Govt employees have no bar to campaign for ‘Yes’ vote: Ali RiazSpecial Assistant to the Chief Adviser Professor Ali Riaz spoke as the chief guest at a divisional meeting in Mymensingh aimed at promoting the referendum and motivating voters. “The campaigning for a ‘yes’ vote is not only permissible but also a moral responsibility of the government employees,” he said. Noting widespread public distrust in voting, Prof Riaz said the referendum would be a new experience for many citizens. He dismissed claims that a ‘yes’ vote would remove religious phrases from the constitution as deliberate misinformation and urged government employees to counter such rumors with accurate information. He called on government employees to inspire citizens to vote ‘yes’ to uphold the spirit of the July Uprising and continue Bangladesh’s democratic journey.

"The three-year membership term shall not apply to Member States thatcontribute more than USD $1,000,000,000 in cash funds to the Board of Peacewithin the first year of the Charter's entry into force." Membership of the board would be "limited to States invited to participate bythe Chairman," according to the draft charter. Trump would have the power to remove member states from the board, subject toa veto by two-third of members, and choose his replacement should he leavehis role as chairman. The "Board of Peace" began to take shape on Saturday when the leaders ofEgypt, Turkey, Argentina and Canada were asked to join. Trump also named as members Secretary of State Marco Rubio, former Britishprime minister Tony Blair, senior negotiator Steve Witkoff and his son-in-lawJared Kushner.

Govt asks to deposit all licensed firearms to nearest thana by Jan 31DHAKA, Jan 19, 2026 (BSS)- Home Ministry has directed all licensed firearm holders across the country to deposit their weapons and ammunition at the nearest police station or authorized dealer by January 31 next ahead of the 13th national election and referendum scheduled for February 12. The directive was issued today under Section 26 of the Arms Act, 1878 to ensure a free, fair, and peaceful election. During this period, all licensed firearms and ammunition must be deposited at police stations near the permanent or present addresses of arms holders. The government warned that strict legal action will be taken against anyone violating the order under relevant provisions of the Arms Act, 1878. Officials said the measure aims to maintain public safety and prevent the misuse of firearms during the election period.

GENEVA, Jan 19, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - The humanitarian crisis in Yemen is set toget much worse in 2026 as food insecurity increases and international aidevaporates, the United Nations warned on Monday. Julien Harneis, the UN resident and humanitarian coordinator for Yemen, saidhe feared the calamitous situation would go under the radar until the deathtoll mounts. Last year, 19.5 million people in the country needed humanitarian aid -- andthe UN's response plan for the country was only 28-percent financed, at $688million. "We are expecting things to be much worse in 2026," said Harneis, pointingout that 21 million Yemenis were in need and aid was drying up. He said Yemenis would be "very vulnerable to epidemics" this year, warning:"A humanitarian crisis in Yemen is a risk to the Arabian Peninsula.

Photo: CollectedJOHANNESBURG, Jan 19, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - A minibus carrying students to school collided with a truck south of Johannesburg on Monday, killing 13 pupils, South African police said. The crash happened near the industrial city of Vanderbijlpark, about 60 kilometres (40 miles) south of Johannesburg. Many South African parents have to rely on private minibuses to get their children to school because of limited public transportation. At least five students were killed and eight others injured in September when a school minibus ploughed into a creche in a KwaZulu-Natal township. More than 11,400 lives were lost on South African roads in 2025, according to the latest data from the transport ministry.

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File PhotoBy Naser UddinDHAKA, Jan 19, 2026 (BSS) - Demand for various types of fruits produced in Bangladesh is increasing overseas, a trend reflected in export earnings. If farmers can be provided with more training on sanitation, demand for Bangladeshi agricultural products will increase further. Moreover, Bangladeshi agricultural products have strong demand in markets such as the United Arab Emirates, Belgium, Malaysia, the United States, and the United Kingdom. In the last fiscal year, exports to these countries amounted to USD 74 million, USD 70 million, USD 51 million, USD 41 million, and USD 48 million, respectively. Export market analysis further shows that demand for Bangladeshi agricultural products is also increasing in Oman, the Philippines, Qatar, China, and Canada.

File PhotoDHAKA, Jan 19, 2026 (BSS) - Land Adviser Ali Imam Majumdar today urged the land owners to pay land development tax regularly and voluntarily saying this tax is one of the state’s most important and reliable sources of revenue. Majumdar was speaking as the chief guest at a workshop on “Determining measures for collection of land development tax” at the conference room of Bhumi Bhaban in the capital. The adviser said that proper collection of land development tax strengthens the national economy and plays an important role in implementing development plans. He said with the introduction of digital land services, the rate of land development tax payment has been increasing steadily every year. “Although there were some technical issues in the online system in the initial stages, it is now possible to pay land development tax entirely online.

DHAKA, Jan 19, 2026 (BSS)— In a bid to return to winning ways, Bangladesh Under-19 will take on New Zealand on Tuesday in their second match of the ICC Under-19 World Cup at Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. The 2020 edition champions Bangladesh suffered an 18-run defeat against India in their opening match, via DLS method. Bangladesh was initially set a revised target of 239 in 49 overs due to rain interruptions. The Bangladesh youngsters reached 90 for 2 in 17.2 overs before rain halted play again. Putting the disappointment of that loss behind them, Bangladesh is now fully focused on their clash against New Zealand as they look to revive their campaign.

Photo: CA's Press WingDHAKA, Jan 19, 2026 (BSS) - Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus today sought cooperation from all political parties to hold the forthcoming general elections in a free, fair and festive manner. "It is the responsibility of all of us - the government, the Election Commission, and political parties - to ensure that this year's elections are held in a fair and festive atmosphere. I seek cooperation of all political parties in this regard," he said. "We are trying to explain to the people why it is necessary to vote 'Yes' in the referendum and what will happen if they vote 'Yes'. We have also called upon all political parties in this regard," he added.

GENEVA, Jan 19, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Iran appears to be using executions "as atool of state intimidation", the United Nations said Monday, as it denounceda jump in capital punishment globally in 2025. "The scale and pace of executions suggest a systematic use of capitalpunishment as a tool of state intimidation, with disproportionate impact onethnic minorities and migrants," he warned. While the overall global trend continues to move towards universal abolitionof the death penalty, Iran and a handful of other states such as Saudi Arabiaand the United States saw executions surge. "This is not only incompatible with international law, but also ineffectivein deterring crime," Turk insisted. It also highlighted the ongoing public executions in Afghanistan, "in breachof international law".

However, Neesham has taken leave from the national squad following a request from Rajshahi Warriors head coach Hannan Sarkar. The first T20I between New Zealand and India will be played on January 21, while the BPL final is set for January 23. If Rajshahi qualify for the final, Neesham will miss the first two matches of the India series. “Let me start by saying that even though he is a national team player, Neesham will stay with Rajshahi Warriors until the end of the BPL,” Hannan said. He told me that if Rajshahi reach the final, he will return to the national team immediately after playing that match.”

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JYD Deadline: JYD Investors with Losses in Excess of $100K Have Opportunity to Lead Jayud Global Logistics Ltd. Securities Fraud Lawsuit

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