Two people were killed when two passenger launches, Zakir Samrat-3 and Adventure-9, collided on the Meghna River near Harina in Chandpur Sadar early Thursday night. The accident occurred around 2 a.m. amid dense fog that reduced visibility on the river.

According to Chandpur BIWTA Deputy Director (Traffic) Babu Lal Baidya, the collision happened due to heavy fog in the area. Several others were reported injured, though the exact number of casualties was not confirmed. Authorities said the identities of the deceased could not be determined because the destinations of the two vessels were not identified.

Officials are continuing efforts to gather more details about the victims and the circumstances of the collision as investigations proceed.

A case has been filed at Bogura Sadar Police Station accusing 273 individuals, including former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, over an alleged attack on an anti-discrimination student rally. The case, numbered 66, was recorded on December 24, 2025, following a court filing on December 23. The plaintiff, Mohammad Alif, son of Nur Hossain Mondal from Brindaban Paschim Para, lodged the complaint on Wednesday night. Among the accused, 173 are named while 100 remain unidentified.

The first accused is former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, followed by former Bogura-6 MP and Awami League leader Ragebul Ahsan (Ripu) as the second accused. Former Bogura-5 MP Mojibur Rahman Majnu, Habibur Rahman Habib, and several leaders and activists from Awami League, Jubo League, Swechchhasebak League, and Chhatra League are also listed.

According to the case statement, Alif was seriously injured by gunfire allegedly from the accused during the rally at Kathaltala area on August 4, 2024. After recovering from his injuries, he proceeded to file the case.

Rakib, joint convener of the Raipur Government College unit of the student organization Chhatra Dal, died after being electrocuted in Lakshmipur’s Raipur upazila on Thursday evening. The accident occurred around 5 p.m. in Ward No. 2 of Charbanshi Union when he came into contact with electricity while preparing hot water at his home poultry farm. Family members and locals rushed him to the emergency department of Raipur Upazila Health Complex, where duty doctor Sohel Rana declared him dead.

His sudden death has cast a pall of grief over the area. Family members are mourning his loss, and members of Raipur Government College Chhatra Dal and local political circles have expressed deep sorrow and condolences. Leaders described Rakib as an active and dedicated organizer whose death is an irreparable loss to the organization.

The incident has drawn widespread sympathy in the community, highlighting the risks of household electrical accidents in rural areas.

Pakistan’s security forces conducted separate operations in Balochistan’s Kalat district and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Dera Ismail Khan district, killing ten militants described as India-backed extremists. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said the actions followed intelligence reports about the presence of such groups. During the Dera Ismail Khan operation, two militants, including their leader Dilwar, were killed. Dilwar was on Pakistan’s most-wanted list for involvement in multiple terrorist acts, with a government bounty of four million rupees for his capture.

ISPR stated that weapons and ammunition were recovered from the dead militants, who were allegedly involved in attacks against security forces and civilians. In a separate operation in Kalat, eight militants linked to the group Fitna al Hindustan were killed after an intense exchange of fire. The ISPR claimed these militants acted as Indian proxies in Pakistan. Arms, ammunition, and explosives were seized from the site.

The operations highlight Pakistan’s ongoing counterterrorism efforts in regions affected by militant activity, according to the ISPR statement.

Police detained a Jubo League leader named Russel Pathan at the Benapole International Checkpost immigration point on Thursday afternoon while he was allegedly attempting to flee to India. The arrest took place around 12:30 p.m. after immigration officials found his name on the stop list during passport verification. Pathan identified himself as the joint convener of the Mymensingh Metropolitan Jubo League.

According to police, Russel Pathan is accused in two sabotage cases filed with Mymensingh Kotwali Police Station. He is the son of Abdur Razzak Pathan from Sankipara village in Mymensingh Sadar upazila. The Benapole Checkpost Immigration Officer-in-Charge, Sakhawat Hossain, confirmed that Pathan was detained due to his name appearing on the stop list.

After initial questioning, police handed him over to Benapole Port Police Station, from where he was later sent to the Jashore court for further legal proceedings.

