Team Hexagon is the Bangladeshi professional female E-sports team who has qualified for the finals by defeating multiple qualifiers and teams from South Asia. The team members are Tasnia Naina, Sabrina Islam, Sidratil Nuran, Zarrin Saiyara, Jannatul Ferdous and Kayanat Kaiser. Female teams from Pakistan, Nepal, India, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh joined this game. The tournament is aimed at showcasing the talent and prowess of female gamers from across the South Asia region. On its official Facebook page the group stated, “It's a remarkable accomplishment that showcases the team's dedication, skill, and determination. We will keep up the excellent performance as we continue with the tournament. Please wish us luck and cheer us on further.” VCT Game Changers South Asia organized by VALORANT Official and hosted by NODWIN Gaming. Where Team Hexagon, the Bangladeshi professional female E-sports team secured berth in the final through various qualifiers and defeating teams from South Asia. The final of the tournament will start from April 6. However, VCT Game Changers is a new program which will supplement the competitive season by creating new chances and exposure for women as well as marginalized genders within VALORANT E-sports.   

The Australia Women's Cricket team will arrive in Bangladesh on March 17 for their first ever tour here.  The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) today announced the itinerary for Australia women's tour which includes three ODIs and three T20 internationals.  The ODI series is a part of the 2022-25 ICC Women's Championship. The teams have previously only faced each other in ICC events-once in 2022 World Cup and twice in T20 World Cup in 2020 and 2023.  This will however be the first ever bilateral series between the two sides.  All of the matches of their tour in Bangladesh will be played at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur. The three ODIs are slated to be held on March 21, 24 and 27 and all of the matches will start from 9.30 AM. The three T20 Internationals are scheduled on March 31, April 2 and 4. The T20 matches will start at 12 PM. The Australian team will depart the country on April 5.  Source: BSS  

Bangladesh team qualified for the men's recurve team and mixed recurve team events of the 2024 Asia Cup Archery Stage -1 (World Ranking Tournament) held in the Iraqi capital Baghdad on Thursday. Bangladesh recurve men's team, which got a bye in the quarterfinal, beat Uzbekistan by 5-1 sets in the semifinal to qualify for the final. Bangladesh recurve men's team consisting of Hakim Ahmed Rubel, Abdur Rahman Alif and Sagar Islam will play neighbouring India in the event's final on Sunday (Feb 25). Bangladesh recurve mixed team consisting of Sagor Islam and Diya Siddiqui reached the semifinal beating Pakistan by 17-15 points in the tie breaker as the quarterfinal match between two teams ended in 4-4 set in the scheduled time on Thursday. Later, Bangladesh qualified for the final eliminating Uzbekistan by 5-3 sets and will face India in the final on Sunday (Feb 25).Bangladesh recurve women's team consisting of Diya Siddiqui, Shima Akter Shimu and Fahima Sultana Nisha lost to Uzbekistan by 3-5 sets in the semifinal on Thursday and will play the bronze deciding match with hosts Iraq, also on Sunday (Feb 25). Bangladesh compound mixed team comprising Topu Roy and Meghla Rani beat their rivals from Kuwait by 151-145 score in the quarterfinal and lost to India by 146-157 score in the semifinal on Thursday. They will play hosts Iraq in the bronze medal deciding match on Saturday (Feb 24).   Source: UNB

