The body of Kohinur Akter, 30, wife of expatriate Nurul Islam from Ukhia’s Rajapalong Union, was recovered from beneath a lift at Cox’s Bazar District Sadar Hospital four days after she went missing. She had come to the hospital with her sick child and disappeared on March 4 after leaving to buy medicine. Her body was discovered Saturday morning after CCTV footage showed her entering the lift but not exiting.

Hospital officials said she likely fell into the lift shaft when the door opened before the lift arrived. The incident has raised serious questions about the hospital’s safety and surveillance systems. Relatives became agitated after the discovery, prompting police to intervene and restore order.

Law enforcement authorities have launched an investigation to determine the exact cause of the incident. The body was sent for autopsy at the hospital morgue, while local residents expressed concern over how a body could remain undiscovered for days inside a busy hospital.

The Islamic University (IU) administration has temporarily suspended two assistant professors and one official following their implication in the murder case of Asma Sadia Runa, chairperson and assistant professor of the Department of Social Welfare. The suspended individuals are Assistant Professors Shyam Sundar Sarkar and Habibur Rahman, and Assistant Registrar Bishwajit Kumar Biswas of Ummul Mu’minin Ayesha Siddika Hall. The decision was announced on Saturday, March 7, 2026, through separate office orders signed by Acting Registrar Professor Dr. Manjurul Haque.

According to the orders, the suspensions were made under Section 15(b) of the university’s service discipline rules after the accused were named in the initial police report filed under Section 154 of the Criminal Procedure Code. The suspension took effect from March 5, 2026, and the individuals will receive subsistence allowances as per university regulations.

The case stems from the fatal stabbing of Professor Runa inside her department office on March 4. Her husband, Imtiaz Sultan, filed a murder case the next day against four people, naming employee Fazlur Rahman as the prime accused. Police have already arrested Fazlur Rahman, who was under treatment in the ICU.

A joint operation by the Department of Narcotics Control and police in Khulna on Saturday led to the arrest of a woman carrying a large consignment of illegal firearms and ammunition allegedly smuggled from India. The suspect, identified as Suraiya Parvin Sumi from Satkhira, was detained during a search on a Khulna–Satkhira road in the Niz Khamar area. Authorities recovered five firearms, including three pistols and two revolvers, along with four magazines and 96 rounds of ammunition.

Officials said the operation was launched based on intelligence that a drug consignment was being transported from Satkhira to Dhaka. During the search, officers first seized 80 bottles of codeine phosphate from two women and later discovered the weapons in another vehicle. Police confirmed that the seized arms had entered Bangladesh through illegal routes from India and were being distributed nationwide for subversive activities.

Law enforcement agencies stated that they have obtained information about the suppliers and intended destinations of the weapons and have begun follow-up investigations based on those findings.

Labour, Employment and Expatriates’ Welfare Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury has warned that strict action will be taken against those involved in the recent deterioration of law and order in Sylhet city. His remarks came after a series of robbery incidents in the area. Speaking to journalists on Saturday, March 7, 2026, following his participation in a Holi festival event at the Manipuri Rajbari in Mirzajangal, he said that no one responsible for the unrest will be spared.

The minister stated that the Prime Minister has declared a zero-tolerance policy against terrorism and extortion, emphasizing that such activities will not be tolerated. He added that the administration has been instructed to arrest the robbers swiftly and bring them under the law, reaffirming the government’s commitment to ensuring a safe Sylhet.

The Holi festival event was presided over by Digen Singh, president of the Academy for Manipuri Culture and Arts, and attended by Sylhet City Corporation administrator Abdul Kaiyum Chowdhury and other guests.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has intensified surveillance to prevent oil smuggling from Bangladesh to India. As part of the effort, fuel tanks of goods trucks arriving from India are being measured before entry into Bangladesh and again before returning to India. The initiative began on Saturday, March 7, at the zero line of the Sonamasjid land port in Chapainawabganj, according to a BGB press release.

The 59 BGB Battalion has set up a special checkpoint to measure fuel tanks and inspect entire vehicles to ensure no illegal transfer of fuel occurs. Additionally, the 53 BGB Battalion has strengthened patrols in border areas, increased manpower at border outposts, and established two extra checkpoints in nearby towns to reinforce anti-smuggling operations.

These measures reflect BGB’s broader strategy to tighten border control and prevent the illegal movement of fuel across the Bangladesh-India frontier.

