A report by the commission on enforced disappearances has revealed a detailed account of abductions and extrajudicial killings that occurred in 2012 and 2013. The report states that on December 4, 2013, BNP leader Sajedul Islam Sumon and seven others were abducted from Dhaka, while several members of Islami Chhatra Shibir also went missing. It identifies the involvement of RAB Intelligence, RAB-1, and other battalions, naming several then-senior officers including Lt. Col. Ziaul Ahsan, Lt. Col. Kismat Hayat, Maj. Mahfuzul-Amin Nur, Maj. Abdullah Al Momen, Capt. HM Selimuzzaman, Brig. Miftah Uddin Ahmed, and Lt. Col. Shaheen Azad.

The report cites testimony from witnesses and surviving victims, describing operations where detainees were moved between locations, official records were destroyed, and victims’ identities concealed. One officer testified about a “Golf Operation” in which four unidentified persons were shot and their bodies dumped into a river. The commission also linked RAB units to the abductions of BNP leader M. Ilias Ali and Shibir member Hafiz Zakir Hossain.

According to the commission, many victims’ fates remain unknown, but evidence confirms direct involvement of RAB Intelligence, RAB-1, and related units in the disappearances and killings.

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) director M Nazmul Islam drew criticism after making dismissive comments about players’ earnings, suggesting that large sums spent on cricketers should not be expected to be returned. Responding to questions about possible compensation for players after the World Cup, he remarked that since players have not won major tournaments, the board could theoretically demand repayment of its investments.

In response, the Cricketers’ Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CoAB), represented by Mehidy Hasan Miraz, clarified that most of the board’s income comes from the International Cricket Council (ICC) and sponsors, not from individuals. Miraz reminded that BCB’s reported fund of Tk 1,300 crore exists largely due to the contributions of national team players over the years. He emphasized that without matches, there would be no sponsorships or ICC revenue.

Miraz also noted that cricketers pay 25–30 percent in taxes to the government and do not receive money from state funds. He described the director’s remarks as disrespectful to all players and the broader sports community.

Police in Tangail have arrested three men, including a bus driver and his assistants, for allegedly gang-raping a college student on a moving bus along the Dhaka–Tangail highway. The arrests were made on Thursday afternoon near the Korotia underpass area, where the bus was also seized. The detainees were identified as driver Altaf, 25, and assistants Rabbi, 21, and Sagor, 24.

According to Elenga Highway Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md. Sharif, the incident occurred late Wednesday night when the victim, a philosophy student from Mirpur Government Bangla College, boarded a Savar Paribahan bus from Radio Colony in Savar to Ashulia. After other passengers disembarked, the suspects allegedly detained her, robbed her of jewelry, money, and mobile phone, and then drove the bus to different locations while assaulting her throughout the night. They also recorded the assault on video.

Police discovered the crime when they stopped the bus for questioning after noticing it parked suspiciously on the highway. The victim was rescued and taken to Tangail Sadar Police Station. Journalists later reported being obstructed by police when attempting to gather information and photographs related to the case.

A joint commitment to establish a stable, inclusive, innovative, and globally accepted higher education system in South Asia was expressed through the adoption of the 'Dhaka Declaration' on higher education. The declaration identifies sustained political commitment, strong institutional leadership, effective regional cooperation, and collective participation of all stakeholders as essential elements for meaningful and sustainable transformation of higher education.

The declaration was adopted on Thursday, the closing day of a four-day conference titled 'Current Status and Future Directions of South Asian Regional Higher Education' held in Dhaka. It was read out by Professor Dr. Mohammad Tanzimuddin Khan, a member of the University Grants Commission (UGC) of Bangladesh, and was unanimously accepted by the participants without objection.

The event was attended by UGC Chairman Professor Dr. SMA Faiz, several UGC members, and representatives from higher education bodies of Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Maldives, and Nepal, along with officials from the World Bank and the Higher Education Transformation project.

Bangladesh cricketers have announced a boycott of matches following remarks by BCB director M Nazmul Islam. The players made the announcement after a meeting at a five-star hotel in Dhaka, where they held a press conference to clarify that their decision was not solely based on Nazmul’s comments. During the briefing, they presented five key demands addressing ongoing issues in domestic and women’s cricket.

The demands include resolving the crisis in Dhaka’s First Division Cricket, settling sexual harassment allegations involving women cricketers, improving facilities and opportunities for female players, securing the resignation of BCB director M Nazmul Islam, and providing a clear explanation for the exclusion of nine players reportedly under an undeclared ban from the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). The Cricketers’ Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB) also informed players about their income structure during the event.

The press conference highlighted growing discontent among players over administrative and disciplinary matters within Bangladesh cricket, signaling potential disruptions to domestic competitions if the demands remain unaddressed.

