The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on Wednesday accused Jamaat-e-Islami of spreading “fascist propaganda,” political double standards, and misleading narratives to influence voters in the upcoming election. Speaking at a press conference in Dhaka, BNP Election Steering Committee spokesperson and adviser to the party chairperson, Mahdi Amin, said Jamaat is branding BNP as a “world champion of corruption” to mislead the public—claims he described as detached from reality and politically motivated. He also noted that Jamaat, which held ministerial posts and parliamentary seats between 2001 and 2006, had raised no objections about corruption during that period. “Now, in the election field, they are continuing the same old fascist propaganda, which is nothing but blatant political hypocrisy,” Mahdi said. Mahdi also accused Jamaat of exploiting religious sentiments to win votes, citing promises of heaven, oaths on the Holy Quran, and financial inducements.

DHAKA, Jan 28, 2026 (BSS) – The results of the 7th Recruitment Notice (Special) to fill entry-level vacancies in private educational institutions were published today, recommending initially for the appointment of 11,713 candidates. According to NTRCA, among the recommended candidates, 5,742 have been placed under the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education (DSHE), while 4,255 in Madrasas, 354 in Technical Educational Institutions, and 1,362 in various affiliated institutions of Technical and Higher Education, Madrasas, and Technical streams. Earlier, on August 19 last year, 41,627 candidates were recommended under the 6th recruitment notification. Following the collection of e-requisitions, a total of 67,130 vacancies were received from 19,208 educational institutions. NTRCA has been continuously conducting recruitment processes to address teacher shortages in private educational institutions and ensure quality education.

The Election Commission (EC) has imposed a three-day ban on motorcycle movement across the country ahead of the parliamentary election and referendum. Motorcycle movement will be banned for longer, from 12am on Feb 11 to 12am on Feb 14. EXEMPTIONS TO THE RESTRICTIONSThe restrictions will not apply to the following categories:● Vehicles used by law-enforcing agencies, armed forces, the administration and authorised election observers. ● Vehicles engaged in emergency services, including the transportation of medicines, healthcare services, similar essential goods and newspapers. ● Vehicles operated by the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) and BTRC-licensed entities, as telecommunications services are considered emergency services.

DHAKA, Jan 28, 2026 (BSS) - Champions Bangladesh women’s team will return home from Bangkok tomorrow (Thursday) 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 pm. The Bangladesh women’s team, led by Sabina Khatun, emerged champions in the seven-team SAFF Futsal championship securing highest 16 points in the points table from six matches. Earlier, Bangladesh eve team made a winning start in the tournament beating India by 3-1 goals in their match. The Sabina and Co, came from behind, played out to a 3-3 with Bhutan in their second match, blanked Nepal by 3-0 goals in their third match and beat Sri Lanka by 6-3 goals in their four match, thrashed Pakistan by 9-1 goals in their penultimate match and crushed Maldives by 14-2 goals to emerge champions in the tournament, all held at Nonthaburi Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

DHAKA, Jan 28, 2026 (BSS) - The South Asian Olympic Council (SAOC) hasretained Pakistan as the host nation for the 14th South Asian Games scheduledto be held from March 23 to 31 next year, said a Bangladesh OlympicAssociation (BOA) press release today. The SAOC meeting was chaired by Prince Jigyel Ugyen Wangchuck, vice presidentof the OCA and president of the Bhutan Olympic Committee. The meeting was attended by the president of Pakistan Olympic Association(POA) and SAOC Arif Saeed and Federal Secretary of Pakistan's Sports MinistryMr Mohyuddin Ahmad Wani. At the SAOC executive committee meeting held in Lahore February 25 last year,it was decided to retain the disciplines and events scheduled for the SouthAsian Games in the Games. The 14th SA Games were originally scheduled to be held March in 2023, beforebeing successively pushed back to March 2024, then January 2026 and now 2027.

Given this unprecedented evolution, the CIA incites a coup to overthrow the government and gain control over international operations. This series centers on the tragic love story between Shahrzad, a medical student, and Farhad, a politically active journalist. A powerful mafia figure forcibly weds Shahrzad to his nephew, Ghobad, prohibiting ties between Shahrzad and Farhad. The series simultaneously showcases the social power dynamics at play as well as international forces acting on Iranian livelihoods. The Salesman (2016)The Oscar-winning film The Salesman portrays the gripping, heart-rending life of Rana and Emad.

DHAKA, Jan 28, 2026 (BSS) - Opener Mohammad Paran continued his purple patchas Duronto registered its second consecutive victory, thrashing Odommo by 57runs in the CCDM T20 Challenge Cup at National Cricket Ground in the city'sPurbachal area today. Moahmmad Shoaib and Drupom Patranabi then claimed three wickets apiece tohold Odommo back to 118-9, scripting the side's comprehensive victory. Paran held the innings together after his side opted to bat first. Odommo batters couldn't come up with the terms right from the start,jeopardizing their chance to make some resistance. No.9 batter Sujon Howladar was their top-scorer with 28 runs.

