SC to hear plea to upgrade Hasina, Kamal's sentence to death on Jan 20
SC to hear plea to upgrade Hasina, Kamal's sentence to death on Jan 20Ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. "Fixed on 20.01.2026,"said the short order passed by Appellate Division Judge-in-Chamber Justice Md Rezaul Haque. The matter was listed as item number 58 on the cause list of the Appellate Division Chamber Judge Court this morning. The prosecution filed "Criminal Appeal No 96/2025: Chief Prosecutor vs Sheikh Hasina and another" on eight grounds with the Appellate Division on that day. Under charge number one, the tribunal found both Sheikh Hasina and Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal guilty on three counts and sentenced them to imprisonment till natural death.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
January 15, 2026 10:50 UTC
Import of fry in vannamei shrimp farming suspended
DHAKA, Jan 15, 2026 (BSS) - The government has suspended the new and existing approvals for importing fry in vannamei shrimp farming in the country. In this context, the meeting expressed the opinion that the unchecked expansion of vannamei shrimp farming is not acceptable. The discussion emphasised limiting vannamei shrimp farming to controlled, intensive and environment-friendly methods. It was decided to suspend all new and existing approvals for the import of fry in vannamei shrimp farming until the evaluation is completed. In addition, emphasis was put on increasing the production of local bagda and galda shrimp instead of imported species and taking appropriate projects to expand local shrimp farming.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
January 15, 2026 10:47 UTC
German economy grew 0.2 percent in 2025
FRANKFURT, Germany, Jan 15, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Germany's economy expanded by 0.2 percent in 2025, returning to growth after two years of recession, official data showed Thursday, despite challenges ranging from the US tariff blitz to weak demand in China. The performance of Europe's biggest economy remained subdued however due to a decline in exports, she said. "Germany's export business faced strong headwinds owing to higher US tariffs, the appreciation of the euro and increased competition from China," Brand said. Investment also remained weak last year, and fell in the construction and machinery manufacturing industries, according to the provisional data released by Destatis. For the final quarter of 2025, the agency estimated that the economy grew 0.2 percent from the third quarter.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
January 15, 2026 10:45 UTC
Kremlin says Ukraine running out of time to agree to Moscow's peace terms
Kremlin says Ukraine running out of time to agree to Moscow's peace termsMOSCOW, Jan 15, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - The Kremlin said Thursday that Ukraine was running out of options to strike a deal to end almost four years of war with Russia, as thousands were without heating in Kyiv in -12C temperatures following waves of Russian strikes on the country's energy grid. "The situation is deteriorating day by day for the Kyiv regime," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, including AFP, adding that Ukraine's "corridor for decision-making" was "narrowing".
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
January 15, 2026 10:43 UTC
Tarique Rahman attends citizens condolence meeting for Khaleda Zia tomorrow
Former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia. File photoDHAKA, Jan 15, 2026 (BSS) - BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman will attend the citizens condolence meeting for former BNP Chairperson and three-time Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia here tomorrow. The condolence meeting will be held at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban on Friday after Zuma prayers. The press conference was chaired by educationist and economist Professor Dr. Mahbub Ullah. During the press conference, the speakers said that all members of her family have been invited to the citizens' condolence meeting for Begum Khaleda Zia and they have agreed to remain present at the meeting.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
January 15, 2026 10:40 UTC
Hotel owner fined for storing stale food in Chandpur
Photo: BSSCHANDPUR, Jan 15, 2026 (BSS) - A hotel owner in the district town was fined Taka 15,000 on Thursday for preparing food in an unhygienic environment and storing stale food, officials said. The fine was imposed during a mobile court drive conducted yesterday by Abdullah Al Imran, Assistant Director of the National Consumer Rights Protection Department (NCRPD), Chandpur District Office. According to the official, the owner of a Dhaka Hotel in the district town was found guilty of preparing food in dirty and unhygienic conditions and storing cooked stale food together with raw food in a refrigerator, which is a violation of the Consumer Rights Protection Act. Leaflets and pamphlets were distributed among traders and consumers to raise public awareness about consumer rights and discourage unlawful practices. The official said such drives would continue in the public interest to ensure safe and hygienic food for consumers.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
January 15, 2026 10:10 UTC
Motivational meeting on referendum held in Magura
Photo: BSSMAGURA, Jan 15, 2026 (BSS) - A motivational meeting with teachers was held in Magura today to ensure the successful organization of the upcoming referendum in the district, marking the occasion of the 13th National Parliament elections. The meeting took place at 10:00 am at the conference room of the Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer. Representatives from the district police, Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer and head teachers of various primary schools under Sadar upazila were present at the meeting. The speakers emphasized that teachers play a crucial and responsible role in encouraging spontaneous public participation in the referendum process. At the end of the meeting, special importance was given to enhancing grassroots-level public awareness about the referendum through the active involvement of teachers.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
January 15, 2026 10:05 UTC
India shuts Kashmir medical college after Muslim students dominated first MBBS batch
India has shut down a medical college in Indian-administered Kashmir following protests by right-wing Hindu groups over the admission of a large number of Muslim students into its first batch. Students who meet the minimum qualifying threshold but fall short of public college cut-offs typically enrol in private institutions. However, several students told Al Jazeera they did not observe any major shortcomings. Salim Manzoor,* another student, noted that in Muslim-majority Kashmir there are medical colleges where Hindu students are enrolled under minority quotas. “I appeared for a competitive exam, which is one of the hardest in India, and was able to get a seat at a medical college,” she said.
