Mohammad Hossain, a young farmer from Purba Charumed in Lalmohan’s Ramaganj Union of Bhola, has achieved notable success in jujube cultivation. Over the past five years, he has expanded his orchard to 160 decimals of land, growing four varieties of jujube—Bol Sundari, Thai Apple Kul, China Tok-Mishti Kul, and Bharat Sundari. Despite unfavorable weather this year, his yield has been the highest among local growers, and he expects to sell around Tk 1.6 million worth of jujube this season.

Hossain began his venture on one acre of fallow land and gradually expanded due to consistent profits. He has already sold 2,000 kilograms of China Tok-Mishti Kul for about Tk 250,000, with wholesale prices at Tk 130 per kilogram and retail at Tk 150. His success has motivated 16 other farmers from nearby areas to start jujube cultivation under his guidance, receiving hands-on training and advice from him.

According to Lalmohan Upazila Agriculture Officer Abu Hasnain, Hossain’s orchard is managed hygienically and produces sweet, juicy fruits. The agriculture office has pledged full support to anyone interested in starting commercial jujube farming in the area.

The 35-kilometer Chandpur-Shariatpur four-lane road project has remained stalled for five years due to financial shortages, land acquisition complications, and administrative paralysis. Approved in the 2019–2020 fiscal year with a budget of Tk 860 crore, the project aimed to expand the road from Shariatpur’s Monohar Bazar to Vedarganj’s Ibrahimpur. Only six kilometers of work have been completed, leaving 29 kilometers unfinished and causing severe suffering for residents across 21 southern and southwestern districts.

According to the Roads and Highways Department (RHD), Tk 431.68 crore was allocated for acquiring 95.85 hectares of land, but Tk 430.29 crore was spent acquiring only 49 hectares. The remaining 46.85 hectares require an additional Tk 300 crore, which was not included in the original budget. Many landowners have received only acquisition notices without compensation, leaving them unable to sell or repair their properties.

Officials said the project’s tenure has been extended three times, with the current term ending on December 31, 2025. The RHD has requested another extension and a revision of the Development Project Proposal (DPP) to secure additional funds and restart the tendering process.

Two separate fires broke out within one night at Rohingya camps in Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar, destroying a hospital and at least five houses. The first incident occurred early Friday at the D Block of Madhurchhara Camp No. 4, where a hospital was completely burned down along with valuable medical equipment. Firefighters and local residents brought the blaze under control after about two and a half hours. The previous night, another fire at Kutupalong registered camp’s B Block destroyed five houses. No casualties were reported in either incident.

The destroyed hospital, known as Obat Health Post, was established in 2017 by Obat Helpers USA for newly displaced Rohingya refugees. It was being operated by Obat Helpers Bangladesh with support from Human International USA and the camp administration. Officials said the cause of the fire remains under investigation. Local residents expressed deep concern as the facility had been a key source of free healthcare for both Rohingya and nearby communities.

Authorities have pledged to rehabilitate the damaged health center quickly and prepare a list of affected individuals for necessary assistance.

Farmers in the Padma char areas of Veramara upazila in Kushtia are facing financial losses despite achieving a bumper onion harvest this season. The losses have been attributed to the government’s decision to import onions from India, which has caused local market prices to fall sharply. Farmers have urged the government to suspend onion imports for two months to help them recover their costs.

According to local sources, 255 hectares of land in Veramara upazila were cultivated with murikata onions this season, with farmers expecting yields of 70 to 80 maunds per bigha. Although favorable weather supported strong production, rising costs of fertilizer, pesticides, and labor have increased overall expenses. Farmers who took loans from NGOs now fear they will be unable to repay them due to the price drop. Some reported potential losses of up to five lakh taka.

Upazila agriculture officer Mahamuda Sultana confirmed that government incentives and technical support helped achieve the cultivation target and good yields. However, she noted that the high yield and ongoing imports have contributed to lower market prices.

A major fire broke out on the passenger ship MV Atlantic bound for Saint Martin from Cox’s Bazar early Saturday morning. The incident occurred at 6:20 a.m. at the North Nuniachhara BIWTA jetty, just before passengers were to board. Fire Service, Coast Guard, district administration, BIWTA, and Department of Environment officials brought the blaze under control around 9:30 a.m.

According to officials, the MV Atlantic and another vessel, LCT Kajol, were scheduled to carry 194 passengers to Saint Martin Island. After the fire, more than a hundred passengers were transferred to other ships—Keari Cruise & Dine, Keari Sindbad, and Bay Cruise. Nasir Uddin, an official of Atlantic Bay Cruise, said the fire started suddenly in the engine room while the ship was moving from anchorage to the jetty, though the cause remains unknown.

