Information and Environment Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan stated that there is a suitable environment for elections in Bangladesh and that citizens have long been deprived of voting. Speaking at a media exchange at the Secretariat on Sunday morning, she said that those advocating for the banned Awami League to be allowed into elections are making irrelevant demands. She emphasized that the party cannot participate in elections or political activities until judicial proceedings against it are concluded.

Hasan also commented that Bangladeshi citizens have the right to express opinions about the Indian Premier League (IPL). She added that the government is considering halting IPL broadcasts based on legal grounds. Her remarks came in response to journalists’ questions during the event.

The adviser’s comments underline the government’s stance on maintaining legal restrictions on banned political entities while also reflecting sensitivity to public sentiment regarding foreign sports broadcasts.

Two people were killed when a truck lost control and broke through a bridge railing before plunging into the Kumar River in Shailkupa, Jhenaidah. The accident occurred around 1 a.m. on Saturday night on the Jhenaidah-Kushtia highway near the Bardah old bridge in Garaganj area. The victims were identified as truck driver Sohel Sheikh, 27, and his assistant Mubarak Hossain, 20, both from Gazamanikunda village in Pabna Sadar upazila.

According to Abdus Salam, assistant director of the Fire Service’s Jashore region, the truck was carrying lentils from Jashore to Pabna when it lost control on the bridge and fell into the river. Two fire service units from Shailkupa and Jhenaidah conducted the rescue operation. Mubarak’s body was recovered at dawn, and Sohel’s body was found around 8 a.m.

Jhenaidah Deputy Commissioner Abdullah Al Masud visited the accident site after receiving the news.

A Habiganj court has granted bail to Mahdi Hasan, member secretary of the local branch of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, 15 hours after his detention. The bail was approved on Sunday, January 4, 2026, at around 10 a.m. by the Habiganj Judicial Magistrate Court. Hasan had been taken into custody following an altercation with Officer-in-Charge Abul Kalam of Shayestaganj Police Station and was later shown arrested in a case accusing him of misconduct toward police and obstruction of government duties.

Following his detention, more than a hundred activists of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement gathered in front of Habiganj Sadar Model Police Station from Saturday evening until Sunday morning, demanding an immediate court hearing for Hasan’s bail. Meanwhile, a video of Hasan’s conversation with the officer circulated on social media, showing a heated exchange between the two.

The incident has drawn attention locally due to the viral video and the mobilization of student activists demanding Hasan’s release.

The government has issued a gazette prohibiting the extraction of groundwater for irrigation in the Barind region, covering 4,911 mouzas across Rajshahi, Naogaon, Chapainawabganj, and Natore districts. The order allows groundwater use only for drinking purposes. Farmers in the area, who depend heavily on groundwater for crop cultivation, have expressed deep concern, warning that the sudden ban without alternative irrigation systems or subsidies could reduce crop production by about 2.7 million tons this season and leave 2.54 million hectares of land uncultivated.

Experts and local farmers argue that the decision disregards the agricultural realities of the drought-prone Barind area, where the government itself had promoted deep tube-well irrigation since the 1980s through the Barind Multipurpose Development Authority. They say the ban shifts responsibility for groundwater depletion onto farmers while ignoring the state’s institutional role in creating the system. Officials and researchers have urged phased implementation, farmer consultation, and interim support to prevent economic and social crises.

The Barind region’s future agricultural stability remains uncertain as stakeholders call for reconsideration of the gazette and development of sustainable water management alternatives.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has announced a 15-member squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup, naming Liton Das as captain and Saif Hasan as vice-captain. The announcement was made on Sunday through an official press release. The squad includes regular players who have been part of the T20 setup in recent months, with no major surprises in selection.

Nazmul Hossain Shanto and Ripon Mondol, who had been in discussion for their recent performances, were not included in the final squad. Lower middle-order batter Zakir Ali Anik was also left out due to poor form. The team includes Nurul Hasan Sohan and Mohammad Saifuddin among others. Bangladesh will begin their World Cup campaign against the West Indies on February 7, followed by matches against Italy, England, and Nepal.

The first three group-stage matches are scheduled to be held in Kolkata and the final one in Mumbai. However, the BCB plans to send a letter to the ICC requesting that the matches not be held in India due to the current political situation.

Owners of lighter cargo vessels transporting goods through Bangladesh’s waterways have accused a syndicate linked to senior Awami League figures of monopolizing the sector and withholding large payments. Despite arrests of several members after August 5, 2024, others remain active. The owners claim they must pay the group to operate at Chittagong’s outer anchorage and across the country. They have issued a 10-point demand to the government, including enforcement of the 2024 transport policy, payment of overdue demurrage, and dissolution of the syndicate, warning of a nationwide vessel shutdown if ignored.

