The Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) has recommended exemption for former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, and 111 others in an attempted murder case filed at Dhanmondi Police Station during the July uprising. The final report was recently submitted to the Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Court, which set February 3 for the next hearing on whether to accept the report. The case was filed on September 3, 2024, alleging that on August 4, during the July movement, a man named Sahed Ali was injured near Dhanmondi 27, along with several students. Investigation officer Shahjahan Bhuiyan stated that the case contained factual errors and that no injured persons mentioned in the complaint could be located. Official gazettes listing those injured in the July movement did not include the names cited in the case. The complainant, identified as Shariful Islam, could not produce the alleged victims or any medical documents despite repeated requests. The PBI concluded that due to insufficient evidence and lack of verifiable witnesses, the allegations could not be substantiated. The report noted that if credible information about the victims emerges later, a new charge sheet may be filed.

Alhaj Golam Nabi Alamgir, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) candidate for Bhola-1 (Sadar) constituency in the 13th National Parliamentary Election, has withdrawn his nomination. His lawyer, Advocate Md. Amirul Islam Baset, submitted the withdrawal application to the returning officer on Monday afternoon, citing personal reasons. The returning officer and Bhola Deputy Commissioner Dr. Shamim Rahman confirmed receipt and acceptance of the application in accordance with election rules. According to the submission, Alamgir had filed his nomination on December 28, 2025, which was verified as valid on January 3, 2026. The withdrawal letter was signed on January 11 and submitted on January 12. Following his withdrawal, Barrister Andaleeve Rahman Partha, chairman of the Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP), will now contest the February 12 election from Bhola-1 under the BNP alliance with the “bullock cart” symbol. Other candidates in the constituency include Jamaat-e-Islami’s Principal Nazrul Islam, Islami Andolan’s Md. Obaidur Rahman, NPP’s Md. Mizanur Rahman, Gano Adhikar Parishad’s Md. Ainur Rahman Jewel, and Islami Front’s Mohammad Ashraf Ali.

Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus has announced that the interim government is fully prepared to hold a free, fair, and peaceful national election on February 12. Speaking in Dhaka during a courtesy meeting with former Japanese First Lady Akie Abe and a delegation of Japanese entrepreneurs, Yunus reiterated that he has no intention of joining politics or holding any government or state position after the election. During the meeting, Yunus highlighted his focus on expanding quality healthcare, promoting youth entrepreneurship, and implementing his 'Three Zero' vision—zero unemployment, zero net carbon emissions, and zero wealth concentration. He called for increased Japanese investment in Bangladesh and urged Japan to recruit more Bangladeshi workers. Akie Abe praised Yunus for his leadership in restoring peace and stability and supporting economic recovery in Bangladesh. The discussion covered cooperation in investment, marine research, and recruitment of caregivers and nurses for Japan’s aging population. Yunus also revealed plans to visit Tokyo in March to join a joint marine research initiative with the Sasakawa Foundation, which plans to sign an agreement to develop three model fishing villages along Bangladesh’s coast.

Syed Shahjahan Saju, president of the Dhaka metropolitan unit of Bangladesh NAP, has joined Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami. The announcement came on Monday afternoon at the party’s Dhaka South office, where Saju filled out a Jamaat associate membership form and submitted it to Helal Uddin, a central working committee member and Naib-e-Ameer of Dhaka South. Helal Uddin welcomed him and presented organizational materials and books on Jamaat’s constitution. Saju stated that he joined Jamaat-e-Islami to contribute to building a welfare state based on justice and fairness. He said that Jamaat’s commitment to creating a corruption-, terrorism-, and extortion-free Bangladesh inspired his decision, adding that no other political party had shown such courage. Saju had served as Dhaka NAP president for the past ten years. Helal Uddin said Jamaat aims to build a hunger- and poverty-free, humane Bangladesh without corruption or discrimination. He added that growing public trust in Jamaat’s leadership has led many patriotic politicians to join the party, including Saju.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has formally requested the International Cricket Council (ICC) to relocate Bangladesh’s matches scheduled in India for the upcoming T20 World Cup, citing security concerns. In an official statement issued on January 12, 2026, the BCB confirmed that it is waiting for the ICC’s decision on the matter, as no formal response has yet been received from the global cricket authority. The BCB also clarified a misunderstanding that arose from a recent comment by the Youth and Sports Ministry’s adviser, who mentioned communication from the ICC. According to the BCB, that communication was limited to a security assessment process for the Bangladesh team ahead of the tournament and was not an official reply to the venue change request. The board reiterated that its letter to the ICC specifically raised concerns about player safety and requested that Bangladesh’s matches be moved outside India. As of now, the ICC has not issued any official response to the BCB’s request, leaving the final decision pending.