Police in Dhaka’s Keraniganj recovered the decomposed bodies of a mother and her teenage daughter from a second-floor flat in Kalindi Union’s Muktirbagh area on Thursday evening. According to the report, the victims, Rokeya Begum and her 14-year-old daughter Fatema, were killed on December 26 of the previous year. Their bodies were found after a foul smell from the apartment of Fatema’s private tutor, Mim Akter, raised suspicion among locals, who then informed the police.

Relatives said the mother and daughter had gone missing on December 26, prompting Rokeya’s husband, Shahin, to file a general diary with the local police station. Upon investigation, officers discovered Rokeya’s body under a bed and Fatema’s body from the bathroom ceiling of Mim’s residence. Following the discovery, Keraniganj Model Police arrested Mim Akter, her husband Humayun, and two of her sisters in connection with the case.

The police are continuing their investigation into the motive and circumstances surrounding the killings.

After a day of uncertainty and tension caused by players’ boycott, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and cricketers reached a late-night agreement, ensuring that the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) will resume on Friday as scheduled. The matches that were not played on Thursday will now be held on Friday, marking the start of the Dhaka phase. The January 16 match is rescheduled for January 17, and the January 17 match will take place on January 18. Consequently, the rest day on January 18 will now feature games, and the playoffs, originally set for January 19, will begin on January 20.

The players’ boycott on Thursday led to the cancellation of all BPL matches that day. Cricketers’ association president Mohammad Mithun apologized to fans and explained that miscommunication with the board prevented players from participating in the second match. Meanwhile, the BCB issued a show-cause notice to director M Nazmul Islam, expecting a written response within 48 hours. Disciplinary action may follow if no satisfactory reply is received.

The resolution allows the BPL schedule to continue with minor adjustments, restoring normalcy after the brief disruption.

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) director M Nazmul Islam has come under fire for making disparaging remarks about national cricketers, including calling Tamim Iqbal an offensive name in a Facebook post. The Cricketers’ Welfare Association of Bangladesh (COAB) demanded an unconditional apology, but Nazmul later made further negative comments, suggesting that cricketers owe their existence to the board. Youth and Sports Adviser Dr. Asif Nazrul criticized these remarks, calling them irresponsible and deeply disappointing for someone in a senior position.

Asif Nazrul also reiterated Bangladesh’s firm stance on not playing the upcoming T20 World Cup in India, stating that the team prefers Sri Lanka as an alternative venue. He confirmed that the International Cricket Council (ICC) has requested the BCB to reconsider but said Bangladesh remains resolute about hosting or playing the tournament elsewhere. Nazrul emphasized national unity among the board, players, and fans to uphold the country’s dignity.

He added that an ICC delegation may visit Bangladesh soon for discussions regarding the World Cup venue issue.

The Election Commission (EC) of Bangladesh has approved the Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) central student council (ShakSU) and hall council elections to be held on January 20. A formal notification, signed by Deputy Secretary Mohammad Monir Hossain of the EC’s Election Management-2 branch, was issued on Thursday night confirming the decision. The EC stated that the elections may proceed subject to compliance with the code of conduct.

ShakSU Election Commission spokesperson Professor Nazrul Islam said they had been waiting for the national EC’s approval and that there were now no remaining obstacles to holding the polls. Earlier uncertainty arose after an EC directive on Monday restricted all professional and organizational elections until February 12 to ensure the national parliamentary election and referendum remained unaffected. In response, ShakSU candidates submitted a memorandum requesting permission to hold the vote on January 20.

The EC’s latest approval resolves the earlier uncertainty, allowing SUST to proceed with its student council elections as planned.

Bangladesh’s professional cricketers have decided to return to the field after reconsidering their boycott of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). The players had earlier refused to play two BPL matches in protest against negative remarks made by Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) director M Nazmul Islam. The Cricketers’ Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB) announced in a statement that, following internal discussions, the players are now prepared to resume play.

The BCB had issued a show-cause notice to M Nazmul Islam and removed him from the board’s finance committee in an effort to ease tensions. CWAB welcomed these steps and expressed hope that Nazmul Islam would also issue a public apology. The organization said that if the apology and disciplinary process proceed as expected, there would be no obstacle to players returning to the BPL from Friday.

CWAB noted that the decision considered the importance of the BPL, the ongoing women’s T20 World Cup qualifiers in Nepal, and the upcoming Under-19 World Cup campaign, emphasizing unity across Bangladesh cricket.

