Tanvir Mahmud, 55, managing director of Hallmark Group and a key figure in one of Bangladesh’s largest financial scandals, died Saturday night while undergoing treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Prison authorities said he was transferred from jail earlier in the day after complaining of illness. Mahmud had long suffered from kidney disease, hypertension, diabetes, and respiratory complications. He was serving a life sentence handed down last year for embezzling Tk 10 crore under the names of non-existent companies. The Hallmark Group became infamous after being accused in 2012 of misappropriating around Tk 4,000 crore in loans from Sonali Bank through fraudulent means. Mahmud’s wife, Hallmark chairperson Jesmin Islam, and several others were also convicted in the case. His death marks the end of a controversial chapter in Bangladesh’s banking and corporate fraud history.

Singapore’s Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) arrested 12 foreign workers, including 11 Bangladeshis and one Myanmar national, during a four-hour anti-drug operation at a residential building in the Woodlands area. The raid, conducted on Thursday night with support from the Health Sciences Authority, Immigration and Checkpoints Authority, Ministry of Manpower, and police, targeted individuals suspected of drug use and trafficking. A 34-year-old Bangladeshi was detained on charges of drug trafficking and consumption. Authorities seized drug-related paraphernalia such as glass bottles, cut straws, and rubber tubes from the dormitory rooms. CNB Deputy Commanding Officer Superintendent Xanthus Tong Hiong Gee said the operation was part of ongoing efforts to combat drug abuse across Singapore. According to CNB data, 3,119 drug users were arrested in 2024, slightly down from 3,122 in 2023, though the number of new users rose to 966 from 952 the previous year.

Bangladesh’s Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) recovered four abandoned grenades from the Sarulia area of Demra in Dhaka on Saturday night. According to a brief message from RAB headquarters around 10 p.m., the explosives were found lying unattended, prompting immediate recovery by a patrol team from RAB-10. No arrests have been made in connection with the incident so far. Authorities have launched an investigation to determine who left the grenades at the site and whether they pose any further security threat. The discovery has raised concerns about public safety in the densely populated neighborhood, though officials have assured that the situation is under control. Law enforcement agencies are now working to trace the origin of the explosives and assess if the incident is linked to any larger criminal or militant activity.

Bangladesh police have launched a special operation named 'Operation First Light' across the Rajshahi region following violent clashes between BNP and Jamaat supporters in Ishwardi, Pabna. The operation, led by Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Mohammad Shahjahan, resulted in the arrest of 72 individuals, including members of extremist and criminal groups. The raids were conducted in Ishwardi, Natore’s Naldanga and Singra upazilas, with participation from additional DIGs, superintendents of police, and armed units. Police seized one foreign firearm, three local weapons, over one kilogram of cannabis, and seven mobile phones. Authorities said the crackdown aims to ensure peace and security ahead of the national elections, as hired criminals often become active during this period. This marks the third phase of the ongoing operation, which began on November 9 and has already targeted criminal networks across Rajshahi, Natore, Pabna, Kushtia, Naogaon, and Chapainawabganj districts.

A fatal road accident occurred on Saturday morning in the Mahmudabad area of Raipura, Narsingdi, along the Dhaka–Sylhet Highway, when a passenger bus operated by Ena Paribahan collided head-on with an ambulance. The ambulance driver, identified as Mozammel from Sylhet, sustained critical injuries and died while being taken to the hospital. According to police and local sources, the Ena Paribahan bus was reportedly speeding when it crashed into the oncoming ambulance, causing severe damage to both vehicles. Five other individuals were injured in the collision and are currently receiving treatment at different hospitals. Authorities are investigating the incident to determine the exact cause of the crash and whether reckless driving or negligence contributed to the tragedy.

Police in Singra upazila of Natore conducted a special overnight operation on Friday, arresting 26 individuals including inter-district robbery gang leader Shahidul Islam, aged 50. The operation, which covered multiple areas of the upazila, targeted suspects in various cases including arms, drugs, theft, and outstanding warrants. Police recovered a one-shooter pipe gun from Shahidul Islam, who hails from Ningain Bhatopara village, and seized 200 yaba tablets and cannabis from six drug users. Among those arrested, one was held under an arms case, three under the 'Operation Devil Hunt', six in drug cases, two in theft cases, eight with active warrants, and six under Section 151. All detainees have been sent to jail. Singra Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mominuzzaman confirmed the arrests and said the operation was part of an ongoing effort to curb crime in the region.

A 17-year-old college student, Shahida Akter, was killed after being hit by an Imad Paribahan bus on the Dhaka-Khulna highway near Suyadi bus stand in Bhanga upazila, Faridpur, on Saturday morning. Following the accident, angry locals blocked the highway for about an hour, leading to a 20-kilometer traffic jam on both sides and causing severe suffering for thousands of passengers. Protesters also vandalized five vehicles before police and army personnel arrived to restore order and normalize traffic. Police confirmed that the victim’s body was sent for autopsy. Locals demanded the installation of speed breakers in the accident-prone area, citing nearby schools and markets as reasons for increased pedestrian movement. Authorities later brought the situation under control, and vehicular movement resumed on the highway.

A Chilean national, Mario Bustamante Leiva, 50, has admitted to stealing a Gucci purse belonging to US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem at a Washington, D.C. restaurant. The stolen bag contained Noem’s ID, passport, badge, and $3,000 in cash. Leiva, who has prior convictions for theft in both Chile and the United Kingdom, also confessed to stealing from two other women in April—one from Spain and another from Massachusetts. According to his plea agreement, Leiva pleaded guilty to three counts of wire fraud and one count of first-degree theft. He has been in custody since his arrest in April and is scheduled for sentencing in March. Upon completion of his sentence, he will be subject to deportation from the United States. Authorities said Leiva used Noem’s stolen credit card at a Georgetown restaurant before being apprehended. His criminal record includes multiple theft convictions dating back to 1995.

