Cox’s Bazar district police have announced seven restrictions to maintain law and order during the 2026 English New Year celebrations. The measures will be in effect from the evening of December 31 to the evening of January 1. According to a police statement issued on December 30, fireworks, firecrackers, and sky lanterns are completely banned in the city and beach areas. Sales and marketing of such items are also prohibited to prevent accidents. Public concerts, dances, and entertainment events in open spaces or on roads are not allowed, and all bars and liquor shops must suspend alcohol sales during the restriction period. Police have urged everyone to refrain from spreading rumors, propaganda, or provocative content on social media, warning that such actions could harm communal harmony and public order. Additional restrictions include bans on loud horns, vehicle races, joyrides, and reckless driving. Authorities have also taken a strict stance against harassment of female tourists. Hotel and motel operators have been asked to inform the district police’s special branch about indoor events and suspicious individuals. District police spokesperson Alok Biswas stated that the restrictions aim to ensure safety for tourists and residents, with heightened police vigilance across the city.

Zohran Mamdani will be sworn in as the new mayor of New York City on January 1, marking the start of his leadership of the United States’ largest city. His popularity has surged rapidly, rising from 14 points in September to 38 points, a record level for any incoming mayor. Statewide, Mamdani’s approval exceeds 15 points, also a record. The public inauguration at City Hall will feature introductions by Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, with Senator Bernie Sanders in attendance, and New York Attorney General Letitia James administering the oath. Mamdani campaigned on promises to reduce living costs and make city buses faster and free, funded by taxes on billionaires and millionaires. His transit plan currently enjoys 50 percent public support, with 41 percent opposing. On November 4, he defeated former Governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa by a wide margin. Mamdani becomes the first Muslim and South Asian–descended leader to serve as New York City mayor and, at 34, the youngest in a century.

U.S. President Donald Trump, beginning his second term on January 20, tightened the country’s immigration policies, leading to widespread labor shortages within a year. Construction firms in Louisiana are struggling to find carpenters, hospitals in West Virginia face shortages of foreign doctors and nurses, and a neighborhood football league in Memphis cannot form enough teams as immigrant children have stopped arriving. The administration has raised visa fees, reduced legal entry routes, and deported over six hundred thousand people, while hundreds of thousands more face deportation after the withdrawal of temporary legal status granted under the previous administration. Oxford Economics estimates that current policies have reduced net immigration to about 450,000 people annually, far below the 2–3 million per year under the Biden administration. Immigrants now make up 14.8 percent of the U.S. population, the lowest since 1890. Cities once vibrant with immigrant communities, such as Los Angeles and New York, have grown quieter, with fewer international students and diminished cultural activity. Business owners fear the labor shortage will worsen, affecting industries like construction, nursing homes, and childcare, even as higher wages fail to attract enough workers.

Police in Mymensingh’s Bhaluka have arrested another suspect in the murder of garment worker Dipu Chandra Das, 27. Authorities said the arrested youth, Nirab Islam, 20, allegedly led the act of hanging and burning the victim’s body after the killing. He was identified through video footage analysis and detained from Cheragali area in Tongi, Gazipur, on Tuesday afternoon. With this arrest, the total number of detainees in the case has reached 19. According to police, Nirab Islam, a knitting operator at Pioneer Knitwears (BD) Ltd, had been absent from work since the incident. Investigators conducted multiple operations in Netrakona, Dhaka’s Banani, and Gazipur before locating him. Police plan to seek a seven-day remand for interrogation. Earlier, 18 suspects were arrested, of whom 12 were remanded for three days and six for two days; five have given confessional statements in court. The murder occurred on December 18 in Dubaliapara area of Habirbari union, where Dipu was beaten to death following allegations of religious defamation. His body was later hung from a tree and set on fire near the Dhaka–Mymensingh highway. Dipu’s brother filed a case naming 140 to 150 unidentified persons.

