File PhotoDHAKA, Jan 29, 2026 (BSS) - The Champions Bangladesh women's team will return home from Bangkok today (Thursday) evening after finishing their campaign in the just-concluded inaugural SAFF Women's Futsal Championship. A BG 389 flight, carrying the women's team, is expected to land at Hazrat Shahjalal Int'l Airport at 6.15 pm. The Bangladesh women's team, led by Sabina Khatun, emerged unbeaten champions in the seven-team SAFF Futsal championship. To make their historic victory memorable, the Bangladesh Football Federation decided to give the women's team a formal reception. Earlier, the Bangladesh women's team made a winning start in the tournament, beating India by 3-1 goals in their match.

Photo: BSSKHULNA, Jan 29, 2026 (BSS) - Seven meritorious students of Khulna University (KU) are set to visit Japan to participate in the Sakura Science Exchange Programme. The programme is being conducted under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between KU and the University of Yamanashi, with support from the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST). Associate Professor Dr Md Tarek Bin Salam of KU's Soil, Water and Environment Discipline will lead the delegation as the invited faculty member. The students paid a courtesy call on KU Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Md Harunur Rashid Khan, briefing him on the programme's planned activities today. Director of the Office of International Affairs Professor Dr Md Ashikur Rahman and Associate Professor Dr Md Tarek Bin Salam were also present at the meeting.

KYIV, Ukraine, Jan 29, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Kyiv said on Thursday that it had received from Russia 1,000 remains of people that Moscow said were Ukrainian soldiers killed fighting the Kremlin's army. The exchange of prisoners of war and the remains of killed soldiers is one of the few remaining areas of cooperation between Kyiv and Moscow, which invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky confirmed an exchange had taken place, writing on Telegram that the Russian side had received the remains of 38 killed Russian soldiers. Medinsky said the exchange was made possible as part of agreements struck between Ukrainian and Russian delegations in Istanbul earlier last year. Tens of thousands of soldiers have been killed on both sides since Russia invaded, though neither side regularly publishes data on their own casualties.

LISBON, Jan 29, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Storm Kristin has claimed five lives and left nearly 450,000 clients without power on Thursday, more than 24 hours after it barrelled through central and northern Portugal, authorities said. Almost 450,000 customers were still without power early Thursday, mainly in the centre of the country, according to E-redes, the electricity distribution network operator. The majority were in the Leiria district in central Portugal where the storm knocking down poles and high-voltage lines. "Residents are calling for help because it's still raining, although not very heavily, but it's causing significant damage to homes," he added. The Portuguese government said the storm had "caused significant damage across several parts of the country."

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DHAKA, Jan 29, 2026 (BSS) - The qualifying tournament of the Spectrum Bangladesh National Cup Chess begins from Saturday (Jan 31) at the Bangladesh Chess Federation hall room in the capital. The qualifying tournament is open to all participants, organised by the Bangladesh Chess Federation under the patronage of Spectrum Engineering Consortium Limited. Interested chess players are requested to submit their names along with an entry fee of Taka 500 by tomorrow (Friday). The qualifying round will be held in a nine-round Swiss-league system and the top sixteen players will qualify for the final round. The champion will receive Taka one lac and the runner-up will get Taka fifty thousand.

Hossain said, “Due to our own mistakes, a large number of Rohingyas went abroad with Bangladeshi passports many years ago. At that time, the passports were handwritten, and there were numerous allegations of corruption…The situation is such that those who went with our passports are being pressured by the Saudis to have their passports renewed by us. When a decision is made in the context of any country, many other interests are involved. Just know this: we tried to avoid doing it, but due to our other interests, we ultimately decided to give Bangladeshi passports to these 69,000 Rohingyas. A passport does not mean the person is a citizen of Bangladesh.”

He reached the Madrasa ground at around 1:55pm, where he greeted party leaders and supporters by waving from the stage. Addressing the gathering, Tarique Rahman outlined BNP’s development plans for the Rajshahi region if the party comes to power. Referring to previous elections, Tarique alleged that the country had experienced “night-time elections” and “voterless elections” over the past 16 years, which, he said, deprived people of their voting rights. Following the Rajshahi rally, Tarique Rahman travelled by road to Naogaon, where leaders and activists welcomed him at the ATM field in the afternoon. Tarique Rahman last visited Rajshahi in 2004.

The Council of Advisers held its meeting at the Chief Adviser’s Office (CAO), chaired by Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus. Photo: PIDDHAKA, Jan 29, 2026 (BSS) - The Council of Advisers at its weekly meeting today gave approval to six ordinances, three proposals and a policy. Later, Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam briefed the media at the Foreign Service Academy here this afternoon, saying the advisory council discussed 11 important agenda and gave approval to them. He said the meeting gave approval to drafts of the Prevention of Sexual Harassment at the Workplace and Educational Institutions Ordinance 2026, the Domestic Violence Prevention Ordinance 2026, the National Sports Council (Amendment) Ordinance 2026, the Bangladesh Animal and Animal Products Quarantine Ordinance 2026, the Narayanganj Development Authority Ordinance 2026 and the Cumilla Development Authority Ordinance 2026. Chief Adviser’s Deputy Press Secretary Mohammad Abul Kalam Azad Majumder, Senior Assistant Press Secretary Foyez Ahammad and Assistant Press Secretary Shuchismita Tithi were present at the briefing.

