Corsicana, TX (75110)TodayCloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph..TonightCloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph.
Shamsuzzaman Dablu, general secretary of Jibannagar Municipal BNP, died shortly after being detained during a joint forces operation in Chuadanga. Following news of his death, BNP activists gathered outside Jibannagar Upazila Health Complex on Tuesday morning. Police, in the presence of an executive magistrate, conducted an inquest on Dablu’s body at the health complex. “The level of torture was so severe that Shamsuzzaman Dablu could not endure it and died,” he said. Dablu was detained from his business, Hafiza Pharmacy, located in front of the health complex, and later taken to the hospital.
In this day and age, where education, commerce, and communication increasingly relies on digital platforms, connectivity has become a basic necessity. In many parts of Bangladesh, particularly in rural and underdeveloped areas, internet access is slow, intermittent, or simply non-existent. Universal internet access is now an essential aspect of modern life. Without widespread access, large sections of the population remain excluded from services and opportunities that increasingly exist online. Internet connectivity policies must, therefore, complement this push for speed with the urgent need for inclusion.
Earlier, on November 17 last year, Tribunal-1 sentenced Sheikh Hasina and Kamal to death by hanging along with life imprisonment, and ordered the confiscation of all their assets within the country. For these acts, Sheikh Hasina and Kamal were sentenced to life imprisonment. The first involved a phone conversation on July 18, 2024, between Sheikh Hasina, former Dhaka South City Corporation mayor Fazle Noor Taposh, and Jasad president Hasanul Haq Inu. According to the verdict, Sheikh Hasina instructed the use of drones to identify protesters’ locations and ordered killings using helicopters and lethal weapons. For the offences under Charge No 2, Sheikh Hasina and Kamal were sentenced to death.
2025 was a brutal year for the climate: Record temperatures, ever more extreme weather and so on. A positive tipping point? We rightly spend a lot of time worrying about climate tipping points -- the terrifying thresholds beyond which ecosystems collapse. The share of electric vehicles? From crisis to innovationIn Pakistan, solar is booming -- not because of climate pledges, or activist pressure, but because the grid has become expensive and unreliable.
He was speaking at a program titled "National Election 2026 and Citizens’ Expectations", organised by the Citizens’ Platform in the city. “The struggle for independence in 1971, the anti-autocracy movement in 1990 and the 2024 uprising were all driven by people’s quest for equality, dignity, justice and rights,” Debapriya said. In all three periods, people stood up for their rights and dignity.”He underscored that a credible national election is now the country’s most pressing need. Debapriya said the Citizens’ Platform has reached out to people across all eight divisional cities, engaging them in dialogues to capture their hopes and aspirations. Calling it a non-flexible manifesto, Debapriya said the platform will not stop at drafting the document alone.
The Bangladesh Restaurant Owners Association (BROA) has said the country’s restaurant sector is facing a severe crisis due to fuel shortages, high inflation, harassment in the name of trade unions, multiple layers of regulatory control and the unchecked spread of illegal street food businesses. To address the situation, the association has placed six demands, including the introduction of a one-stop service for the sector. He also claimed that a powerful syndicate has made it difficult to control LPG prices, adding to the financial burden on restaurant owners. Extortion and regulatory harassmentRestaurant owners also alleged regular extortion by certain groups operating under the guise of trade unions, warning that attacks and vandalism occur when demands are not met. Election manifesto focusReferring to the upcoming 13th national parliamentary election, BROA leaders said around two crore people are directly and indirectly involved in the restaurant sector, with about three million employed.
The reports of Bangladesh’s street children struggling through cold and hunger are a heartbreaking and deeply unacceptable reality. With recent cold waves and dropping temperatures, the fact that approximately 500,000 children are unable to find warmth, food, or basic shelter should prompt immediate action. Safe and permanent shelters with year-round capacity must be built so that street children have reliable places to eat and sleep. Many street children lack identity documentation or family support, which makes access to aid difficult. It is unacceptable for anyone -- especially a child -- to endure cold and hunger in a nation capable of far better.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday summoned Myanmar Ambassador Kyaw Soe Moe and expressed deep concern of Bangladesh at the recent incident of gunfire from Myanmar towards Bangladesh near Whykong Union of Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar. A 12-year-old Bangladeshi girl was severely injured during the cross-border firing on Sunday. Bangladesh reminded that the unprovoked firing towards Bangladesh is a blatant violation of the international law and a hindrance to good neighbourly relationship. Bangladesh asked Myanmar to take full responsibility and requisite measures to stop such cross-border firings in future. The Myanmar ambassador assured that his government would take measures to stop such incidents and expressed their sincere sympathy to the injured and her family.
