January 2, 2026 06:55 AM IST First published on: Jan 2, 2026 at 06:55 AM ISTA new political party was launched in Bangladesh with direct blessings from the president, Lt General Hussain Muhammad Ershad, whose government lifted the 10-month old ban on open political activities. The new national party was floated following the merger of five pro-government parties who have been sharing portfolios in Ershad’s cabinet. Meanwhile, opposition political parties announced that they would observe a six-hour general strike on January 5.Student killed in BangladeshOne student was killed and six others seriously wounded as a group of Islamic fundamentalists clashed with student supporters of the opposition Awami League near the port city of Chittagong in south-eastern Bangladesh, press reports said.AdvertisementTerrorists kill cop in PunjabSuspected terrorists killed a police constable and injured another in a bus and escaped with their two sten guns. According to official reports reaching Chandigarh, five suspected terrorists opened fire, while travelling in a Pepsu Road Transport Corporation (PRTC) bus from Ludhiana to Patiala, killing constable Prem Singh and injuring constable Ram Lai who were on guard duty. The assailants, who were occupying the back seats, escaped.Civic rights restoredThe Sri Lankan President, J R Jayewardene, restored the civic rights of the former prime minister, Sirimavo Bandaranaike. The President granted her free pardon under Article 34 of the constitution. A special presidential commission, appointed when the United National Party secured a landslide victory in the 1977 elections, found Bandaranaike guilty of the abuse of power during her tenure as prime minister. On October 16, 1980, Parliament imposed civic disability on her for a period of seven years. According to UNI, Bandaranaike attributed the restoration of her civic rights by Jayewardene to international pressure and said it would mark the beginning of major political change.