Shipping Adviser M Sakhawat Hussain has warned that failure to secure proper public participation in the upcoming referendum on proposed reforms could see Bangladesh revert to its previous system of governance. The referendum, set to take place alongside the general election on Feb 12, is intended to implement reforms recommended by several reform commissions under the July National Charter. Speaking at the event, Sakhawat questioned whether the promised reforms, particularly constitutional changes, were being adequately pursued. He also raised doubts about the political commitment of major parties to reform, saying their positions remain unclear. “What is the mindset of our political parties?

BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia ‍and UN Secretary General António Guterres. Photo collage : BSSDHAKA, Jan 7, 2026 (BSS) – UN Secretary General António Guterres has expressed profound shock and sorrow at the death of three-time former Prime Minister of Bangladesh and BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia. “I was saddened to learn of the passing of Her Excellency Begum Khaleda Zia, former Prime Minister of the People's Republic of Bangladesh,” the UN Secretary General wrote to Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus in a message dated on January 2. Begum Khaleda Zia, widely regarded as an uncompromising leader for democracy in Bangladesh, breathed her last on December 30 last year at the age of 80 while undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital in the city. She was laid to eternal rest with full state honour beside her husband Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman's grave at Zia Udyan in the capital on December 31.

LAS VEGAS, Jan 7, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Lenovo, the world's top PC maker, unveiled its own AI assistant Tuesday at the CES tech show in Las Vegas, promising a tool that follows users seamlessly across laptops, smartphones and connected devices. Codenamed the AI Perceptive Companion, the pendant features a microphone and camera and "sees what you see and hears what your hear," Lenovo vice president Luca Rossi told reporters. Lenovo stressed it is not positioning Qira as a rival to Microsoft's Copilot and announced the integration of Copilot into Motorola smartphones. For major hardware makers, the challenge now is proving the utility of generative AI in everyday applications rather than simply flaunting cutting-edge tech. Amid lingering geopolitical tensions with Washington, Lenovo was the only Chinese firm to take center stage at CES, choosing Las Vegas's futuristic Sphere venue for its showcase.

Jubo Dal distributes 850 blankets in Gurudaspur after prayers for Begum Khaleda Zia helping cold-hit people. The distribution programme was organized by the local Union Jubo Dal at Nazirpur High School ground around 11:00 am. District Jubo Dal President A. Hai Talukder Dalim attended the programme as the chief guest. Upazila Jatiyatabadi Ulama Dal President Md. Nazirpur Union Jubo Dal Convener Saleh Ahmed Bipul and Joint Convener Masud Tiger also addressed the gathering, highlighting the importance of standing beside disadvantaged people during the winter season

A gas cylinder trader was hacked to death by assailants over a previous enmity in Kadamtali of the capital, Dhaka. The victim, identified as Shahab Uddin, 40, was critically injured in the attack around 10pm on Tuesday in the Kudar Bazar Adarsha area. He was rescued and taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where the on-duty physician declared him dead at around 11:30pm. Although Shahab Uddin was rushed to the hospital, he later succumbed to his injuries. Police said Shahab Uddin was involved in the gas cylinder business and that the incident is under investigation.

England youngster Jacob Bethell cracked a maiden century Wednesday in the fifth Ashes test against Australia to cement himself as a star of the future. His unbeaten 142-off-232 helped England to take a 119-run lead at the end of Day 4 with only two wickets left in the second innings. Bethell, 22, powered to his hundred in style off 162 balls in Sydney, raising his bat towards his emotional family in the stands. Remarkably, it was not just a maiden test ton but the only one he has scored in red-ball cricket, with his previous best 96 against New Zealand. Bethell was recalled for the fourth test in Melbourne to replace Pope, scoring a gritty 40 in difficult batting conditions with the No 3 position now his to lose.

We must heed the Bangladesh Power Development Board’s warning that our energy security rests on fragile ground and the risk of supply disruption looms large. As such, it is imperative that we do everything possible to ensure the lights remain on. It is not just essential services - from everyday refrigeration to vital healthcare - that are compromised when we face power shortage. The social and economic costs of unreliable power are far greater than the immediate inconvenience of outages, and that is what must be kept in mind as we move forward to address this issue. While there is no questioning the progress we have made in electrification, ensuring households remain powered is non-negotiable.

