Bangladesh will not reverse its decision to skip the T20 World Cup in India, youth and sports advisor Asif Nazrul had reiterated. “We strongly want to play the World Cup, and we want to do it in Sri Lanka,” he said. That night, Nazrul posted on Facebook that he did not consider it safe for the national team to travel to India for the World Cup. Following this, the information ministry ordered all IPL matches and related programmes to remain off-air in Bangladesh from Jan 5 until further notice. On Thursday, Nazrul reaffirmed that Bangladesh remains keen to play the T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka.

The Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) has questioned whether the interim government rushed the draft Energy and Power Sector Master Plan, warning that it could signal a reversal of Bangladesh’s energy transition and may have been prepared in the interest of specific countries. The think tank shared its initial reaction to the draft Energy and Power Master Plan (2026–2050) at a press conference on Thursday at its Dhanmondi office in Dhaka. In that context, a draft master plan on energy and power has been submitted without our knowledge,” he said. “In the previous master plan, the estimated cost for LNG infrastructure was $3.9 billion. Therefore, it would not be unreasonable to assume that these agreements or countries have influenced the preparation of this draft master plan,” he said.

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Jan 15, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Oman led efforts to talk US President Donald Trump out of an attack on Iran, a senior Saudi official told AFP on Thursday, with another Gulf official confirming the discussions. The Gulf trio "led a long, frantic, diplomatic last-minute effort to convince President Trump to give Iran a chance to show good intention", the Saudi official said on condition of anonymity. The Gulf efforts aimed to "avoid an uncontrollable situation in the region", the Saudi official said. "We told Washington that an attack on Iran would open the way for a series of grave blowbacks in the region," the official added. The second Gulf official said "the message conveyed to Iran has been that an attack on US facilities in the Gulf would have consequences on relations with countries in the region".

Photo: ISPRDhaka, Jan 15, 2026 (BSS)- The certificate award ceremony of the Bangladesh Air Force’s 130th Junior Command and Staff Course (JCSC) was held today at Bangladesh Air Force Base Cox’s Bazar. According to an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) press release, Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Operations) Air Vice Marshal Javed Tanveer Khan attended the ceremony as the chief guest and distributed certificates and trophies among the officers who successfully completed the course. For outstanding performance in the course, Bangladesh Air Force Squadron Leader Sabik N Ahmed was awarded the “Chief of Air Staff’s Trophy.”Addressing the graduating officers, the chief guest delivered a directive speech, providing guidance for their future professional responsibilities. A total of 39 officers from home and abroad participated in the course. Senior officials from Air Headquarters and the host base, instructors and invited guests from Cox’s Bazar were present at the concluding ceremony.

LONDON, Jan 15, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Oil prices extended losses on Thursday after remarks by US President Donald Trump appeared to dial down threats of imminent military action on crude producer Iran. After climbing sharply in recent days, the main US oil contract, WTI, slumped 4.6 percent to $59.18 per barrel, after briefly falling more than five percent. International benchmark Brent North Sea crude fell 4.4 percent to $63.61.

Meeting held at Youth and Sports Ministry to raise awareness ahead of referendumPhoto: PIDDHAKA, Jan 15, 2026 (BSS) - A training and briefing meeting was held today at the Youth and Sports Ministry to raise public awareness ahead of the referendum. The historic July National Charter has been prepared based on recommendations of reform commissions and consensus among political parties. The referendum will be held alongside the next national election to permanently include the Charter in the Constitution. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the Ministry of Cultural Affairs have prepared video clips to campaign for a "Yes" vote. Senior officials of the Youth and Sports Ministry and its affiliated departments attended the meeting, where technical and promotional aspects of the referendum were discussed and necessary guidelines provided.

BCB Director Nazmul Islam has been removed as Finance Committee chief after criticism over controversial remarks about cricketers with the BCB president Aminul islam assuming the role on an interim basis until further notice. At the meeting, the board resolved to relieve Nazmul of his responsibilities as chairman of the Finance Committee, one of the BCB’s most influential standing committees. The development was confirmed to the media by BCB Director and Media Committee Chairman, Amzad Hossain. BCB explains decision to remove NazmulThe Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has stated that after reviewing recent developments and in the broader interests of the organization, the BCB president has decided to relieve Nazmul Islam of his duties as Chairman of the BCB Finance Committee with immediate effect. Until further notice, the BCB president will himself act as the interim chairman of the Finance Committee.

Following the incident, Chhatra Dal leader and coordinator Zafar Ahmed was confined inside the UNO office for several hours amid public outrage. Tensions escalated when protesters confronted Zafar Ahmed, leading to verbal altercations and a scuffle. As the situation intensified, Zafar Ahmed entered the UNO office, reportedly for safety. However, Upazila Jubo Jamaat President Abidur Rahman disputed the allegation, saying Abdus Shahid was not affiliated with any political party. When contacted, Zakiganj Police Station Officer-in-Charge Abdur Razzak said Abdus Shahid had been produced before the court under Section 161 and was granted bail.

