The Human Rights Support Society (HRSS) has strongly condemned and expressed deep concern over violent attacks on journalists, members of the Dhaka University Journalists’ Association, and Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) leaders inside and around Shahbagh Police Station in Dhaka. The condemnation came through a statement signed by HRSS Executive Director Ejazul Islam on Friday. Based on media reports, the organization said at least ten journalists and several students were injured, with some hospitalized for treatment.

In its statement, HRSS said such assaults are not only attacks on individuals but also direct threats to press freedom, the right to information, and freedom of expression. The organization described the attacks on elected student leaders as a serious threat to democratic practice, student politics, and tolerance on campus. HRSS noted that violence inside a police station, despite law enforcement presence, signals a grave concern for public safety and the rule of law.

The group demanded an immediate impartial judicial investigation, identification and prosecution of attackers, proper medical care for the injured, and effective measures to ensure journalists’ safety and prevent political violence.

Police in Chattogram detained four BNP activists on Friday evening at the Laldighi Maidan area during the traditional Jabbar’s Boli Khela fair, following allegations of extortion from traders and stall owners. The detainees were reportedly caught in the act, according to police sources. They include Md. Fahim, joint convener of the Dewan Bazar Ward Volunteer Team, Md. Tuhin, a member of the same unit, Touhid, a former Chhatra League leader now identified as a BNP activist, and Onik, nephew of a former Awami League leader.

Local and police sources said the four are known followers of former Chattogram city BNP joint convener Abdul Mannan. Mannan denied any involvement, stating they were collecting dues for stalls they had set up, and urged legal action if extortion is proven. Police said the suspects had been under surveillance after complaints of forced money collection and were detained red-handed.

The incident caused tension at the fairground, and police later confirmed the arrests around 11 p.m. The detainees are being interrogated, and further legal steps will follow after investigation.

A college student was detained in Bogura for allegedly taking a proxy exam on behalf of a Mahila Dal leader during an ongoing SSC examination under Bangladesh Open University. The incident occurred on Friday afternoon at Bogura Zilla School examination center, creating widespread local attention. The detained student, identified as 18-year-old Ishita Akter Tisha, is a second-year higher secondary student at Government Azizul Haque College and a resident of Chakshutrapur in Bogura.

According to police and examination officials, the exam for the Bangla second paper of the SSC (second year) program began at 2 p.m. in room 201, where the registered candidate was Nipa Khatun, joint general secretary of the city Mahila Dal. However, Ishita appeared instead. An invigilator noticed a mismatch between the admit card photo and the examinee’s face, leading to questioning and her eventual confession. She was handed over to the police.

Bogura Sadar Police Station’s officer-in-charge Ibrahim Ali confirmed that Ishita is in custody and admitted she took the exam for her aunt, Nipa Khatun. Legal action will follow upon receipt of a written complaint.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has approved the start of a trial against former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte on charges of crimes against humanity. The ICC’s pre-trial judges unanimously confirmed the allegations, stating there was sufficient reason to believe Duterte committed the crimes. The charges relate to thousands of alleged extrajudicial killings during his controversial anti-drug campaign between 2011 and 2019.

Duterte, aged 81, has been detained for over a year and repeatedly sought release, but the court rejected his appeals. He has refused to recognize the ICC’s jurisdiction, arguing that the Philippines withdrew from the Rome Statute in 2019. However, ICC judges ruled that the alleged crimes occurred while the country was still a member, giving the court authority to proceed. More than 500 victims have been allowed to participate in the proceedings.

Human rights groups claim Duterte’s campaign targeted small drug dealers while sparing major criminals. Duterte has denied the accusations as false, and police have maintained that their actions were in self-defense.

The Bangladesh Coast Guard has arrested a man described as a notorious human trafficker with a foreign-made pistol in Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar. The arrest took place late Thursday night near Maheshkhaliapara area following a special operation based on secret intelligence. Coast Guard media officer Lieutenant Commander Sabbir Alam Sujon confirmed the information on Friday afternoon.

The detainee, identified as Yasin, 28, is a resident of Maheshkhaliapara in Teknaf and the son of Anjal Hossain. Preliminary interrogation revealed that he had been involved in human trafficking for a long time and faced multiple cases, including murder and trafficking charges. The seized 7.65 mm pistol and the suspect are now under legal processing for further action.

According to the Coast Guard, operations like this will continue to maintain law and order and curb human trafficking along the coastal and border regions.