Former three-time Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia passed away at Dhaka’s Evercare Hospital on Tuesday morning after 38 days of treatment. The 80-year-old leader had been admitted on November 23 with respiratory distress and multiple chronic health complications, including heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, liver cirrhosis, and kidney issues. Despite continuous medical care, her condition deteriorated, and she died at 6 a.m. Family and party sources said arrangements were made to transfer her abroad for advanced treatment, but the medical board advised against it due to the risks of long-distance travel. The government declared her a special important person to ensure maximum medical and security support. A team of local and international specialists, including doctors from the United States and the United Kingdom, oversaw her treatment. BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman returned to Bangladesh on December 25 and regularly visited his mother at the hospital. On the night before her death, family members and senior BNP leaders gathered at her bedside before leaving around 2 a.m., hours before the nation learned of her passing.

Indian Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has expressed deep sorrow over the death of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairperson and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia. In a message posted on social media platform X on Tuesday, December 30, Gandhi said he was deeply saddened by her passing and acknowledged her significant role in Bangladesh’s political journey. According to the report, Khaleda Zia passed away at 6 a.m. on Tuesday while undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka. She was 80 years old at the time of her death. Her funeral prayer is scheduled to be held on Wednesday after the noon prayer at the National Parliament area and Manik Mia Avenue, after which she will be buried beside her late husband and former president Ziaur Rahman. Gandhi also extended his heartfelt condolences to Khaleda Zia’s family, supporters, and the people of Bangladesh during this time of mourning.

Israel has warned that it will suspend the operations of several donor and humanitarian organizations working in the war-torn Gaza Strip, accusing them of failing to comply with new regulations. According to the report, the restrictions are set to take effect from Thursday and will affect more than 30 groups, including Doctors Without Borders, the Norwegian Refugee Council, CARE International, the International Rescue Committee, Oxfam, and Caritas. Israel claims these organizations did not meet requirements to share information about their staff, funding, and activities. Tel Aviv further alleged that some staff members of Doctors Without Borders were cooperating with Hamas and that the organization failed to clarify their roles. Doctors Without Borders denied the accusations and warned that Israel’s decision would have a devastating impact on its medical work in Gaza. International organizations described Israel’s new rules as arbitrary, while Israeli authorities stated that permits for 37 groups had not been renewed. The dispute underscores growing tensions between Israel and international aid agencies over operational transparency and humanitarian access in Gaza.

The United Arab Emirates has announced the withdrawal of its remaining troops from Yemen, citing recent Saudi-led coalition airstrikes and escalating tensions in the country’s southern region. The decision follows a demand from Yemen’s internationally recognized government, which gave the UAE 24 hours to remove its forces. The UAE Defense Ministry said the move was made voluntarily, considering the impact of current conditions on the safety and effectiveness of its counterterrorism mission, and that coordination with partners would ensure troop security during the process. Earlier, Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council chairman Rashad al-Alimi canceled the joint defense agreement with the UAE, imposed a 90-day state of emergency, and restricted all border crossings for 72 hours. The developments came after coalition airstrikes targeted two UAE-linked ships at Mukalla port, which reportedly entered without authorization. Yemen’s government accused the vessels of transporting weapons to the Southern Transitional Council, further complicating the security situation. The UAE’s withdrawal marks a significant shift in the coalition’s dynamics and could affect ongoing operations in southern Yemen.

Pakistan’s National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq arrived in Dhaka on Wednesday to attend the funeral of BNP Chairperson and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia. Later that day, he met BNP’s Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman at the National Parliament building to convey his condolences. The meeting was confirmed through a post on the BNP’s official Facebook page. During the meeting, Tarique Rahman’s daughter Barrister Zaima Rahman, BNP Standing Committee members Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury and Salahuddin Ahmed, and other party leaders were present. Earlier, at 11:50 a.m., Sardar Ayaz Sadiq landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport as Pakistan’s representative, where he was received by Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh and senior officials from Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The visit underscores Pakistan’s official representation at the funeral of the late BNP leader and reflects continued diplomatic engagement between the two countries.

India has expressed deep respect following the death of former Bangladesh Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia. On Wednesday, December 31, Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar handed over an official condolence message from the Government of India to BNP’s Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman at the National Parliament complex in Dhaka. In the message, India described Khaleda Zia as a 'symbol of courage and struggle' and honored her unwavering commitment to Bangladesh’s independence and sovereignty. Dr. Jaishankar arrived in Dhaka earlier that day at 11:55 a.m. on a special Indian Air Force flight and was received at the Bashar Air Base by Foreign Ministry Secretary M. Forhad Hossain, along with Indian High Commissioner to Dhaka Pranab Verma. Khaleda Zia, who served as Bangladesh’s Prime Minister three times, passed away at the age of 80 on Tuesday, December 30, while undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka.