EC instructs ROs to prevent use of posters in electioneeringFile PhotoDHAKA, Jan 29, 2026 (BSS) – The Election Commission (EC)has directed all Returning Officers (ROs) to take necessary steps to ensure strict compliance to the electoral code of conduct, particularly prohibiting the use of posters in electioneering by candidates contesting the upcoming 13th Jatiya Sangsad (JS)polls. The directive was issued through a letter signed by Mohammad Monir Hossain, Deputy Secretary of the EC Secretariat (Election Management-2 Wing), on Wednesday. The letter noted that electioneering activities are currently underway ahead of the 13th JS elections scheduled for February 12. It cited Rule 7(a) of the Code of Conduct for Political Parties and Candidates in Parliamentary Elections, 2025, which explicitly bans the use of posters in election campaigns. Accordingly, all ROs have been instructed to ensure that no candidate uses posters during electioneering, to enforce compliance with the code of conduct, and to direct printing presses not to produce election posters.

PARIS, France, Jan 29, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Iran's army on Thursday added 1,000 drones to its combat regiments as its chief vowed a "crushing response" to any attack, state television reported, after the United States moved a strike force into regional waters. "In accordance with the threats we are facing, maintaining and enhancing strategic advantages for rapid combat and a crushing response to any invasion... is always on the army's agenda," Iran's army commander Amir Hatami said, cited by state television.

Photo: CollectedDHAKA, Jan 29, 2026 (BSS) - Three readymade garment (RMG) factories in Bangladesh have received LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification from the US Green Building Council (USGBC), with one factory achieving the highest score globally. Meanwhile, Ecotrims Bangladesh Ltd – Unit 1, situated in Telihati union of Gazipur, obtained Gold certification under the LEED O+M: Existing Buildings v4.1 rating system with 70 points. Another factory, NAFA Apparels Ltd – Unit 1, located in Kaliakoir of Gazipur, also achieved Gold certification under the LEED BD+C: New Construction v4 rating system after scoring 65 points. With the addition of these three factories, the total number of LEED-certified garment factories in Bangladesh has risen to 273, including 115 Platinum and 139 Gold certified units. “With hundreds of green garment factories already in operation, this record-setting performance by HAMS Garments Ltd. raises the benchmark for what is possible and encourages the industry to move beyond minimum compliance toward measurable excellence.

The Election Commission (EC) has instructed printing presses across Bangladesh not to print any election posters ahead of the 13th national parliamentary election, marking the first time posters have been banned in election campaigns. The directive was outlined in a letter signed on Wednesday by Mohammad Monir Hossain, deputy secretary of the EC’s Election Management-2 Wing. Letters have also been sent to all returning officers to ensure the decision is enforced. The EC cited Rule 7(a) of the Political Parties and Candidates’ Code of Conduct for Parliamentary Elections 2025, which prohibits the use of posters in election campaigns. The letter stressed that necessary measures should be taken to ensure no contesting candidate uses posters, that the Code of Conduct for Political Parties and Candidates 2025 is strictly followed, and that printing presses comply with the instruction not to produce election posters.

Dry weather likely with fog in parts of countryFile PhotoDHAKA, Jan 29, 2026 (BSS) - Weather may remain dry with temporary partly cloudy sky over the country during the next 24 hours commencing from 9 am today, according to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department. Light to moderate fog may occur at places over the country during late night to morning, it said. Night temperatures may rise slightly while day temperatures may remain nearly unchanged over the country. The highest maximum temperature recorded yesterday was 32.5 degrees Celsius in Rangamati, while the lowest minimum temperature recorded today was 10.6 degrees Celsius at Tetulia. Today's sunset at Dhaka will be at 5:42 pm, while tomorrow's sunrise is expected at 6:41 am.

MINNEAPOLIS, United States, Jan 29, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - The Trump administration said Wednesday that two immigration agents involved in the fatal shooting of a civilian in Minneapolis had been placed on leave, as the president slammed the city's mayor despite a promise to de-escalate the situation. In a bid to stem the backlash, Trump shuffled the leadership of immigration agents deployed in Minneapolis. That turned to fury this month after immigration agents shot dead two Minneapolis protesters at point-blank range in separate incidents -- Pretti and Renee Good, both US citizens. Late Tuesday, Miller said the Customs and Border Patrol agents who killed Pretti "may not have been following that protocol." Speaking to reporters in Minneapolis Wednesday evening, Omar said Trump's attacks against her helped fuel the incident.