge Golam Sarwar Hossain, the first raid took place in Gunai Gacha Purbo Para village, where Jakirul Islam, 32, son of Mobarak Pramanik, was detained with 10 yaba tablets. Later, in another operation at Bothor Madhyapara village under Bilchalon Union, Sohel Rana, 22, son of Belal Pramanik, was arrested with 15 yaba tablets.

Police stated that two separate cases have been filed against the detainees in connection with the drug recovery. The operations were part of ongoing efforts to curb illegal drug trade in the area.

Authorities have not disclosed further details about the investigations or whether additional suspects are being sought in connection with the seizures.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) A M M Nasir Uddin stated that the environment is favorable and, with everyone’s cooperation, a free and fair election can be held. He made the remarks on Monday, January 5, while visiting the appeal booths at the Election Commission building in Agargaon, Dhaka.

According to the Election Commission, appeals against the acceptance or rejection of nomination papers by returning officers for the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election can be filed from January 5 to January 9 at 5 p.m. Aggrieved candidates, banks, financial institutions, government service providers, or authorized representatives may submit appeals in writing during this period.

To facilitate the process, a central appeal center has been set up at the Election Commission building in Agargaon, with ten region-based booths established for receiving appeals.

The Bangladesh government is awaiting an assessment report from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) experts before proceeding with the Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Limited (BTCL) 5G network expansion project. Officials said technical testing is nearing completion, with about 50 percent of the work already done. The project, launched in 2022, aims to build a strong backbone network to meet national bandwidth demand through 2030.

The initiative has faced repeated disruptions due to misinformation, administrative weaknesses, and allegations of irregularities and corruption. Disputes have arisen over tender processes, equipment clearance at ports, and letters from the chief adviser’s special assistant. The Anti-Corruption Commission’s inquiry into the readiness phase and complaints about limited time for financial proposal submissions have further complicated progress. Despite these issues, the project continues to move forward.

Once completed, the project will establish high-capacity optical fiber networks across Bangladesh, significantly enhancing digital infrastructure and enabling BTCL to supply about 30 percent of the country’s total internet bandwidth. The government expects the network to improve broadband access and strengthen competition with private operators.

Three suspects have been arrested by RAB in connection with the killing of rural physician Khokon Das, who was set on fire in Shariatpur. The arrests were announced on Sunday evening, January 4, at a press conference held at the RAB-8 camp in Madaripur by Commander Shahadat Hossain. The suspects—Sohag Khan, Rabbi Molla, and Palash Sardar—were detained from Bajitpur in Kishoreganj early Saturday night.

According to RAB, Khokon Das, a medicine seller and mobile banking agent from Tiloi area of Damudya upazila, was attacked with a knife while returning home on Wednesday night. When he recognized the attackers, they poured petrol on his body and face and set him on fire. He was admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital and died on Saturday morning while under treatment. His father, Paresh Chandra Das, filed a case against the three accused on Thursday night.

RAB stated that the detainees confessed to the killing during preliminary interrogation, and the knife used in the murder was recovered.

Thirty-six unprotected level crossings between Chilahati and Saidpur in Nilphamari have become deadly zones, with 14 people killed in train accidents across the district in 2025, according to Saidpur Railway Police records. Despite repeated fatalities, authorities have only installed warning signs instead of ensuring proper safety measures. The railway police confirmed that 13 unnatural death cases were filed in connection with these incidents.

Railway department data show that of the 36 approved level crossings in the Chilahati–Saidpur section, only 13 are guarded by gatekeepers. Local residents, including Abdul Gafur from Darwani Bazar, said thousands of pedestrians and vehicles cross these unprotected points daily, risking their lives. They demanded immediate safety measures to prevent further loss of life and property.

Statistics from previous years indicate a continuing pattern of fatal accidents, including four deaths in 2021 and another four in 2022 at unprotected crossings. In 2023, 24 people were killed in similar incidents, underscoring the urgent need for improved railway safety in Nilphamari.

The Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) has issued the final gazette of the Public Offer of Securities Rules, 2025, allowing issuing companies to use up to 30 percent of funds raised through initial public offerings (IPOs) to repay bank loans. The decision, published on December 30, 2025, includes two conditions: the loan must be project or BMRE-related, and it cannot be a defaulted or rescheduled loan.

The previous draft of the regulation did not permit loan repayment from IPO proceeds, which had raised concerns among market participants about reduced corporate interest in stock market listings. Based on stakeholder feedback, BSEC reinstated the repayment option, similar to the one-third allowance under the 2015 rules. The new regulation also increases the quota for general investors and reintroduces the lottery system for IPO share allocation.

Additionally, the rules extend the IPO application submission period to 120 days and require stock exchange recommendations for IPO approvals. The number of qualified institutional investors for determining indicative prices in the book-building method has been reduced from 75 to 40.

Ferry and all other vessel operations on the Daulatdia–Paturia river route resumed on Monday morning after being suspended for nearly seven hours due to dense fog. Authorities restored normal navigation around 7:15 a.m. on January 5, 2026, once visibility improved. The suspension had begun at 12:30 a.m. the previous night when thick fog over the Padma River made navigation lights unclear and created safety risks.

According to the terminal authorities, the fog intensified after Sunday evening, severely reducing visibility and prompting the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) to halt all ferry and vessel movement for safety. During the suspension, long queues of passenger buses, trucks, and private cars formed at both Daulatdia and Paturia terminals, leaving travelers stranded in the cold night.

With ferry operations now restored, vehicles are gradually crossing the river, easing congestion and bringing relief to passengers and drivers who had faced significant hardship overnight.

The Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances in Bangladesh has submitted its final report to Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus, revealing that between 2009 and 2024, an estimated 4,000 to 6,000 people were victims of enforced disappearance. Of 1,913 verified complaints, 1,569 were classified as probable cases, with 287 confirmed deaths. The report identifies the practice as systematic, politically motivated, and institutionally coordinated, rather than isolated incidents. It directly implicates former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and senior security officials in several high-profile cases.

The commission found that 96.7 percent of victims with known political affiliations were linked to opposition parties, mainly BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami. Law enforcement agencies, including the Rapid Action Battalion, police, and intelligence branches, were named as responsible in most cases. The report documents mass killings and body disposals in rivers such as Baleshwar and Buriganga. Dr. Yunus described the report as a historic documentation of brutality and urged institutional reforms and accountability.

The commission recommended legal and structural reforms to prevent recurrence and ensure justice for victims’ families, emphasizing that enforced disappearances had become a tool of governance during the Awami League era.

Barrister Asaduzzaman Fuad, general secretary of the Amar Bangladesh (AB) Party and candidate for the Barishal-3 (Babuganj-Muladi) constituency, has received official validation of his nomination for the national parliamentary election. On Sunday evening, he posted a video on his Facebook account urging local residents and the general public to provide financial assistance and prayers to support his campaign, travel, and outreach activities.

In the video, Fuad explained that conducting campaign activities in the remote and marginal areas of Barishal-3 is costly and challenging, making public contributions necessary. He also called for collective efforts to build a “new Bangladesh” based on the July Charter following the 2024 mass uprising. His post included mobile payment and bank account details for those willing to contribute.

The appeal has drawn mixed reactions. Some social media users and locals viewed Fuad’s request as a sign of honesty and simplicity, while others analyzed it as a reflection of political and financial realities. According to his affidavit, Fuad’s annual income is slightly above seven lakh taka, indicating limited personal resources.

A magnitude 5.4 earthquake struck Sylhet and several northeastern districts of Bangladesh early Monday, January 5, 2026, at 4:47 a.m. The tremor was also felt across border regions of India, Myanmar, Bhutan, and China. According to the Euro-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) and other international monitoring agencies, the quake originated at a depth of 10 kilometers.

