The Alliance for Health Reforms Bangladesh (AHRB) has urged the Chief Adviser to prioritize and directly oversee the swift implementation of the Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) policy, calling it a matter of national strategic interest. In an open letter sent on December 7, AHRB leaders emphasized that while Bangladesh can produce most medicines domestically, the country remains heavily dependent on imported APIs, leaving its health security vulnerable to global market disruptions.

The letter, signed by Professor Syed Abdul Hamid and Professor Syed Md. Akram Hossain, highlighted lessons from the successful 1982 National Drug Policy, noting that strong political commitment and leadership were key to transforming the sector. The AHRB proposed five urgent measures: removing administrative barriers, introducing a production-linked incentive scheme, ensuring continuous R&D funding, strengthening academia–industry collaboration, and forming a permanent empowered task force.

Experts argue that developing domestic API capacity could reduce import dependence, save foreign currency, and expand exports. They stress that without knowledge-based industrial transformation, Bangladesh’s tax-to-GDP ratio will remain low, limiting economic resilience.

A Dhaka court has accepted a fraud case against Beximco Group Vice Chairman Salman F Rahman, his brother and Group Chairman ASF (Sohel) Rahman, and four others over allegations of deceiving three pilots of Beximco Aviation. The plaintiffs—Captains Mahbub Alam, Rashedul Amin, and Zahidur Rahman—claimed they were defrauded of BDT 12.05 million in unpaid dues after being terminated from the company in February.

According to the plaintiffs’ lawyer, Tariqul Islam, the pilots were employed between 2021 and 2024 and provided flight services for the company’s helicopter operations. They later discovered that Beximco Aviation Limited was allegedly a fake entity used to exploit their services. The court has directed the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to investigate and submit a report.

Salman F Rahman, currently in custody since August 1 following the fall of the Awami League government, faces multiple allegations of financial misconduct, including stock market manipulation and large-scale loan fraud. His relatives are reportedly abroad. The case adds to growing scrutiny of the Beximco Group’s financial dealings and political influence.

A new report from the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) reveals that around 70% of Bangladesh’s population still relies on smoke-producing, traditional cooking fuels. The study warns that exposure to such fuels poses serious respiratory and cardiovascular health risks, particularly for women. Despite some progress, Bangladesh’s adoption rate of clean cooking fuels remains the lowest in South Asia and significantly below the average for lower-middle-income countries.

Presented at a conference in Dhaka, the BIDS research highlights the growing role of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) as a cleaner alternative. Since 2009, Bangladesh’s LPG market has expanded more than twenty-fivefold, largely driven by private investment and government restrictions on household natural gas connections. Researchers noted that LPG has transitioned from a niche to a mainstream fuel.

The report urges policymakers to adopt integrated supply- and demand-side strategies to ensure sustainable LPG access. It emphasizes strengthening supply chains and targeting urban, female-headed, and remittance-receiving households to accelerate the shift toward clean cooking energy and meet the UN’s 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

A Pabna administrative court has granted bail to Nishi Rahman, a housewife accused of killing eight puppies by drowning them in a pond in Ishwardi. The decision was made on Sunday, December 7, by Judge Tarikul Islam of Pabna Administrative Court-2 after a hearing. Prosecutor Mosfeka Jahan Kanika confirmed the bail, noting that the offense is bailable and that the court considered the accused’s gender in its decision. The next court appearance is scheduled for January 11.

The case drew public attention after the puppies, belonging to a dog named Tom living near the Ishwardi Upazila Executive Officer’s residence, were found dead in a pond. Witnesses alleged that Rahman, wife of a local development officer, had tied the puppies in a sack and disposed of them at night. The local livestock officer filed the case, leading to Rahman’s arrest. Authorities have stated that the investigation will continue, and a charge sheet will be submitted after completion.

Animal rights advocates have called for a fair investigation and stronger enforcement of animal cruelty laws in rural areas.

A tragic incident in Gazipur’s Tongi area has sparked public outrage after a family allegedly threw a stillborn baby girl from a fourth-floor apartment window early Sunday morning. Police recovered the infant’s body and sent it for autopsy at Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmad Medical College Hospital. The baby’s mother, identified as 28-year-old Riva Akter, has been detained for questioning.

According to police, Riva gave birth to a stillborn child at her home in Ward 54, Auchpara College Gate area, before the baby was allegedly thrown from the kitchen window. Locals alerted authorities after discovering the body near the building. Investigators suspect that family conflict may have influenced the decision not to bury the stillborn child properly.