The government of Bangladesh has decided to maintain existing export incentives and cash assistance for 43 sectors during the final six months of the 2025–26 fiscal year, from January to June 2026. The Bangladesh Bank issued a circular on Monday confirming that the rates for shipped goods will remain between 0.30 percent and 10 percent, depending on the product category. The decision aims to continue supporting export-oriented industries under current conditions. Officials noted that Bangladesh is expected to graduate from the least developed country (LDC) category in November 2026, after which direct cash support for exports will no longer be allowed. Although the government had planned to reduce incentive rates further, it chose to keep them unchanged due to increased U.S. tariffs, export disruptions through Indian land ports, and industrial instability following political changes in August 2024. These factors have placed pressure on export-oriented sectors. The circular details unchanged support rates across sectors including textiles, leather, jute, pharmaceuticals, frozen seafood, agriculture, light engineering, software, and handicrafts. The continuation is intended to stabilize export performance ahead of the LDC transition.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has begun hearings in a genocide case against Myanmar over its treatment of the Rohingya Muslim minority. The proceedings opened on Monday in The Hague, with Gambian Foreign Minister Dawda Jallow stating that Myanmar sought to erase the Rohingya population through acts of genocide. The case was originally filed in 2019 by Gambia, a Muslim-majority nation in West Africa, accusing Myanmar of committing genocide against the minority group. During the opening session, Jallow said Gambia had reviewed reports of severe human rights violations against a vulnerable community, describing decades of persecution and dehumanizing propaganda that led to military operations aimed at the Rohingya’s destruction. He added that Gambia brought the case out of a sense of responsibility informed by its own experience with military rule. According to Al Jazeera, the hearings will continue for three weeks, with Myanmar given time to respond to Gambia’s allegations by the end of the month. The court has scheduled three closed sessions to hear witnesses, including Rohingya survivors. Although the ICJ cannot prosecute individuals, its rulings carry significant weight for the United Nations and other international bodies.

Bangladesh Bank has purchased an additional 81 million US dollars from ten commercial banks through an auction. The transaction took place on Monday, January 12, 2026, according to Executive Director and Spokesperson Arif Hossain Khan. The exchange rate for the purchase was set at 122.30 taka per dollar, with the cutoff price matching that rate. With this latest purchase, the central bank’s total dollar acquisition in January has reached 698 million US dollars. The report also notes that during the ongoing 2025–26 fiscal year, Bangladesh Bank has conducted several rounds of dollar purchases through auctions. So far, the total amount bought stands at 3.83 billion US dollars. The continued dollar purchases indicate the central bank’s ongoing efforts to manage foreign exchange reserves and stabilize the domestic currency market, as reflected by the consistent auction-based acquisitions throughout the fiscal year.

The political platform July Oikya, inspired by the spirit of the 24th mass uprising, announced it will submit a memorandum to the Election Commission on Tuesday demanding the cancellation of nominations of candidates from the 14-party alliance, including the Jatiya Party, and the NDF coalition for the 13th National Parliamentary Election. The announcement was made Monday afternoon at a press conference held at Dhaka University’s Madhur Canteen by one of the group’s organizers, Plabon Tarek. As part of the program, a ‘March to EC’ will take place on January 13 at noon, followed by similar marches and memorandum submissions to divisional election offices on January 14. At the press conference, July Oikya organizer Musaddeq Ali Ibne Mohammad accused the Election Commission of failing to act on repeated demands and warned it to stop serving what he called fascist interests. He questioned whether the Commission truly intends to hold a fair election. Another organizer, A.B. Zubair, said the group has been campaigning to ban the Awami League’s politics and to cancel nominations of parties allegedly involved in past atrocities. The organizers reiterated their demand for immediate cancellation of all nominations of the Jatiya Party and allied groups, emphasizing their ongoing legal and protest efforts.

Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus has called for ensuring that election rigging never occurs again in Bangladesh. He made the remarks on Monday afternoon at the state guesthouse Jamuna after receiving the report from the National Election (2014, 2018, 2024) Investigation Commission. Yunus said the entire electoral process had been distorted and that the truth must be presented to the nation. He emphasized the need to identify those involved and ensure accountability so that citizens can regain confidence in the system. According to the commission’s report, the elections of 2014, 2018, and 2024 were systematically manipulated under decisions made at the highest levels of the state to keep the Awami League in power. The report stated that in 2014, 153 seats were uncontested, while the remaining contests were prearranged. In 2018, ballot papers were allegedly stamped overnight in 80 percent of polling centers, and in 2024, dummy candidates were used to simulate competition. The commission found that administrative, police, and intelligence agencies were used to execute these plans. The report further noted that between 2014 and 2024, election administration shifted from the Election Commission to the bureaucracy, making the latter the main controlling force.

