Businessman Jasim Uddin Ahmed, once known as a close associate of former IGP Benazir Ahmed during the Awami League era, has been nominated by the BNP to contest from Chattogram-14 constituency. His election affidavit shows Tk 15.01 crore in cash and his wife’s legal savings of Tk 14.57 lakh. The declaration lacks clear explanations about the source, banking records, or income consistency behind such large cash holdings, sparking debate over whether old political influences still persist. BNP insiders said Jasim was nominated at the last moment by the party’s central leadership without consulting the South District BNP, prompting internal criticism. Local sources claim he had close ties with former ministers and ex-IGPs Benazir Ahmed and Shahidul Haque. Photos of his meetings with them have circulated on social media. Jasim was previously elected as an independent chairman in the 2024 upazila polls, which BNP boycotted, and was once jailed in a 2024 attempted murder case. South District BNP convener Idris Mia said the party likely chose Jasim for his financial capacity to challenge rival candidates, adding that local leaders would now support the central decision.

A Dhaka court has ordered the seizure of a multi-storey building and land in Gulshan owned by Afroza Begum, wife of Bashundhara Group Chairman Ahmed Akbar Sobhan, following corruption allegations. The Metropolitan Senior Special Judge’s Court, presided over by Acting Judge Md. Alamgir, issued the order on Thursday, January 1, in response to a petition from the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). The order also includes the confiscation of 3.377 acres of land in the Vatara area of Dhaka. According to court information, ACC Deputy Director Md. Jahangir Alam filed the petition seeking the seizure, citing money laundering allegations against Sobhan and his associates. A ten-member investigation team has been formed to probe the allegations. Investigators reportedly found evidence suggesting that Sobhan and his family members own substantial illegal assets both in Bangladesh and abroad. The court noted that Afroza Begum was attempting to transfer ownership of her immovable properties, which could undermine the ongoing investigation and potential legal proceedings. The seizure was therefore deemed necessary to ensure fair investigation and justice.

A funeral in absentia for BNP Chairperson and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia was held in Bhangura, Pabna, on Thursday, January 1. The prayer took place after Asr at the Government Haji Jamal Uddin Degree Honors College field in the municipal area. The event was organized by the upazila and municipal units of the BNP, drawing hundreds of party leaders, activists, and local residents. The prayer was led by Hafiz Maulana Ashraf Ali. Before the prayer, brief speeches were delivered by several local BNP leaders, including former upazila president Mojibur Rahman, convenor Nur Mojahid Swapon, member secretary Sardar Zafar Iqbal Hirok, senior joint convenor Abdul Aziz, former organizing secretary Abdul Matin Raju, municipal BNP president Rafiqul Islam, and general secretary Saidul Islam Buruj. The gathering reflected local BNP members’ participation in honoring their party leader through the religious ceremony organized at the upazila level.

The Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir Rajshahi University (RU) branch has announced its new committee for the 2025–26 session. Mujahid Faisal was elected president, and Hafiz Mehedi Hasan was appointed secretary general. The announcement was made on Thursday afternoon through an official statement on the organization’s Facebook page. The election took place during a members’ assembly at the university, where voting was conducted using ballot papers signed by the central president. After vote counting, Secretary General Sibgatullah declared Mujahid Faisal as the new president and administered his oath. Based on members’ consultation, Faisal nominated Mehedi Hasan as the branch secretary. According to Shibir sources, Faisal previously served as secretary in the outgoing committee and is a student of the Islamic Studies Department from the 2016–17 session, currently pursuing an MPhil. Mehedi Hasan is a student of the Arabic Department from the 2018–19 session. The newly elected leaders are expected to announce the full committee soon. The assembly was attended by the central education secretary Ibrahim Hossain, outgoing president Mostakur Rahman Zahid, and branch members.

Khan Muhammad Mursaleen, the central joint chief coordinator of the National Citizens Party (NCP), has resigned from all his party positions. He announced his resignation on Thursday, January 1, through a Facebook post, stating that he was stepping down from his responsibilities effective immediately. In his post, Mursaleen mentioned that he had served as the central joint chief coordinator of the NCP and had also worked in the party’s media, publicity, and publication cells. Recently, he had been serving as the secretary of the party’s election-time media subcommittee for a short period. He confirmed that he was resigning from all duties and posts within the NCP from that day. The report did not specify the reasons behind his resignation or any official response from the party leadership regarding his departure.