Bangladesh’s joint security forces conducted a series of coordinated operations across the country from December 18 to 25, recovering 13 illegal firearms and arresting 21 individuals. The Inter-Services Public Relations Directorate (ISPR) announced the results in a statement released on Thursday, noting that the raids were carried out under various army infantry divisions and independent brigades in cooperation with other law enforcement agencies in Dhaka and other regions.

According to the ISPR, those detained include suspected terrorists, drug dealers, addicts, robbers, members of juvenile gangs, and smugglers. In addition to the firearms, authorities seized 114 rounds of ammunition, explosives, narcotics, and sharp weapons. The arrested individuals were handed over to local police stations for interrogation and legal proceedings.

The coordinated crackdown reflects ongoing efforts by Bangladesh’s security agencies to curb illegal arms possession and organized criminal activity across the country.

A shocking incident in Eidgaon, Cox’s Bazar, has raised serious allegations against local police officers who allegedly framed an innocent autorickshaw driver, Jafar Alam, in a false weapons case. The event, which occurred on October 13, was captured on nearby CCTV cameras showing police officers planting a firearm in Jafar’s vehicle while he was sent to buy water. Moments later, he was arrested and forced to pose with the weapon for photographs. The operation was reportedly led by Sub-Inspector Badiul Alam, known for previous controversies, along with two constables.

According to Jafar’s family, the incident was an act of revenge after they filed an eve-teasing case against local miscreants. His wife claimed police took money to frame him, while his daughter described ongoing harassment by the same group. Locals alleged that influential youths have long manipulated police actions in the area. Additional Superintendent of Police Alok Biswas confirmed after reviewing the footage that Jafar was indeed framed and promised strict action.

Badiul Alam has faced multiple prior accusations, including extortion and wrongful arrests, but had avoided punishment due to lack of evidence. Authorities now say the CCTV proof leaves little room for impunity.

A 19-year-old Muslim construction worker from West Bengal, Jewel Rana, was beaten to death in Odisha’s Sambalpur district on Wednesday night after being accused of being Bangladeshi. Two of his coworkers were also assaulted and hospitalized. Police have arrested six suspects and launched an investigation into the incident, which occurred in the Danipali area under Ainthapalli police station.

Witnesses said the attackers demanded identification before assaulting the workers, forcing them to chant religious slogans. Migrant worker organizations and human rights advocates have linked the killing to a broader pattern of mob violence targeting Bengali-speaking Muslims, allegedly fueled by recent government directives to identify and deport undocumented Bangladeshis and Rohingyas.

The case has reignited debate over communal tensions and migrant safety in India. Activists have urged both state and central authorities to address the growing trend of vigilante attacks, warning that political rhetoric and administrative inaction are emboldening extremist groups. The Odisha government has promised a thorough investigation.

Bangladeshi activist Tahreema Jannat Survi, known online as the 'July Warrior,' was arrested early Thursday in Tongi by a joint security force. Authorities said she had posted a series of derogatory and inflammatory comments on social media targeting the government, several senior advisers, and the army chief. Following the operation at her home in the Morkun Purbo Para area, she was handed over to Tongi East Police Station.

Police confirmed that Survi had an outstanding arrest warrant from a separate extortion case filed in Kaliakoir, Gazipur. Law enforcement sources stated that her online activities were under surveillance due to concerns they could threaten public order and national stability. The arrest followed weeks of monitoring after her posts sparked public outrage online.

Officials said Survi has been transferred to Kaliakoir police custody for further legal proceedings. The case underscores growing scrutiny of online speech in Bangladesh and the increasing involvement of joint forces in cyber-related investigations.

A bomb explosion inside a mosque in Maiduguri, the capital of Nigeria’s Borno State, killed at least seven worshippers during evening prayers on Wednesday, December 24. Witnesses and security sources confirmed the incident, though no group has claimed responsibility. Local anti-jihad militia leader Babakura Kolo described it as a deliberate attack, while some witnesses suggested it might have been a suicide bombing. Police confirmed the blast and said bomb disposal units were deployed to the site.

The explosion occurred in the Gamboru market area, a district that has previously faced attacks from insurgent groups. An NGO operating in Maiduguri advised its staff to avoid the area following the incident. Borno State has long been the epicenter of the Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) insurgencies, which have killed around 40,000 people and displaced nearly two million since 2009.