A special operation by Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) recovered Indian Tapentadol tablets and a bicycle near the Biral border area of Dinajpur. The raid took place around 11:30 a.m. on Friday, led by a patrol team from Kishoreganj Border Outpost under the Dinajpur Battalion (42 BGB). The items were found abandoned near the cluster village area adjacent to the main border pillar.

According to BGB, ten pieces of Indian Tapentadol tablets and one bicycle were seized during the operation. Legal procedures are underway to process the confiscated items, and intelligence efforts continue to identify the smugglers who fled the scene. The commanding officer of the Dinajpur Battalion stated that BGB will continue regular and strict operations to protect the border and prevent drug and smuggling activities.

The operation reflects BGB’s ongoing commitment to curbing cross-border smuggling and maintaining security along the Dinajpur frontier.

A team from the Detective Branch (DB) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) arrested a member of a fraud ring along with a stolen CNG auto-rickshaw in the Ramna area of the capital. The arrest took place around 10:50 p.m. on Wednesday during an operation conducted by the DB-Motijheel division. The detainee was identified as Md. Suman Hawlader, aged 24.

According to DB-Motijheel sources, the operation was carried out near the Ramna Shopping Complex under Ramna Police Station. The suspect was apprehended as an active member of a fraud group involved with the stolen CNG. Following the arrest, a regular case was filed against him at Ramna Police Station.

The DMP spokesperson, Deputy Police Commissioner N M Nasir Uddin, confirmed the arrest on Friday and stated that further investigation is underway.

Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. ABM Obaidul Islam has announced that those found guilty in the recent assault on journalists at the university will be expelled under institutional regulations. He made the statement on Friday while receiving a complaint letter from the Dhaka University Journalists’ Association at the Abdul Matin Virtual Classroom near his office. The vice-chancellor expressed regret over the incident, noting that journalists were performing their professional duties and that the matter is being treated seriously.

He confirmed that two separate investigation committees have been formed—one to examine Facebook-related messages and another to probe the physical assault on journalists and others. The university will take further action based on the committees’ reports. The journalists’ association submitted a list of 12 accused individuals, including their departmental and residential details, and demanded their immediate expulsion.

The association also called for permanent expulsion after investigation, cancellation of certificates of former students involved, and identification of any additional perpetrators. The attack, which occurred while journalists were on duty near Shahbagh Police Station, has sparked strong reactions across the national media community.

A mobile court in Tarash upazila of Sirajganj has fined four individuals a total of Tk 400,000 and sentenced them to 25 days in jail for illegally cutting and selling soil from triple-crop farmland. The operation took place last Thursday in the Sholapara area of Tarash municipality, led by Executive Magistrate Ehsan Ahmed of the Sirajganj district administration. Four dump trucks used in the illegal activity were also seized during the raid.

According to the magistrate, the offenders were caught transporting fertile agricultural soil without authorization. Each of the four was fined Tk 100,000, and after failing to pay, their jail terms were extended by 10 days, totaling 25 days each. The convicts were sent to the district jail through Tarash police, and the seized trucks remain in police custody.

The action highlights local authorities’ enforcement against illegal soil extraction, which threatens agricultural productivity in the region.

The US Department of Justice has filed charges against Gannon Kane Van Dyke, a 38-year-old member of the US Special Forces, for allegedly using classified military information to profit from bets related to the potential capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Prosecutors claim Van Dyke earned more than $400,000 by placing 13 bets on the prediction market platform Polymarket, wagering on whether US forces would attack Venezuela and when Maduro might be removed from power.

Investigators said Van Dyke was an active-duty soldier stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and had access to confidential details about a secret mission called “Operation Absolute Resolve,” which aimed to apprehend Maduro. The FBI described his actions as a severe breach of public trust, alleging that he exploited sensitive information for personal gain.

Van Dyke faces three counts of violating commodity exchange laws, one count of wire fraud, and one count of conducting an illegal financial transaction. The charges carry potential prison sentences of up to 20 years for wire fraud and 10 years for other offenses.

A local BNP leader allegedly assaulted a female teacher with a shoe at Daokandi Government University College in Durgapur upazila of Rajshahi on Thursday afternoon, April 23, 2026. The incident occurred during the second-year degree examination amid Section 144 restrictions. Video clips of the attack spread on social media, sparking nationwide criticism. Witnesses said BNP activists entered the principal’s office, engaged in an argument, and then attacked teachers and vandalized the office. At least five people, including the principal and the assaulted teacher, were injured.

