United News of Bangladesh

A 22-year-old Afghan woman who was reportedly operating a taekwondo gym for girls has been released after spending 13 days in custody, a spokesperson for the Taliban’s supreme court confirmed. Khadija Ahmadzada was detained for allegedly violating Taliban regulations governing women’s sports facilities, according to a spokesperson for the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice. Women have been barred from sports clubs since the Taliban returned to power in 2021. Officials had previously said women’s sports facilities would reopen once a “safe environment” consistent with their interpretation of Islamic law was established. However, as of January 2026, no such facilities have reopened and women remain prohibited from competing. Ahmadzada, who lives near the western Afghan city of Herat, was arrested along with several others after inspectors reported violations at her gym. Authorities accused her of failing to wear what they deemed appropriate hijab, playing music, and allowing men and women to mix in the facility. She was sentenced to 13 days in jail and reportedly had received multiple prior warnings. Read More: Qatar Foundation pledges support for female athletes in Bangladesh The case was later referred to the Taliban’s supreme court, which announced her release on Thursday, January 22. Her current whereabouts remain unclear. Her arrest sparked widespread criticism on social media and drew the attention of Richard Bennett, the UN special rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, who publicly called for her immediate release. Bennett also highlighted the case of Nazira Rashidi, a female journalist detained in late December in the northern city of Kunduz. Taliban officials have denied that Rashidi’s detention is linked to her journalism, according to local media reports. Source: BBC

Country's celebrated weightlifter and SA Games gold medal-winning Mabia Akhter Simanta clinched gold with new record in her favourite 64 kgs weight category event of the Bangabandhu 9th Bangladesh Games held in Mymensingh District gymnasium on Wednesday. Mabia, a lifter of Bangladesh Ansar, smartly clinched the event's gold medal with new national mark lifting total 181 kgs -- 80 kgs in snatch and 101 kgs in clean & jerk. Read: 3-day Bangabandhu 44th National Athletics commences The previous best record of Mabia was 179 kgs made in the Inter-Services Weightlifting Competition held in 2018. Mila Akhter of Bangladesh Army won the event's silver lifting 132 kgs while Laboni Akhter of Shipahi Bagh JS took the bronze lifting 116 kgs. Read 3 IU female students win medals in Bangladesh Games