Bangladesh’s Law Adviser Dr. Asif Nazrul announced that the July Uprising Protection and Indemnity Determination Act has been approved. He made the statement on Thursday, January 15, 2026, during a press conference at the Foreign Service Academy auditorium. Nazrul said that any criminal cases related to political resistance during July and August will be withdrawn by the government, and no new cases will be filed. Authorities are also reviewing whether any cases exist against participants in the July uprising.

Earlier, on January 8, Nazrul had posted on Facebook that the draft of the indemnity ordinance had been finalized. He explained that the initiative aims to protect the heroes of the July revolution from associates of the former fascist government and to recognize their resistance activities. He argued that such legislation is lawful and internationally recognized, citing examples from the Arab Spring and other revolutions.

Nazrul further stated that Article 46 of the Bangladesh Constitution provides clear legitimacy for indemnity laws, recalling that a similar law was enacted in 1973 to protect freedom fighters after the Liberation War.

A Dhaka court has directed the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to carry out further investigation into the murder case of Inkilab Moncho spokesperson Shahid Sharif Osman Bin Hadi and to submit its report by January 20. The order was issued on Thursday, January 15, by Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Joshita Islam. According to DMP Prosecution Division DC Mia Mohammad Ashis Bin Hasan, the court instructed CID to re-investigate and file the report within the specified deadline.

Earlier, on January 6, the Detective Branch (DB) police submitted a charge sheet naming 17 accused in the case. However, Inkilab Moncho expressed dissatisfaction with the DB’s report. During Monday’s hearing, Abdullah Al Jaber requested two additional days to review the charge sheet, which the court granted, setting Thursday for its acceptance.

On the same day, the complainant filed a petition expressing discontent with the DB’s charge sheet. Advocate Mostafizur Rahman Mukul represented the complainant during the hearing.

Police in Dhaka’s Badda area have arrested four individuals in connection with the murder of Nazmul Haque Niaz, who was killed in his home between 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. on December 29, 2025. The suspects—Sifat Hossain (21), Sakib Al Hasan (19), Rayan (20), and Nayon Pramanik (21)—were detained in separate operations in Gazipur and Moghbazar on January 14, 2026. Authorities recovered a television, a mobile phone, and clothing used during the crime.

According to Badda police, Niaz first met a man named Alif through a banned gay app, who later introduced him to Sifat and Sakib. The suspects reportedly visited Niaz’s home multiple times, used drugs, and developed a physical relationship. When they needed money for personal expenses, they planned to extort Niaz. On December 29, they bought a knife, and Sifat fatally attacked Niaz after he became semi-conscious. The group then fled with two Samsung phones, a television, and a wallet.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s media division confirmed the arrests and recovery of evidence following the investigation.

A 4.2-magnitude earthquake struck southern Israel on Thursday morning, with tremors felt across the central and northern regions. The quake occurred around 9 a.m. local time, prompting authorities to issue an alert for the Dead Sea area. According to officials and residents, the shaking was noticeable in several parts of central Israel, though no injuries or property damage were reported.

The Home Front Command confirmed that its automatic alert system was activated following the quake, leading to precautionary warnings in parts of the Dead Sea region. The incident was reported by local media outlets including the Times of Israel and Ynet News.

Authorities have not indicated any further risk, but the alert remains in effect for the Dead Sea area as a safety measure.

Bangladesh’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has uncovered a major racket involved in stealing and selling confidential national identity (NID) data. Two Election Commission employees—a computer operator and a data entry operator—were arrested in Dhaka on January 14 and 15, 2026. They allegedly used secret login credentials to access and sell sensitive citizen information through social media, earning over ten million taka monthly.

Investigators found that data entry operator Md Alamin shared his high-level access ID and password with computer operator Md Habibullah in exchange for weekly payments. Habibullah then sold NID records online for 200 to 300 taka each. An internal Election Commission probe revealed that 112,150 NID records were accessed in one week and 365,608 in a month, generating an estimated 110 million taka. The suspects admitted to using OTP transfers to enter the main server and selling data for profit.

A case has been filed under the Cyber Security Act and the National Identity Registration Act at Paltan Model Police Station. CID’s Cyber Police Center is currently investigating the case.

