Jahangirnagar University authorities have announced a reward of Tk 50,000 for anyone providing information leading to the arrest of a man accused of attempting to rape a female student on campus. The announcement was made on Wednesday, with the administration urging anyone who can identify the suspect or knows his whereabouts to contact them directly. Two phone numbers were provided for sharing information with the university.

The incident has sparked widespread anger among students, who have organized protests, human chains, and demonstrations demanding the immediate arrest and exemplary punishment of the accused. The university administration’s reward announcement follows these student-led movements calling for justice and safety on campus.

The administration’s move aims to accelerate the investigation and reassure the campus community amid ongoing protests and heightened concern over student safety.

Sohel Rana, arrested for the rape and murder of eight-year-old Ramisa Akter in Dhaka’s Pallabi area, confessed his guilt before the Metropolitan Magistrate Aminul Islam Junaid on Wednesday afternoon. The confession was recorded after the investigating officer, Sub-Inspector Ohiduzzaman of Pallabi Police Station, presented Sohel in court and sought permission to record his voluntary statement. Following the confession, the court ordered Sohel to be sent to jail.

Another accused, Sohel’s wife Swapna Akter, was produced before Metropolitan Magistrate Md Ashraful Haque’s court and was also sent to jail after a hearing. According to court sources, Ramisa, a second-grade student at Popular Model High School, was lured into Swapna’s flat on the morning of May 19. Later, neighbors discovered her decapitated body inside the apartment after noticing her shoes outside the door.

Police said Sohel fled through a window after the incident but was later arrested near Fatullah Police Station in Narayanganj. The investigation into the brutal killing is ongoing.

Mohammad Rafi Hossain, a 26-year-old online clothing trader, died on Wednesday morning while undergoing treatment at the intensive care unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital. He had been critically injured in a shooting by a teenage gang in the capital’s Lalbagh area on May 14. Police confirmed that the attack was carried out with the intent to kill due to previous enmity. His body has been kept at the hospital morgue for autopsy.

According to local sources and Rafi’s friend Sajib, a group of seven to eight assailants, including individuals named Imon, Shahabuddin, Mintu, and Rezaul, attacked them in Shahid Nagar on Thursday night. The attackers first questioned Sajib about a youth named Shahin, and when he denied knowing him, they began beating him. Rafi was shot when he came forward to intervene, with a bullet piercing his right side.

Residents alleged that the attackers were known teenage gang members and drug dealers in the area. Police said operations are ongoing to arrest those involved.

Four people died while cleaning a septic tank in Kalikachh Union’s Galania village of Sarail upazila, Brahmanbaria, on Wednesday afternoon. The incident occurred at the house of Ali Mia, where the victims entered the tank and were overcome by toxic gas. The deceased were identified as Mamsar, 18, of Galania village; Imam Hossain, 15, and Hridoy Mia, 15, of Uttar Galania Paschimpara; and Arman, 14, of Dharmatirtha village.

According to local sources, the victims suffocated after inhaling poisonous gas inside the tank. Mamsar was a pipe fitter by profession and was reportedly preparing to travel abroad soon. Members of the Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defence arrived at the scene and began rescue operations after receiving the report.

Sarail Police Station Officer-in-Charge Manjur Kader confirmed that police were on their way to the site and said further details would be provided later.

Islamic scholar and As-Sunnah Foundation chairman Shaykh Ahmadullah has condemned the killing of a seven-year-old girl, describing those responsible as inhuman monsters. In a Facebook post on Wednesday, he said that when even a seven-year-old is not safe, the perpetrators cannot be considered human. He added that implementing Sharia law is the only solution to reduce such brutality.

Meanwhile, Islami Andolan Bangladesh’s secretary general, Principal Hafiz Maulana Yunus Ahmad, described the murder of child Ramisa in Dhaka’s Pallabi area as horrifying and beyond imagination. In a statement sent to the media on Wednesday, he said such incidents are not isolated but occur frequently across the country. He expressed concern that offenders often go unpunished, a fact reflected in the victim’s father’s cries for justice.

Both statements highlight growing frustration over recurring child abuse and killings in Bangladesh and the perceived lack of accountability for such crimes.

