A tractor driver died and two others sustained injuries as the vehicle overturned on them in Panchagarh Sadar upazila on Tuesday evening, said police. The deceased was identified as Bikash Chandra Roy, 26, son of Jhitendra Nath Roy of Lakshpati village under Haribhasa village of the Sadar upazila. The injured-Nahid Islam, 14, and Mizanur Rahman, 35, were admitted to Panchagarh Adhunik Sadar Hospital. UP Chairman Sayed Nur-e-Alam said the tractor carrying the three veered off while giving side to a speeding microbus at the time of entering Panchagarh-Haribhasa regional road from a dirt road after ploughing land. Read: 2 die in Habiganj road accident The accident left them critically injured while they were rushed to Sadar hospital where physicians declared Bikash dead upon arrival, said Dr Kawsar Ahmed, a physician of the hospital. Sadar Model Police Station’s Officer-in-Charge SM Masud Parvez said legal processes were underway in this connection.

Secretary to Education Ministry’s Technical and Madrassah division KM Kabirul Islam on Tuesday said it is considering the inclusion of independent Ebtedayee madrasahs under the monthly payment order system. He disclosed this in a views-exchange meeting with the leaders of the Education Reporters Association, Bangladesh-ERAB, an organisation of journalists covering reporters of the education sector, at the ministry. Noting that the madrasah was neglected during the tenure of the ousted Awami League regime, he said independent Ebtedayee madrasahs would be included in MPO facilities in phases, and the concerned officials have already been instructed to prepare the necessary documents. He also said initiatives have been taken to introduce stipends for Ebtedayee madrasah students like the schools, and a project is being taken for mid-day meals. “Apart from this, I have instructed officials to make a separate project for building construction in these madrassahs; they will start the process of creating a DPP soon,” he added. About technical education, Kabirul Islam said, “I feel that technical education is the future of Bangladesh, and it is not possible to eliminate so much unemployment in the country without technical education.” The progress is not possible without improvements in technical and vocational education, he added. Technical and Madrassah Division Additional Secretary (Madrasa) Md. Nazrul Islam, Additional Secretary (Technical) Md. Ayatul Islam, Additional Secretary (Administration and Finance) Shamsur Rahman Khan, Additional Secretary (Development) Md. Sirajul Islam, Additional Secretary (Audit and Law) Md. Aziz Taher Khan, ERAB President Faruk Hossain, General Secretary Solamain Salman, former ERAB President Sabbir Newaz, Nijamul Haque, Shariful Alam Suman, and Mir Mohammad Jasim, and other leaders of the organisation were also present.

The interim government has said they remain committed to accountability and justice, and will be working with partners around the world to return the stolen funds to the people of Bangladesh. "The theft of billions of dollars in public funds has left Bangladesh with a significant financial deficit," said the government in a statement issued by Chief Adviser's press wing on Tuesday night. The funds stolen from Bangladesh belong to its people, said the interim government, stressing that they will continue to work with their international partners to ensure that justice is done. Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus has already expressed the views of the vast majority of Bangladesh’s citizens. He said property and assets tied to stolen Bangladeshi funds, including those linked to individuals with connections to the previous regime, must be investigated thoroughly. "If proven to have benefited from embezzlement, we expect those assets to be returned to Bangladesh, where they rightfully belong." As Professor Yunus told The Sunday Times of London, Tulip Siddiq may not have entirely understood the source of the money and property that she was enjoying in London, but she knows now and should seek forgiveness from the people of Bangladesh. Read: US welcomes Interim Government’s steps toward election readiness The interim government is actively working with international law enforcement agencies to investigate and recover funds stolen from the people of Bangladesh. Such collaboration is vital to dismantle transnational networks of financial crime. "We hope and expect all friendly governments, including the UK, to stand with the people of Bangladesh in seeking justice for these crimes," said the interim government, adding that corruption hurts everyone other than those who perpetrate it – and some of their favoured relatives and cronies. The ongoing investigation into the $5 billion misappropriation linked to the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant underscores the scale of corruption under the previous government, the statement reads. Read more: Holding election not the sole responsibility of interim government: Nahid The misuse of public resources in this and other projects has not only robbed the people of Bangladesh but also disrupted the country’s progress toward economic stability, said the interim government.

