Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have officially released Bangladeshi cricketer Mustafizur Rahman following a directive from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The franchise confirmed the decision in a statement, saying it acted in accordance with BCCI’s instructions and procedures before the next phase of the Indian Premier League (IPL). BCCI has also allowed KKR to select a replacement player under IPL regulations. BCCI secretary Debajit Saikia told India’s news agency ANI from Guwahati on January 3 that the board instructed KKR to remove Mustafizur from their squad due to political pressure and controversy surrounding his participation in the IPL. Saikia explained that although the board initially adopted a “wait and watch” approach, it ultimately made a difficult decision to resolve the issue. The controversy intensified after a BJP leader from Uttar Pradesh labeled KKR co-owner and Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan a “traitor” for signing Mustafizur. Several self-proclaimed spiritual figures in India also criticized Khan over the matter.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has instructed Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to release Bangladesh cricketer Mustafizur Rahman from their Indian Premier League (IPL) squad. The directive was confirmed on January 3, 2026, in Guwahati by BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia, who cited political pressure and controversy surrounding Mustafizur’s participation in the tournament. According to Saikia, the BCCI initially adopted a ‘wait and watch’ approach but ultimately decided to remove the player due to escalating political tensions between India and Bangladesh. He added that KKR would be allowed to select a replacement player with BCCI’s approval. The issue gained attention after some Indian political figures and self-proclaimed spiritual leaders criticized KKR’s decision to sign Mustafizur, with one BJP leader labeling team co-owner Shah Rukh Khan a ‘traitor’. The decision marks a rare instance of political disputes directly influencing IPL team composition, raising questions about the tournament’s insulation from external pressures.

The nomination paper of Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman for the Dhaka-15 constituency has been declared valid for the 13th National Parliamentary Election. The decision was announced on Saturday by the regional election officer in Dhaka. Earlier, on December 25, a delegation led by Jamaat’s Assistant Secretary General Ehsanul Mahbub Zubair collected the nomination paper from the returning officer’s office in Agargaon on behalf of the party chief. From the same constituency, BNP’s local organizer and former Jubo Dal general secretary Shafiqul Islam Khan Milton also collected a nomination form. Alongside the main candidates from Jamaat and BNP, six other political parties and one independent candidate submitted nomination papers. They include representatives from the Communist Party of Bangladesh, Gano Forum, Jatiya Party, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, Janatar Dal, Bangladesh Supreme Party, and independent candidate Md. Tanjil Islam.

The verification process for nomination papers in the Bagerhat-1 constituency has been completed, with a total of eleven candidates submitting their papers. Among them, three nominations have been canceled. The canceled candidates include Mojibur Rahman Shamim of Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis for loan default, independent candidate Mushfiqur Rahman due to voter mismatch, and Golam Sarwar of the Jatiya Party for being a loan defaulter. According to the district correspondent, the scrutiny of nomination papers for the remaining three constituencies in Bagerhat district is still ongoing. The report did not mention any objections or appeals following the cancellations. The completion of verification in Bagerhat-1 marks a key step in the electoral process for the constituency, while the ongoing scrutiny in other constituencies indicates that the overall nomination review process in the district is still in progress.

A video from Uttar Pradesh’s Kaushambi police station has gone viral showing Station House Officer Ajay Sharma pressing a smartphone against a resident’s back and claiming to determine whether the person is Indian or Bangladeshi. The incident, which took place in a slum area, has triggered widespread criticism after being shared on social media. The video shows police accusing a family of being Bangladeshi despite their insistence and presentation of documents proving they are from Bihar’s Araria district. The controversy comes amid repeated warnings from India’s Home Minister Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi about identifying illegal Bangladeshi immigrants. Following the uproar, Ghaziabad police ordered a high-level investigation into the authenticity of the video and the conduct of the officers involved. The inquiry has been assigned to the Assistant Commissioner of Police of Indirapuram Circle. Police sources said such operations are usually conducted to maintain public safety in sensitive areas, but the unusual method and alleged harassment have drawn sharp public scrutiny.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has appointed former secretary A B M Abdus Sattar as the private secretary to its acting chairman Tareq Rahman and former Dhaka Reporters Unity general secretary A A M Saleh (Saleh Shibli) as press secretary. The announcement was made on Saturday afternoon through a press release signed by BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi. According to the release, Abdus Sattar, who previously served as private secretary to former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, will now assist Tareq Rahman in his official duties. Saleh Shibli, who has earlier worked as Tareq Rahman’s press secretary and held other key responsibilities within the party, recently returned to Bangladesh from the United Kingdom on December 25. The appointments mark a continuation of experienced leadership within the BNP’s central operations, as both appointees have long-standing ties with the party’s top leadership.