The funeral prayer for BNP Chairperson and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia was held on Wednesday afternoon at the South Plaza of the National Parliament building and Manik Mia Avenue in Dhaka. The prayer was led by Mufti Abdul Malek, Khatib of the National Mosque Baitul Mukarram. Crowds of supporters and citizens began gathering at the site from Tuesday night, and by midday Wednesday, the area was filled with people from all walks of life. Khaleda Zia will be buried beside the grave of late President Ziaur Rahman at 3 p.m. Khaleda Zia passed away at 6 a.m. on Tuesday, December 30, at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka, at the age of 80. She had been under treatment there since November 23 due to critical health complications. Born on August 15, 1945, Khaleda Zia was Bangladesh’s first female Prime Minister and the second woman in the Muslim world to hold such a position after Benazir Bhutto. Her funeral marks the end of an era in Bangladesh’s political history, as she was a central figure in the country’s leadership for decades.

The funeral prayer of former Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia was held on Wednesday afternoon. At around 3 p.m., her son and the party’s acting chairman, Tarique Rahman, delivered a brief address to the nation. He introduced himself as Khaleda Zia’s eldest son and requested that anyone from whom his late mother might have taken a loan contact him so that he could arrange repayment. Tarique Rahman also sought forgiveness from the people of Bangladesh on behalf of his mother if anyone had ever been hurt by her words or actions. He concluded his remarks by asking everyone to pray for Khaleda Zia’s eternal peace and for Allah to grant her a place in paradise. The event marked a solemn moment for the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and its supporters as they bid farewell to their long-time leader.

Professor Dr. Md. Sayedur Rahman, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser with the rank of State Minister at the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, has resigned from his position. A government notification issued on Tuesday night confirmed that the President accepted his resignation. According to the Cabinet Division’s circular, Dr. Rahman had been exercising executive authority equivalent to a State Minister within the interim government’s Health and Family Welfare Ministry. His resignation marks a change within the advisory team of the interim administration. The report notes that in November of the previous year, Chief Adviser Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus appointed three Special Assistants with the rank of State Minister. Dr. Rahman was one of those appointees.

The funeral prayer of BNP Chairperson and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia was held on Wednesday, December 31, 2025, at Manik Mia Avenue in Dhaka, drawing millions of mourners. The event saw a massive turnout across surrounding areas, including the South Plaza of the National Parliament, Sobhanbag, Karwan Bazar, Bijoy Sarani, and Shyamoli. Khaleda Zia had passed away on Tuesday, December 30, at Evercare Hospital in the capital after more than a month of treatment. Interim government cultural affairs adviser and filmmaker Mostofa Sarwar Farooki described the farewell as “historic” in a Facebook post. He compared the public response to that of the funeral of President Ziaur Rahman, saying the nation had once again shown deep respect. Farooki noted that the vast crowd symbolized the gratitude of the Bangladeshi people, something that not everyone receives. The funeral was attended by the chief adviser, heads of the three armed forces, diplomats, and leaders from various political parties, marking a significant moment in Bangladesh’s political history.

In an interview with Deutsche Welle, journalist David Bergman said that Bangladeshis will remember Khaleda Zia primarily for her role in the anti-autocracy movement and the restoration of democracy. He discussed her political life and struggles, noting that she led a strong movement against former ruler Ershad in alliance with the Awami League and other parties, which eventually led to Ershad’s downfall and the return of democracy. Bergman described her victory in the first election after Ershad’s fall as surprising, as many had expected the Awami League under Sheikh Hasina to win. He also said Khaleda Zia would be remembered for her fierce rivalry with Sheikh Hasina. Bergman praised Khaleda Zia’s contributions to democracy and women’s rights but acknowledged corruption allegations against her. He said corruption increased during her second term from 2001 to 2006 but argued she was not meaningfully involved. He described the corruption case that led to her imprisonment under the Awami League government as weak and unjustified, noting that no significant assets linked to her were found. Regarding her current influence, Bergman said her illness had reduced her role in the BNP, while her son Tarique Rahman, based in London, was expanding his influence. He added that Tarique faces major challenges in keeping the party united.