A Dhaka court has sentenced former Dhaka South Jubo League president Ismail Hossain Chowdhury Samrat to 20 years in prison for amassing illegal wealth. The verdict, delivered by Judge Md Zakaria Hossain of Dhaka’s Special Judge Court-6 on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, includes two separate 10-year sentences under different sections, along with a fine of 2 million taka. In default of payment, Samrat will serve an additional one year of imprisonment. The court also issued an arrest warrant as Samrat remains absconding.

According to court sources, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the case on November 12, 2019, accusing Samrat of acquiring 29.48 million taka in unexplained assets. The ACC submitted its charge sheet on November 26, 2020, and the court framed charges on July 17 of the previous year. All 21 witnesses listed in the charge sheet testified before the court. Samrat was previously arrested during an anti-casino drive in October 2019 and later released on bail in August 2022.

The judgment concludes a long-running corruption case that began over six years ago, marking a significant development in the ACC’s ongoing anti-graft efforts.

Bengaluru police detained 18 individuals on suspicion of being Bangladeshi nationals and later transferred them from Karnataka to West Bengal, according to a report published on February 25, 2026. The group includes women and children. Police sources cited by Anandabazar said the detainees were behaving suspiciously and lacked valid documents. They were taken to West Bengal on Tuesday afternoon, but their next destination remains unclear.

According to the report, except for the children, the detainees had been working as migrant laborers in Bengaluru for a long time. Police began questioning them after their recent activities raised suspicion. When asked to show legal papers, they failed to produce any. After being brought to Howrah station, authorities did not disclose where they would be taken next.

Police officials have not provided further details about the investigation or the detainees’ legal status, leaving uncertainty about the next steps in the case.

A section of the M A Goni Road in Burichang, Comilla, collapsed only 18 days after partial repair work was completed. The road repair project, costing Tk 18 crore, has drawn allegations that the contractor used substandard materials and ignored tender conditions. Locals reported that minimal bitumen was used, and no retaining wall was built along parts of the road. Some sections were resurfaced over old carpeting, and the new layer was thinner than required.

The repair work began about two months ago, covering the stretch from Shashongachha to Burichang. Residents claimed that the contractor’s team worked at night using poor-quality pitch, which easily peeled off. In some areas, the carpeting was only 20–25 millimeters thick instead of the specified 50 millimeters. Contractor Mohammad Abul Hossain attributed the collapse to soil displacement and promised repairs, while the Roads and Highways Department’s executive engineer Khondaker Golam Mostafa said the work was ongoing and any irregularities would be investigated.

Authorities have pledged to redo the damaged sections and take action if negligence is confirmed.

At least 23 inmates escaped from a prison in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, after armed men attacked the facility. The incident occurred amid widespread unrest following the death of drug lord Nemesio Oseguera. During the assault, one prison guard was killed. Authorities have since recaptured most of the escaped prisoners, but 23 remain missing.

The violence erupted after Oseguera’s death during a military operation, sparking clashes across at least 20 of Mexico’s 32 states. In these confrontations, at least 25 members of the National Guard were killed. In Puerto Vallarta, members of the CJNG gang blocked roads, attacked police stations, and set vehicles on fire.

Tensions in Puerto Vallarta have eased in recent days, with the CJNG gang reopening previously blocked roads. However, the search for the remaining escaped inmates continues as authorities work to restore full order in the city.

Two more victims of the gas explosion in a residential building in Chattogram’s Halishahar area have died, bringing the total death toll to five. The incident occurred early Monday when accumulated gas in the kitchen of a third-floor apartment at Halima Manzil exploded. The latest victims, Md. Sakhawat Hossain, 46, and his sister-in-law Ashura Akter Pakhi, 35, died Tuesday night while undergoing treatment in the intensive care unit of the National Burn and Plastic Surgery Institute in Dhaka. Doctors said the remaining four burn victims are in critical condition.

Earlier on Tuesday, Sakhawat’s brother Samir Ahmed Suman, 40, and his 16-year-old son Safayat Hossain Shawon died from their injuries, following the death of Sakhawat’s wife, Nurjahan Akter Rani, 40, on Monday. All five deceased were members of the same family. The explosion severely injured several others, including two children and another brother of Sakhawat.

Authorities have not yet provided further details on the cause of the gas accumulation or the current condition of the survivors.