In Narayanganj’s Siddhirganj area, hundreds of worshippers staged a protest and human chain on the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway on Friday, demanding punishment for businessman Shahidul Islam, accused of demolishing a mosque built on waqf land. The demonstrators alleged that Shahidul, along with associates Abdul Hannan and Suman, illegally tore down the mosque to construct a commercial building, claiming ownership of the land through forged documents. Religious leaders and local political figures, including Siddhirganj BNP’s general secretary Iqbal Hossain, vowed that no new structure would be allowed on the site except for rebuilding the mosque. The mosque, originally built in 1992 and officially registered as waqf property in 2002, was reportedly demolished without community consent. Shahidul Islam defended his actions, stating the mosque was being reconstructed due to waterlogging issues and that the new building’s lower floors would still serve as a mosque. The incident has sparked widespread anger among local residents and religious groups.

A 24-year-old woman was allegedly sexually harassed and physically assaulted by several unidentified men on a moving bus in Uttara, Dhaka, on Friday, November 28. According to her general diary filed at Uttara West Police Station, the incident occurred when she fell asleep on the bus traveling from Karwan Bazar to Uttara House Building. A male passenger sitting beside her reportedly touched her inappropriately, and when she protested, a group of 9–10 men attacked her, locking the bus doors and beating her. Two elderly passengers who tried to intervene were also threatened. The attackers allegedly issued death threats before leaving the bus. The victim later received primary treatment at Kuwait-Bangladesh Friendship Government Hospital in Azampur. She expressed frustration that women still face such harassment in 2025 and demanded strict punishment for the perpetrators. Police confirmed receiving the complaint and said the case is being taken seriously.

A 13-year-old girl in St Petersburg, Russia, allegedly killed her mother, Svetlana Cheglyakova, 46, after the woman confiscated her phone due to excessive social media use. Reports claim the teenager slit her mother’s throat, injured herself, and set fire to their apartment before initially claiming an intruder was responsible. Investigators later said she admitted to stabbing her mother following repeated arguments about her online activities and restrictions on her social life. Authorities suspect the girl may have reenacted violent scenarios she had previously role-played in online games such as Roblox. The child, who lived with her mother after her parents’ separation, is currently hospitalized. The Russian Investigative Committee has opened a murder case, but due to her age, she cannot be criminally prosecuted under Russian law.

A viral video showing Bangladeshi migrant workers returning from Saudi Arabia with cut and damaged luggage at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport has prompted an official clarification. The airport’s Executive Director, S.M. Ragib Samad, stated that the incident occurred on November 14, when 78 Bangladeshi citizens arrived on an Ethiopian Airlines flight after being repatriated from Saudi Arabia. Many passengers found their bags torn and belongings missing, leading to anger and confrontation with airline staff. Authorities explained that these ‘out-pass’ passengers had their belongings collectively booked by Saudi immigration, making it difficult to identify individual items. Additionally, Saudi immigration police reportedly confiscated some items without providing a list to the airline. The airport authority said similar incidents have occurred recently and that the matter has been communicated to Saudi authorities for resolution.

Authorities in Pabna’s Bhangura upazila raided a factory in Kaidanga village producing fake milk, following a tip-off on Friday morning. The Department of Livestock Services, along with police and a mobile court, seized large quantities of adulteration materials including liquid glucose, soybean oil, palm oil, salt, and processed fake milk. Factory owner Abul Bashar fled before the raid, prompting the mobile court, led by Assistant Commissioner (Land) and Executive Magistrate Mizanur Rahman, to fine his wife, Selina Khatun, BDT 20,000 for her involvement. Police were instructed to file a regular case against the absconding owner. All seized materials were destroyed on-site. Officials confirmed that the confiscated items were used exclusively for producing counterfeit milk, posing serious health risks to consumers. The raid highlights ongoing efforts by local authorities to curb food adulteration in the region.

A verbal altercation between two students from Shah Mokhdum Hall and Nawab Abdul Latif Hall at Rajshahi University escalated into threats of violence on Friday afternoon. The dispute began over seating arrangements in the university canteen after Friday prayers. Mohammad Masud from Shah Mokhdum Hall and Arif from Latif Hall exchanged heated words, prompting Latif Hall General Secretary (GS) Nurul Islam Shahid to intervene. Witnesses reported that Shahid threatened to hang Masud upside down and beat him if such incidents occurred again. Shahid later admitted his remarks were made in anger and expressed regret. The university’s student organization leaders stated they were reviewing the incident and would take appropriate action. The confrontation has raised concerns about student discipline and hall politics at the university.

The Bangladesh Coast Guard detained 12 suspected smugglers and seized a large consignment of stolen coal worth approximately Tk 11 million during an operation in Barishal. Acting on a tip-off, Coast Guard personnel launched a raid early Friday morning near Anand Ghat in the Charmonai area under Kotwali police station. They intercepted a suspicious lighter vessel carrying around 1,100 metric tons of illegally obtained coal. Preliminary interrogation revealed that the coal had been unlawfully taken from a foreign ship anchored at Mongla’s Hiron Point. The seized coal, vessel, and detainees were later handed over to Barishal Kotwali Police Station for further legal action, according to Coast Guard media officer Lieutenant Commander Siam-ul-Haque.