The epicenter was located about 4 kilometers west of Dhing town in India’s Assam state and 76 kilometers northeast of Guwahati. Due to Sylhet’s proximity to the epicenter, the shaking was strongly felt in the city and surrounding areas, including Zindabazar, Ambarkhana, Tilaghar, Shah Paran, South Surma, Jaintapur, and Companiganj. Local residents reported the tremor but no immediate damage or casualties were confirmed.

Authorities and monitoring agencies have not reported any significant structural impact, and no emergency alerts were issued following the event.

Comilla University has expelled 12 students for one semester after finding them guilty of using unfair means during final examinations. The decision was finalized at the university’s 107th syndicate meeting on December 28, following recommendations from the disciplinary committee. In addition, one student’s internship report was canceled for proven forgery, and another was ordered to retake an entire course due to malpractice during an improvement exam.

The expelled students belong to various departments including Physics, English, ICT, Economics, Archaeology, and Mass Communication and Journalism. The university administration stated that it remains uncompromising about maintaining examination integrity and academic discipline. It emphasized that no leniency will be shown toward unethical acts such as cheating or forgery.

According to the administration, the expelled students will not be allowed to sit for exams with their current batch and must continue their studies with the next batch, reinforcing the university’s strict stance on academic misconduct.

Bangladesh Football Federation President Tawfiq Awal has strongly criticized India’s decision to exclude Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman from the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL). According to the report, Hindu nationalist groups had been protesting to remove Mustafizur, leading the Indian government to instruct the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to act. Following that directive, Kolkata Knight Riders dropped the player from their squad.

Awal expressed deep disappointment, saying that Mustafizur was selected based on merit but was removed due to political pressure. He urged Indian authorities and the BCCI to keep politics out of sports, calling the move an act of injustice and intolerance against a world-class athlete targeted for his nationality. Awal emphasized that sports should unite people rather than divide them and reminded that historically, games have helped end conflicts and foster understanding.

He concluded by expressing solidarity with Mustafizur, assuring that the entire nation stands by him and encouraging him to stay strong.

Bangladesh has announced a strong retaliatory move against India following the exclusion of cricketer Mustafizur Rahman from the Indian Premier League (IPL). Acting under the directive of the interim government led by Dr. Muhammad Yunus, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) declared that the national team will not travel to India for the upcoming World Cup. The government expressed deep concern over player safety, questioning how India could ensure the security of an entire team when it failed to protect one player. The decision has been formally communicated to the International Cricket Council (ICC), and a suspension of IPL broadcasts in Bangladesh is under consideration.

Sports adviser Dr. Asif Nazrul condemned India’s move as a surrender to extremist groups, while Information Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan said silence was no longer an option. The Foreign Ministry described the response as part of a necessary diplomatic measure. A senior Bangladeshi diplomat criticized India for politicizing minority issues, saying such actions have worsened bilateral relations and fueled hostility between the two nations.

The controversy began when the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) expelled Mustafizur Rahman from the IPL, citing false allegations of minority persecution in Bangladesh.

Dhaka University has published the admission test results for its Business Studies Unit for the 2025–26 academic year. The results were officially announced on Sunday night after 10 p.m. through the university’s website, according to the university’s public relations office. Applicants can now check their results by logging into admission.eis.du.ac.bd or by sending an SMS following the instructions on their admit cards.

The results show a significantly lower pass rate compared to last year, with about 90 percent of candidates failing to achieve the minimum passing marks. Out of 34,062 applicants competing for 1,050 seats, only 10 percent passed, meaning roughly 32 candidates vied for each seat. The admission test was held on December 6 across the Dhaka University campus, various centers in the capital, and four divisional cities.

According to the seat distribution, 930 seats are allocated for Business Studies students, 95 for Science students, and 25 for Humanities students.