To ensure legal protection for participants of the anti-discrimination student movement in July–August 2024, organized for political resistance, the interim government has approved the “July Uprising Protection and Liability Determination Ordinance 2026.”Under this ordinance, individuals involved in any activities organized for “political resistance” between July 1 and August 31, 2024 will be granted immunity from legal liability. This decision was taken on Thursday during a meeting of the Advisory Council, chaired by Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus. The law adviser said: “By political resistance, the ordinance refers to activities organized with the aim of overthrowing the fascist government and restoring democratic governance. Furthermore, no new cases will be filed against them for similar actions conducted for political resistance. Asif Nazrul said, the National Human Rights Commission will determine if a crime was political or personal; acts found personal will face legal proceedings, while those linked to political resistance will grant immunity.

Islami Andolan Bangladesh will retain 50 seats, while the remaining 250 seats have been negotiated among 10 other parties, including Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, as an 11-party alliance finalised its seat-sharing talks. Mamunul Haque later said discussions with Islami Andolan had already taken place and details would be disclosed at the evening press conference. He expressed optimism that the seat announcement would include Islami Andolan. Negotiations over seat sharing between Jamaat and Islami Andolan are continuing, with talks also underway about possible alternative arrangements. Meanwhile, Islami Andolan said in a statement that while some unease has emerged, it is too early to make a final comment on the seat-sharing arrangement.

The International Crimes Tribunal has set January 21 to pass an order on the framing of charges against Sajeeb Wazed Joy, son of deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina, and former state minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak. During the hearing, defence lawyers opposed the three charges brought by the prosecution, claiming that neither Joy nor Palak had any involvement in the alleged offences. Conversely, the prosecution prayed for formal charges to be framed against both Joy and Palak. The three charges allege that, on the instructions of Joy, Palak incited violence through Facebook on the night of July 14, 2024. On December 4, the tribunal took cognisance of the formal charges submitted by the prosecution.

The ambassador also formally invited Bangladesh to participate in the upcoming World Defence Show to be held in Riyadh. Welcoming the Saudi envoy, the home adviser described Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia as close and friendly nations, noting that Saudi Arabia holds a special place in the hearts of the Bangladeshi people as the holy land of Islam and as a second home to more than 3.2 million Bangladeshi expatriate workers. He emphasized the significant contribution of expatriates to Bangladesh’s economy and urged Saudi Arabia to recruit more manpower from Bangladesh, expressing optimism that this would further deepen bilateral ties. On national election preparations, the adviser stated that while the Election Commission bears primary responsibility for conducting the polls, the Ministry of Home Affairs is tasked with maintaining law and order and is fully prepared. The home adviser expressed his inability to attend the show due to Bangladesh’s 13th national election on 12 February 2026, but confirmed that a suitable representative would be sent.

Inqilab Mancha has announced a nationwide protest and brief rallies on Friday, demanding justice for its slain spokesman, Sharif Osman Bin Hadi. The protest march and rallies will be held after Jumma prayers, the platform said in a Facebook post on Thursday evening. Osman Hadi, who was also a prospective candidate for the Dhaka-8 constituency, was shot in the head on December 12 while travelling in a rickshaw on Culvert Road in Puratan Paltan. He was later airlifted to Singapore for advanced treatment, where he succumbed to his injuries on the night of December 18. On December 20, he was laid to rest beside the grave of national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam at Dhaka University.

Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) Chairman Jalal Ahmed on Thursday said the commission was working to ease import and supply of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in the country to offset the ongoing crisis. He said BERC was also working to minimize consumers’ sufferings involving LPG, as the import of the crucial fuel and its distribution in Bangladesh was operated by the private sector. Ahmed said Bangladesh in 2022 imported 1.29 million tones of LPG, 1.28 million tonnes in 2023, while the volume was 1.61 million tonnes in 2024 and 1.465 million tonnes in 2025. He said the import volume of LPG had declined in the last year. Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) President AHM Shofiquzzaman said he believed there should be no import duty on a daily commodity like LPG.

BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman on Thursday evening entered the state guest house Jamuna with his family to pay a courtesy call on Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus. This will be the first formal meeting between Prof Yunus and Tarique Rahman in Bangladesh since the latter’s return home. The two last met in person on June 13 last year in London during Prof Yunus’ visit to the UK. Upon arrival at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, he spoke with Prof Yunus over the phone while waiting at the VIP lounge. Tarique Rahman was elected BNP chairman on January 9 through a unanimous decision of the party’s highest policymaking body, the National Standing Committee.