Police in Shahrashti upazila of Chandpur recovered two pistols stolen from Dhaka’s Khilkhet police station, along with ammunition and police equipment, during a raid on Friday night. Acting on a secret tip-off, law enforcement searched the home of Alomgir Hossain in Paschim Uplata village around 8:15 p.m. and seized the weapons. The recovered items included a Taras pistol, a China-made pistol, four magazines, 30 rounds of bullets, police uniforms, belts, glasses, a body camera, and a gas mask. Alomgir’s wife, Lovely Begum, 38, and son, Foysal Hossain, 21, were detained. According to police, Lovely Begum admitted during questioning that the seized weapons were among those looted from a police station on August 5, 2024. Additional Superintendent of Police (Crime and Ops) Md Lutfor Rahman said the operation was led by Assistant Superintendent Md A. Hai and Officer-in-Charge Mir Mahbubur Rahman after receiving intelligence about the stolen arms linked to the anti-discrimination movement. Police said a case is being prepared in connection with the recovery and arrests.

Al Nassr began the new year with disappointment as their ten-match winning streak in the Saudi Pro League came to an end. The team, featuring Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo, lost 3-2 to Al Ahli. English forward Tony Evans scored twice for Al Ahli, while Merih Demiral added another goal. Abdullah Al-Amri netted both goals for Al Nassr in a match where Ronaldo remained largely ineffective. The game started with Tony scoring in the seventh minute, followed by a second goal in the 20th minute after a long pass from his own half. Al Nassr fought back through Al-Amri, who scored from distance in the 30th minute and then equalized with a header just before halftime. In the second half, Al Ahli regained control, and Demiral’s strike in the 53rd minute sealed the win. This defeat marked Al Nassr’s first loss in eleven league matches, leaving them with 31 points from ten wins and one draw before this match.

On January 1, 2026, Zohraan Mamdani was sworn in as the new mayor of New York City in a special ceremony. Immediately after taking office, he signed an executive order canceling several directives issued by former mayor Eric Adams, including measures supporting Israel. According to the order, all directives signed on or after September 26, 2024, and effective through December 31, 2025, have been revoked, while earlier executive orders will remain in force until amended or withdrawn. This decision effectively nullifies several of Adams’s policies, including one that prohibited New York City agencies from boycotting or disengaging from Israel. However, the Office for Combating Anti-Semitism, established under the previous administration, will continue to operate. Following the announcement, Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs accused Mamdani on social media of inciting anti-Semitism, marking an early diplomatic tension in his tenure.

Two men were killed late Friday night in Barishal city when a speeding truck ran over their motorcycle on the Barishal-Jhalakathi inter-district highway near Rupatali Ukilbari. The victims were identified as Jewel, 28, of Rupatali, and Russell, 25, of Ruiyar Pol. Kotwali Model Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mamun-ul Islam confirmed the incident. According to police, the two victims worked as helpers at the ACI Animal Health store. After finishing work around midnight, they were heading to the Rupatali bus terminal for a meal when a goods-laden truck (registration number Kushtia-T 11-2545) coming from the opposite direction hit them. Russell died on the spot, while Jewel succumbed to his injuries before reaching the hospital. The report did not mention whether the truck driver was detained or if any legal action had been initiated following the accident.

Nomination papers for the Nilphamari-4 (Kishoreganj-Saidpur) constituency were scrutinized on Friday afternoon ahead of Bangladesh’s upcoming 13th national parliamentary election. Out of 12 submitted nominations, eight were declared valid, while four independent candidates’ nominations were canceled due to inconsistencies in information and inaccuracies in the required one percent voter signatures. The verification was conducted at the conference room of the district administration and returning officer’s office, confirmed by Returning Officer and Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Nayiruzzaman. The eight valid candidates represent various political parties, including Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, Bangladesh Nationalist Party, Islami Andolan Bangladesh, Jatiya Party, Bangladesh Socialist Party (Marxist), and Liberal Democratic Party. The four disqualified independent candidates are Jobaydor Rahman (Hira), Md. Riad Arfan Sarkar, S.M. Mamunur Rashid, and Md. Shahriar Ferdous. According to the returning officer, these candidates may appeal for validation of their nominations until January 9. The decision finalizes the initial list of eligible contenders for Nilphamari-4, pending any appeals by the disqualified independents.

