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.

Malaysia’s former army chief Hafizuddin Zantan has been arrested along with his two wives and two other individuals on corruption charges linked to a military procurement project. The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) detained them and presented them before the Putrajaya Magistrate’s Court, which approved remand orders of seven days for Hafizuddin, six days for one wife, and three days for the other. The arrests were part of an ongoing investigation into alleged irregularities in the army’s procurement process.

MACC Chief Commissioner Azam Baki confirmed the arrests and said the investigation is continuing. The agency stated its commitment to conducting the probe with transparency and professionalism. Authorities have also raided several companies since late last year and frozen six bank accounts belonging to a suspect and family members. The identity of that suspect has not been disclosed.

According to state news agency Bernama, MACC foiled an attempt to launder 2.4 million ringgit in cash related to the case. Hafizuddin had been placed on mandatory leave last December when the investigation began.

Russia carried out airstrikes on Kyiv and its outskirts on Friday, killing at least three people and injuring thirteen, according to Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko. Residential buildings were damaged, and a doctor was killed in a second drone strike on one of the buildings. Authorities have not yet confirmed whether the doctor is included in the official casualty list.

Regional Governor Mykola Kalashnyk urged residents to remain in shelters until air raid sirens stop. Ukraine’s Air Force warned that the presence of Russian bombers in the sky means the entire country remains under missile threat. In the western city of Lviv, a ballistic missile struck infrastructure sites just before midnight. Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyi said the military is determining whether a nuclear-capable missile was used, though radiation levels remain within normal limits.

The attack followed a warning from the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv on Thursday, which had cautioned of possible severe airstrikes in the coming days.

Pakistan has stated that it does not want hostile relations with neighboring Afghanistan. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said at a press conference on Thursday that meaningful progress in bilateral relations depends on Afghanistan’s stance against terrorism. Islamabad has asked Kabul to provide a specific, verifiable, and written assurance that Afghan territory will not be used for terrorist attacks against Pakistan.

Andrabi emphasized that Pakistan’s only concern is security and that there are no political or ideological disputes with Kabul. He noted that, unlike its bilateral disputes with India, Pakistan has no such issues with Afghanistan. The spokesperson added that Pakistan welcomes Kabul’s recent positive statements but insists they must be concrete, verifiable, and documented.

He confirmed that diplomatic channels remain open between the two countries, with embassies and consulates operating normally.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro and US President Donald Trump have agreed to launch joint operations against guerrilla groups involved in cocaine trafficking along the Venezuela border. Colombian Interior Minister Armando Benedetti confirmed the agreement on Thursday, following the first phone conversation between the two leaders on Wednesday. The discussion aimed to ease tensions after Trump’s military threats and efforts to oust Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

According to Benedetti, both leaders committed to taking coordinated action against the National Liberation Army (ELN), Colombia’s remaining major armed rebel group, which Bogotá accuses of seeking refuge in Venezuela after attacks and kidnappings. Petro reportedly asked Trump for cooperation in taking tougher measures along the 2,200-kilometer border, where multiple armed groups compete over drug trafficking, illegal mining, and smuggling routes.

The report noted that despite recent tensions—Trump having labeled Petro a drug trafficker—Petro accepted an invitation to meet Trump in Washington. The two countries have long maintained security cooperation, though relations have cooled since the start of Trump’s second term.

Interim government adviser on power, energy and mineral resources Muhammad Faozul Kabir Khan has said that the upcoming national parliamentary election will determine Bangladesh’s fate for the next 50 years. He made the remarks on Friday morning at Sena Maidan in Dinajpur during a campaign event for election vehicles. He emphasized that the February 12 election will not be a conventional one but a decisive moment for the nation’s long-term future.

Khan explained that a referendum will be held alongside the election, allowing citizens to vote on proposed reforms. He urged voters who support reforms, parliamentary democracy, and a balanced distribution of power to vote “yes,” while those opposed could vote “no.” He stressed that no one would be forced to vote. The adviser said that 1,400 people had sacrificed their lives and around 30,000 had been injured for these reforms, which the interim government aims to implement.

Referring to a past July uprising, Khan said people were previously denied fair voting opportunities. He assured that the upcoming election would be different, open to all candidates regardless of party, religion, or background.

Venezuela began releasing a large number of political prisoners, including several foreign nationals, last Thursday. The move is being viewed as part of efforts to ease tensions with the United States and establish a new political understanding following the ouster of former leader Nicolás Maduro. The initiative, led by Delcy Rodríguez, marks the first such large-scale release and has received support from U.S. President Donald Trump, who expressed satisfaction with the decision.

According to the report, Trump stated that Rodríguez would be allowed to govern as long as Washington retains access to Venezuelan oil. White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly described the release as an example of the president using his full authority to uphold the rights of both American and Venezuelan people. Jorge Rodríguez, the Venezuelan parliament speaker and brother of Delcy Rodríguez, said the release aims to ensure peaceful coexistence, though he did not specify the number or locations of those freed.

Opposition leader María Corina Machado welcomed the announcement on social media, calling it a sign that injustice cannot last forever and that truth ultimately prevails.