The injured were taken to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital, with the principal and the female teacher reported in serious condition. The attack created panic among students and teachers, prompting many to leave the examination center. Police were present at the scene, and questions have been raised about their role during the assault.

The principal claimed he had been facing extortion demands from local groups, while the accused BNP leader denied the allegations, saying the dispute arose over corruption issues. Police stated that legal action would follow upon receiving a written complaint.

Several journalists were attacked by activists of the Dhaka University unit of Chhatra Dal in front of Shahbagh Police Station on Thursday evening, April 23, 2026. The incident occurred around 7:30 p.m. when reporters were filming at the scene. Among the injured were journalists from Kaler Kantho, Agamir Somoy, Dhaka Tribune, Dhaka Mail, Naya Diganta, Manabzamin, and The Daily Observer. One journalist, Mohammad Iftekhar Hossain Sifat of Dhaka Mail, sustained serious injuries to his eyes and face and was taken to Dhaka University Medical Center for treatment.

Victims and eyewitnesses alleged that Dhaka University Chhatra Dal leaders and activists carried out the attack in a coordinated manner. The president of the Dhaka University Journalists’ Association, Manzur Hossain Mahi, said the assault began after journalists were obstructed from recording video footage. He identified several Chhatra Dal leaders from various halls as being involved, including Abu Zafar Gifari Ifat, Mansur Rafi, Junayed Abrar, Sakib Biswas, Sajjad Khan, and others.

The Dhaka University Journalists’ Association reported that at least ten of its members were injured and demanded the immediate arrest and academic expulsion of those responsible. Police have not yet issued an official statement on the incident.

At least ten journalists were injured when activists of the Bangladesh Chhatra Dal allegedly attacked them near Shahbagh police station in Dhaka on Thursday evening, April 23, 2026. Witnesses and victims said the incident occurred around 7:30 p.m. when university-based reporters were covering events in the area. The attackers reportedly shouted at the journalists, asking 'what kind of journalists' they were, before launching the assault.

According to the victims, the attackers were members of the Dhaka University unit of the Chhatra Dal, including leaders from several residential halls. Injured journalists included reporters from Kaler Kantho, Agamir Somoy, Dhaka Tribune, Dhaka Mail, Naya Diganta, Manabzamin, and The Daily Observer. One journalist, Mohammad Iftekhar Hossain Sifat of Dhaka Mail, sustained serious injuries to his eye and face and was taken to Dhaka University Medical Center for treatment.

The Dhaka University Journalists’ Association condemned the attack and demanded the immediate arrest and academic expulsion of those involved. As of the report’s publication, law enforcement authorities had not issued any official statement regarding the incident.

At least six journalists were harassed at Dhaka University on April 21, 2026, while covering tensions between Chhatra Dal and Chhatra Shibir over wall writings. The incidents occurred at Bijoy 71 Hall and Dr. Muhammad Shahidullah Hall in the evening and late at night. Victims included reporters from several national outlets, who alleged that Chhatra Dal activists obstructed them despite identifying themselves as journalists.

Eyewitnesses said the first incident took place when a Dhaka University Journalists’ Association member was stopped from filming a Chhatra Dal protest. Two other journalists faced verbal abuse when they protested. Later that night, three more journalists were reportedly threatened and nearly assaulted while gathering news at Shahidullah Hall. One victim claimed the attack happened in the presence of a house tutor, who did not ensure their safety.

Chhatra Dal leaders later visited the journalists’ association office to apologize, calling the incidents a misunderstanding. The association’s general secretary urged organizational and legal action against those involved.

In Mirsharai, Chattogram, protesters blocked the Baraiyarhat–Khagrachhari road for about two hours on Thursday following the death of a Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) leader. Shahriar Ahmed Hridoy, 26, the organizational secretary of the Korerhat Union JCD, died at Chattogram Medical College Hospital after five days of treatment in the ICU. His uncle Nazmul Hossain confirmed the death.

The conflict began on April 18 at Koila Bazar over the detention of a cattle truck allegedly linked to BNP leaders Md Tipu and Abdur Rahim. Local Jubo Dal leader Sabuj and his associates reportedly demanded extortion money from the truck operators. When they refused, driver Suman was beaten. Later, Hridoy and another man, Anwar Hossain, were sent to the scene and were attacked shortly after arriving. Hridoy was critically injured and later died.

Hridoy’s father, Abdul Alim, alleged that his son was killed in a planned attack. Police said a case has been filed and operations are underway to arrest those involved. The situation is currently under control.