Finance Adviser Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed. File photoDHAKA, Jan 13, 2026 (BSS) - Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed today said that the government has prepared a long-term energy strategy as energy remains a critical issue for the economy. “Energy remains a critical issue for the economy as both power and energy sectors depend heavily on assured supply,” he said. Dr Salehuddin explained that the plan looks at the issue from multiple angles, including strengthening domestic sources. Regarding the high inflation trend, Dr Salehuddin said inflation cannot be controlled by monetary policy alone.
decides in principle to withdraw one project from PPP listDHAKA, Jan 13, 2026 (BSS) – The Advisory Council Committee on Economic Affairs today approved a proposal in principle for withdrawing a project titled “New Modern Medical College & Hospital of 250 beds on the unused land in Khulna” from the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) project list. The approval came from the 2nd meeting of the Advisory Council Committee on Economic Affairs held at the Cabinet Division Conference Room at Bangladesh Secretariat today with Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed in the chair. Cabinet Division officials said the Ministry of Railways placed the proposal before the day’s meeting.
Finance Adviser Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed. File photoDHAKA, Jan 13, 2026 (BSS) - Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed today said the Pay Commission is continuing its work without any interruption. Mentioning that premature comments would not be helpful, Dr Salehuddin said, "The Pay Commission has not stopped its work at all. Dr Salehuddin indicated that discussions with senior officials could take place shortly, after which the commission would submit with its findings. Dr Salehuddin also said the Pay Commission has been open to feedback and interaction with stakeholders.
Alongside this initiative, a 24/7 toll-free helpline—13219—is being officially introduced to receive information related to missing children across the country. The MUN Alert system has been developed under the leadership of the Missing Children Cell of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Bangladesh Police, with technical and coordination support from the Zero Missing Children Platform and international collaboration from the Amber Alert for Bangladesh team. The initiative draws inspiration from the globally recognized AMBER Alert system, first launched in the United States following the 1996 abduction and murder of child Amber Hagerman. Members of the public can report information about missing children through the national emergency service 999, the Missing Children Cell hotline (01320017060), or the newly launched toll-free helpline 13219. The authority to verify information, assess risk levels, and issue, suspend or withdraw alerts will rest solely with the Missing Children Cell of the CID.
Adviser to the Ministries of Social Welfare and Women and Children Affairs, Sharmeen S Murshid, spoke at a programme held in Gulshan today. Photo : PIDDHAKA, Jan 13, 2026 (BSS) - Adviser to the Ministries of Social Welfare and Women and Children Affairs Sharmeen S Murshid has said that although women and children are the most important segment of society, in reality they remain the most vulnerable, making it imperative to ensure their citizen rights. Sharmeen Murshid said, "Citizenship is not merely a legal identity; it is a symbol of dignity, rights and opportunity. For women and children especially, recognition of citizenship opens doors to education, healthcare, security and social inclusion." She reiterated that ensuring citizen rights of women and children is the need of the hour and emphasized that all citizenship-related initiatives must prioritize women and children.
File PhotoDHAKA, Jan 13, 2026 (BSS) - The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has reduced customs duty on mobile phone imports by 60 percent aiming to keep handset prices within the purchasing capacity of general consumers. According to a press release, the NBR has issued a notification lowering customs duty on imported mobile phones from 25 percent to 10 percent. To protect domestic mobile phone assembling industries from adverse competition, the NBR has also reduced customs duty on the import of components used by local assemblers from 10 percent to 5 percent through a separate notification. The government expressed optimism that the significant reduction in duties on mobile phone imports and assembling components would help keep mobile phone prices affordable for the public and make digital services more accessible to citizens. It also reaffirmed that efforts to keep mobile phone prices within the purchasing power of people will continue.
