Growth and reform must find common ground
Our challenges are certainly undeniable, and this interim government has inherited what is essentially a fragmented and broken economy. Inflation remains stubbornly high, and we understand the need for tighter monetary policy - which has predictably restricted credit flows and slowed investment. However, they cannot continue to hold us down, and we must also keep one eye firmly on our lagging growth. While the World Bank’s projection of a rebound to 6.1% in FY27 offers hope, hope alone cannot be a strategy and we need action. Growth is not guaranteed, and projections can slip but as an economy, we must also act with foresight, balancing immediate stabilization with long-term reforms.
Source:Dhaka Tribune
January 16, 2026 08:12 UTC
Tight security ahead of Khaleda Zia condolence meeting
A citizens’ condolence meeting is set to be held on Friday at 2:30pm at the South Plaza of the National Parliament, in memory of the former prime minister Khaleda Zia. The event is being organized under the initiative of civil society, with strict regulations and extensive preparations undertaken surrounding the program. Law enforcement personnel have already begun taking positions in connection with the condolence meeting. He said that the condolence meeting will be held inside the South Plaza of the Parliament complex. Archway metal detectors have been installed at the entry points, and everyone entering the venue will be required to undergo security screening.
Source:Dhaka Tribune
January 16, 2026 08:11 UTC
Fresh election schedule declared for Pabna-1, Pabna-2
The Election Commission on Thursday announced a fresh election schedule for the Pabna-1 and Pabna-2 constituencies, with polls to be held on February 12, in line with the order of the Appellate Division. The election schedule was declared, cancelling the previous schedule announced on December 11 last as per the court order passed on Thursday, said a notification issued by the EC. The Election Commission recently suspended the election in Pabna-1 and Pabna-2 constituencies until further directives from the court. On January 15, the Appellate Division cleared the way for holding the elections in Pabna-1 and Pabna-2 constituencies on February 12 in accordance with the boundaries specified in the Election Commission’s September 4 gazette. As per the order, Sathia upazila will constitute Pabna-1 constituency while Sujanagar and Bera upazilas will form Pabna-2.
Source:Dhaka Tribune
January 16, 2026 08:11 UTC
Yamal, Torres fire Barca to Copa del Rey quarters
Ferran Torres and Lamine Yamal fired Barcelona to a 2-0 win over Racing Santander and into the Copa del Rey quarterfinals on Thursday. The hosts had two goals disallowed for offside and record 32-time winners Barca did just enough to claim victory. Having seen Real Madrid eliminated at second-tier Albacete on Wednesday Barca coach Hansi Flick named a fairly strong side, including teenage star Yamal. Eventually the Spanish champions took the lead through Torres, after Fermin Lopez sent him through on goal. Barca wrapped up their win with the last kick of the match, Yamal tapping in Raphinha's cross at the back post.
Source:Dhaka Tribune
January 16, 2026 08:11 UTC
Addressing mob behaviour at universities
To say that our universities have not been held in high regard for some for some time would be an understatement. However, if such normalization of what appears to be mob behaviour displayed by students in institutions that should embody discipline and respect continues, this reputation can only get worse. Students have no mandate to mete out punishment, and any attempt to do so is nothing short of mob justice. Ironically, such a culture of harassment only risks repeating the authoritarian practices that many universities supposedly seek liberation from. Our universities cannot afford to let mob behaviour become equivalent to justice.
Source:Dhaka Tribune
January 16, 2026 08:11 UTC
Reimagining governance: Doing things right v doing the right things
Public administration as a discipline and practice is once again at an inflection point. Thus, the need to balance “doing things right” with “doing the right things,” recognizing that governance is as much a moral enterprise as a managerial one. In order to explore an optimum framework for next generation public administration, it is very crucial to understand the key dilemmas of modern administration. These include neutrality versus responsiveness, autonomy versus integration, simplicity versus complexity, rationality versus incrementalism, and authority versus democracy. Dr Mohammad Kamrul Hasan is a Public Administration and Public Policy Analyst.
Source:Dhaka Tribune
January 16, 2026 08:10 UTC
From streets to ballots: Why new parties keep repeating old patterns
In the moment of political vacuum, the National Citizen’s Party (NCP) emerged as a symbolic vessel for generational hope. Therefore, the NCP confronted a dilemma, when the state moved from street politics to electoral politics. It is a belief among the people that political parties must serve citizens rather than gaining power. At the time of election, coalitions among political parties reemerge, break, and reconfigure. The visible crisis within the emerging political parties emphasizes a profound concern for the country’s political trajectories.
Source:Dhaka Tribune
January 16, 2026 08:10 UTC
Holy Shab-e-Meraj on Friday
The holy Shab-e-Meraj will be observed across the country on Friday night with due respect and religious fervour. The Muslims every year on the 26th night of the Arabic month of Rajab observe the Shab-e-Meraj. On this night, Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) had embarked on a special journey to meet the Almighty Allah. In the journey, the Prophet (PBUH) travelled on the "Buraq" to heaven where Allah gave him instructions to take back to the faithful regarding the details of prayers. Muslim devotees will offer special prayers at mosques and homes seeking blessings of Allah for the welfare of the entire nation and the Muslim Ummah.