Tongi West Police Station Officer-in-Charge Harun-or-Rashid confirmed that legal proceedings are underway. The incident has raised concerns about social awareness, mental health support, and the handling of stillbirths within families in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has begun exhuming 114 bodies from Dhaka’s Rayerbazar graveyard to identify victims of the July popular uprising. The operation, launched Sunday morning, aims to conduct autopsies and collect DNA samples before reburial with full religious respect, CID chief Additional IGP Md. Shibgat Ullah confirmed.

The initiative follows a Dhaka court order responding to petitions from families of unidentified martyrs. Argentine forensic expert Luis Fondebrider, invited through the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR), is leading the forensic process. CID officials said at least 10 families have already applied for identification, though the actual number of victims may exceed 114.

Authorities emphasized that the process adheres to international forensic standards. Once DNA profiles are matched, families may reclaim remains if desired. The CID plans to release hotline numbers for relatives seeking information. The exhumation marks a major step toward documenting the human cost of the 2024 July uprising and ensuring accountability through scientific verification.

A Dhaka court has once again postponed the submission of the investigation report in the long-running murder case of Bangladeshi film actor Salman Shah. The report, which was due on December 7, could not be submitted by the investigating officer, prompting Metropolitan Magistrate Jewel Rana to set a new date of January 13 for submission. The case names 11 accused, including Salman Shah’s former wife Samira Haque, her mother Latifa Haque Luchi, businessman Aziz Mohammad Bhai, and actor Don.

The case has a complex history dating back to 1996, when Salman Shah was found dead at his Eskaton residence. Initially treated as an unnatural death, the case was later reclassified as a murder following petitions from Shah’s family. Multiple investigations by the CID and judicial authorities have alternately concluded suicide or homicide, leading to repeated legal challenges. The latest revision petition was filed in June 2022 after the PBI’s final report was accepted in 2021.

Legal observers note that the repeated delays underscore procedural challenges in Bangladesh’s high-profile criminal cases, with the next hearing expected to determine whether the investigation will finally move forward.

Bangladesh’s Planning Adviser Dr. Wahiduddin Mahmud has cautioned that democracy by itself cannot guarantee economic development unless politics becomes genuinely welfare-oriented. Speaking at the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) annual research conference in Dhaka, he argued that when politics turns into a pursuit of privileges rather than public service, it attracts youth seeking livelihood opportunities rather than civic engagement. He also warned that vested business interests can form powerful circles that obstruct welfare-driven policymaking.

Dr. Mahmud emphasized that the country’s education system is producing unemployed graduates, and that behavioral norms and values must be studied to understand development barriers. He noted that limited reforms cannot solve deep-rooted issues such as collusion between bureaucracy and business or tax evasion, calling for broader structural reforms. The adviser stressed that effective democracy should aim to build an equitable, poverty-free society, but lamented that Bangladesh still struggles to establish even a functional democratic system. BIDS Director General Prof. A.K.M. Enamul Haque added that the two-day conference would present around fifty research papers addressing unemployment, poverty, and health sector challenges.

A strong earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale struck near Yakutat, Alaska, late Saturday night, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The quake’s epicenter was located about 230 miles northwest of Juneau and 155 miles west of Whitehorse, Yukon. Despite the intensity, no tsunami warning was issued, and there were no immediate reports of casualties or significant damage.

The tremor was felt across parts of Alaska and western Canada, prompting several emergency calls in Whitehorse, according to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Seismologist Alison Bird from Canada’s Geological Survey noted that the affected area was mountainous and sparsely populated, reducing the likelihood of major structural damage. Residents reported items falling from shelves and walls shaking.

The USGS confirmed that the quake originated about 10 kilometers below the surface and was followed by several smaller aftershocks. Authorities continue to monitor the region for potential secondary impacts, though early assessments suggest limited disruption.

A late-night gas leak explosion in Kanchpur Patatta village of Sonargaon, Narayanganj, left four members of the same family severely burned early Friday. The incident occurred around 3 a.m. when accumulated gas inside their home ignited, causing a sudden blast. The victims—Jarina Begum (65), Alauddin (35), Sathiya Akter (14), and Saima (4)—were rushed to the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in Dhaka around 4 a.m.

According to relatives, the family used piped gas for cooking, and a leak overnight allowed gas to fill the room. When a spark occurred, the explosion followed. Dr. Shawon Bin Rahman, a resident physician at the burn institute, said Alauddin sustained 40% burns and was admitted to the ICU, while the others suffered burns ranging from 12% to 30%. Police from Sonargaon station have been informed about the incident.