Prosecutors have formally filed charges against 26 individuals for crimes against humanity in connection with the killing of seven people, including Mir Mahfuzur Rahman Mugdho, during the July Revolution in Dhaka’s Uttara area. The charges were submitted on Thursday before the International Crimes Tribunal-1, led by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mojumdar, with Justices Md Shafiul Alam Mahmud and Md Mohitul Haque Enam Chowdhury as members. The tribunal accepted the charges and set January 21 for the next hearing.

According to the prosecution, the first charge concerns the events of July 18, 2024, when Mugdho, a student of Bangladesh University of Professionals, was shot dead while assisting injured protesters and distributing water and biscuits. Six others were also killed that day, including an Uber driver who was crushed under an armored vehicle. The second charge relates to the killing of four more people in Uttara on July 19, 2024.

Eight of the accused, including former DMP Uttara Zone DC Mirza Salahuddin and Uttara East Police OC Mojibur Rahman, are in custody, while 18 others remain fugitives.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has filed three separate cases against Fahim Afsar Alam, Farhan Sadiq Alam, and Tanisha Alam, the children of former Member of Parliament Mahbubul Alam Hanif. The cases were lodged under Section 26(2) of the Anti-Corruption Commission Act, 2004, after the three failed to submit their wealth statements within the stipulated time. The ACC had earlier issued notices on November 27 requesting the statements.

At a press conference held at the ACC headquarters in Segunbagicha, Dhaka, on Thursday at 3 p.m., the Commission’s Director General (Prevention), Akhter Hossain, confirmed the filing of the cases. He stated that the Commission had taken the next steps in accordance with the law.

The ACC’s action follows procedural requirements under the 2004 Act, which mandates submission of wealth statements upon notice. The Commission indicated that further legal measures would proceed as per due process.

A distributor sales representative (DSR) of Dutch-Bangla Bank’s mobile banking unit was allegedly robbed of Tk 2.4 million in cash at Kamaldi Bridge in Rajoir upazila of Madaripur on Thursday afternoon, January 15, 2026. The victim, Sushmoy Chakraborty, was transporting the money by motorcycle when several men on three motorcycles approached him, used an intoxicating substance near his face, and fled toward Madaripur with the bag of cash.

According to police and the victim, Sushmoy had collected Tk 10 lakh from the Tekerhat branch, Tk 7 lakh from the Phultala agent branch in Paikpara, and Tk 7 lakh from the Amgram Bazar agent branch, intending to deliver the total amount to the Dutch-Bangla agent banking branch at Bajitpur Mojuddar Bazar. The incident occurred on the Dhaka-Barishal Highway near Kamaldi Bridge.

Dutch-Bangla Bank’s Tekerhat branch manager, Montosh Sarkar, said the matter was immediately reported to police and higher authorities. Rajoir Police Station Officer-in-Charge Sheikh Md Aminul Islam confirmed that an investigation is underway to identify those involved, and the DSR is being questioned.

Police in Comilla’s Debidwar upazila have arrested Union Parishad chairman Haji Jalal Uddin Bhuiyan, 63, an accused named in the murder case of volunteer leader Shaheed Abdur Razzak Rubel. The arrest took place on Thursday, January 15, 2026, at Bhuiyan’s home in Surjapur village under Bhani Union. Police said the operation was conducted based on a court-issued arrest warrant related to Rubel’s killing during the anti-discrimination student movement. After his arrest, Bhuiyan was presented before a Comilla court and sent to jail by court order.

According to case records, Rubel, a municipal volunteer leader, was shot dead on August 4, 2024, amid clashes between protesters and others during the nationwide anti-discrimination movement. Two separate murder cases were filed over the incident—one by BNP leader Abul Kashem in Comilla court and another by Rubel’s mother, Hosneara Begum, at Debidwar police station. Police stated that Bhuiyan is also named in several other cases filed over violence and attacks during the same movement.

Debidwar police said Bhuiyan had been absconding for a long time before his arrest and was later sent to jail following court proceedings.

The Jamaat-e-Islami-led 11-party electoral alliance has finalized its seat-sharing arrangement ahead of the upcoming national parliamentary election. At a press conference held at the Diploma Engineers Institute in Dhaka on Thursday night, the alliance announced a list of candidates for 253 constituencies. Under the agreement, the National Citizens Party (NCP) will contest in 30 constituencies. Representatives from Islami Andolon Bangladesh were not present at the event.

According to the announced distribution, Jamaat-e-Islami received 179 seats, NCP 30, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis 20, Khelafat Majlis 10, LDP 7, AB Party 3, Nezame Islami Party 2, and Bangladesh Development Party (BDP) 2. The remaining 47 constituencies have been reserved for Islami Andolon Bangladesh.

The finalization of this seat-sharing deal marks a significant step in the alliance’s preparation for the national election, clarifying the internal distribution of constituencies among its member parties.