A Rajshahi University (RU) teacher, who was injured in a road accident, succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment at a Rajshahi hospital early Tuesday. The deceased Purangit Mahalder was an associate professor of the Bangla department of the university. The university’s Pro Vice Chancellor (admin) Prof Mohammad Moin Uddin said Mahalder sustained severe injuries in his head after falling off his motorbike, when he was on his way home from his daughters’ school at Baro Raster Intersection for transportation on Monday noon. Later, he was rushed to Rajshahi Medical College Medical Hospital and admitted to the Intensive Care Unit, he said, adding Mahalder breathed his last around 2am while undergoing treatment. The university administration expressed deep sympathy to the bereaved family, he said. Read: 6 killed in separate road accidents in Naogaon, Gazipur, Munshiganj Prof Md Akhtar Hossain Majumdar, administrator at the RU Public Relations Office, said the teacher’s body was kept in front of Shahidullah Arts Building for paying tributes on Tuesday morning. The university’s Bangla Department Alumni Association also expressed shock at the sad demise.

A BNP leader from Porsha upazila in Naogaon has been stabbed to death over a land dispute. The victim, Maidur Rahman, 40, was the general secretary of Nitpur Union BNP and an elected member of Ward No. 6 of Nitpur Union Parishad. According to sources from Porsha Police Station, Maidur had been involved in an ongoing dispute over land with Abdur Rahim, 57, of Gopinatpur village, along with Rahim’s son Ismail Hossain, 30, and another individual named Barkulla, 25. Read: Man stabbed dead in Dhaka's Lalbagh The altercation took place in the Ranshada area south of Balashhid Mouza in Nitpur Union, Porsha upazila, on Tuesday afternoon. During a land measurement, the situation escalated into a violent confrontation, during which Maidur was stabbed. Other individuals present at the scene rushed Maidur to Porsha Upazila Health Complex, where he was declared dead by the on-duty doctor. Maidur’s brother, Hamidul, 35, was also injured during the incident. Read more: Youth stabbed dead on college campus in Bogura Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Porsha Police Station Shahin Reza said that Maidur's body has been sent to Naogaon Sadar Hospital for autopsy. He added that efforts to arrest the accused are underway and police have initiated the process of filing a case.

Two more deaths were reported from dengue in 24 hours till Tuesday morning, raising the number of fatalities from the mosquito-borne disease in Bangladesh to seven this year. During the period, 31 more patients were hospitalised with viral fever, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). Of them, seven dengue patients were admitted in hospital under Dhaka North City Corporation while nine were hospitalized in Dhaka South City Corporation.  Some 275 patients are receiving treatment in different hospitals across the country. Read: Dengue: One more death reported in 24hrs Last year, dengue claimed the lives of 575 people. In 2023, 1,705 people lost their lives due to dengue, making it the deadliest year on record. The DGHS recorded 321,179 dengue cases and 3, 18,749 recoveries in the same year.

The interim government will hold an all-party meeting on Thursday to finalise the “July Declaration” based on a “national consensus” amid the presence of Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus.       “On Thursday, we will know how it is getting done and what is there inside (contents) and when it will be declared,” said Adviser Mahfuj Alam while briefing the media at Foreign Service Academy on Tuesday evening.  Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam, Senior Assistant Press Secretary Foyez Ahammad and Assistant Press Secretary Suchismita Tithi were also present. He hoped that a document, reflecting the background and spirit of July uprising, will be drafted based on a consensus through Thursday’s meeting and it will be clear the same day when they will issue the declaration and how the government will play a role in issuing this. “We tried to talk to stakeholders and political parties and tried to take their opinions,” Mahfuj said. The Adviser also said CA Dr Yunus, advisers and all stakeholders will be present when the declaration will be issued. CA Dr Yunus to receive 4 reform commissions' reports on Jan 15: Shafiqul Alam Earlier, the interim government initiated the process of preparing a declaration on the July uprising, based on a national consensus. According to the Chief Adviser’s (CA) press wing, the declaration will be adopted to solidify the unity of people forged through the July uprising, reflecting its anti-fascist spirit and the demand for state reforms. The draft will incorporate the views of all political parties and students, including those of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement that spearheaded the mass uprising. The declaration will articulate the perspective of the July uprising, the foundation of unity and the aspirations of people, the press wing noted. The government expressed optimism that the declaration will be prepared unanimously with participation from all stakeholders and subsequently presented to the nation.