The leading 4.5G telecom service provider in the country, Robi Axiata Limited has become the proud title sponsor of the Bangladesh national cricket team on Friday (Feb 16). Through this partnership, Robi embarks on the second chapter of an illustrious journey alongside the Tigers, committing to support the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) till July 2027. The signing ceremony took place today at the BCB headquarters in Mirpur, attended by representatives from both organizations. Robi's Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Rajeev Sethi, along with Chief Commercial Officer Shihab Ahmad, and concerned high officials from both entities were present. Following the formal signing, BCB's CEO, Nizamuddin Chowdhury Sujon, officially announced Robi as the sponsor in a press conference. Robi was associated with BCB as a sponsor from 2015 to 2018. During this period the national cricket team achieved the memorable feat of winning back-to-back ODI series against Pakistan, South Africa, and India. In 2016, the team became runners-up in the Asia Cup while in the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy, Bangladesh made it to the semifinals of a major ICC event for the first time. Testament to the long-standing partnership, it was through the Robi-sponsored fast bowler hunt campaign that the current pace-bowling sensation Ebadot Hossain was discovered and later emerged as the star pacer he's now known as. Cricket holds an unparalleled place in the hearts of the people of Bangladesh, always unifying the nation through any achievement in international cricket. Robi aspires to lead Bangladesh forward through cricket, echoing the brand motto, 'Believe, You Can' Robi's MD and CEO, Rajeev Sethi, stated, "Robi's name is now intertwined with many firsts" in Bangladesh cricket. We firmly believe that Robi's 'Believe, You Can' spirit will Lispire the Tigers to achieve even greater success on the global stage. Robi is proud to be associated with Bangladesh cricket and will always stand by them in their thrilling journey ahead." Welcoming Robi to this new venture with Bangladesh cricket, BCB's CEO, Nizam Uddin Chowdhury Sujon, said, "BCB is delighted to have Robi as the sponsor for the national team. Through this partnership, we anticipate reaching new heights in Bangladesh cricket in the days to come."

Pele "would have been sad" at the state of the current Brazilian national team, his son Edinho has told AFP in an interview days before the first anniversary of his death. Brazil have struggled in qualifying for the 2026 World Cup and presently occupy sixth place in the South American table, the last spot that affords direct qualification. The Selecao have struggled without their biggest current star, Neymar, who is a long-term injury absentee after tearing knee ligaments. "This crisis didn't appear overnight, there are big and complex problems," said Edinho, 53, who is one of Pele's seven children. "We are experiencing a decline... we still have great players but in previous times we had more high-level players than we do today." Edinho, who was raised by his mother as Pele and her separated shortly after they moved to New York when he signed for New York Cosmos in 1975 but grew closer to him in later life, added: "There is no doubt, if (Pele) had been there this year, he would have been very sad." Santos, the Brazilian club where Pele spent most of his career, are also going through a tough period after they were relegated to the second division for the first time in its 111-year history. The club is wracked by financial problems and boardroom rifts. "Unfortunately this is no surprise. Anyone who has followed the daily life of the club could have anticipated such a scenario, and it has ended up happening," said Edinho, who was Santos' goalkeeper for several seasons. The ceremonies to mark Friday's first anniversary of Pele's death from cancer at the age of 82 are expected to be low-key. The six surviving children of the man widely considered the greatest footballer in history will hold a virtual meeting to mark the moment as several live in the United States, while a ceremony is scheduled to be held at the mausoleum in Santos that was opened to the public in May. Edinho, whose life has been far from smooth serving time for money laundering and drug trafficking, said the loss of the charismatic man who scored 77 goals in 92 appearances for Brazil had left a huge hole in the family's life. "He was exceptional, we miss him a lot," Edinho said. "He carried our country's name through football, which we are very proud of."   Source: BSS

A joint team of the National Democratic Institute (NDI) and the International Republican Institute (IRI) of the United States has reached Bangladesh to conduct a limited technical assessment focused on potential  electoral violence conditions before, during, and after the parliamentary elections. In a press release published on Sunday, the IRI said the five-member technical assessment team reached here last week. They received accreditation from the Election Commission (EC) and will stay in Bangladesh for six to eight weeks.  The technical assessment includes a thematic analysis of different types of election violence, including inter and intra-party violence, violence targeting women and other marginalised groups, and online harassment and threats, as well as the role of state institutions in addressing these types of violence, in order to evaluate the drivers and implications of election violence during the election cycle. Following the conclusion of the electoral process, the IRI and NDI will present a technical assessment report on electoral violence along with constructive recommendations to reduce violence in future elections.  

Superstar Shakib Khan and well known director Raihan Rafi have teamed up on film ‘Toofan’. Dhaka-based production house Alpha-I Studios, OTT platform Chorki and renowned Indian production company SVF will jointly produce the film. The film was announced at a press conference at a hotel in Dhaka on Monday (Dec 11). Addressing the event, Raihan Rafi said, “I am very excited because three big companies - Alpha-I, Chorki and SVF, have teamed up to make two films. Besides, this my first film with Bangladesh superstar Shakib Khan.”

