Industrial Adviser Adilur Rahman Khan expressed optimism that the next elected government will take necessary initiatives to establish new industrial factories aimed at national industrial development and job creation. He made the remarks on Friday while visiting the Chhatak Cement Company Limited in Chhatak upazila of Sunamganj district. During the visit, the adviser said that the company’s production activities would soon resume through conversion from the existing wet process to a dry process. The visit was attended by senior officials including Local Government Secretary Md. Rezaul Maksud Jahedi, Industries Secretary Md. Obaidur Rahman, BCIC Chairman Md. Fazlur Rahman, LGED Chief Engineer Kazi Golam Mostafa, and Chhatak Cement Company Managing Director Md. Abdur Rahman. BCIC Chairman Md. Fazlur Rahman stated that production at the mill would start soon and that BCIC was actively working toward that goal.

Dhaka University is proceeding with steps to permanently expel four teachers reportedly aligned with the Awami League. The university’s highest policy-making body, the Syndicate, reached this decision during a meeting held on Thursday, January 8. The Syndicate resolved to issue show-cause notices asking the teachers why they should not be permanently dismissed from their positions. The four teachers named are Professor Zinat Huda, Professor A K M Jamal Uddin, Professor Sadeka Halim, and Professor Moshior Rahman, all from the Department of Sociology. According to the university’s Proctor, Professor Dr. Saifuddin Ahmed, formal charges have been framed against them, and the show-cause notices will be issued accordingly. The Syndicate’s decision marks a significant disciplinary move within Dhaka University, signaling a formal process toward permanent expulsion pending the teachers’ responses to the show-cause notices.

A doctor from Indraprastha Apollo Hospital in New Delhi has been arrested for allegedly removing kidneys from at least 15 to 16 individuals under the pretext of surgery. According to a report by the Indian Express on July 9, Delhi Police detained Dr. Vijaya Kumar, a 50-year-old female physician, on charges of involvement in a kidney trafficking network operating between Bangladesh and India. The report states that Dr. Kumar, who served as a visiting consultant and surgeon at Yatharth Hospital in Noida, performed the alleged operations between 2021 and 2023. Most of the victims were Bangladeshi citizens brought to India by intermediaries who lured them with promises of money. Delhi Police said the trafficking ring targeted poor Bangladeshis and arranged for their kidneys to be removed in hospitals around New Delhi. Authorities previously arrested three Bangladeshi nationals linked to similar kidney trafficking networks. Organ sales for money are illegal in India, though voluntary donations remain lawful under specific conditions.

A conversation between a user and ChatGPT has gone viral on social media, drawing widespread attention in early 2026. The user asked the AI chatbot what it would do if it could become human for a day. ChatGPT’s reply surprised many, as it expressed a desire to experience simple human sensations such as feeling the wind, warmth of sunlight, and even the act of crying. It also spoke about wanting to make mistakes, feel love, and understand kindness, ending with a reflection on living through the harsh truths of human life. The exchange has reignited global curiosity and debate about artificial intelligence. While some fear AI could disrupt job markets, others believe it will serve as a supportive tool for humans. ChatGPT’s deeply human-like response has prompted many to question whether AI is merely a technological system or a step toward understanding human emotion. The viral incident underscores the growing presence of AI across medicine, science, education, and creative fields, reinforcing its role as a defining technology of the future.

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman has convened an emergency meeting of the party’s Standing Committee. The meeting is scheduled to take place at 9:30 p.m. on Friday night at the BNP Chairperson’s political office in Gulshan, according to Standing Committee member Dr. Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain. Tarique Rahman will preside over the session. A senior BNP leader stated that the meeting was not part of the committee’s regular schedule and therefore has no fixed agenda. However, the leader emphasized that the meeting is considered important. The announcement underscores the urgency of internal discussions within the BNP leadership. No further details were provided about the specific issues to be discussed or the expected outcomes of the meeting.

The Cricketers’ Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB) has strongly protested a Facebook post by Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) director M Nazmul Islam, who referred to former national captain Tamim Iqbal with a derogatory term. The post, made in response to a statement by Tamim, quickly went viral and drew widespread criticism from the cricket community. CWAB issued a statement expressing shock, anger, and disappointment over the remark, calling it unacceptable and insulting to the entire cricket fraternity. In its statement, CWAB said that such comments from a responsible board official are deeply condemnable and raise questions about the code of conduct for BCB directors. The organization has already sent a formal protest letter to the BCB president, demanding that Nazmul Islam publicly apologize and be held accountable for his actions. CWAB urged the board to take appropriate measures as soon as possible. The controversy has sparked debate within Bangladesh’s cricket circles about professionalism and accountability among board officials.