The Chattogram Divisional Speedy Trial Tribunal has rejected for the sixth time a time extension request by the defense lawyer of accused Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari in the murder case of lawyer Saiful Islam Alif. During the May 20 hearing, defense counsel Apurba Kumar Bhattacharya sought more time to cross-examine the plaintiff, citing illness. The court found the request inconsistent with standard court practice and denied it. The court then concluded the testimony of the first prosecution witness, Alif’s father Jamal Uddin, and ordered summons for the next witness. The next hearing is scheduled for June 24.

According to court sources, since the charge was framed on January 19, 2026, the defense has sought time on six occasions between February 2 and May 20. The plaintiff’s lawyer and assistant public prosecutor Md. Raihanul Wazed Chowdhury said the elderly and ailing Jamal Uddin has attended every hearing from Lohagara but expressed frustration over repeated delays.

During the hearing, Chinmoy Krishna Das appeared virtually from prison and submitted applications for bail, medical treatment, and visitation, all of which were rejected due to his lawyer’s absence.

Islami Andolan Bangladesh’s Secretary General, Principal Hafiz Maulana Yunus Ahmad, described the recent killing of a child named Ramisa in Dhaka’s Pallabi area as horrifying and inhuman. In a statement issued on Wednesday, he said the brutality of the incident shows how cruel people can become toward one another.

He added that such crimes are not isolated but occur frequently across the country, with many involving children. According to him, the most alarming issue is the lack of punishment for offenders, as reflected in the grief expressed by Ramisa’s father. Yunus Ahmad argued that the existing legal system fails to protect women and children from such violence and suggested that implementing Shariah law could be an alternative to ensure justice.

Citing Supreme Court data, he said over 151,000 cases were pending in 90 women and child repression prevention tribunals as of December 31 last year, many of them rape cases. He claimed that delays, weak witness management, and legal loopholes prevent justice, calling for the replacement of current laws with Shariah-based legislation.

Mohammad Selim Uddin, Amir of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami’s Dhaka North unit, visited the family of murdered child Ramisa in Pallabi, Dhaka, on Wednesday. During his visit, he expressed condolences to the grieving family and called for the perpetrators to face a swift trial under charges equivalent to crimes against humanity.

Speaking to journalists after the visit, Selim Uddin compared the killing to the brutality of the pre-Islamic era and warned that any delay or manipulation in the judicial process would not be tolerated. He urged the state to set a specific timeline to ensure the killers receive the maximum punishment, including execution.

Selim Uddin also stated that he would request senior Supreme Court lawyer Shishir Monir to take responsibility for handling the case to strengthen the legal proceedings.

Three additional witnesses from the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) testified in a case involving former land minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury Javed and 35 other accused over alleged embezzlement and laundering of about Tk 25 crore from United Commercial Bank. The testimonies were recorded on Wednesday at the Chattogram Divisional Special Judge’s Court, presided over by Judge Mizanur Rahman. Defense lawyers cross-examined the witnesses following their statements.

According to ACC public prosecutor Mokarram Hossain, seven witnesses had previously testified on May 5, bringing the total number of witnesses heard so far, including the complainant, to 21. The court has scheduled June 23 for the next hearing. The ACC filed the charge sheet on January 7 against Javed, his wife Rukmila Zaman, and 34 others, accusing them of misappropriating and transferring the funds abroad.

Court sources said the main accused, Saifuzzaman Chowdhury Javed, is currently in London with his family and remains absconding. Legal procedures are ongoing to take action against the fugitives.

A Dhaka court has set July 6 for delivering its order on charge framing against former Member of Parliament Abdus Salam Murshedy and ten others in a case over alleged misappropriation of 27 kathas of government land in Gulshan. The hearing was held on May 20 at the court of Dhaka’s Ninth Special Judge Md Abdus Salam. Murshedy was produced from jail, while other accused appeared on bail.

Defense lawyers Masud Ahmed Talukder, Alhaj Borhan Uddin, Shahinur Islam, and Khademul Islam represented the accused and sought their discharge. Following the hearing, the court fixed July 6 for the order. The accused include former RAJUK chairman Humayun Khadem, several former RAJUK officials, a former assistant secretary of the Housing and Public Works Ministry, and two private individuals from Cox’s Bazar.

According to the charge sheet, the accused allegedly abused their official positions to falsify records and facilitate the illegal transfer of the government property. The case was filed under sections of the Penal Code and the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947. Murshedy has been in jail since his arrest on October 1, 2024.

