A new study by Educo Bangladesh and the Child Labor Elimination Platform (CLAP) reveals that 66.6% of child laborers in Bangladesh are working in industrial factories, followed by 44.4% in services and 38.8% in agriculture. The report, presented at a policy-sharing event in Dhaka, warns that most of these children face severe health risks and calls for stronger social protection measures to prevent child labor.

Dr. Khondaker Golam Moazzem, who presented the policy proposal, noted that around 3.5 million children are engaged in various forms of work, with about 100,000 in hazardous conditions. Despite existing laws and international commitments, informal child labor remains widespread. Government officials reaffirmed their commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and pledged to expand social safety nets for out-of-school children.

Experts at the event emphasized the need for universal child benefits, increased education spending, and investment in rural livelihoods to reduce economic dependency on child labor. The recommendations aim to strengthen Bangladesh’s social protection framework and accelerate progress toward eliminating child labor by 2030.

After nearly two decades of delay, Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) has officially opened the long-awaited 60-foot link road in Mirpur for public use. The inauguration ceremony, held in Mirpur, was attended by Faiz Ahmad Tayyeb, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser, as chief guest, and DNCC Administrator Mohammad Ejaz as chair. The project aims to directly connect the 60-foot road to Mirpur’s main thoroughfare, significantly improving traffic flow.

DNCC officials explained that the project had been stalled for 17 years due to land disputes and inter-departmental coordination issues. Through joint efforts among government agencies, the road was completed within two months. Tayyeb emphasized the symbolic importance of the road, noting that coordinated work among service agencies can still make Dhaka a livable city. The DNCC cleared illegal structures and acquired postal department land to complete the connection.

Local residents expect the new link to reduce chronic congestion between Mirpur-10 and Mirpur-2. DNCC plans further infrastructure upgrades to address long-pending urban mobility challenges.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit has recovered a motorcycle, helmet, and fake number plate allegedly used in the recent attack on Inquilab Mancha spokesperson Osman Hadi. The items were found abandoned in the Bonolota residential area of Sher-e-Bangla Nagar on December 14, following a targeted search operation based on intelligence and CCTV footage analysis.

According to CTTC officials, investigators traced the motorcycle’s altered registration number through video evidence and discovered it had changed hands eight times before being purchased under a false identity. The fake plate was later recovered from a nearby manhole. The recovered evidence has been handed over to the Detective Branch (DB) for further forensic and ownership verification.

Authorities say the findings could help identify key suspects, including Faisal and his associate Md. Kabir, who allegedly used forged documents during the vehicle’s last transaction. Investigators are now focusing on mapping the chain of ownership to establish direct links to the attackers.

Global oil markets saw renewed volatility after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a blockade on all authorized oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela. The move immediately pushed crude prices higher, with Brent futures rising 1.5% to $59.79 per barrel and West Texas Intermediate climbing to $56.12. The announcement came at a time of recovering demand, amplifying concerns about supply disruptions and geopolitical uncertainty.

Traders in Asia described the price rebound as partly emotional, noting that Venezuela contributes a relatively small share to global oil supply. However, the timing of the U.S. action, coinciding with progress in Russia–Ukraine peace talks, added complexity to market sentiment. Analysts said that if sanctions on Moscow ease following a peace deal, global supply could stabilize despite the Venezuelan restrictions.

Market observers warned that while the short-term spike reflects risk sentiment, continued political maneuvering in Washington and Caracas could sustain volatility. Investors are now watching both the U.S. policy trajectory and the outcome of the Russia–Ukraine negotiations for cues on oil’s next direction.

Bangladesh’s Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam announced that formal charges have been filed against retired Major General Ziaul Ahsan for alleged involvement in enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings. The tribunal accepted the charges, issuing a production warrant for Ahsan and scheduling the next hearing for December 21. The case accuses him of orchestrating operations that led to the abduction and killing of over 100 people across multiple districts.

According to the prosecution, the charges include three major incidents involving the abduction, torture, and killing of political dissidents and others between Dhaka, Gazipur, and coastal regions like Barguna and the Sundarbans. Victims were allegedly executed and their bodies disposed of in rivers to conceal evidence. The prosecutor claimed that the operations were conducted under the guise of anti-crime or anti-piracy missions.