The verdict in the illegal wealth case against former Dhaka South Jubo League president Ismail Hossain Chowdhury, known as Samrat, is scheduled to be delivered today, Wednesday, February 25, 2026, at the Dhaka Special Judge Court-6, presided over by Judge Md Zakaria Hossain. Court bench assistant Fakir Zahidul Islam confirmed the schedule. The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) lawyer Nure Alam concluded arguments on February 9, after which the court fixed the date for the verdict. As Samrat remains absconding, no self-defense hearing was held.

According to court sources, witness testimony in the case concluded on February 2, with all 21 witnesses listed in the charge sheet testifying before the court. The ACC filed the case on November 12, 2019, accusing Samrat of acquiring illegal assets worth Tk 29.48 million. Following investigation, the charge sheet was submitted on November 26, 2020. The court framed charges on July 17 last year and issued an arrest warrant after canceling Samrat’s bail due to his absence.

Samrat was previously arrested in Cumilla on October 6, 2019, during the anti-casino drive and was released on bail on August 22, 2022.

Traders in Jhenaidah municipality have demanded an end to alleged illegal extortion and excessive market taxes imposed by a leaseholder. On Tuesday, business owners from the New Hatkhola market held a press conference accusing the leaseholder of collecting arbitrary fees under the guise of municipal and district administration charges. They claimed that the leaseholder, using political influence, was collecting large sums monthly without official receipts.

Several traders reported that the tax on raw goods had risen from four taka per maund to 160 taka, while goat sellers said they were being forced to pay 2,000 taka per sale. The traders warned that if authorities failed to stop the alleged extortion, they would close the markets and launch a strong protest movement.

Leaseholder Akhtar Hossain denied the allegations, saying fees were being collected as before. The municipal administrator promised to display an official tax list soon, while the district commissioner assured strict action, including lease cancellation, if overcharging was proven.

A Dhaka court has ordered the freezing of bank accounts and savings certificates belonging to former Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) Director General Harunur Rashid and his wife, Fateha Farvin Luna. The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is investigating allegations that the couple amassed illegal wealth worth about Tk 1,000 crore and laundered money. The order was issued on Tuesday by Judge Sabbir Fayez of the Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge’s Court, confirmed by court bench assistant Riaz Hossain.

According to the ACC’s petition, the investigation uncovered evidence of substantial movable assets inconsistent with the couple’s known income sources. The ACC requested the freeze to prevent possible transfer of funds, including over Tk 6.4 million in fixed deposits at One Bank and savings certificates under the National Savings Directorate.

The court’s decision marks a significant step in the ongoing corruption inquiry, as investigators continue to trace the origins and movement of the alleged illicit assets.

A devastating fire broke out at Kamarhat market in Chandraganj, Lakshmipur Sadar upazila, on Tuesday night following a gas cylinder explosion. The incident occurred around 8:30 p.m., destroying ten shops including clothing, grocery, and electronics stores. Witnesses said the explosion originated from a cylinder in Bahar’s shop, and the flames quickly spread to adjacent stores. A fire service unit arrived promptly and brought the blaze under control after an hour of effort.

Lakshmipur Fire Service Station Officer Ranjit Kumar Saha said initial findings suggest the explosion started from Bahar’s shop. District Commissioner S.M. Mehedi Hasan confirmed that the fire service contained the blaze and that the upazila executive officer inspected the site. Authorities stated that financial assistance will be provided to affected shop owners.

Officials added that the exact cause of the explosion and the total extent of the damage will be determined after a full investigation.

Law enforcement agencies in Bangladesh have launched a joint operation in the Sundarbans to curb renewed pirate activity. Beginning on Tuesday, 24 February 2026, the Bangladesh Navy, Coast Guard, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), and police initiated a coordinated campaign that will continue until the forest is declared free of bandit groups. The move follows reports that armed pirates have recently abducted fishermen and extorted ransom payments in rivers and canals of the world’s largest mangrove forest.

Authorities said surveillance has been intensified across key waterways including Dublar Char, Shibsha, Pashur, Aarpangashia, and Chandpai ranges. Fast patrol boats, speedboats, and commando teams have been deployed, while intelligence operations are underway to locate suspects. The Navy and Coast Guard confirmed strengthened river checkpoints and searches of suspicious vessels, and RAB and police have adopted a zero-tolerance policy toward armed groups.

Local officials noted that although the Sundarbans had previously been declared free of piracy after mass surrenders, some small groups have recently reemerged. Experts emphasized that sustained patrols, intelligence monitoring, and alternative livelihoods for forest-dependent communities are essential for lasting security.