Source:Dhaka Tribune
January 15, 2026 09:47 UTC
Govt. moves to finalise appointment process for principals, assistant principals in pvt educational institutions
DHAKA, Jan 15, 2026 (BSS) - The government is in the final stages of completing the long-awaited recommendation process for appointing principals and assistant principals in private schools, colleges and madrasas across the country. A high-level meeting is going on at the Ministry of Education to finalise the draft circular prepared by the Non-Government Teachers Registration and Certification Authority (NTRCA) on the appointment procedure. The meeting is expected to approve the final circular outlining the procedure for recommending appointments to key leadership posts in private educational institutions, including principal, vice-principal, head teacher, assistant head teacher, superintendent and assistant superintendent. An official from the Ministry of Education said that the issuance of the circular would bring a “radical change” to the long-standing recruitment system. NTRCA officials said the initiative aims to ensure greater transparency, accountability and fairness in the appointment of leadership positions in private educational institutions.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
January 15, 2026 09:02 UTC
Two including EC staffer held for forging NID cards
DHAKA, Jan 15, 2026 (BSS) - The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has arrested two individuals, including a computer operator-cum-office assistant of the Election Commission (EC), on charges of forging National Identity (NID) cards and illegally selling personal information of the citizens. The accused were involved in a sophisticated forgery and data-selling network that allegedly earned them several crores of taka every month. Using unauthorized access and forged documents, the syndicate created fake NID cards and sold sensitive personal data to various interested parties. CID officials stated that the operation was carried out following intelligence-based investigations and that more individuals may be involved in the racket. Authorities reiterated their commitment to taking strict action against those involved in identity fraud and misuse of government data systems.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
January 15, 2026 08:05 UTC
Apex court lists plea to upgrade Hasina, Kamal’s sentence to death
Ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The matter was listed as item number 58 on the cause list of the Appellate Division Chamber Judge Court. The ICT prosecution filed the appeal with the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on December 15, 2025. The prosecution filed “Criminal Appeal No 96/2025: Chief Prosecutor vs Sheikh Hasina and another” on eight grounds with the Appellate Division on that day. Under charge number one, the tribunal found both Sheikh Hasina and Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal guilty on three counts and sentenced them to imprisonment till natural death.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
January 15, 2026 08:04 UTC
Honest sharecropper finds gold, cash in haystack, hands over to police
DHAKA, Jan 15, 2026 (BSS) - An inspiring example of honesty was set on Wednesday when a sharecropper in Chandpur reported the discovery of a large sum of money and gold ornaments found while harvesting paddy. The recovered cash amounted to Taka 2,39,200 and gold ornaments weighing 6.4 bhori of 22-carat, 21-carat, and traditional gold, with an estimated market value of Taka 10,90,000, according to a police press release here today. Moslem Mia, a sharecropper working on paddy fields near Abul Kashem Market under Matlab Police Station, found cash and gold hidden inside a pile of straw while spreading the harvested straw in the sun. The recovered money and gold ornaments have been officially seized and placed under court custody. Officer-in-Charge of Matlab Police Station confirmed the incident to the 999 authorities, praising the honesty and integrity of the sharecropper, which has drawn widespread appreciation in the local community.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
January 15, 2026 07:58 UTC
UK economy rebounds with 0.3% growth in November: official
UK economy rebounds with 0.3% growth in November: officialLONDON, Jan 15, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Britain's economy grew more than expected in November, official data showed Thursday, handing a boost to the Labour government after recent weak figures. Gross domestic product increased 0.3 percent from the previous month, the Office for National Statistics said in a statement, beating an analyst consensus forecast for growth of 0.1 percent. GDP had fallen 0.1 percent in October, the ONS confirmed.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
January 15, 2026 07:48 UTC