A Venezuelan man was shot and killed by a federal immigration officer in Minneapolis on Wednesday, according to city officials who confirmed the incident and urged residents to remain calm. The shooting occurred just a week after another fatal encounter involving federal agents and a U.S. woman, reigniting public tension in the city.

Officials from Minneapolis stated on social media that they understood the public’s anger and concern, while again calling for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to leave the city and state. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed the shooting, saying the Venezuelan man, described as an undocumented immigrant, was targeted during a traffic stop and allegedly resisted arrest. TRT World reported that two individuals from a nearby apartment attacked an officer with a snow shovel and broom handle during the incident.

DHS said the officer fired a defensive shot to protect his life, hitting the man in the leg; he later died. Several elected officials from Minneapolis and Minnesota condemned the actions of ICE and other federal agents under DHS following the incident.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has proposed that both general and postal votes be conducted using the same ballot paper in the upcoming national election and referendum. The proposal was presented on Thursday, January 15, 2026, following a meeting between BNP leaders and Chief Election Commissioner A M M Nasir Uddin. BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed led the delegation, which included party advisers and legal experts.

During the meeting, BNP raised several legal and code-of-conduct issues and expressed concerns about irregularities in the distribution of postal ballots sent to expatriates. Salahuddin Ahmed said that videos circulating on social media show large numbers of postal ballots being found or seized in different locations, suggesting possible irregularities. He noted that this is the first time expatriate voting is being implemented and called for explanations from those responsible for preparing and sending the ballots.

BNP also alleged that actions appeared to favor a particular political party and urged the Election Commission and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to clarify how ballots were distributed and to address the reported irregularities.

The Shaheed Osman Hadi Memorial Night Mini-Bar Football Tournament 2026 was inaugurated in Sreemangal, Moulvibazar. The event took place at Bhimshi Babur Bazar playground in the 2 No. Bhunbir Union, organized by Samaj Kalyan Sangstha Bhunbir with support from Kripamoyee Jubo Sangha. The formal inauguration was announced at 8 p.m. on Wednesday by M. Idris Ali, a member of the Upazila BNP convening committee.

In his opening remarks, Idris Ali emphasized that sports help youth stay away from drugs, terrorism, and crime, fostering a healthy and united society. He said such events in memory of martyrs inspire patriotism, discipline, and harmony among the younger generation and urged continuation of similar initiatives. The knockout-format tournament features 32 inter-district teams.

In the opening match, Islambur Ekata Jubo Sangha of Chunarughat defeated Young Brothers Sporting Club of Saif Tea Garden 4–3 in a tiebreaker after a goalless draw. Player Iman, wearing jersey number 10 for Islambur Ekata Jubo Sangha, was named Man of the Match. The event also featured speeches from local leaders and community representatives.

Newly appointed United States Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent Christensen presented his credentials to President Md. Shahabuddin on Thursday at Bangabhaban. The formal ceremony marked the beginning of Christensen’s tenure as the US residential ambassador in Dhaka.

President Shahabuddin welcomed the new envoy and expressed hope that bilateral relations between Bangladesh and the United States would strengthen further in the areas of trade, investment, education, and culture. Ambassador Christensen pledged to make every effort to deepen and broaden the partnership between the two nations, emphasizing a commitment to making the relationship more productive and multidimensional.

The ambassador also sought the President’s full cooperation in carrying out his diplomatic responsibilities during his tenure in Bangladesh.

The Bangladesh government will formulate a strategy in response to the recent cancellation of US immigrant visas, according to Syeda Rizwana Hasan, adviser to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Speaking to reporters at the Secretariat on Thursday afternoon, she said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the national security adviser would work together to develop an action plan to address the issue with the United States.

Hasan explained that the announcement of the visa cancellation had just been made, and the government would now begin discussions on the matter. She noted that Bangladesh is among 75 countries affected by the US decision, which targets nations from where large numbers of immigrants seek political asylum or become dependent on social services abroad. She emphasized that the decision was made by the US government and that Bangladesh would assess its position and next steps.

The adviser added that the government learned of the decision only the previous day and would engage in talks to determine an appropriate course of action.

Rashed Pradhan, vice president and spokesperson of the National Democratic Party (JAGPA), announced that he will not participate in the upcoming parliamentary election despite his party being part of an 11-party alliance that includes Jamaat-e-Islami. He made the announcement on Thursday afternoon, January 15, 2026, through a post on his official Facebook page.