Authorities announced that passengers unable to travel on Saturday would be sent to Saint Martin on Sunday to avoid disorder. Senior district officials, including the Additional District Magistrate, visited the site following the incident.

A mild cold wave is sweeping across several districts of Bangladesh, including Jessore, Chuadanga, Gopalganj, Rajshahi, Pabna, Sirajganj, and Nilphamari, and is expected to continue until Saturday. The Bangladesh Meteorological Department reported that temperatures have fallen significantly over the past five days, with Dhaka recording around 13 degrees Celsius on Friday. In at least two districts, temperatures dropped below 10 degrees Celsius, marking the lowest of the season.

According to the weather office, the cold conditions are being influenced by a subcontinental high-pressure zone. The forecast for the next 120 hours warns of moderate to dense fog in parts of the country, which may temporarily disrupt air, river, and road transport. The lowest temperature was recorded at about 9 degrees Celsius in Tetulia, Panchagarh, while similar conditions were observed in Jessore.

The cold has severely affected daily life, particularly in northern Bangladesh, where low-income and floating populations are suffering the most. The intensity of cold and fog is expected to increase further in the coming days.

Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has filed several cases against former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal’s son, Shafi Modassir Khan Jyoti, for allegedly amassing vast illegal wealth and manipulating government tenders. Following the July Revolution, the ACC began investigating senior figures of the former Awami League government, identifying Jyoti as a key suspect. He was arrested in Ashulia on 14 September 2024 while reportedly planning to flee the country. ACC investigations found that Jyoti and his father possessed undeclared assets worth nearly Tk 20 crore and conducted suspicious transactions exceeding Tk 84 crore through various bank accounts.

The ACC’s probe revealed that Jyoti controlled a network led by his associate Selim, who managed tender manipulation and bribery across law enforcement and public procurement sectors. The syndicate allegedly extorted money from businesses, including restaurants in Dhaka’s Dhanmondi and Karwan Bazar areas. ACC has also submitted a charge sheet accusing Kamal, his wife, and children of acquiring Tk 22 crore in illegal assets and laundering Tk 87 crore. Further cases allege Tk 60 crore in unaccounted wealth and over Tk 416 crore in suspicious transactions linked to the family.

ACC officials confirmed that investigations into Jyoti and his associates’ corruption activities remain ongoing.

Police in Ramu upazila of Cox’s Bazar arrested six Rohingya men on Friday, December 26, during a special operation that uncovered two live rounds of G-4 rifle ammunition. The arrests took place at a temporary police checkpoint set up in the Pine Garden area of Khuniapalong Union’s Ward No. 1 along the Ramu–Maricha road. Officers stopped a passenger CNG auto-rickshaw around 2:40 p.m. and found the bullets in the right pocket of one passenger, identified as Md. Alam, 35.

According to police, the detainees admitted during initial questioning that they were traveling from Ukhiya to Naikhyangchhari via Ramu with the recovered ammunition. Preliminary investigation suggested that the group was involved in illegal arms trading and other criminal activities. All six detainees are Rohingya refugees—five from Ukhiya’s Kutupalong camp and one from Teknaf’s Thaingkhali camp.

Ramu Police Station Officer-in-Charge Manjurul Islam Bhuiyan said a case is being prepared against the suspects, and further investigation is underway to identify their associates and others linked to the network.

All types of vessel movement on the Dhaka-Chandpur-Barishal route have been suspended due to dense fog. The decision was confirmed late Friday night, December 26, by Babu Lal Baidya, Deputy Director (Naval Traffic) of BIWTA Chandpur. He stated that the sudden increase in fog density over the rivers made navigation unsafe, prompting authorities to halt all passenger vessel operations across southern Bangladesh, including routes to Bhola and Barishal.

According to the official, launches currently on the river have been instructed to anchor at their present locations until visibility improves. The suspension will remain in effect until the fog clears, after which normal vessel operations will resume. The measure aims to prevent accidents and ensure passenger safety amid poor visibility conditions.

The temporary halt affects key southern waterways linking Dhaka with Chandpur and Barishal, disrupting regular passenger transport and cargo movement until weather conditions stabilize.

A woman and her infant daughter were killed in a multi-vehicle collision on the Dhaka-Tangail Highway at Gorai in Mirzapur upazila on Friday evening. The victims were identified as Sadia Kabir, 37, wife of Jisan Kabir Tipu from Feni, and their 10-month-old daughter Tajria Kabir Piyom. Police and witnesses said Sadia was returning to Mirpur, Dhaka, from a wedding in Tangail when their white private car collided with a truck ahead of it near the eastern side of the Gorai flyover.