The government is going to introduce a new Act to empower Bangladesh Bank (BB) to deal with banks' share ownership transfer and legal challenges. In consultation with the government, the central bank has drafted the new special Act to empower the central bank to change ownership of bank shares, mergers, liquidations and acquisitions. This law is being made in the context of concerns over the fugitive ownership of several banks by individuals and business groups close to the ousted Awami League government. The concerned official of the Financial Institution Department (FID), a wing of the Finance Ministry, said that the central bank has already prepared a draft of this special law called the "Bank Regulation Act". “If the law is passed, the owner's approval will not be required for the transfer of bank share ownership, mergers and acquisitions of weak banks, It will be possible to do so only if the central bank desired,” the official said. Bangladesh Bank appoints Ernst & Young, KPMG to audit 6 troubled banks Besides, even if the old owner challenges it in court in the future, it will not survive. That is, the Bangladesh Bank authorities and potential buyers will get legal protection. A senior BB official told UNB on condition of anonymity, "The Act has been drafted. Now the opinions of the FID and the Banking Regulations and Policies Division of the central bank are being taken. The opinions of the Legal Department of BB will also be taken.” Then it will be sent to the FID and the FID will hold a stakeholder meeting with the representatives of the country's banks, representatives of the Law Ministry and experts. The proposed law also includes the issue of transferring shares of shareholders/owners of the bank—whose shares the government will attach—are those who have failed to repay loans or taxes for any reason, or who have been proven to have lost their ability to own the bank. The money received from the sale of these shares will first be used to repay liabilities or loans, and then, if there is a surplus, it will be deposited in their account, sources said.

Four reform commissions, out of six formed in the first phase, will submit their respective reports to Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on Wednesday, said CA’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam on Tuesday. Members of the four commissions will go to the Chief Adviser’s Office in Tejgaon to hand over their reports, Alam said while briefing the media at the Foreign Service Academy in the evening. Adviser Mahfuj Alam, Senior Assistant Press Secretary Foyez Ahammad and Assistant Press Secretary Suchismita Tithi were also present. Advisers of the interim government will also be there, and there will be discussion that is expected to continue till 1:30 pm. “They (commissions) will share the whole thing with an elaborate description of their findings and recommendations,” said the Press Secretary. Read: Jamaat Ameer discusses reforms, national unity with Chief Adviser Yunus After the meetings with the Chief Advisers, the media will be briefed at the FSA at 3 pm on Wednesday, Alam said, adding that they are not sure yet who among the advisers will brief the media. Responding to a question, the Press Secretary said they will share at least the executive summaries of the reports in addition to sharing the key features. Earlier, the interim government expected five out of six reform commissions to submit their reports by January 15 in line with the extended timeframe. Read more:Bangladesh needs unity, reforms, elections to move forward: Dr Yunus The six commissions are the Electoral System Reform Commission headed by Dr Badiul Alam Majumdar, the Police Administration Reform Commission headed by Sarfaraz Hossain, the Judiciary Reform Commission headed by Justice Shah Abu Naeem Mominur Rahman, Anti-Corruption Reform Commission headed by TIB’s Dr Iftekharuzzaman, Public Administration Reform Commission headed by Abdul Mueed Chowdhury, and Constitution Reform Commission headed by Distinguished Prof at Illinois State University Dr Ali Riaz.

Fisheries and Livestock Adviser Farida Akhtar has said that the government will regulate the size and threads of current nets used in fishing. Speaking at a meeting held at the Deputy Commissioner's office in Munshiganj on Tuesday, she emphasised that fisheries officials would have enhanced authority to address the issue, with consultations involving experts from the Department of Fisheries to determine the appropriate size and specifications for the nets. "Current nets are harmful because there is no control over their size. We will collaborate with experts to set the guidelines for these nets," she said. The adviser also highlighted the role of local factories in Munshiganj, which manufacture current nets. She pointed out that the nets produced by these factories have sizes that trap all types of fish, exacerbating the problem. Mongla Port Development: Work on Pashur Channel Dredging begins "We have received consistent reports about this issue and several raids have been conducted at different factories. Many nets have been seized and it is evident that the net traders and factory owners are also involved in this matter," she added. While addressing the technical aspects, she said, "This issue requires a technical approach, not just raids. The nets must be designed to capture specific types of fish and we will provide clear instructions on the proper size, the material to be used and the manufacturing process." After the meeting, the adviser inaugurated two exhibitions at the District Commissioner's office.