Source:Dhaka Tribune
January 16, 2026 08:10 UTC
US officials hold virtual meeting with Tarique Rahman on tariff issue
US Trump administration officials on Friday held a virtual meeting with Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairman Tarique Rahman to discuss the interim government’s negotiated tariff agreement and explore ways to strengthen bilateral trade ties. The meeting was held from 9am to 9:30am (BST), with Tarique Rahman and a BNP representative joining it from his residence, while the US delegation participated from Washington, DC. The US delegation was led by US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. Other participants included Assistant US Trade Representative for South and Central Asia Emily Ashby, Deputy Assistant US Trade Representative Rick Switzer, USTR Chief of Staff Sam Mulopolous, and Senior Policy Adviser to the Deputy USTR D.R Seckinger. During the meeting, Tarique Rahman emphasized the importance of deepening trade engagement and developing broader cooperation in areas of mutual interest to further enhance Bangladesh-US economic ties, sources said.
Source:Dhaka Tribune
January 16, 2026 08:10 UTC
Bangladesh postal ballots found stored at New York post office warehouse
Thousands of postal ballot papers for Bangladesh’s 13th parliamentary election were found stored at a United States Postal Service (USPS) warehouse in New York after being marked as undeliverable, raising concerns over the overseas voting process. The issue came to light when a Bangladeshi-American postal worker noticed the ballots and alerted a senior USPS official, highlighting their importance. The matter was subsequently brought to the attention of the Bangladesh Consulate General in New York and the Embassy of Bangladesh in Washington, prompting immediate action from higher authorities. When contacted, Bangladesh Consul General in New York Mohammad Mozammel Haque said mail delivery in the United States is conducted based on ZIP codes. “We are hopeful that expatriate voters will receive their postal ballots in time,” the consul general said.
Source:Dhaka Tribune
January 16, 2026 08:10 UTC
Daily Horoscope for January 16, 2026
General Daily Insight for January 16, 2026 Conversations open doors we once kept shut. With chatty Mercury squaring tender Chiron at 1:20 AM EST, our words could accidentally brush old bruises. Messenger Mercury in your 7th House of Partnership squares therapeutic Chiron, inviting a brave talk with someone important in your daily life about needs and respect. Chatty Mercury squares aching Chiron over your 4th House of Family History and your 7th House of Interpersonal Alignments. Intellectual Mercury in your sign squares tender Chiron, spotlighting your sense of identity and how you speak about yourself, especially with people who influence your path.
Source:Daily Sun
January 16, 2026 06:28 UTC
Which 30 seats will NCP contest?
One of the partners of the Jamaat-e-Islami–led 11-party electoral alliance, the National Citizen Party (NCP), has been allocated 30 seats under the finalized list of candidates for the upcoming 13th Jatiya Sangsad election. The alliance has completed its candidate list for a total of 253 constituencies. The announcement was made at a press conference held at 9pm on Thursday at the Institution of Diploma Engineers Bangladesh (IDEB) auditorium in the capital. Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Nayeb-e-Ameer Dr Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher disclosed the distribution of seats among the alliance partners. NCP’s 30-seat listParty sources of the National Citizens Party confirmed that its candidates will contest elections in several important and strategic constituencies across the country.
Source:Dhaka Tribune
January 16, 2026 04:43 UTC
Venezuelan opposition leader Machado presents her Nobel Peace Prize to Trump
In what appeared to be an effort to regain Donald Trump’s goodwill, Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado said she had “presented” her gold Nobel Peace Prize medal to the US president during a private meeting at the White House on Thursday. Trump later posted on his Truth Social account: “María presented me with her Nobel Peace Prize for the work I have done. Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado met Donald Trump on Thursday for what the White House described as “positive” talks, despite the US president having sidelined her politically and openly expressing interest in her Nobel Peace Prize, reports The Guardian. After the meeting, Machado, who campaigned for years to end leftist Maduro's rule, met jubilant supporters outside the White House. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump had been "looking forward" to his lunch with Machado, their first meeting since the dramatic US military operation that captured Maduro on January 3.
Source:Dhaka Tribune
January 16, 2026 04:36 UTC
Dhaka air ranks world’s most polluted Friday morning
Dhaka, the overcrowded capital of Bangladesh, topped the list of cities with the worst air quality on Friday morning, recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 273 at 8:25am. The air was classified as “very unhealthy”, according to the global air quality and pollution city ranking. China’s Shanghai and India’s Delhi ranked second and third on the list, with AQI scores of 232 and 216 respectively. The AQI is an index used to report daily air quality, indicating how clean or polluted the air is and the potential health effects associated with exposure. Dhaka has long struggled with air pollution, with air quality typically deteriorating during the winter months and improving during the monsoon season.
Source:Dhaka Tribune
January 16, 2026 04:12 UTC
Cayuga Medical Center Nurses Approve Union Representation in Landslide Vote
Reading time: about 2 minutesIn an overwhelming 82% vote, registered nurses at Cayuga Medical Center won union representation on Thursday afternoon, according to a Communications Workers of American Union press release. In New York City, nearly 15,000 nurses participated in a strike, demanding adequate staffing and increased pay. Cayuga United-CWA is one of those local unions and is composed of 350 registered nurses at Cayuga Medical Center. Cayuga United-CWA is fighting for safe staffing levels to support lower patient to nurse ratios and bargaining for a union contract. With union representation secured, the union plans to begin negotiations regarding their concerns.
Source:Daily Sun
January 16, 2026 04:07 UTC