The Chief Adviser made the remarks as several regional leaders met him after joining the funeral process of three-time former Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia on Wednesday. Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Foreign Minister of Bhutan D.N. Of them, Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and Nepal's Foreign Minister Bala Nanda Sharma met the Chief Adviser on Wednesday, Shafiqul Alam said. "The SAARC spirit is alive and well. He added that they told Professor Yunus that they had never witnessed such a massive funeral while they praised the way it was conducted with discipline.

Symbolic PhotoDHAKA, Jan 1, 2026 (BSS) - The government has reduced the prices of all types of fuel oil by Taka 2 per litter. A press release issued today by the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources said that fuel oil prices at the consumer level are fixed every month through an automatic pricing mechanism in line with fluctuations in the global market. Accordingly, following the revised pricing formula, fuel prices for January have been readjusted at comparatively affordable rates to ensure smooth supply. Under the new rates, the price of diesel has been reduced by Taka 2 from Tk 104.00 to Taka 102.00 per litter, while octane by Taka 2 from Tk 124.00 to Taka 122.00 per litter, petrol by Taka 2 from Taka 120.00 to Taka 118.00 per litter, and kerosene by Taka 2 from Taka 116.00 to Taka 114.00 per litter. The revised prices will come into effect from January 1, added the release.

Sanjay Chisim and Faisal Karim Masud, who were arrested in connection with the murder of Inqilab Moncho leader Sharif Osman bin Hadi, have provided statements in court “confessing to their guilt”. They agreed to give their statements following the end of a three-day interrogation under police custody. Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Jamshed Alam recorded these depositions on Thursday. Prosecution police Sub-Inspector Roknuzzaman said they were subsequently sent to prison.

The metro rail accident that killed a pedestrian on October 26 was caused by a faulty design and the use of substandard bearing pads, Road Transport and Bridges Ministry Adviser Fouzul Kabir Khan said on Thursday. He said preliminary findings showed that the hardness, compression set and neoprene content of the displaced bearing pad did not meet standard specifications, although further testing at overseas laboratories is required for confirmation. The bearing pad was also installed at a slight slope of 0.8%, which may have contributed to its displacement, the adviser added. It further recommended establishing a robust structural health monitoring system, strengthening the metro rail authority’s technical capacity, and ensuring effective technology transfer from foreign consultants to local experts. On October 26, Abul Kalam Azad, was killed when a bearing pad fell from a metro rail pillar near Farmgate station in Dhaka.

DHAKA, Jan 1, 2026 (BSS)—Afghanistan all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai made an instant impact with a brilliant performance in his Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) debut as Sylhet Titans pulled off a six-run victory over Dhaka Capitals for their second victory in the tournament at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium today. Omarzai firstly hammered a 24 ball-50 not out to steer Sylhet to a challenging 173-5 before taking 3-40 in his four overs to significantly damage Dhaka Capitals. A six could have sent the game to the Super Over but Amir baffled Shamim to bowl a dot, ensuring Sylhet’s victory. Omarzai then ripped through Dhaka batting line up, ably supported by left-arm spinner Nasum Ahmed who took 2-26. However, Mohammad Amir used his vast experience to deny Patwari and Dhaka at the end.

Farmers said the bright mustard fields not only enhance the rural landscape but also promise good returns, making the crop increasingly popular. As a short-duration crop, mustard is being widely cultivated on land that otherwise remains fallow after the harvest of Boro paddy. Another farmer, Aynal Hossain from the Fulhari area of Shailkupa upazila, said mustard cultivation improves soil fertility while providing additional income. Deputy Director of DAE Md Kamruzzaman said farmers cultivated mustard on almost all available land this season and received good yields. “We hope mustard cultivation will increase further in the coming season,” he said.

Zelensky says Russia 'brings war into the New Year' with fresh strikes on UkraineUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Photo: CollectedKYIV, Ukraine, Jan 1, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday said Russia was carrying the near four-year war "into the New Year" with more than 200 drones fired at Ukraine, mainly targeting energy infrastructure. "Russia deliberately brings war into the New Year -- launching more than two hundred attack drones against Ukraine overnight," Zelensky said on social media, adding that the "targets were our energy infrastructure."

Photo: BSSSATKHIRA, Jan 1, 2026 (BSS) - A two-month ban on crab harvesting in the rivers and canals of the Sundarbans Satkhira Range came into effect today, as the crab breeding season has begun. Burigoalini Forest Station Officer (SO) Md Ziaur Rahman said the government has imposed a two-month ban on crab harvesting to enhance crab breeding in the rivers of the Sundarbans. Mentioning the various species of crabs are found in the rivers under the Sundarbans Satkhira Range, he said in this breeding period crabs migrate in large numbers from the sea into the rivers to lay eggs. Md Fazlul Haque, Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) of the Sundarbans Satkhira Range, said crabs are one of the key earners of foreign currency. He said all preparations have been completed by the Forest Department to enhance crab breeding.