DHAKA, Jan 28, 2026 (BSS) - Moahmmad Raihan Uddin claimed 3-18 as Aparajeyosecured their second straight victory in the CCDM T20 Challenge Cup byromping to a five-wicket win over Akutovoy at PKSP-1 ground today. Opting to bat first, Akutuvoy put up 142-8 with opener Minhaj Sourav makinghighest 59 off 43, an innings studded by eight fours and two sixes. Despite his blitz, Raihan Uddin stifled Akutuvoy with disciplined bowlingthat eventually prevented them from scoring a big total. Aparajeyo, however, cantered to the victory in 19 overs, reaching 148-5. Nuruzzaman Masum, Yeasir Arafat, Shakibul Sobuj, Kazi Asif and Samiul Islamtook one wicket apiece for Akutuvoy.

Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain -File photoDHAKA, Jan 28, 2026 (BSS) - Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain today said he finds no reason for India’s decision to recall family members of its diplomats from Bangladesh, stressing that there is no security situation endangering foreign officials or their families. Asked whether the withdrawal of Indian diplomats’ family members signalled any security concern, Touhid said there was no such indication. The adviser reiterated that no incident has occurred in Bangladesh suggesting any risk to Indian diplomats or their families. Referring to the broader security situation, the adviser said there has been no overall disruption. Regarding concerns over possible election-related violence, Touhid Hossain said the government was not certain that unrest would occur.

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As businesses struggle with weak banking confidence, stalled investment, and high interest rates, Bangladesh Bank is set to announce its monetary policy for the second half of the fiscal year (January–June). However, official sources indicate the policy will offer no meaningful relief for businesses, investors, or depositors. Following board approval on Tuesday, the Monetary Policy Statement (MPS) will be announced on Thursday (29 January). As deposit growth slows, credit expansion is expected to remain limited despite unchanged policy rates. Although the new policy aims for 8% growth by June, business leaders view this as unrealistic given high lending rates, fragile banks, policy uncertainty, and weak demand.

Since the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023, triggered by an attack onIsrael by the Palestinian militant group Hamas, the Israeli government hasbarred foreign journalists from independently entering the blockadedterritory. The Foreign Press Association (FPA) filed its petition in 2024, after whichthe court granted the government several extensions to submit its response. - 'Behind closed doors' -"The Foreign Press Association is deeply disappointed that the IsraeliSupreme Court has once again postponed ruling on our petition for free,independent press access to Gaza," the FPA said in its statement. "This secretive process offers no opportunity for us to rebut these argumentsand clears the way for the continued arbitrary and open-ended closure of Gazato foreign journalists," the statement added. The FPA said there were no security arguments that justify what it calledIsrael's "blanket ban" on media access to Gaza.

Collected photoKHARTOUM, Jan 28, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - A partial collapse of a gold mine haskilled 13 miners and wounded six others in southern Sudan, the state miningcompany said on Wednesday. The collapse occurred in "five abandoned shafts" of the Umm Fakroun mine inSouth Kordofan state last Friday, the Sudanese Mineral Resources Company(SMRC) said in a statement. But officials lament that much of the gold is smuggled across bordersincluding through Chad, South Sudan and Egypt before reaching the United ArabEmirates, the world's second-largest gold exporter. Africa's third-largest country is one of the continent's top gold producers,but artisanal and small-scale gold mining, like Umm Fakroun, accounts for themajority of gold extracted. Before the war pushed 25 million Sudanese into acute food insecurity,artisanal mining employed more than two million people, according to industryfigures.