The Joint Investigation Team (JIT) probing Imran Khan's case was prompted to expand its investigation after an online American news organisation published an alleged content of the secret cable document, reported the Geo News on Friday. Geo News is a Pakistani news channel owned by the Jang Media Group. As per the Geo News, the team is scrutinizing how and who leaked the document's content to the media and whether the content of the cipher. Informed sources said the JIT is keen to see how and who has leaked the document’s content to the media and whether the content of the cipher, as shared by The Intercept, is original or exaggerated, reported the News International. The probe would conclude within a week or 10 days and the investigation so far makes a case against the former prime minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan. This has been reported in the publication by the Geo news, in an offense by the former prime minister, he retained the cipher copy. Twisting and manipulation of the secret document for political gain is also a violation of the law. According to Geo News, the JIT team constituted by the outgoing government of Shehbaz Sharif has already interviewed Imran Khan, Fawad Chaudhry, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Asad Umar, and Foreign Office officials. The most critical part of the JIT probe pertains to the statement of Azam Khan, ex-principal secretary to the former prime minister, who had told the FIA and also stated before a magistrate that the former PM had used the US cipher for his ‘political gains’ and to avert no-confidence motion against him. The former bureaucrat, in his confession, said when he provided the ex-premier with the cipher, he was “euphoric” and termed the language a “US blunder”. The former prime minister, according to Azam, then said that the cable could be used for “creating a narrative against establishment and opposition”. Azam Khan said the US cipher was used in political gatherings by the PTI chairman, despite his advice to him to avoid such acts. Azam Khan said that the former prime minister also told him that the cipher could be used to divert the public’s attention towards “foreign involvement” in the opposition’s no-confidence motion. Imran Khan appeared before the JIT last month. He was called again on August 1 to appear before the probe team in the FIA but the PTI chairman avoided joining further probe into the matter. Former interior minister Rana Sanaullah termed Azam Khan’s statement his “confession” and a charge sheet against Imran Khan. The former interior minister had said that although Imran Khan had told Azam Khan that he lost the cipher, Sanaullah believed that the secret document was still with the PTI chairman. The interior minister of the Shehbaz government was of the view that Imran Khan should be prosecuted under the Official Secrets Act for exposing a secret document and using it for his own political interests to damage the country’s interests and stealing it and taking it into his own possession, reported the Geo news. 

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has announced a generous bonus of BDT 3.5 million for the Bangladesh Women's cricket team, including the best performers and team management, after concluded three-match T20I and three-match ODI series against India. The announcement was made on Sunday by BCB President Nazmul Hasan, who expressed his contentment despite the team's loss in the first match against the formidable Indian side. He said that time, "We lost that match against a big team like India. But the girls played really well afterwards and I’m really happy for them.” In recognition of outstanding century in the last ODI – the first-ever century by a Bangladeshi woman in ODIs – Fargana Hoque Pinky will also receive a bonus of BDT 200,000. This, in addition to the rewards for other players and staff, will result in a total bonus exceeding BDT 3.5 million. Bangladesh team won one T20I and one ODI in this series against the India women's team. Of particular significance was their historic win over India in the ODI, marking their maiden ODI win against India.

The national Women's World Cup team, or the Football Ferns, was evacuated after a fire broke out at their hotel in Auckland. This is the second security incident since the start of the tournament this week. New Zealand's Women's World Cup team was evacuated briefly on Saturday after several small fires broke out at their hotel in Auckland, local media reported. All team members are accounted for and safe, authorities said. Police charged a 34-year-old man with burglary and arson, the Associated Press reported.  New Zealand and Australia are co-hosting the ninth edition of the Women's World Cup. Saturday's fire was the second security incident in the three days since the World Cup tournament began. A rare shooting in Auckland hours before the official opening of the competition at a construction site in Auckland had raised concerns among officials and the public. But there was no indication the shooting was tied to the game. A moment of silence for the victims was held before New Zealand defeated Norway 1-0 in the first match on July 20. What do we know about the incident at the hotel? At about 7:45 p.m. local time (1945 GMT/UTC) Saturday, the national women's football team, or the Football Ferns, was evacuated from the Pullman Hotel in downtown Auckland. Four people were treated for smoke inhalation, according to the New Zealand Herald newspaper. Police said they considered the fire to be suspicious, but no other details were disclosed. The New Zealand team will continue group games at the tournament on Tuesday with a match against the Philippines in Wellington.