The National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) of Bangladesh has made major revisions to the 2026 academic textbooks for primary and secondary levels. The new editions, distributed from January 1, include significant changes to the portrayal of the Liberation War, the declaration of independence, subsequent political developments, and the 2024 July uprising. In the revised Bangladesh and Global Studies books for grades six through ten, Ziaur Rahman is identified as the proclaimer of independence on March 26, 1971, replacing earlier references to Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The books also describe Zia’s political, agricultural, and economic contributions. The updated textbooks omit Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s March 7 speech and remove terms such as “Father of the Nation” and “Bangabandhu.” They newly include accounts of the 2024 July uprising, Sheikh Hasina’s fall, and descriptions of her rule as authoritarian. The revisions were approved by the National Curriculum Coordination Committee following recommendations from experts and the interim government’s directive. According to NCTB officials, the goal of these changes is to present a balanced and realistic depiction of Bangladesh’s political history and to free textbooks from exaggerated or imposed narratives.

Dhaka’s residents are enduring worsening living conditions due to severe waste mismanagement across the city. Streets and alleys are covered with piles of garbage and plastic waste, while sidewalks have become unusable because of open urinals and foul odors. According to the two city corporations, Dhaka’s 129 wards generate between 6,800 and 7,500 tons of waste daily, but 55 percent remains uncollected. Despite spending about Tk 3,323 crore over seven years, more than 250 uncontrolled dumping sites persist, posing serious threats to public health and the environment. Field visits revealed that waste workers operate without protective gear, exposing them to diseases. The waste management process—collection, transfer, transport, and disposal—shows weaknesses at every stage, with little recycling or treatment capacity. A study in Scientific Reports found that Dhaka produces 6,465 tons of waste daily, most of which ends up in nearly full landfills at Aminbazar and Matuail. Experts warn that uncontrolled dumping contaminates soil and groundwater and releases methane, worsening climate impacts. City officials acknowledged manpower and equipment shortages and emphasized public awareness and participation as essential for sustainable cleanliness.

Saudi Arabia on Friday strongly condemned the recent visit of Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar to Somaliland, a self-declared breakaway region of Somalia. In a joint statement with 21 other countries, Saudi Arabia described the visit as “illegal,” calling it a clear violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Somalia and contrary to international norms and the UN Charter. The statement reaffirmed full support for Somalia’s sovereignty, national unity, and territorial integrity. It also emphasized adherence to international law, non-interference in the internal affairs of sovereign states, and respect for diplomatic conventions to maintain regional and international stability. The joint declaration urged Israel to fully respect Somalia’s sovereignty and withdraw its recognition of Somaliland immediately. Israel had formally recognized Somaliland as a sovereign state on December 26, 2025. Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991, but Israel remains the only country to have officially recognized it, a move that has drawn widespread criticism from Somalia and other members of the international community.

The government has taken all necessary measures to ensure a level playing field for the upcoming 13th National Parliament Election, according to Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam. Speaking on Friday afternoon after visiting the Shibbari Temple in Mymensingh and exchanging greetings with members of the Hindu community, he said there has been no visible incident suggesting the absence of a fair environment. He added that all political parties, large and small, currently enjoy equal opportunities in the electoral process. Shafiqul Alam emphasized that Bangladesh is a country of communal harmony where people of all religions and communities live together peacefully. He condemned recent attacks on shrines under various pretexts, calling them highly reprehensible. Earlier in the day, he visited the shrine of Hazrat Shah Sufi Syed Kalu Shah (R.) at Bura Pir’s shrine and ghat area on Jubilee Road in Mymensingh. The press secretary reiterated that the government remains committed to maintaining a fair electoral environment and social harmony across the country.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has warned that the right to protest in the United Kingdom has been severely restricted in recent years, with state control over peaceful demonstrators intensifying. The warning came through HRW’s report titled “Silencing the Streets: The Right to Protest Under Attack in the UK,” released in London and reported by AFP. The report noted that the UK is adopting strategies similar to countries where democratic safeguards and civil liberties are gradually eroding. Shortly after the report’s release, Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg was detained and later released during a protest supporting the banned Palestine Action group. Based on research from 2024 and 2025, HRW found that increasing numbers of people are being arrested, prosecuted, and even imprisoned for participating in peaceful demonstrations or attending planning meetings. The organization criticized Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour government for failing to repeal restrictive protest laws introduced by the previous Conservative administration in 2023. HRW’s UK director Yasmin Ahmed said the government’s tough stance on law and order was alarming and warned that such laws could be used against anyone in the future. HRW urged the government to lift certain restrictions on protests and revoke the ban on Palestine Action, noting that at least 2,300 people have been arrested since the group was outlawed in July.