Although large-scale attacks in Maiduguri have declined in recent years, analysts warn that militant groups retain the capacity to launch deadly assaults, highlighting persistent instability in Nigeria’s northeast.

A young man named Siam was killed on Wednesday evening after a bomb thrown by unidentified assailants exploded beneath the Moghbazar flyover in central Dhaka. Witnesses reported that the device was hurled from the top of the flyover near the Muktijoddha Memorial, injuring Siam fatally at the scene. Police arrived shortly after the blast, cordoning off the area as panic spread among local residents.

Deputy Police Commissioner Masud Alam of Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Ramna Division said initial findings suggest the bomb was thrown from above, though the motive remains unclear. Siam, an employee of a private factory, was later identified by his relatives. Authorities are reviewing nearby CCTV footage to identify those responsible.

The incident has raised concerns about public safety in Dhaka’s busy commercial zones. Police have intensified patrols in the area and assured that further details will be disclosed once the investigation concludes.

Indian Customs officials in West Bengal’s North Dinajpur district recovered Bangladeshi currency worth 120,000 taka during a raid near Raiganj on Tuesday morning. Acting on a tip-off, officers intercepted two men on a motorcycle without a license plate in the Hemtabad police area. When ordered to stop, the suspects fled, throwing bundles of 2-taka notes onto the road before escaping.

Authorities later collected 60,000 brand-new, unused 2-taka notes from the scene. The seizure has prompted an investigation into how such a large quantity of new Bangladeshi currency entered Indian territory. Officials suspect the notes may have been smuggled across the border for illegal trade or currency exchange purposes.

Customs sources said the incident highlights ongoing cross-border monetary smuggling challenges between India and Bangladesh. Security agencies are now coordinating with Bangladeshi counterparts to trace the origin of the notes and identify the individuals involved.

A bomb explosion outside a police station in Moscow early Wednesday killed three people, including two traffic police officers. According to Russia’s Investigative Committee, the blast occurred on Yeletskaya Street when officers approached a suspicious man who then detonated an explosive device. The incident follows a car bomb attack two days earlier in the same area that killed Russian Army General Fanil Sarvarov.

Authorities have not yet confirmed who was behind the latest explosion, though previous similar attacks in Russia have been linked to alleged Ukrainian intelligence involvement. The deceased officers were aged 24 and 25, and one reportedly leaves behind a wife and a nine-month-old child. The attack has prompted heightened security measures across Moscow.

The explosion underscores growing security concerns in the Russian capital amid ongoing regional tensions and recent high-profile attacks. Investigators are working to determine whether the two incidents are connected as Moscow tightens surveillance around police and military facilities.

A Dhaka court has granted a fresh four-day remand for Khadija Yasmin, daughter of jailed crime figure Subrata Bain, in connection with the murder of Jubo Dal leader Arif Sikder. The order was issued by Metropolitan Magistrate Sarah Farzana Haque after police sought additional time for interrogation. During the hearing, Yasmin told the court that her father’s criminal record should not make her responsible for his actions.

Defense lawyers argued against the remand, saying no new information had been obtained during the previous five-day interrogation and that Yasmin, a working mother of two, should be granted bail. The prosecution, however, claimed that she might hold crucial information relevant to national security and the ongoing investigation, especially ahead of the national elections.

Yasmin was arrested on December 15 near Cumilla Jail and previously remanded for five days. The case stems from the April 2025 shooting of Jubo Dal leader Arif Sikder in Dhaka’s Hatirjheel area, which later turned into a murder case after his death in hospital.

Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal-1 has scheduled January 20 for delivering its verdict in a war crimes case involving the killing of six people in Dhaka’s Chankharpul area during the July uprising. The case names former Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Habibur Rahman and seven others as accused of crimes against humanity.

The three-member tribunal, chaired by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Majumder, fixed the date on Wednesday. The panel also includes Justice Md Shofiul Alam Mahmud and retired District and Sessions Judge Md Mohitul Haque Enam Chowdhury. The case has drawn significant public attention due to the seniority of the accused and the historical context of the July uprising.

Legal observers note that the verdict could set an important precedent for accountability in post-conflict justice. Families of the victims have expressed hope for closure, while defense lawyers maintain that the charges are politically motivated. Security measures are expected to be heightened around the tribunal on the day of the verdict.