The 14th Battalion of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has intensified patrols, searches, and intelligence surveillance along the Naogaon border to prevent fuel smuggling. The measures were confirmed in a statement issued on Saturday, March 7, 2026, by Lieutenant Colonel Abdullah Al Mamun, commanding officer of the Patnitala 14 BGB Battalion. Additional personnel have been deployed in the border areas under the battalion’s jurisdiction.

According to the statement, the decision follows instability in the international fuel market caused by ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which has raised concerns about global energy supply and price uncertainty. The BGB has increased monitoring of fuel transportation and supply routes to curb illegal cross-border movement.

The battalion also remains alert to prevent illegal crossings, drug trafficking, and other transnational crimes while maintaining law and order in the Naogaon and Joypurhat border regions.

Indian drug syndicates have changed tactics as Bangladeshi law enforcement tightens control over Phensedyl smuggling. According to the Department of Narcotics Control (DNC), three new codeine-based syrups—Bronokof C, Choco Plus, and Win Corex—are being produced in at least ten Indian border districts and trafficked into eight Bangladeshi frontier districts. Though some shipments have been seized, the syrups remain largely unrecognized as narcotics, raising concern among authorities.

DNC officials said the syrups contain codeine phosphate, the same addictive ingredient found in Phensedyl, and are being relabeled and exported despite being banned in India. The agency has identified 62 factories and 374 traffickers involved, and plans to formally request India to shut down the production centers. Border Guard Bangladesh has intensified surveillance, but officials admit earlier appeals to India yielded little progress.

Recent intelligence reports warn that Bronokof C is spreading fastest through Rajshahi and Chapainawabganj, while Win Corex is entering through Jessore. Experts caution that the lower price and easy availability of these syrups could worsen addiction among youth if cross-border coordination does not improve.

Three young men were detained and handed over to police after being beaten by locals in Abhoynagar upazila of Jashore. The incident occurred around 12:30 a.m. on Thursday night, March 5, in Gopinathpur village under Shubharara Union. Locals seized a foreign-made 9mm pistol, six rounds of ammunition, and an empty magazine from the suspects. Their motorcycle was also set on fire during the confrontation.

According to Abhoynagar Police Station Officer-in-Charge SM Nuruzzaman, the three detainees are Riaz Sardar alias Surjo Sardar (28), Shakil Sardar (25), and Robiul Molla (23), all residents of nearby villages. Locals said they were conducting a night patrol when they stopped the suspects’ motorcycle for a search. One of the men allegedly tried to flee after showing a pistol, prompting the mob to capture and beat them before handing them to police.

Police recovered the burned motorcycle from the scene and filed a case under the Arms Act against the three detainees.

A passenger bus carrying attendees to a Hindu wedding lost control and fell into a roadside ditch in Bagerhat on Friday afternoon. The accident occurred around 1:30 p.m. on the Barakpur–Polerhat road near Fakir Bari area, leaving several passengers injured.

According to local sources, the bus was traveling from Jashore to the Kalibari area when it veered off the road and plunged into the ditch. Worshippers from a nearby mosque and local residents rushed to the scene and rescued the trapped passengers. Locals said the quick response of the mosque-goers and residents prevented a potentially serious loss of life.

The incident caused brief panic in the area, but the situation was brought under control through prompt rescue efforts.

Police have arrested Fazlur Rahman, the prime accused in the murder case of Asma Sadia Runa, chairperson and assistant professor of the Social Welfare Department at Islamic University. The arrest was confirmed on Friday, March 6, by the case’s investigating officer, Abdullah Al Mamun. Fazlur Rahman, a university employee, is currently under police guard at Kushtia General Hospital’s ICU, where he is receiving treatment for serious injuries. He has provided a written confession to police admitting responsibility for the killing, and doctors have stated that his condition is now stable.

The investigating officer said that police have begun their work following the filing of the murder case and are continuing efforts to arrest the remaining accused. Two of the other suspects are university teachers. The case was filed by the victim’s husband, Imtiaz Sultan, on Thursday morning under sections 302 and 109 of the Penal Code, naming four individuals including Fazlur Rahman. The other accused are former deputy registrar Bishwajit Kumar Biswas, assistant professor Shyam Sundar Sarkar, and assistant professor Habibur Rahman.

Journalists in Kishoreganj formed a human chain on Friday, March 6, 2026, protesting a violent attack on two reporters who were covering news related to the auction at the historic Pagla Mosque. The demonstration took place at Akhra Bazar in the district town, where participants demanded the immediate arrest and exemplary punishment of those responsible.