The dispute centers on control of the Bangladesh Water Transport Coordination Cell (BWTCC). Owners allege that Awami-linked businessman Haji Shafiq Ahmed unlawfully declared himself convener to misappropriate about Tk 500 crore owed to them. They also accuse agents of using vessels as floating warehouses to create artificial market shortages. Government officials acknowledge unresolved corruption and policy violations but deny aiding the syndicate.

The standoff has left many vessel owners in debt, with hundreds forced to scrap ships. The government faces pressure to enforce maritime policy and resolve payment disputes to restore order in the inland shipping sector.

The Ministry of Shipping has initiated a move to amend the existing port law to create two new positions on the Chattogram Port Authority board. The proposed amendment, to be titled the Port Act 2025, aims to add one member from the Shipping Ministry and another from the Finance Ministry. These new members would serve as board members but operate from their respective ministries in Dhaka. The initiative has triggered tension between the ministry and the port authority, as current board members and employees fear bureaucratic complications that could slow operational decisions.

According to port sources, the Chattogram Port currently operates under the Port Act 2022 with a chairman and four board members overseeing administration, finance, harbor and marine, and engineering. Two members come from the navy and two from the civil administration. Port officials argue that adding members based in Dhaka would reduce accountability and delay decision-making. A six-member committee has been formed to review the proposed amendment, with instructions to submit a report within one month.

Former port official Jafar Alam and other stakeholders warned that expanding the board with ministry officials could create a top-heavy administration and harm the port’s efficiency.

India’s cricket board (BCCI) has expelled Bangladesh’s only player in the current IPL season, Mustafizur Rahman, following what it described as recent events linked to alleged persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh. The decision came just two days after Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar visited Dhaka to pay respects to Khaleda Zia and delivered a letter from Prime Minister Narendra Modi promoting bilateral ties. Officials and analysts in Dhaka said the expulsion shows India’s hostile stance toward Bangladesh remains unchanged.

According to the report, BCCI instructed Kolkata Knight Riders to remove Mustafizur from their squad, a move that followed pressure from extremist Hindu groups and political figures across India. Several leaders from the BJP, Congress, and Shiv Sena publicly demanded his removal, while actor Shah Rukh Khan, KKR’s owner, faced threats for including a Bangladeshi player. The All India Imam Organization also criticized Khan, echoing claims of minority persecution in Bangladesh.

Bangladeshi diplomats and analysts described the decision as evidence of India’s deep-seated antagonism toward a Muslim-majority neighbor. They argued that despite official rhetoric of friendship, Delhi’s actions reveal enduring mistrust and political manipulation in bilateral relations.

Students blocked the Farmgate intersection in Dhaka on Sunday morning, demanding justice for the killing of Tejgaon College student Sakibul Hasan Rana and the immediate arrest of those responsible. The blockade began around 10 a.m., halting traffic on one of the city’s key roads and causing severe congestion. Police were deployed in large numbers to control the situation and urged the students to withdraw, but the protesters did not respond initially.

The protest followed the death of 18-year-old Sakibul Hasan Rana, a second-year higher secondary student at Tejgaon College, who was injured during a clash between two groups in the college dormitory on December 6 of the previous year. He died four days later, on December 10, while receiving treatment. The incident has sparked anger among students demanding swift justice.

After about three hours, the students withdrew their blockade, allowing traffic to resume in the Farmgate area.

Foreign Affairs Adviser Md. Touhid Hossain stated that there is no scope for rushing the trial of Osman Hadi’s murder case. He said authorities are not yet fully certain about the whereabouts of the killers but assured that efforts are underway to bring them to justice as soon as possible. He made these remarks on Saturday afternoon while speaking to journalists after a meeting with district officials at the Munshiganj Deputy Commissioner’s conference room, chaired by Deputy Commissioner Syeda Nurmahal Ashrafi.

Touhid Hossain added that Bangladesh seeks to maintain good relations with all countries and that the government aims to hand over responsibilities to the elected administration promptly after the February 12 election. He emphasized that there is no external pressure regarding the election process.

Earlier, the adviser, accompanied by members of martyr families, paid tribute at the July Martyrs Memorial in Munshiganj, visited the graves of July Movement martyrs in Uttar Islampur, and met with their families to inquire about their well-being.

Former Bangladesh cricket captain Aminul Haque has claimed that pacer Mustafizur Rahman was a victim of a religiously motivated conspiracy after being dropped from the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) squad ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season. The franchise reportedly acted on a special directive from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), following protests by hardline Hindu groups demanding Mustafizur’s removal. The Bangladesh star had been signed by KKR for 92 million rupees, the highest price ever for a Bangladeshi player in the IPL.