More than fifty workers at a garment factory in Tongi, Gazipur, fell ill on Monday afternoon following what doctors described as a mass panic attack. The incident occurred around 3:30 p.m. at the Garments Export Village, a unit of the Mtranet Group on Meghna Road. The affected workers were taken to Shaheed Ahsan Ullah Master General Hospital and nearby facilities for treatment, with seventeen later transferred to Dhaka Medical College Hospital and Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmad Medical College Hospital. The factory declared a one-day closure following the incident. According to hospital emergency physician Dr. Nafiza Sharmin, most of the workers were suffering from panic attack-related symptoms, including breathing difficulties and physical weakness. Industrial Police Inspector Azad Rahman said police were dispatched to the site and were in contact with factory authorities to gather more details. Workers reported that the illness began on the fifth floor and spread quickly as panic set in among other floors. Authorities are continuing to monitor the situation while treatment for the affected workers is ongoing.

International Crimes Tribunal prosecutor Gazi MH Tamim has declared that there will be no compromise in the trial of the July genocide cases. He made the statement on Monday after the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement submitted a three-point demand to the tribunal’s prosecution, urging that no accused be granted bail, acquittal, or exemption in the ongoing crimes against humanity cases linked to the July revolution. Tamim said one of the group’s demands was to form a special investigation team and a special tribunal to expedite the trials. He noted that establishing such bodies is the government’s responsibility, but the prosecution will forward the demand for prompt action. The student group also announced plans to file cases against business and cultural figures accused of aiding the July killings, to which Tamim responded that investigations would begin swiftly once formal complaints are received. The demands followed the January 11 conditional bail granted to Humayun Kabir Patwari, a local political leader accused in a crimes against humanity case. Tamim clarified that the bail was approved on humanitarian grounds due to the accused’s serious health conditions.

Deputy Press Secretary to the Chief Adviser, Mohammad Abul Kalam Azad Majumdar, clarified that the comments made by Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Nazrul regarding the International Cricket Council (ICC) were not based on a direct response from the organization. In a Facebook post on Monday, Azad Majumdar stated that the communication mentioned by the adviser was actually an internal ICC note assessing potential threats surrounding the T20 World Cup in India. According to Azad Majumdar, the note was not an official reply to Bangladesh’s request to move its matches outside India. Earlier, Asif Nazrul had said at a press conference that ICC security officials had identified three factors that could heighten security risks for Bangladesh: the inclusion of player Mustafizur Rahman, fans wearing national team jerseys, and the approach of national elections. Nazrul also mentioned that Bangladesh had sent two letters to the ICC and was awaiting a formal response. The clarification aimed to distinguish between an internal ICC assessment and an official communication regarding Bangladesh’s participation in the tournament.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir stated that insulting a cricketer amounts to insulting Bangladesh. He expressed agreement with the government’s decision on the matter. Fakhrul made the remarks on Monday morning while speaking to journalists at his residence in Thakurgaon town. Discussing the country’s law and order situation, Fakhrul said there has been no significant improvement and expressed concern that the government has failed to recover illegal weapons. On the issue of elections, he noted that the current environment appears fair but added that the situation will become clearer after January 22. Fakhrul also said that if the BNP forms the next government, it will ensure Bangladesh receives its fair share of water from the Teesta and other rivers shared with India. Local BNP leaders, including district general secretary Poigam Ali, were present during the discussion.

Star Cineplex is set to launch three new multiplex cinemas across Bangladesh during the upcoming Eid season. Two of these, located in Narayanganj’s Jalkuri area and Bogura’s Police Plaza, are being developed by Star Cineplex. The Narayanganj branch at Simanto Tower is planned for inauguration on Eid-ul-Fitr, featuring three halls, while the Bogura branch with two halls is also expected to open later this year. The company’s senior marketing manager, Mesbah Uddin Ahmed, confirmed the plans and noted that the projects had been delayed but are nearing completion. In addition, the Padma Cineplex in Jazira, Shariatpur, near the Padma Bridge South Police Station, is almost complete. Its owner, film producer Mohammad Iqbal, said about 90 percent of the construction work has been finished, with an opening targeted for Eid-ul-Azha. Star Cineplex previously announced plans to expand to 100 screens nationwide and aims to extend operations beyond major cities to district and sub-district levels. These developments come amid widespread closures of traditional cinema halls, offering renewed optimism for Bangladesh’s film exhibition industry.