The injured journalists were Khairul Alam Faisal of Channel 24 and Faizul Islam Bhuiyan Pinku of Global Television. According to reports, a syndicate allegedly involved in buying mosque-donated items at low prices attacked the journalists when they went to gather information. The victims were rescued by mosque Ansar members and taken to hospital. Later, Pinku filed an attempted murder case naming eight individuals and several unidentified others.

Police confirmed that two suspects, Jibon and Mona, have been detained, and efforts are ongoing to arrest the remaining accused. Authorities expressed optimism about bringing all perpetrators to justice soon.

The Islamic University (IU) administration has declared a one-day mourning on Saturday, March 7, following the killing of Asma Sadia Runa, chairperson and assistant professor of the Department of Social Welfare. According to an emergency notice signed by Acting Registrar Professor Dr. Manjurul Haque on Thursday night, the decision was taken after Runa was stabbed to death in her office on Wednesday, March 4, allegedly by an employee of her department.

The notice stated that the university community is deeply shocked by the brutal killing of Asma Sadia Runa. All members of the university have been requested to wear black badges on the day of mourning as a mark of respect. In addition, the university administration organized a prayer session after Friday prayers at the central mosque for the salvation of the deceased teacher’s soul.

The university’s declaration of mourning reflects the institution’s collective grief and solidarity following the tragic incident within its campus.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has filed a money laundering case against Jubo League leader and former ward councillor Md. Tajul (Taijul) Islam Chowdhury alias Bappi. The case, lodged on March 5 at Pallabi Police Station, accuses him of embezzling around Tk 2.5 crore through extortion and fraud in Dhaka’s Pallabi area. CID alleges that Tajul controlled transport, street markets, garment waste trading, and cable businesses to accumulate illicit wealth.

According to CID’s investigation, Tajul claimed to have earned Tk 3.83 crore between 2014 and 2024 from garment, fish, and brick businesses, while his declared assets and expenditures did not match his actual holdings worth Tk 4.27 crore. The agency found Tk 1.55 crore in unexplained wealth and identified his brick kiln in Bagerhat’s Morelganj as illegally established. CID also discovered falsified audit reports and concealed property values during land purchases.

CID stated that it continues to prioritize financial crime investigations and has frozen over Tk 6.33 lakh in Tajul’s bank accounts under court orders.

Dhaka Medical College Hospital’s Burn Unit senior nurse Nahida Akter Boby, aged 29, was found dead at a rented apartment in the capital’s Chankharpul area on the night of March 5. Police recovered her body hanging from a ceiling fan with a scarf. Investigators said the incident appears to be linked to prolonged domestic abuse, as three handwritten notes left by Nahida describe severe physical and mental torture allegedly inflicted by her husband Ilias and his family members.

In the notes, Nahida accused her husband, mother-in-law, sister-in-law Sumi, and a relative named Shawkat Hossain of driving her to suicide through continuous humiliation and violence. She described being beaten “like a dog” and mentally harassed, while also detailing her husband’s extramarital affairs allegedly supported by his family. Nahida had previously filed a case in 2023 over similar abuse, after which Ilias was jailed but later reconciled with her.

Police said the suicide notes are being verified and efforts are underway to arrest the absconding husband. Nahida’s family is preparing to file a case for abetment of suicide.

The Passenger Welfare Association of Bangladesh reported that 447 people were killed and 1,181 injured in 448 road accidents across the country in February 2026. Additionally, 26 people died and 11 were injured in 34 railway accidents, while four died and five were injured in six waterway incidents. In total, 477 people were killed and 1,197 injured in 488 transport-related accidents nationwide. The report, signed by the association’s secretary general Md. Mozammel Haque Chowdhury, was based on monitoring of national, regional, and online media.

The highest number of road accidents occurred in Dhaka Division with 113 incidents, resulting in 115 deaths and 387 injuries, while Barishal Division recorded the lowest with 22 accidents, 19 deaths, and 85 injuries. Motorcycles were involved in 33.7% of total accidents and accounted for 37.36% of fatalities. The report identified multiple causes, including poor road management, unregulated vehicles, lack of road signs, and reckless driving.

The association recommended measures such as improved driver training, digital enforcement of traffic laws, better road infrastructure, and the formation of a national expert task force to enhance road safety management.