The Bangladesh Coast Guard detained 18 alleged traffickers and seized 1,600 sacks of cement during two separate operations near St. Martin’s Island in Teknaf upazila of Cox’s Bazar. The operations took place early Tuesday, February 24, 2026, following secret intelligence reports. The Coast Guard ship ‘Kamruzzaman,’ under Operation Samudra Prohori, intercepted a fishing boat around 1 a.m., recovering 1,000 sacks of cement worth about 500,000 taka and arresting 10 suspects. Later, at 3 a.m., another vessel, ‘Apurbo Bangla,’ under Operation Coral Dwip, seized 600 sacks valued at 300,000 taka and detained eight more individuals.

According to Coast Guard media officer Lieutenant Commander Sabbir Alam Sujon, the seized cement, boats, and detainees are under legal processing. He confirmed that the Coast Guard will continue such operations to prevent smuggling and illegal trade in the maritime areas.

The coordinated actions highlight ongoing efforts by Bangladesh’s maritime forces to curb cross-border smuggling activities along the Teknaf–St. Martin’s route.

A schoolboy abducted in Dhaka’s Khilgaon area was rescued within an hour after Prime Minister Tareq Rahman personally ordered police action on February 24, 2026. The boy’s father, a Secretariat employee, rushed to the Prime Minister’s Office in tears after learning of the abduction. Upon hearing the news, the Prime Minister immediately called police officials and instructed them to recover the child. Acting on the directive, Ramna police located the boy in an under-construction building in Khilgaon and rescued him.

According to Ramna Division Deputy Commissioner Masud Alam, the ninth-grade student of National Laboratory Ideal School was abducted by four to five men after leaving school around 2:30 p.m. The kidnappers assaulted him and demanded a ransom of 50,000 taka from his father, threatening to kill the boy if payment was not made. Police traced the abductors by engaging them in conversation about sending the ransom money and identified their location before conducting the rescue operation.

The abductors fled upon sensing police presence, and the boy was safely recovered. The Prime Minister’s Press Wing confirmed that he had personally directed the swift police response.

Police in Rajapur upazila of Jhalakathi district arrested two alleged drug dealers, including Zayed Joya Khan, the 18-year-old son of former upazila vice-chairman and senior Awami League leader Afroza Akter Laizu. The arrests took place around 10:30 p.m. on Monday during a special operation in the Bagri Bazar area. The other detainee was identified as Md. Imon Hasan, 20, son of Md. Kabir Hossain of the same area.

According to police, the operation was conducted based on a tip-off, and the two were caught red-handed while trading drugs. Another suspect named Samir managed to flee the scene. Officers recovered six yaba tablets and 890 taka from Zayed, and two grams of cannabis from Imon. Rajapur Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md. Nazrul Islam said a case was filed under the Narcotics Control Act, and the detainees were sent to Jhalakathi court on Tuesday afternoon.

Police stated that efforts are ongoing to arrest the fugitive suspect.

Local Member of Parliament Md. Abdul Aziz has launched an initiative to protect the youth of Gurudaspur in Natore from the growing threat of drug abuse. During a monthly law and order meeting held at the Upazila Parishad auditorium on Monday at 11 a.m., he instructed the chairmen and members of six unions to prepare ward-based lists of drug users and dealers. The lists must be submitted to the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) within seven days.

Abdul Aziz, who was the chief guest at the meeting, also directed that after the lists are prepared, the identified individuals and their guardians should be brought before the respective union councils. The meeting was presided over by UNO Fahmida Afroze, and several union chairmen, including Abdul Matin, Abdul Bari, Monirul Islam Dolon, Mizanur Rahman Suja, Md. Ayub Ali, and Mahbubur Rahman, expressed support for the MP’s call.

The initiative aims to strengthen local efforts against drug abuse and ensure community participation in identifying and addressing the problem.

Four police officers have been temporarily suspended following an incident in which a Dhaka University student was assaulted during an anti-drug operation at Suhrawardy Udyan in the capital. The action was confirmed on Tuesday afternoon by Mohammad Masud Alam, Deputy Commissioner of the Ramna Division of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP).

According to the official, the incident occurred after a verbal altercation between the student and police personnel escalated. The four officers who were on duty at the time have been closed, meaning they were temporarily removed from active duty, and departmental action will be taken against them.

The DMP has described the event as an unwanted situation arising from a misunderstanding during the operation. Further internal proceedings are expected to determine disciplinary measures against the involved officers.