Authorities are investigating the cause of the leak, while safety experts again urged regular maintenance of household gas connections to prevent similar accidents.

The Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) has conducted a cleanup operation in the Mohakhali area to remove illegal banners and festoons. The drive took place on Saturday, December 6, covering key locations such as Bir Uttam AK Khandakar Road, Tajuddin Ahmed Road, Mohakhali Railgate, Setu Bhaban, Amtala Mor, and the Public Health gate area. DNCC officials said the operation was part of their regular efforts to maintain city cleanliness and remove unauthorized advertising materials.

According to DNCC Administrator Mohammad Ejaz, the corporation removed a total of 247,000 illegal banners, festoons, and posters during November alone. The DNCC recently issued a public notice instructing individuals and organizations to remove unauthorized advertisements within seven days or face fines and legal action. The notice also highlighted the growing problem of unapproved banners, LED signs, and billboards across the city.

The ongoing campaign reflects DNCC’s broader initiative to enforce urban regulations and improve the visual environment of Dhaka. Authorities have urged residents and businesses to cooperate in maintaining public spaces free from illegal advertisements.

At least 11 people, including a three-year-old child, were killed when gunmen opened fire inside a hostel in Pretoria, South Africa, early Saturday morning. Police reported that 25 people were shot, with 14 hospitalized and 12 others injured. The attack occurred in the Soshanguve area, about 18 kilometers from central Pretoria, at a hostel known for illegal alcohol sales.

Police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe said three armed men entered the hostel’s unlicensed drinking area around 4:30 a.m. and began shooting indiscriminately at a group of men. Victims also included a 12-year-old boy and a 16-year-old girl. Authorities have yet to determine a motive, and no arrests have been made as investigations continue.

South Africa has one of the world’s highest murder rates, and officials warn that illegal liquor outlets often become flashpoints for deadly violence. The incident has renewed calls for stricter enforcement against unlicensed taverns and better policing in high-risk communities.

A massive stingray weighing around 600 kilograms was caught in a fishing net off the Teknaf coast in Cox’s Bazar on Friday, drawing large crowds of locals and tourists. The rare marine creature, belonging to the stingray family and locally known as ‘Shapla Pata Maach,’ was hauled ashore with the help of several people after fishermen struggled to lift it onto their trawler.

According to local fisheries officials, the stingray is a fully protected species under the Bangladesh Wildlife (Conservation and Security) Act, which prohibits its capture, sale, or transport. Despite this, the fish was reportedly sold for 50,000 taka to a local trader. Authorities from the Cox’s Bazar South Forest Division have launched an inquiry to determine who purchased and handled the protected animal.

Officials warned that violating wildlife protection laws can lead to up to one year in prison or a fine of 100,000 taka. Conservationists have urged stronger enforcement to prevent similar incidents as deep-sea species increasingly appear in shallow waters due to changing ocean conditions.

Bangladesh’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) will begin exhuming the remains of 114 unidentified martyrs from the July uprising on Sunday at the Rayerbazar graveyard in Dhaka. The operation aims to collect DNA samples to establish their identities, following a court order issued in August. CID officials confirmed that after forensic examination and DNA collection, the bodies will be reburied with proper procedures.

CID’s media superintendent Jasim Uddin Khan said the process will start early Sunday morning, with CID chief Mohammad Shibgat Ullah briefing the press beforehand. Forensic experts, including anthropologist and consultant Luis Fondibraider, will assist in the identification process. The burial site has been specially prepared with marble and tiles by the city corporation to preserve its sanctity.

The exhumation marks a significant step toward honoring the memory of those who died during the July movement. Authorities hope the DNA analysis will bring closure to families still searching for missing relatives and strengthen the historical record of the uprising.

The government of Bangladesh has announced that it will permit limited onion imports starting Sunday, December 7, in an effort to curb the recent surge in domestic prices. According to a statement from the Ministry of Agriculture issued Saturday night, 50 import permits will be granted daily, each allowing the import of up to 30 tons of onions. Only importers who previously applied for export permissions since August 1 will be eligible to reapply, and each importer may submit only one application.

The ministry stated that the measure will continue until further notice to maintain a stable market. Onion prices have risen sharply in recent weeks, with consumers reporting an increase of 20–30 taka per kilogram within just a few days. The current retail price ranges between 140 and 150 taka per kilogram. Officials expect the controlled import initiative to ease supply pressure and bring prices down, though traders warn that logistical delays could slow the impact on retail markets.