Russia says at least 20 killed in Ukrainian drone strikeCollected photoMOSCOW, Jan 1, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - A Ukrainian drone attack on a Russian-held part of Ukraine's southern Kherson region has killed at least 20 people, a Moscow-installed governor and Russian authorities said Thursday. "Three UAVs struck a cafe and hotel on the Black Sea coast in Khorly. According to preliminary reports, more than 50 people were injured, and 24 people were killed," Vladimir Saldo, a governor of the Russian-occupied part of the Kherson region, said on Telegram. Russia's Investigative Committee said it had opened a probe into the attack which had "killed more than 20 people and injured many more."

Trading volume was active, with 11,80,15,162 shares and mutual fund units traded throughout the day. The list of top gainers was led by Apex Spinning, followed by Rupali Bank, EBL 1st Mutual Fund, and Saiham Tex. Other companies that saw significant price hikes included Monospool Paper, Desh Garments, NCCBL 1st Mutual Fund, Orion Infusion, NRBC Bank, and Uttara Bank. Conversely, the top losers of the day were Aramit Ltd, Tun Hai Ind., Noorani Dyeing, and several mutual funds, including IFIC 1st MF and 1st Janata MF. Other stocks facing declines included FBFIF, Phoenix Finance, City General Insurance, DBH 1st MF, and BD Thai Foods Ltd.

× Expand Adobe stock image A festive 2026 new years eve celebration design featuring a golden clock and sparkling confetti, isolated on white backgroundIt’s great to look back and reflect over the past year and review successes, accomplishments and opportunities for improvement. But it’s also important to look forward and plan for the future. We here at the Hoover Sun hope that your 2025 was productive and fruitful, but we also want to wish each of you a blessed 2026 as we all look for ways to make our community a better place to live, work, play and worship. May 2026 be a great year for you all!

State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington Washington D.C. West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Puerto Rico US Virgin Islands Armed Forces Americas Armed Forces Pacific Armed Forces Europe Northern Mariana Islands Marshall Islands American Samoa Federated States of Micronesia Guam Palau Alberta, Canada British Columbia, Canada Manitoba, Canada New Brunswick, Canada Newfoundland, Canada Nova Scotia, Canada Northwest Territories, Canada Nunavut, Canada Ontario, Canada Prince Edward Island, Canada Quebec, Canada Saskatchewan, Canada Yukon Territory, CanadaZip Code

SUNAMGANJ, Jan 1, 2026 (BSS) - The district administration on Thursday recovered government khas land worth around Taka 10 crore in the Launchghat area, one of the most important locations in Sunamganj district town, by demolishing illegal structures built on it. According to officials, about 31 decimal of the government-owned Khas Khatian land in the Launchghat area had been occupied illegally for a long time. The operation was led by Sadar Upazila Assistant Commissioner (Land) Aditya Pal. Sadar Upazila Assistant Commissioner (Land) Aditya Pal told BSS that the recovery of this valuable government land in the heart of the town was achieved after a prolonged effort. Additional Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) Samar Kumar Pal also confirmed that the land had been recovered and said those responsible for illegal tree felling would face legal consequences.

The launch of the National Equipment Identification Register (NEIR) has been met with attack and vandalism at the BTRC office in Agargaon. The service was kicked off as part of mandatory mobile handset registration on Thursday. In protest, mobile traders resorted to violence in the afternoon as police struggled to control the sudden unrest, with bricks and stones reportedly thrown. Tejgaon Division Deputy Commissioner Ibn-e-Mizan said, “They launched an abrupt attack, hurling bricks. We are trying to manage the situation.”

Disability rights activists say Khaleda Zia’s tenure marked an important shift in how persons with disabilities were recognized by the state—gradually moving away from a charity-based outlook toward institutional responsibility and inclusion. Launched under her leadership, the program—formally known as the Allowance Program for Insolvent Persons with Disabilities—initially provided Tk200 per month to beneficiaries, laying the foundation for Bangladesh’s disability-focused social protection system. Beyond social protection, Khaleda Zia’s governments also took early steps to expand access to education, skills development, and employment for persons with disabilities, at a time when disability inclusion remained largely absent from mainstream policy discussions. Advocate Zahirul Islam, a visually impaired disability rights activist, said Khaleda Zia initiated several measures that helped strengthen institutional support for persons with disabilities. As discussions continue around Begum Khaleda Zia’s broader political legacy, disability rights advocates agree that her role in initiating state responsibility toward persons with disabilities remains one of her most enduring contributions to Bangladesh’s social development.