The Election Commission (EC) of Bangladesh has completed sending postal ballots to 767,028 expatriate voters across 121 countries for the upcoming 13th National Parliament election and referendum. According to EC sources, the process began on December 20 and concluded within three weeks. The Bangladesh Postal Department finalized the dispatch on Thursday using several international airlines, including Biman Bangladesh, Emirates, Malaysian, Singapore, and Saudia Airlines. The large-scale ‘Out of Country Voting’ (OCV) operation was carried out through joint efforts of the EC, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology, Postal Department, Civil Aviation, and the participating airlines. The OCV-SDI project team leader stated that over 3,000 expatriate voters provided incorrect addresses, preventing ballot delivery to them. Within Bangladesh, 761,141 voters have registered for the ‘In-Country Postal Vote’ category, and ballot distribution to them will begin on January 21 after symbol allocation. The EC reported that Saudi Arabia received the highest number of ballots, followed by Malaysia, Qatar, and Oman. In total, 1,533,683 voters registered through the ‘Postal Vote BD’ app, including both expatriate and domestic voters.

Palestinian group Hamas has announced its readiness to hand over administrative responsibilities in Gaza to an independent committee. The group also stated that it does not intend to be part of any future governing structure in the territory. Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem said on Thursday that they are waiting for the formation of the independent committee to oversee Gaza’s administration and that Hamas will facilitate the transfer process and assist the committee’s work. Qassem emphasized that Hamas has decided to remain outside any administrative framework managing the Gaza Strip. His statement follows the decision made at the emergency Arab summit on Gaza in March 2024, which rejected any forced displacement of Palestinians. The summit’s plan proposed forming a temporary administrative committee for six months to manage Gaza during a transitional period. According to the plan, the interim body will be independent, composed of neutral technocrats, and operate under the Palestinian government’s authority.

Syria’s Defense Ministry has announced a ceasefire in several districts of Aleppo following deadly clashes between government forces and Kurdish fighters. The truce took effect early Friday after days of violence that forced thousands of civilians to flee. At least 21 people were killed in what observers described as the worst fighting since Islamist authorities took power over a year ago. The clashes, which began Tuesday, pitted the Syrian army against the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), with both sides blaming each other for the escalation. The ministry said the ceasefire covers Sheikh Maqsoud, Ashrafiyeh, and Bani Zeid districts from 3 a.m., aiming to prevent further military tension in residential areas. Kurdish fighters were ordered to withdraw by 9 a.m. local time to allow displaced civilians to return home safely. According to state television, around 16,000 people had already left the affected neighborhoods. SDF commander Mazloum Abdi warned that attacks on Kurdish areas undermine reconciliation efforts, noting that talks on integrating Kurdish structures into the new government remain stalled. Analysts said Aleppo is a vulnerable area for the SDF, and any wider conflict could draw in Turkey and Israel, posing a serious threat to Syria’s stability.

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier sharply criticized U.S. President Donald Trump’s foreign policy, accusing the American administration of destroying the global order. Speaking at an event in Berlin on Wednesday night, Steinmeier urged the international community to prevent the world from turning into a “den of robbers,” where lawless powers seize whatever they want. He warned that global democracy is under unprecedented attack. Referring to recent U.S. actions such as efforts to oust Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, Steinmeier described them as a “historic rupture.” He compared the current behavior of the United States to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, calling both major threats to the world order. He emphasized that the practice of powerful nations treating other regions as their private property must end immediately. Although the German presidency is largely ceremonial, Steinmeier’s strong remarks have drawn significant attention within Germany, highlighting growing concern over U.S. foreign conduct and its implications for international stability.