In his post, Pradhan stated that his decision was made in the interest of maintaining greater unity within the alliance. He called on leaders and supporters of Jamaat-e-Islami, Islami Andolan, and other allied parties to avoid unwanted behavior or language toward one another. He also mentioned that he would campaign in favor of the alliance’s candidates and support the “Yes” vote in the referendum.

Pradhan urged his supporters not to be disheartened by his withdrawal, emphasizing that collective understanding and unity were more important than individual participation. He concluded his message with a prayer for the success of the alliance’s efforts for the country’s welfare.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has officially relieved director M Nazmul Islam of his duties. In a formal statement issued on January 15, 2026, the board said the decision was made in the interest of the organization following recent events. The BCB clarified that the move did not violate any clause of its constitution, citing Article 31 as the basis for the removal. BCB President Aminul Islam Bulbul will temporarily take charge of the board’s finance committee.

The statement emphasized that the board remains committed to upholding the dignity and respect of its players. It also expressed hope that, following this decision, cricketers would soon return to the field to participate in Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) matches.

The announcement comes amid reports of player boycotts that led to delays in scheduled matches, though the BCB did not directly link the removal to those incidents.

Abdullah Al Jaber, member secretary of the political-cultural platform Inquilab Moncho, has filed a no-confidence petition against the charge sheet submitted by the Detective Branch (DB) police in the murder case of the platform’s spokesperson, Shaheed Sharif Osman Bin Hadi. The petition was filed on Thursday, January 15, 2026, at the court of Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Jashita Islam in Dhaka through lawyer Mostafizur Rahman Mukul. The court accepted the petition and kept its order pending.

According to the plaintiff’s lawyer, the DB’s charge sheet failed to establish links between the alleged planners and the shooters, and did not reflect the scale of planning behind Hadi’s killing. The lawyer argued that the inclusion of a ward councillor as a suspect was insufficient and that the investigation overlooked key conspirators. The charge sheet, submitted on January 6 by DB Inspector Faisal Ahmed, named 17 accused, including six fugitives and eleven in custody.

The case stems from the December 12 shooting of Hadi in Dhaka’s Paltan area. He later died on December 18 in Singapore after being transferred for advanced treatment. The court will decide on the petition after reviewing the charge sheet’s admissibility.

Students from seven major government colleges in Dhaka blocked the Science Lab and Mirpur Technical intersections on January 15, 2026, demanding the issuance of the Dhaka Central University ordinance. The blockade began around 12:40 p.m., halting traffic across Mirpur Road and surrounding areas. Buses, private cars, and rickshaws were stuck in long queues, causing severe disruption to daily movement. Commuters faced hours-long delays, with many forced to walk to their destinations as transport fares surged.

Participants from Dhaka College, Eden Mohila College, Begum Badrunnesa Government Women’s College, Government Shaheed Suhrawardy College, Kabi Nazrul Government College, Government Bangla College, and Government Titumir College joined the protest. They said prolonged academic complications had gone unresolved, prompting renewed demonstrations. The Education Ministry stated that a revised draft of the ordinance had been sent for approval but gave no timeline, fueling student frustration.

The traffic police deployed extra personnel and diverted vehicles through alternate routes, but full normalcy could not be restored. The movement stems from long-standing academic delays since the colleges were affiliated with Dhaka University in 2017.

A new controversy erupted on the opening day of the Dhaka phase of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) after Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) director M Nazmul Islam made contentious remarks about players. In response, the cricketers demanded his resignation and announced a boycott of matches. Following a meeting at a five-star hotel in Dhaka, the players confirmed they had not withdrawn from their boycott decision. The Cricketers’ Welfare Association of Bangladesh (COAB) president Mohammad Mithun said the players had taken the decision out of helplessness and compulsion.

When asked whether players would receive compensation if they missed the World Cup, Nazmul Islam replied that no compensation is sought from players for poor performance and added that without the board, there would be no cricketers. The players reiterated at a press conference that they remained firm in their stance, emphasizing their willingness to play only if their demands were met.

Later, Nazmul Islam was relieved of all his responsibilities, and Bulbul was assigned to lead the finance committee, signaling a possible step toward resolving the dispute.