On January 1, 2026, students in Tongi, Gazipur, received new textbooks marking the start of the academic year. Children from pre-primary to fifth grade were given their new books at Haji Kachimuddin Public School, Tilarghati M.A. Gani High School, and Upoma Memorial School. The students expressed joy and excitement upon receiving the books. However, due to a three-day national mourning period following the death of former Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia, the usual book festival was not held this year. Teachers from several other schools, including Tongi Safiuddin Government Academy and Al Helal Academy, said that book distribution for their students would take place on Sunday. According to M.A. Gani High School’s head teacher, Lutfor Rahman Liton, books for grades six to nine had not yet arrived but would be distributed once received.

Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) has launched a vaccination campaign targeting 15,000 stray dogs across the city’s 41 wards to eliminate rabies. The initiative was announced during an advocacy meeting held on Thursday at the CCC office in Tigerpass, chaired by the corporation’s Chief Health Officer Dr. Md. Imam Hossain Rana and attended by Acting Chief Executive Officer and Secretary Md. Ashraful Amin. Speakers at the meeting emphasized that regular and well-planned vaccination of stray dogs could significantly reduce the risk of rabies in the city. They urged residents to cooperate with the program in the interest of public health. The campaign is part of CCC’s broader effort to make Chattogram a rabies-free city through sustained and systematic vaccination drives.

The United Arab Emirates has announced a unified schedule for Friday sermons and prayers across all seven emirates, including Dubai. Starting Friday, January 2, 2026, all mosques nationwide will hold the Jumu’ah prayer at 12:45 PM. The Islamic Affairs, Awqaf and Zakat General Authority stated that the new timing will take effect from the first Friday of the new year, urging worshippers to arrive early to avoid missing the sermon. According to the authority, the initiative aims to standardize Friday worship practices across the country, ensuring that all worshippers can listen to the full sermon and maintain discipline during prayer. The unified timing is also expected to help families, workers, and students better plan their Fridays, aligning with the government’s broader policy of social coordination. The UAE government has declared 2026 as the “Year of the Family.” Officials said the new prayer schedule supports family time, balanced living, and greater comfort on Fridays. Religious scholars confirmed that the 12:45 PM timing falls within the prescribed period for Jumu’ah prayer and meets all Shariah requirements.

Biman Bangladesh Airlines reported a net profit of Tk 785.21 crore for the 2024–2025 fiscal year, marking a 178 percent increase from the previous year. The announcement was made at the airline’s annual general meeting held on December 30, chaired by Board Chairman Sheikh Bashir Uddin. The airline’s total revenue reached Tk 11,559 crore, up 9.46 percent year-on-year, while operational profit stood at Tk 1,602 crore. According to Biman’s General Manager of Public Relations, Bosra Islam, the state-owned carrier has maintained profitability for five consecutive years and achieved net profit in nine of the past ten fiscal years. During the reporting period, Biman transported 3.383 million passengers across 30 domestic and international destinations using 21 owned and leased aircraft. It also earned Tk 925 crore from cargo operations, a 45.21 percent increase from the previous year. Biman provided ground handling services to 31,112 foreign airline flights carrying about 6.1 million passengers and recorded its highest-ever ticket sales in January 2025. The airline attributed its success to efficient financial management, digital modernization, and improved passenger services, with future plans to expand routes and strengthen cargo operations.

Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar will visit Beijing from January 3 to 6, 2026, to co-chair the seventh round of the Pakistan-China Foreign Ministers’ Strategic Dialogue. The visit comes at the invitation of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, according to statements from both countries’ foreign ministries. The dialogue is described as the highest consultative framework between the two nations, serving as a structured platform to review bilateral cooperation and regional and international issues of mutual interest. The meeting takes place as Pakistan and China prepare to mark 75 years of diplomatic relations amid changing regional and global dynamics. The Pakistani Foreign Ministry said the visit is part of regular high-level exchanges and reflects both countries’ commitment to expanding their all-weather strategic partnership while reaffirming their shared dedication to regional peace, stability, and sustainable development. The previous, sixth round of the dialogue was held in Islamabad in August, where Wang Yi met with Dar, Prime Minister Sheikh Habib Sharif, and President Asif Ali Zardari. China then reiterated its pledge to work with Pakistan for regional peace and development.

The Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) seized Indian cattle and a large quantity of Eskaf syrup during special operations in Lalmonirhat’s border areas under the 15 BGB Battalion. The operations took place early Thursday near the Durgaipur and Burirhat Border Outposts (BOPs). Around 3:40 a.m., smugglers attempted to enter Bangladesh with cattle through the Chowratari area but fled when challenged by a BGB patrol, leaving behind three Indian cows. Another patrol at 3:30 a.m. in Khamarbhati area recovered 170 bottles of Indian Eskaf syrup after smugglers abandoned their goods and escaped toward India. According to the 15 BGB Battalion, a total of six Indian cows worth approximately Tk 660,000 and 170 bottles of Eskaf syrup valued at Tk 68,000 were seized, with a combined estimated value of Tk 728,000. The identification of the smugglers and legal proceedings against them are ongoing. Lieutenant Colonel Mehedi Imam, commanding officer of the 15 BGB Battalion, stated that BGB remains vigilant to keep the youth free from drugs and has intensified intelligence surveillance and patrols in sensitive border areas to prevent smuggling and drug trafficking.

Dhaka University Central Students' Union (Daksu) Vice President Sadiq Kayem signed the condolence book opened for the late BNP Chairperson and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia. The signing took place on Thursday evening at the BNP Chairperson’s office in Gulshan, Dhaka. During the visit, several Daksu representatives were present, including Literary and Cultural Secretary Musaddiq Ali Ibn Mohammad, Social Welfare Secretary A.B. Zubair, and Executive Members Raihan Uddin and Shahinur Rahman. The condolence book was opened to honor the memory of the late leader. The event reflected participation from student leadership in paying respects to the deceased political figure, highlighting continued engagement between student representatives and national political developments.

Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman will visit BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman and his bereaved family to offer condolences. The visit is scheduled for Thursday at 7 p.m. at the BNP Chairperson’s office in Gulshan, the day after the burial of former Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia. The information was confirmed through an urgent message from Jamaat-e-Islami’s central publicity department. Earlier, on the day of Khaleda Zia’s death, Jamaat’s Naib-e-Ameer Dr. Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher and a delegation visited the Gulshan office to sign the condolence book and meet BNP leaders. Jamaat’s top leadership, including its Ameer, also attended the funeral prayer held on Wednesday. The condolence visit underscores continued political communication between Jamaat-e-Islami and BNP leadership following the passing of Khaleda Zia, as both parties maintain engagement during the mourning period.

A woman named Tapasi Rani Das, aged 42, was killed by her cousin in Kutubdia upazila of Cox’s Bazar on Thursday morning. The incident occurred around 11 a.m. at Ali Akbar Deil Kumirachhara fishing village, where the accused, identified as Kali Charan, allegedly attacked her with a machete. Locals rescued Tapasi and took her to the upazila health complex, where doctors declared her dead. Police later detained Kali Charan while he was attempting to flee through the Baraghop Steamer Ghat area. According to Tapasi’s brother, the attack took place after a quarrel over a minor issue while her husband was away fishing. Dr. Biplob Kanti Rudra, who examined the body, reported at least four stab wounds. Officer-in-Charge Md. Mahbubul Haque said the body was sent to the district hospital for autopsy and that initial investigation suggests the dispute stemmed from a loan-related argument. Police are currently interrogating the detained suspect to determine further details surrounding the killing.

Bangladesh’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Md. Touhid Hossain said it is too early to determine whether Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s visit to Dhaka will ease existing tensions between the two countries. Speaking to reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday, Hossain described the visit as a courteous gesture rather than a political event, noting that Jaishankar’s trip was brief but he attended the entire ceremony before departing. Hossain clarified that there was no one-on-one meeting between him and Jaishankar, as the occasion did not allow for bilateral discussions. He added that Jaishankar also exchanged greetings with other South Asian dignitaries, including Pakistan’s National Assembly Speaker, calling such interactions a matter of diplomatic courtesy. The adviser emphasized that their brief conversation contained no political content. Jaishankar, along with representatives from Pakistan, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, visited Dhaka on December 31 to pay last respects to former Bangladeshi Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia. Hossain said Zia enjoyed broad respect across South Asia, and participation by regional leaders in her funeral was natural.