The tribunal’s move marks a rare legal step against a former senior security official. Human rights groups are expected to closely monitor the proceedings, which could set a precedent for accountability in cases of state-linked disappearances.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) has projected that global coal consumption will reach an all-time high of approximately 8.85 billion tons in 2025, marking a 0.5% increase from the previous year. The agency’s annual report, released Wednesday, attributes the growth partly to U.S. policy decisions under the Trump administration aimed at revitalizing industrial sectors.

According to the IEA, China and India remain the primary drivers of global coal use due to rising electricity demand and industrial expansion. While China’s consumption has stabilized, India’s demand has recently declined due to increased hydropower generation from early and intense monsoon seasons. In contrast, U.S. coal demand has risen as higher natural gas prices and federal support have kept coal-fired plants operational.

The IEA warns that coal remains the largest source of human-induced carbon dioxide emissions, significantly contributing to global warming. However, it expects demand to gradually decline toward the end of the decade as renewable energy capacity expands worldwide.

The United Kingdom, long known for its cloudy and damp weather, experienced its sunniest year on record in 2025, according to the UK Met Office. By December 15, the country had recorded an average of 1,622 hours of sunshine, surpassing the previous record set in 2003. The agency attributed the unusual brightness to persistent high-pressure systems that reduced cloud cover and brought prolonged periods of clear skies, particularly during spring and summer.

The Met Office also confirmed that 2025 marked the warmest summer in UK history, with average temperatures reaching 16.10°C, exceeding the 2018 record of 15.76°C. While scientists have long warned that human-induced climate change is intensifying extreme weather events, the Met Office stated there is no clear evidence linking climate change to long-term increases in sunshine duration.

Officials noted that overall sunshine levels have been rising since the 1980s, though the exact cause remains uncertain. Possible explanations include natural variability and a reduction in atmospheric aerosols, which may have allowed more sunlight to reach the surface.

Biru Molla, the president of the BNP’s Laxmikunda Union unit in Ishwardi, Pabna, was shot dead on Wednesday morning following a family dispute over land. The incident occurred in Kamalpur village when Molla visited his cousin Jahurul Molla’s home to discuss the contested property. According to police, an argument escalated, leading Jahurul and his son to open fire, fatally striking Biru Molla in the head.

Additional Superintendent of Police Pranab Kumar Sarkar confirmed that the killing stemmed from a long-standing family conflict. Ishwardi Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mominuzzaman said the body was sent for autopsy and legal proceedings are underway. Local residents reported heightened tension in the area after the shooting.

Police have been deployed to prevent further violence, as the killing of a local political leader has stirred unrest in the community. Authorities are investigating the incident to determine whether political motives were involved or if it was purely a domestic dispute.

Four people, including three members of Iran’s security forces and one civilian, were killed in an armed confrontation at a security checkpoint in Fahraj County, southeastern Iran. The incident occurred early Monday near the entrance to the county along the Zahedan–Fahraj road, according to Iran’s Mehr News Agency.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Headquarters confirmed the clash, stating that armed assailants opened fire on law enforcement personnel stationed at the checkpoint. Security and law enforcement agencies have launched a joint investigation to identify the attackers and determine their motives. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the assault.

The southeastern region of Iran, particularly near Kerman and Sistan-Baluchestan provinces, has seen sporadic violence involving armed groups and smugglers in recent years. Authorities have heightened security measures in the area as investigations continue into the latest deadly encounter.

Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser, Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus, has identified brokers as the main obstacle to the country’s overseas manpower exports. Speaking at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium on the occasion of International Migrants Day and National Expatriates Day 2025, he urged authorities to protect migrant workers from exploitation and to free the sector from middlemen. According to Yunus, the entire labor export process is dominated by brokers who deceive workers and hinder progress.

Dr. Yunus emphasized that Bangladesh’s youthful population is a valuable resource in a world facing labor shortages. Citing his recent visit to Japan, he noted that Japan needs workers and that Bangladesh could supply up to 100,000 if language training is ensured. He expressed surprise that Japan recruited 7,000 workers from Nepal but only 2,000 from Bangladesh.

He added that many Japanese cities face severe labor shortages, with idle farmland and halted taxi services. Yunus urged reforms to ensure transparent recruitment, enabling Bangladesh to capitalize on its demographic advantage and expand its global labor footprint.

A mild cold wave has continued for seven consecutive days in Tetulia, Panchagarh, marking the lowest temperatures in Bangladesh for over a week. On Wednesday, December 17, the Tetulia Weather Observatory recorded a minimum temperature of 9.7°C with 71% humidity, following 9.5°C the previous day and 9°C on December 15. The daytime highs have remained around 27°C, indicating a sharp contrast between day and night temperatures.