NCP Member Secretary Akhtar Hossain has objected to the validation of a Jatiya Party candidate’s nomination during the scrutiny process at the Rangpur DC office on January 2, 2026. He demanded that the Jatiya Party be declared ineligible for the upcoming national election, alleging that the party helped institutionalize fascism and supported authoritarian rule in Bangladesh. Akhtar claimed that despite his objections, the returning officer declared the nomination valid under legal technicalities. Akhtar argued that the Jatiya Party’s actions over the past 16 years contributed to sustaining authoritarianism and that those who legitimized fascism should not be allowed to contest elections. He stated that the NCP would pursue legal action if necessary and criticized the authorities for not informing them earlier about the opportunity to submit written objections. He also mentioned that seat-sharing discussions between the NCP and Jamaat-e-Islami within their eight-party alliance were still ongoing. In response, Mahbubur Rahman, the Jatiya Party candidate for Rangpur-4, said that relevant authorities had already given their considered opinion and that law enforcement agencies would investigate any allegations.

The government hospital in Harinakundu upazila of Jhenaidah has nearly collapsed due to acute shortages of doctors, medicines, and essential staff. The 250-bed facility, which serves several hundred thousand people from Harinakundu and neighboring Alamdanga, has been without adequate medicine supplies for a long time. Patients, mostly poor and vulnerable, are forced to buy costly medicines from outside pharmacies. Out of 30 sanctioned doctor posts, only eight are currently filled, with one doctor on deputation elsewhere. The shortage has worsened amid a surge in cold-related illnesses such as pneumonia, asthma, and diarrhea, particularly affecting children and the elderly. The hospital has no specialist doctors, and its operation theater has been shut down due to the absence of an anesthesiologist. As a result, private clinics are reportedly exploiting patients by charging high fees for surgeries. Several key staff positions, including pharmacist and statistician, remain vacant, and only two cleaners are maintaining the facility. Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Alomgir Hossain said the problems have been reported to higher authorities and expressed hope that new doctor appointments might ease the crisis. Local residents have urged the government to take immediate action. The ongoing crisis has left thousands of impoverished residents without access to essential healthcare, heightening their suffering during the winter season.

In the verification process for the 13th National Parliamentary Election, Islamic preacher Kamrul Islam Saeed Ansari’s nomination for the Madaripur-2 constituency was canceled. Another independent candidate, Md. Reyazul Islam, was also disqualified. The decision was made on Friday afternoon by Madaripur Deputy Commissioner and Returning Officer Jahangir Alam after reviewing the required documents of all ten candidates. According to the returning officer, Ansari’s nomination was canceled because a mismatch was found between the national identity card and the name of one supporter listed in the one percent voter endorsement required for independent candidates. However, Ansari retains the right to appeal the decision. During the verification session, officials from the district administration, police, National Board of Revenue, rural electricity authority, and banks were present. Ansari stated that the supporter in question had been willing to appear in person, yet his nomination was still rejected. He announced his intention to appeal, expressing hope for justice in the next stage.

A permanent fish sanctuary has been established in the Chithlia canal area of Parshuram, Feni, under a government initiative aimed at conserving aquatic biodiversity and promoting the breeding of native fish species. The sanctuary, located on both sides of the Shreebhanga Bridge along the Feni-Parshuram road, covers 1.4 hectares and was developed at a cost of about 40,000 taka for the 2025–26 fiscal year. Measures include bamboo fencing, red flags marking restricted zones, and tree branches placed underwater to create a safe habitat for mother fish during breeding seasons. According to the Upazila Fisheries Department, the initiative seeks to protect endangered native fish species, ensure safe breeding environments, and restore ecological balance disrupted by overfishing, pesticide use, and natural disasters. A 12-member beneficiary group from nearby villages is maintaining the sanctuary. Local fishermen expressed optimism that proper management will help revive native fish populations. The fisheries office also plans to establish another sanctuary on the northern side of the Bailey Bridge over the Muhuri River, pending government funding approval.