— Daniel D., via emailDaniel, I agree, and I think many of my readers do as well. — Pete S., in San AntonioPete, so many times, I’ve warned readers about washing blood stains in cold water because hot water will set the stain. Recently, we replaced our dishwasher, and a tip in the handbook was to turn on the hot water before starting the washer, which makes sense. After blaming the dishwasher, I started thinking about this problem and made a decision not to use rinse aid. I now use one soap pod in the bottom of the washer and one in the pod dispenser.

The United States has expanded a visa bond policy to include Bangladesh and 24 other countries, requiring citizens of these nations to post refundable bonds of up to $15,000 as part of their application for a US visitor visa, according to the US State Department website. In addition to Bangladesh, the expanded roster includes nations such as Algeria, Cuba, Nepal, Nigeria and Venezuela. US officials say the bond requirement is intended to discourage visitors from overstaying their visas. However, the policy has drawn criticism for potentially making travel to the US unaffordable for many applicants from developing countries. Although paying a bond does not guarantee a visa, applicants who are denied or who comply with visa terms can receive refunds.

A Dhaka court on Wednesday showed dismissed former National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre (NTMC) director general Major General Ziaul Ahsan arrested in a corruption case over allegations of amassing wealth disproportionate to his known sources of income. Barrister Asifur Rahman, counsel for Ziaul Ahsan, said although a power of attorney was submitted on his behalf on the day, no bail application was filed. Following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led government, Ziaul Ahsan was arrested from the capital’s Khilkhet area late at night on August 15, 2024. The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the case on January 23, with Deputy Director Md Salauddin naming Ziaul Ahsan and his wife, Nusrat Jahan, as accused. The charges include acquiring assets worth Tk22.28 crore inconsistent with known sources of income.

A High Court bench on Wednesday expressed its inability to hear a writ petition challenging the validity of holding the parliamentary election and a referendum on the same day. The bench, comprising Justice Ahmed Sohel and Justice Fatema Anwar, made the observation during the hearing. Writ petitioner and Supreme Court lawyer Yunus Ali Akand was present in court. Earlier, Yunus Ali Akand had filed the writ petition challenging the notification issued on December 11 scheduling the parliamentary election and referendum on the same day. The petition seeks suspension of the notification, directions to form a caretaker government, and the announcement of a fresh election schedule.

Following his return to Bangladesh, BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman will visit nine districts in the northern region on his first trip outside the capital. The visit will allow Tarique Rahman to directly engage with local leaders, identify organizational weaknesses, and provide hands-on guidance on election-focused strategies. Tarique Rahman has personal political ties to the north, especially his home district of Bogra, where his active political career began. Abu Saeed, the first martyr, was killed in Rangpur, and Tarique Rahman will pay respects at his grave during the tour. Paying respects to martyrs and meeting injured activists are key objectives of this visit.”Atiqur Rahman, a member of BNP’s media cell, added: “From January 11, Tarique Rahman will tour several northern districts.

Algeria began on the front foot, enjoying early territory and possession, but struggled to create clear openings against a well-organised Congolese defence. Algeria responded before the interval when Ibrahim Maza surged forward on the break, but his low effort slipped inches wide of the target. The second half followed a similar pattern, with Algeria probing and DR Congo threatening sporadically. His moment of quality in the dying minutes finally broke Congolese resistance and sparked celebrations among the Algerian players and supporters. Algeria now advance to a quarter-final showdown against Nigeria in Marrakesh, as their bid for a second AFCON title in six years gathers momentum.

Bangladesh and Uruguay today signed a Memorandum of Understanding at the State Guest House Padma, Dhaka. Photo : CollectedDHAKA, Jan 7, 2026 (BSS)- Bangladesh and Uruguay today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to institutionalise regular and structured bilateral political consultations, marking a significant step toward deepening diplomatic engagement between the two countries. The MoU was signed after the first-ever bilateral political consultations between the two countries, established diplomatic relations in 1972. Bangladesh briefed Uruguay on the Rohingya humanitarian situation and sought its continued support. Both sides agreed to maintain close engagement, hold the next round of consultations at a mutually convenient time, and promote high-level exchanges to further strengthen bilateral relations.

Moeen Ali Jay Shah Mustafizur Rahman. Image Credits: XThe ongoing India–Bangladesh drama is growing bigger with each passing day, and Mustafizur Rahman’s snub has only added fuel to the fire. Adding fuel to this, English all-rounder Moeen Ali slammed the move as a global crisis. Mustafizur Rahman pays the price despite doing nothing wrongAs the world has been vocal about the issue, Moeen Ali extended his support to Mustafizur Rahman. Moeen Ali condemns Jay Shah's ICCThe India-Bangladesh turmoil emerged as a big issue in the cricket world.