Aminul expressed anger over the decision and urged the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to investigate whether any group was involved in creating a religious controversy. He warned that such incidents could strain Bangladesh-India relations and voiced concern about the safety of Bangladeshi players during the upcoming T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. Aminul called on both the BCB and the Bangladesh government to address the issue through dialogue and ensure player security.

He further stated that although Mustafizur might face financial loss, his national respect would remain intact, emphasizing the need for transparency and accountability in the matter.

More than 150 academics, doctors, human rights activists, journalists, and legal experts from home and abroad have expressed concern and protest over what they described as false accusations and defamation against Amar Desh editor Mahmudur Rahman. In a joint statement issued on Saturday, they said that following the December 18 news of the death of Shaheed Sharif Osman Hadi, a leader of the July Revolution, attacks and arson took place at two newspaper offices in Dhaka, and Mahmudur Rahman was unfairly implicated in those incidents.

The signatories stated that the attacks on the offices of Prothom Alo and The Daily Star were attempts to silence the media and restrict freedom of expression. They condemned the social media campaign linking Rahman to the violence as a disgraceful act and an obstacle to independent journalism. They urged the state to identify those responsible for both the attacks and the defamatory campaign and ensure justice through legal means.

The statement further alleged that writers AFM Rashedul Haque Mallik (Maruf Mallik) and AKM Wahiduzzaman Apollo committed criminal offenses by spreading false and defamatory claims, calling for their public apology and legal accountability.

Youth and Sports and Law Adviser Dr. Asif Nazrul has urged the Information and Broadcasting Adviser to suspend the broadcast of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in Bangladesh. In a Facebook post on Saturday night, he said the move came after the Indian cricket board allegedly instructed Kolkata Knight Riders to drop Bangladeshi cricketer Mustafizur Rahman under pressure from extremist communal groups. Nazrul condemned the decision and termed it an insult to Bangladesh and its cricketers.

He stated that, as the minister in charge of the sports ministry, he had directed the Bangladesh Cricket Control Board to formally explain the matter to the International Cricket Council (ICC). He also instructed the board to inform the ICC that if a Bangladeshi player cannot play in India despite having a contract, the national team might not feel safe participating in the World Cup there. Nazrul further said he had advised the board to request that Bangladesh’s World Cup matches be held in Sri Lanka instead.

Nazrul reiterated that Bangladesh would not tolerate any insult to its cricket or cricketers and declared that the days of subservience were over.

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Aminul Islam Bulbul commented on the controversy surrounding Mustafizur Rahman after Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) dropped the player from their upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) squad. Speaking in Sylhet after inaugurating a regional cricket center, Bulbul said he had limited information and could not make detailed comments yet. He confirmed that BCB had not received any official statement from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) or the franchise.

According to the report, KKR removed Mustafizur following threats from several Hindu nationalist groups and India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The decision was reportedly made under BCCI’s instruction. The issue has raised concerns ahead of next month’s T20 World Cup, where Bangladesh is scheduled to play three group matches in Kolkata and one in Mumbai. Threats have also been issued against these matches, including warnings about damaging the Eden Gardens pitch.

BCB media committee chairman Amjad Hossain said the board had just learned of the situation and would prioritize player safety in discussions with the International Cricket Council (ICC). He noted that ICC safety guidelines would determine the final venue decisions.

The International Crimes Tribunal-1 is scheduled to hold a hearing today on the charge framing against retired Major General Ziaul Ahsan in a case involving crimes against humanity. The three-member tribunal, chaired by Justice Golam Mortuza Majumder with members Justice Shafiul Alam Mahmud and retired judge Mohitul Haque Enam Chowdhury, will hear the prosecution’s submission. Ziaul Ahsan was produced before the tribunal on December 23, after which he was shown arrested and sent to jail pending the hearing.

The prosecution had filed formal charges against Ziaul Ahsan on December 17, accusing him of involvement in enforced disappearances and killings. The tribunal issued a production warrant and accepted the charges for hearing. The case includes three specific allegations: the killing of detainees taken from the RAB headquarters in 2011, executions in Barguna’s coastal areas under a code-named operation, and staged “gunfights” in the Sundarbans under operations such as Nishankhali, Mora Bhola, and Kotka. The prosecution claims at least 100 people were killed in these incidents.

Ziaul Ahsan, a former director general of the National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre, was arrested in Dhaka’s Khilkhet area after August 5 last year and remains in custody.