Traffic on the Dhaka–Mymensingh highway was halted for about an hour on Sunday after garment workers from the P.A. Knit factory in Valuka blocked the road. The protest erupted following a collision between a worker transport bus and a passenger bus operated by Shoukhin Paribahan near Jamirdia area. Workers alleged that after the minor accident, Shoukhin Paribahan staff forcibly took away the helper of the factory bus, identified as Aminul.

Police from the Bharadoba Highway Station arrived at the scene and persuaded the workers to end the blockade, restoring traffic flow. Officer-in-Charge A.B.M. Mehedi Masud confirmed that the protest was triggered by the alleged abduction and that the situation was resolved peacefully. The blockade caused severe disruption for commuters and office-goers during the morning rush hour.

Authorities are investigating the incident, and local officials have urged both transport operators and factory management to strengthen coordination to prevent future clashes between transport workers and industrial employees.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has dismissed as fabricated a photo circulating on social media that allegedly shows the grave of Inqilab Mancha spokesperson Sharif Osman Hadi. In a statement on Sunday, DMP Deputy Commissioner (Media) Muhammad Talebur Rahman said the image was intentionally misleading and urged the public not to be deceived. He confirmed that Hadi’s burial site, located beside the tomb of national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam near Dhaka University’s central mosque, remains under strict security.

Hadi was shot on December 12 in the capital’s Bijoynagar area while riding a motorcycle. After being treated in Dhaka and later transferred to Singapore General Hospital, he died on December 18. His body returned to Dhaka on December 19, and a large public funeral was held the following day at the South Plaza of the National Parliament.

Authorities have not commented on the motive behind the fake image, but the DMP’s warning highlights growing concerns over misinformation spreading online following Hadi’s death.

A ferry accident in Narayanganj’s Fatullah area left five vehicles, including a truck, submerged in the Dhaleshwari River late Saturday night. Fifteen hours after the incident, no rescue operations had begun, sparking anger among locals who rely on the ferry for daily trade and transport. The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) and the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) have been accused of poor coordination, delaying the response.

Officials from BIWTA arrived at the site Sunday morning but lacked necessary recovery equipment. Assistant Director Kamruzzaman stated that the ferry belongs to the RHD, which has yet to send representatives or identify the exact recovery point. Meanwhile, the Coast Guard recovered three bodies—identified as a motorcyclist, a van driver, and an expatriate.

Witnesses reported that a truck lost control mid-river, hitting nearby vehicles before plunging into the water. The delay in rescue efforts has disrupted local commerce in Baktabali, where ferry operations remain suspended. Authorities are assessing river depth before launching recovery operations.

Two young workers from the Ruppur Nuclear Power Plant died following a head-on collision between a truck and a motorcycle in Ishwardi, Pabna. The accident occurred late Saturday night near Alhaj Mor when the victims, Rabbi Hossain (27) and Nishan Munshi (22), were returning home from Ishwardi town. Both sustained critical injuries and were first taken to Ishwardi Upazila Health Complex before being transferred to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital, where they died during treatment.

Police confirmed that the truck involved in the accident has been seized, and a case has been filed at Ishwardi Police Station. The bodies are being returned to their families without autopsy upon request. The incident has cast deep mourning over the villages of Joynagar and Maniknagar in Salimpur Union, where the victims lived. Authorities have urged drivers to maintain caution on the busy Ishwardi roads, which have seen several recent accidents.

Local residents have called for stricter traffic enforcement and better lighting in accident-prone areas to prevent further tragedies.

A Dalit migrant laborer from Chhattisgarh was beaten to death in Kerala’s Palakkad district after being suspected of being a Bangladeshi national. The victim, 31-year-old Ramnarayan Baghel, had arrived in Palakkad on December 13 seeking daily wage work. Local reports indicate that following a theft incident in the area, a mob accused him of stealing and assaulted him with sticks, leading to his death.

Police have arrested five individuals in connection with the killing and have strengthened security in the area to prevent further unrest. The incident has sparked fear among migrant workers, many of whom expressed concern over being targeted due to their appearance or language. Authorities confirmed that an investigation is underway to determine the motive behind the attack.

The case highlights ongoing tensions surrounding migrant laborers in southern India and the dangers of mob justice. Officials said the body will be sent to Baghel’s home village after autopsy procedures are completed, while human rights groups have called for stronger protections for internal migrants.