According to Jitendranath Roy, acting officer of the Tetulia Weather Observatory, the mild cold wave began on December 11 and has persisted across various parts of the upazila. The consistent low temperatures have made Tetulia the coldest region in the country during this period. Local residents have reportedly experienced increased cold discomfort, especially during early mornings and late nights.

Meteorologists expect the cold conditions to continue for several more days, with the possibility of the cold wave spreading to adjacent northern districts. Authorities have advised residents to take precautions against cold-related illnesses, particularly among children and the elderly.

Bangladesh’s Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has recovered firearms and ammunition allegedly used in the shooting of Inqilab Mancha spokesperson Sharif Osman Hadi. The operation, conducted on December 16 in Narsingdi’s Tarua area, led to the arrest of a 25-year-old suspect named Md. Faisal. Authorities seized two foreign pistols, two magazines, a toy gun, and 41 rounds of ammunition from his possession, according to RAB’s Legal and Media Wing Director, Wing Commander M Z M Intekhab Chowdhury.

The recovery followed intelligence-based operations after Hadi was shot in the head on December 12 while traveling by rickshaw in Dhaka’s Bijoynagar area. The assailant reportedly fired from a moving motorcycle. Earlier, RAB had detained the parents of the prime suspect, Faisal Karim Masud, in connection with the case.

Investigators are now analyzing ballistic evidence and communication records to trace the network behind the attack. The incident has drawn public concern over political violence and the safety of activists ahead of upcoming political programs.

Bangladesh Bank’s latest report reveals that as of September 2025, nearly 91% of all defaulted loans in the banking sector have become unrecoverable, posing a severe threat to the country’s financial stability. The total volume of defaulted loans reached BDT 6.44 trillion, with BDT 5.85 trillion classified as bad or loss category. This marks a sharp rise from the previous year, when unrecoverable loans accounted for about 82% of total defaults.

Sector insiders attribute the surge to large business groups that borrowed heavily during the previous Awami League government and allegedly siphoned funds abroad. Following political changes, many borrowers fled the country, further reducing recovery prospects. State-owned banks hold the largest share of bad loans, with Janata Bank alone reporting BDT 695.86 billion in unrecoverable debt. Private banks, including Islami Bank Bangladesh and First Security Islami Bank, also face mounting pressure.

Experts warn that the growing volume of bad loans will erode banks’ lending capacity and profitability, as they must maintain full provisioning against such debts. Bangladesh Bank has identified 24 commercial banks failing to meet required provisions, signaling deep structural stress in the sector.

Indian police have confirmed that one of the two attackers killed in the deadly Bondi Beach shooting in Sydney was an Indian citizen named Sajid Akram, aged 50. Akram, originally from Hyderabad, had moved to Australia in 1998 for work and participated in the attack alongside his son, Navid Akram. The incident, which left at least 16 people dead, is being described as Australia’s deadliest shooting in nearly three decades.

According to Telangana state police, Sajid Akram had no prior criminal record or known extremist affiliations. His family reported no signs of radicalization, and Indian authorities stated there was no evidence linking the attack to any Indian group or network. Australian police revealed that Sajid and his son had traveled to the Philippines last month, but the purpose of that trip remains under investigation.

Authorities in both countries are examining possible extremist motives and international connections, including whether the attackers targeted specific communities. The Bondi Beach tragedy has sparked widespread concern in Australia and abroad, prompting heightened security and a joint investigation into the attackers’ backgrounds and motives.

Bangladeshi intelligence sources have revealed that a secret meeting took place at a resort in Savar to plan the killing of Inqilab Manch spokesperson Sharif Osman Hadi. The three-and-a-half-hour meeting reportedly occurred early Friday morning at the Green Zone Resort in Madhumati Model Town. Surveillance footage shows four individuals entering and leaving the room during the specified time frame.

Investigators identified the participants as alleged shooter Faisal Karim Masud, also known as Dawood Khan, his partner Maria, and two others including Alomgir Hossain. Authorities claim the group discussed details of the planned attack, with an audio recording of their conversation now in the possession of law enforcement. Maria was arrested on December 13, and the investigation remains ongoing.

Security forces have seized CCTV footage and conducted searches at the resort. The resort’s staff, including a service worker who booked the room, have been questioned by the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB). Officials say the evidence is being analyzed to determine the full scope of the conspiracy.