Twelve fishermen were abducted along with their trawler by the forest bandit group known as Jahangir Bahini in the Sundarbans. The incident occurred late Tuesday night in the Dublarchar area under the Sharankhola Range of Bagerhat district. The abducted fishermen were identified as residents of Patharghata’s Ruhita area, aged between 20 and 58 years.

A local fish trader from Rajapur in Sharankhola, who requested anonymity for safety reasons, said that the armed bandits, numbering around 15 to 16 and wearing distinctive uniforms, attacked the fishermen’s boats and took one trawler with 12 men. He also mentioned that several other fishermen might still be held by the gang.

Forester Md. Mizanur Rahman, in charge of the Kochikhali patrol post under the Sharankhola Range, confirmed that forest guards launched an overnight operation to rescue the abducted fishermen, but no trace of them had been found as of reporting time. Sharankhola Police Station’s Officer-in-Charge Md. Shamimul Haque stated that no formal complaint had yet been filed, but legal action would follow upon receiving one.

A member of the Detective Security Branch (DSB), Faridul Islam, was assaulted while gathering information about a fatal road accident in Debiganj upazila of Panchagarh. The incident occurred around 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 19, near Sonapota Government Primary School on the Asian Highway. Faridul was rescued in an injured state and admitted to Debiganj Upazila Health Complex.

Earlier that evening, a six-year-old girl named Papri Rani Roy was killed after being hit by a truck at the same location. Enraged locals detained the truck, vandalized and set it on fire, and blocked the road for about one and a half hours. During the protest, several vehicles were also damaged. When Faridul Islam tried to document the situation and report it to his duty officer, a group of 10 to 12 men allegedly attacked him, seizing his phone and wallet.

According to the on-duty doctor, Faridul sustained multiple injuries, including to his head, and was hospitalized. The Debiganj police officer-in-charge confirmed the assault and said necessary action would be taken following instructions from higher authorities.

Police in Barura upazila of Cumilla arrested eight members of a robbery gang during an operation conducted on Tuesday night at a location known as Haripur cemetery. The arrests were made by Barura Police Station officers, who also seized various locally made weapons, handcuffs, and fake Detective Branch (DB) police uniforms from the suspects.

Following the arrests, police filed a case against the detainees at Barura Police Station on Wednesday. The accused were subsequently sent to court for legal proceedings. The operation was led by local law enforcement as part of ongoing efforts to curb criminal activities in the area.

Authorities stated that the case has been officially registered, and further legal steps are underway to investigate the group’s activities and recover any additional evidence related to the robbery network.

Two children drowned in a pond in Phulbari upazila of Dinajpur on Wednesday morning. The incident occurred around 8:30 a.m. in Kutipara village of Khayerbari Bazar area when a sister jumped into the water to save her younger brother. The victims were identified as Sabia Jannat, aged six, and Md. Siam, aged four, both children of local shopkeeper Shahin Alam.

According to police and family members, Siam went to retrieve a floating bottle from the pond near their house and began to drown. Seeing her brother struggling, Sabia jumped in to rescue him but also drowned. The officer-in-charge of Phulbari Police Station, Abdul Latif Shah, confirmed the incident and said police had been sent to the scene to investigate.

Authorities are looking into the circumstances of the drowning, while the family and local community are mourning the loss of the two siblings.

A Dhaka court has scheduled July 27 for submission of the Anti-Corruption Commission’s (ACC) investigation report against former Awami League lawmaker and cricketer Shakib Al Hasan along with 14 others. The case involves allegations of share market manipulation, fraud, and money laundering. The new date was set by Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge Md Sabbir Foyez after the report was not submitted on May 20, confirmed court bench assistant Riaz Hossain.

The accused include Deputy Registrar of the Department of Cooperatives Md Abul Khayer alias Hiru, his wife Kazi Sadia Hasan, and several others. The ACC filed the case on June 17 of the previous year, accusing the group of embezzling Tk 256.97 crore. According to the case statement, the accused conspired to manipulate share prices through coordinated trading, misleading general investors, and unlawfully profiting from the market.

The complaint also alleges that Shakib Al Hasan invested in manipulated shares of Paramount Insurance, Crystal Insurance, and Sonali Papers, earning Tk 2.95 crore in illicit gains through these transactions.