A case has been filed at Dhanmondi Police Station following a violent attack, arson, and looting at the Chhayanaut cultural center in Dhaka. The incident occurred on the night of December 20, when unidentified assailants vandalized and set fire to parts of the building. Chhayanaut’s chief manager, Dulal Ghosh, lodged the case against 300 to 350 unidentified individuals, police confirmed on Sunday.

According to Chhayanaut officials, the attackers destroyed CCTV cameras, furniture, and musical instruments including tablas, harmoniums, and violins. The total extent of the damage has not yet been determined. The attack took place following the death of Inquilab Mancha spokesperson Shahid Sharif Osman Hadi, after which several media offices and Chhayanaut were targeted.

Interim government cultural affairs adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki visited the site and reviewed CCTV footage, promising that those responsible would be brought to justice. Authorities are continuing investigations to identify the perpetrators and assess the full scale of losses.

Police in Dhaka recovered the bodies of two siblings, aged 10 and 1, from an apartment in the Wireless area of Hatirjheel on Sunday morning. The children, Afrida and Ilham Chowdhury, were found dead after reportedly falling ill following a family meal. Their bodies were sent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for autopsy, with police confirming no visible injury marks.

Family members said the illness began after the family consumed leftover food from Afrida’s birthday celebration held on December 16. Afrida fell sick first and died early Saturday at a local hospital, while her younger brother Ilham died later that day during treatment at another facility. Police are investigating possible food contamination or poisoning as the cause of death.

Authorities await post-mortem results to determine the exact cause. The tragic deaths have raised renewed concerns over food safety and storage practices in urban households, with police urging families to exercise caution when consuming stored or reheated food.

Police in Noakhali’s Hatiya upazila have arrested a young man accused of issuing death threats to Abdul Hannan Masud, senior joint chief coordinator of the National Citizen Party (NCP). The suspect, Israt Raihan Omi, son of former Char Ishwar Union Parishad chairman Abdul Halim Azad, was detained late Saturday night from Nandaroad area. Authorities confirmed that Omi faces three prior cases filed with Hatiya Police Station.

According to police, Omi sent a highly provocative message through Facebook Messenger to an NCP activist, threatening violence against party leaders if his father was arrested. The message reportedly contained explicit threats against Hannan Masud and others. Officer-in-Charge Saiful Alam stated that legal proceedings are underway and warned that anyone attempting to incite unrest, online or offline, will be brought under the law.

The arrest underscores growing concerns over the misuse of social media for political intimidation. Law enforcement officials have pledged increased monitoring of digital communications to prevent similar incidents in the future.

At least nine people were killed and ten others injured in a mass shooting near Johannesburg, South Africa, early Saturday morning. Police said around a dozen unidentified gunmen arrived in two vehicles and opened fire inside a bar in Bekkersdal township shortly before 1 a.m. local time. The attackers continued shooting as they fled the scene, prompting an extensive police operation to track them down.

National and provincial crime units, along with detectives and intelligence officers, have been deployed to investigate. Authorities are interviewing witnesses, though the motive behind the attack remains unclear. The injured victims were transported to nearby hospitals for treatment.

This incident follows a similar bar shooting earlier in December near Pretoria that left at least 12 people dead, highlighting growing concerns over violent crime and gun-related attacks in South Africa. Police have urged the public to assist with information as investigations continue.

A joint press conference is scheduled in Dhaka today to present the progress of the investigation into the killing of Sharif Osman Hadi, convener of the Inqilab Manch. Officials from the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), and police are expected to detail findings, arrests, and evidence gathered so far. The case, initially filed as an attempted murder, has now been reclassified as a murder case following a court directive.

Hadi, an independent candidate for Dhaka-8 constituency and a key figure in the July uprising, was shot in the head on December 12 while campaigning. He died six days later in a Singapore hospital. Authorities have arrested 11 people, including relatives and associates of the main suspect Faisal Karim Masud, a banned student leader. RAB’s media director Wing Commander M Z M Intekhab Chowdhury said the briefing would present a comprehensive update on the investigation.

The killing has drawn wide public attention ahead of the upcoming national elections, with investigators under pressure to ensure transparency and swift justice.

Nearly twelve years after the brutal killing of six people, including self-proclaimed spiritual leader Lutfor Rahman Faruk, in Dhaka’s Gopibagh area, the investigation remains unfinished. Despite 147 extensions, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has yet to submit its final report. The Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court has now set January 14, 2026, as the next deadline for the report.