Following the initial crash, another private car hit their vehicle from behind, and a bus then struck a red private car involved in the sequence. Sadia and her daughter died on the spot. The accident caused a traffic jam on the highway, which police later cleared using a wrecker. The truck involved was seized, while its driver fled the scene.

According to Gorai Highway Police Station Officer-in-Charge Sohel Sarwar, four vehicles collided sequentially, resulting in two fatalities. The bodies will be handed over to the family after legal procedures.

Ferry services on the crucial Daulatdia–Paturia river route between Rajbari and Manikganj were suspended again on Friday evening due to dense fog. The suspension took effect from around 7:15 p.m., as authorities at the ferry terminals halted all operations citing safety concerns. Visibility on the river dropped sharply after sunset, making navigation lights unclear and increasing the risk of accidents.

The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) Daulatdia office confirmed that the decision was taken to prevent possible river accidents. Assistant General Manager (Commercial) Mohammad Salauddin said fog began forming before sunset and intensified rapidly, reducing visibility to a dangerous level. As a result, all ferries and other vessels were temporarily stopped for safety.

The suspension left passengers and drivers of buses, trucks, and private cars stranded in the cold night, with long queues forming at both ferry terminals. Authorities said ferry operations would resume once fog density decreases and conditions improve.

A fire that broke out at the Khaddar Bazar Shopping Complex in Gulistan, Dhaka, was brought under control after about one and a half hours on Friday, December 26. The Fire Service managed to contain the blaze at 6:58 p.m., after receiving the first report at 5:28 p.m. The first response team arrived at the scene within five minutes, and a total of nine units from the Siddik Bazar Fire Station worked to extinguish the fire.

The upper floors of the commercial building contained warehouses, raising fears that the fire could spread quickly. Panic spread among shopkeepers and customers on the lower floors, prompting them to evacuate the building immediately. Firefighters initially faced difficulties in accessing water sources due to heavy crowds on the road.

Authorities have not yet confirmed the cause of the fire or the extent of the damage, and an assessment is expected once the site is fully secured.

The Rehab Fair 2025, one of the largest events in Bangladesh’s housing sector, is set to conclude tomorrow. On Friday, the third day of the fair, large crowds gathered at the China–Bangladesh Friendship Conference Center despite traffic congestion and personal commitments. Visitors came with families, friends, and colleagues, exploring options for affordable apartments and residential plots. The fairgrounds became lively in the afternoon as people sought information and offers from developers.

Developers such as Hawk Homes & Builders and Credence Housing Limited participated with ready and ongoing projects across key locations in Dhaka. Credence Housing announced special discounts and booking offers for buyers, while Hawk Homes reported increased attendance later in the day as temperatures rose. The fair has become more than a marketplace, serving as a platform for inspiration and planning for those aspiring to own homes.

With only one day remaining, many visitors are making preliminary discussions and comparisons, hoping to finalize decisions before the fair ends tomorrow.

Police in Lakshmipur have arrested Md. Rubel, 41, the elder brother of Abdul Aziz Hakim, general secretary of the Sadar Upazila Chhatra League, for setting fire to the district election office under a 10,000 taka contract. The arrest was announced by Superintendent of Police Md. Abu Tarek during a press briefing on Friday, December 26, 2025. Rubel, a resident of Ward 10 in Lakshmipur Municipality, allegedly carried out the arson on instructions from Shimul Chakraborty, the late MP Shahajahan Kamal’s APS.

According to police, Rubel received 2,000 taka before the incident and was paid the remaining 8,000 taka afterward. When presented before court, Rubel confessed to setting the fire and was subsequently sent to jail. The arson occurred on the night of December 12, when a masked man was seen on CCTV footage igniting the election office. Investigators later identified Rubel and arrested him from his home through a special operation by the detective branch.

Authorities have not yet disclosed further details about the motive or whether additional suspects are being investigated.

A severe cold wave has gripped Bhurungamari in Kurigram, where residents have endured four consecutive sunless days. The temperature dropped to 11.4°C on Friday morning, December 26, according to the Rajarhat Agricultural Meteorological Office. Dense fog has blanketed the area from evening until noon, forcing vehicles to use headlights during the day. The biting cold has particularly affected children, the elderly, and low-income workers, many of whom are struggling to continue their daily activities.

Local residents have been lighting fires to stay warm, while demand for second-hand clothing has surged. Auto-rickshaw drivers reported reduced income due to poor visibility and fewer passengers. Relief efforts are underway, but supplies remain insufficient. The Upazila Project Implementation Officer said Tk 600,000 was allocated by the Ministry of Disaster Management, with 1,300 blankets distributed across ten unions and 600 more received from the district.

Officials warned that temperatures could fall further until December 31, with the cold wave expected to persist, heightening hardship for vulnerable communities in the region.