Reading time: about 24 minutesOn Thursday, Jan. 22, the nominations for the 98th Oscars were announced, and the members of Arts & Culture have some opinions they’d like to share. As you’ll see, some of us are hopeful that our favorites will win while others are not. Regardless, we’ve compiled a list of some editor and staff picks and predictions, as well as the overall consensus for the winners of each category. Best PictureOverall Picks: Sinners and Frankenstein; Overall Prediction: One Battle After AnotherPick / PredictionSydney Levinton ’27 — Hamnet / SinnersJames Palm ’27 — Sentimental Value / SinnersJenna Ledley ’27 — Sentimental Value / One Battle After AnotherMelissa Moon ’28 — Sinners / SinnersSophia Romanov Imber ’28 — One Battle After Another / SinnersHazel Tjaden ’28 — Bugonia / One Battle After AnotherMatthew Rentezelas ’28 — One Battle After Another / One Battle After AnotherChloe Asack ’26 — Marty Supreme / One Battle After AnotherNicholas York ’27 — Frankenstein / One Battle After AnotherBrayden Rogers ’28 — Sinners / One Battle After AnotherCaroline Kelly ’28 — Sinners / HamnetJane Locke ’28 — Frankenstein / One Battle After AnotherLeslie Monter-Casio ’28 — Frankenstein / One Battle After AnotherGia Lish ’29 — F1 / SinnersBest DirectorOverall Pick: Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After Another; Overall Prediction: Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After AnotherPick / PredictionSydney Levinton ’27 — Josh Safdie, Marty Supreme / Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After AnotherJames Palm ’27 — Josh Safdie, Marty Supreme / Ryan Coogler, SinnersJenna Ledley ’27 — Chloé Zhao, Hamnet / Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After AnotherMelissa Moon ’28 — Chloé Zhao, Hamnet / Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After AnotherSophia Romanov Imber ’28 — Ryan Coogler, Sinners / Ryan Coogler, SinnersHazel Tjaden ’28 — Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After Another / Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After AnotherMatthew Rentezelas ’28 — Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After Another / Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After AnotherChloe Asack ’26 — Josh Safdie, Marty Supreme / Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After AnotherNicholas York ’27 — Josh Safdie, Marty Supreme / Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After AnotherBrayden Rogers ’28 — Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After Another / Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After AnotherCaroline Kelly ’28 — Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After Another / Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After AnotherJane Locke ’28 — Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After Another / Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After AnotherLeslie Monter-Casio ’28 — Ryan Coogler, Sinners / Joachim Trier, Sentimental ValueGia Lish ’29 — Chloé Zhao, Hamnet / Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After AnotherBest ActressOverall Pick: Jessie Buckley, Hamnet; Overall Prediction: Jessie Buckley, HamnetPick / PredictionSydney Levinton ’27 — Emma Stone, Bugonia / Jessie Buckley, HamnetJames Palm ’27 — Jessie Buckley, Hamnet / Jessie Buckley, HamnetJenna Ledley ’27 — Rose Byrne, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You / Emma Stone, BugoniaMelissa Moon ’28 — Jessie Buckley, Hamnet / Jessie Buckley, HamnetSophia Romanov Imber ’28 — Emma Stone, Bugonia / Emma Stone, BugoniaHazel Tjaden ’28 — Emma Stone, Bugonia / Emma Stone, BugoniaMatthew Rentezelas ’28 — Rose Byrne, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You / Jessie Buckley, HamnetChloe Asack ’26 — Jessie Buckley, Hamnet / Jessie Buckley, HamnetNicholas York ’27 — Rose Byrne, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You / Jessie Buckley, HamnetBrayden Rogers ’28 — Rose Byrne, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You / Jessie Buckley, HamnetCaroline Kelly ’28 — Jessie Buckley, Hamnet / Jessie Buckley, HamnetJane Locke ’28 — Jessie Buckley, Hamnet / Rose Byrne, If I Had Legs I’d Kick YouLeslie Monter-Casio ’28 — Emma Stone, Bugonia / Rose Byrne, If I Had Legs I’d Kick YouGia Lish ’29 — Jessie Buckley, Hamnet / Rose Byrne, If I Had Legs I’d Kick YouBest ActorOverall Picks: Timothée Chalamet, Marty Supreme and Michael B. Jordan, Sinners; Overall Prediction: Timothée Chalamet, Marty SupremePick / PredictionSydney Levinton ’27 — Timothée Chalamet, Marty Supreme / Timothée Chalamet, Marty SupremeJames Palm ’27 — Timothée Chalamet, Marty Supreme / Michael B. Jordan, SinnersJenna Ledley ’27 — Michael B. Jordan, Sinners / Timothée Chalamet, Marty SupremeMelissa Moon ’28 — Michael B. Jordan, Sinners / Timothée Chalamet, Marty SupremeSophia Romanov Imber ’28 — Michael B. Jordan, Sinners / Michael B. Jordan, SinnersHazel Tjaden ’28 — Leonardo DiCaprio, One Battle After Another / Timothée Chalamet, Marty SupremeMatthew Rentezelas ’28 — Timothée Chalamet, Marty Supreme / Timothée Chalamet, Marty SupremeChloe Asack ’26 — Timothée Chalamet, Marty Supreme / Timothée Chalamet, Marty SupremeNicholas York ’27 — Timothée Chalamet, Marty Supreme / Timothée Chalamet, Marty SupremeBrayden Rogers ’28 — Wagner Moura, The Secret Agent / Timothée Chalamet, Marty SupremeCaroline Kelly ’28 — Michael B. Jordan, Sinners / Timothée Chalamet, Marty SupremeJane

They also called for the full implementation of the 9th Wage Board award, including payment of arrears, in all media organizations where it has not yet been enforced. As a result, journalists have long been subjected to discrimination and have been consistently demanding the formation and declaration of the 10th Wage Board. No initiative has yet been taken to form a Wage Board implementation committee for journalists, they added. The BFUJ and DUJ leaders said journalists are not opposed to salary and allowance increases for government officials or other professionals. The journalist leaders reiterated their demand for the immediate formation of the 10th Wage Board and thus declaring it side by side urged the government to take effective steps to ensure the implementation of the 9th Wage Board, including arrears, in all media organizations.