The case, filed by Faruk’s son Abdullah Al Faruk on the night of the murders in December 2013, has passed through multiple law enforcement agencies before reaching the CID. Investigators cite the case’s complexity and the time elapsed as reasons for delay. Families of the victims express frustration, saying prolonged delays have denied them justice. Defense lawyers argue that their clients, all currently on bail, suffer financial and psychological strain from repeated court appearances.

The killings, allegedly linked to ideological disputes and extremist motives, remain one of Dhaka’s most protracted murder investigations. Legal experts warn that continued delays risk eroding public confidence in the justice system and prolonging the suffering of both victims’ families and the accused.

An investigation in South Keraniganj, Dhaka, has revealed widespread illegal brick kilns and unauthorized ferry operations along the Dhaleshwari River. The report identifies Akhtar Hossain, an organizing secretary of the local Swechchhasebak Dal, as allegedly running a business involving stolen soil and substandard bricks under political cover. Locals claim that farmland has been seized to operate the ferry, which transports trucks at night, reportedly collecting Tk 500 per trip.

Former Krishak League leader Haji Abu Taleb and BNP figures have traded accusations over control of the ferry and illegal land occupation. Law enforcement officials confirmed awareness of the issue, with the local police chief and Upazila Nirbahi Officer acknowledging that no official lease or permit exists for the ferry. The BIWTA also confirmed it had not authorized any pontoon or toll collection at the site.

Authorities have promised enforcement actions, but residents remain skeptical, citing years of unchecked illegal trade and political protection. The case underscores persistent governance and environmental challenges in peri-urban Dhaka.

In Mymensingh’s Bhaluka upazila, 27-year-old garment worker Dipu Chandra Das was beaten and burned to death after being accused of religious defamation. Investigations and family accounts suggest the killing was premeditated, linked to his activism for workers’ rights at Pioneer Knitwears (BD) Ltd. His brother filed a murder case against 150 unidentified individuals, while joint operations by RAB-14 and district police have led to ten arrests.

Sources indicate Das had long advocated for fair wages, overtime pay, and better working conditions, creating friction with management. On December 18, he was allegedly pressured to resign and threatened with false blasphemy charges. CCTV footage later revealed that most attackers were outsiders, not local residents. Political leaders from BNP and Jamaat have called the incident a conspiracy to destabilize the country.

Local reports allege that the factory’s owner, known for ties to ruling Awami League figures, may have influenced events. Authorities face growing pressure for an impartial investigation amid concerns over labor rights, misuse of religious sentiment, and industrial accountability.

Three people have died after five vehicles, including a truck, fell into the Dhaleshwari River from a ferry in Fatullah, Narayanganj, on Saturday night. The accident occurred around 10 p.m. at the Baktabali ferry terminal when a truck reportedly lost control mid-river, striking several smaller vehicles before plunging into the water. The truck driver and his assistant managed to swim ashore, but others were missing.

According to witnesses, the ferry had departed from Narsinghpur and was halfway across the river when the truck suddenly accelerated. The impact sent a motorcycle, two battery-run rickshaws, and a van into the river. Naval police later recovered the bodies of three victims — identified as motorcyclist Rafik, van driver Swadhin, and expatriate Masud. Authorities have temporarily halted the search operation for the night.

Police officials stated that recovery efforts for the submerged vehicles will resume Sunday morning. The incident has raised renewed concerns over ferry safety and vehicle management practices on river crossings in Bangladesh.

The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has charged a Bangladeshi national for allegedly running an online marketplace selling digital templates of forged US passports and Social Security cards. The FBI confirmed the operation on social media platform X on December 21, noting that the accused had been distributing highly sensitive document replicas that could be used to create fake identities.

The operation was conducted in collaboration with the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit of Dhaka Metropolitan Police. Acting on a warrant from the US District Court in Montana, authorities seized several domains linked to the illegal activities. Visitors to the seized websites now see a notice displaying the logos of the FBI, US Department of Justice, and CTTC, stating that the domains were taken over under Title 18 of the US Code.

Officials have not yet disclosed the suspect’s identity or location, citing ongoing investigations. The case underscores growing cross-border cooperation on cybercrime and document fraud prevention between the United States and Bangladesh.