A passenger bus of Souhardo Paribahan lost control and fell into the Padma River at Daulatdia ferry terminal in Rajbari’s Goaland upazila on Wednesday, March 25, around 5:30 p.m. The incident occurred near pontoon number 3, and several passengers are feared dead or missing. Some passengers managed to swim ashore, while many others reportedly sank into the river. Local residents gathered at the site as rescue operations began.

Fire Service and police personnel arrived at the scene shortly after the accident. According to Rajbari Fire Service’s Deputy Assistant Director Dewan Sohel Rana, the bus lost control while attempting to board the ferry and plunged into the river. Diving teams from Paturia and Aricha terminals were on their way to join the rescue efforts.

Authorities have not yet confirmed the number of casualties or the total number of passengers on board. Rescue operations were ongoing at the time of reporting.

During the seven-day Eid-ul-Fitr holidays from March 17 to 23, Bangladesh witnessed a sharp rise in road accidents, with conflicting death tolls reported by government and private sources. The Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) recorded 92 accidents causing 100 deaths and 217 injuries, while the non-governmental Road Safety Foundation reported 268 accidents resulting in at least 204 deaths and over 600 injuries. The discrepancy has raised concerns about the accuracy and completeness of official data.

Reports indicate that several serious incidents, including a fatal bus crash at Comilla’s Paduar Bazar rail crossing that killed 12 people, were missing from the government’s list. Hospitals across the country, including Dhaka’s National Orthopedic Hospital, saw a surge in patients injured in traffic accidents, many involving motorcycles, battery-powered rickshaws, and easybikes.

Road Safety Foundation’s executive director warned that the final death toll could rise further, while the Passengers Welfare Association noted that accidents often increase when people return to work after Eid due to reduced monitoring and law enforcement on roads.

Justice Md. Golam Mortuza Mojumdar, Chairman of the International Crimes Tribunal-1, reported that his personal Facebook and WhatsApp accounts were hacked. The incident was recorded in a general diary filed on Tuesday, March 24, at Shahbagh Police Station in Dhaka. According to the diary, the accounts were compromised on March 18 by unknown individuals.

The report noted concerns that the hackers might use the compromised accounts for various malicious activities. Following the incident, a letter was also sent to the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) requesting necessary action.

Authorities are expected to investigate the hacking incident and take steps to prevent potential misuse of the judge’s social media and communication accounts.

Law enforcement agencies conducted a late-night raid on Monday at the Baridhara DOHS residence of retired Lieutenant General Masud Uddin Chowdhury, detaining him and uncovering allegations of an illegal garment office operating inside the building. The incident has drawn public attention and renewed scrutiny of long-standing complaints about commercial activities in the residential area.

According to local residents and on-site observations, the six-and-a-half-story building housed Masud Uddin’s family on the upper floors, while the second and third floors were used for garment business operations. Residents said that despite repeated concerns over environmental and security issues, no action had been taken due to the former general’s influence. Commercial operations in Baridhara DOHS are legally prohibited, but locals had been reluctant to speak out.

The arrest and subsequent revelations have sparked widespread discussion on social media, where users recalled Masud’s controversial past and demanded an investigation into the misuse of residential property for business purposes.

Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has arrested Md. Helal Uddin, the gatekeeper accused in the case filed over the train and bus collision in Cumilla that killed 12 people. The arrest took place on Tuesday evening in the Shankuchail area of Burichang upazila, near the border. The arrest was confirmed by Tahura Jannat, Superintendent of Police of the Chattogram Railway region, who said that efforts are ongoing to capture the other fugitive accused, Mehedi Hasan.

Following the incident, RAB launched a shadow investigation. Authorities stated that detailed information will be shared in a press briefing after Helal Uddin’s interrogation. The collision occurred at around 3 a.m. on March 21 at the Padua Bazar rail crossing in Cumilla, resulting in 12 deaths. Injured passenger Shefali Akter filed a case with the Laksam Railway Police Station, naming Helal Uddin and Mehedi Hasan as the accused.

Police officials said further details about the investigation and the circumstances of the crash will be disclosed tomorrow.

A violent clash erupted on Tuesday night between two rival groups from Deopara and Shekhpur villages in Chandraganj, Lakshmipur, reportedly over local dominance. The incident occurred around 9 p.m. near the BNP office at Afzal Road in Chandraganj West Bazar. During the exchange of gunfire, a passerby named Abdur Rahim, aged 55, was shot in the leg, while Saiful Islam Manik, 19, was beaten with a chain. Chandraganj Union Chhatra Dal joint convener Yakub Munna Ripon was also injured in the attack.

Witnesses and local sources said the confrontation followed a dispute between the two villages the previous day. The Deopara group was reportedly led by Rakib Patwary, who was armed and facing murder and weapons charges, while the Shekhpur group was led by a man named Mitul. Locals rescued the injured and took them to Lakshmipur Sadar Hospital.

Hospital authorities confirmed that Abdur Rahim was later transferred to Noakhali General Hospital for further treatment, while Manik remained under observation. Police said they had received reports of the shooting but were yet to gather full details.

A Dhaka court has granted a four-day remand for Md. Abdus Salam, who was arrested for allegedly impersonating the Prime Minister’s Personal Secretary (PS) to commit fraud. The order was issued on Tuesday by Metropolitan Magistrate Aminul Islam Junaid after a hearing. The court rejected Salam’s bail plea and approved the remand request submitted by the investigation officer, Sub-Inspector Md. Bulbul Ahmed of Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station.

According to the case details, Salam had long been using the false identity of the Prime Minister’s PS to engage in various fraudulent activities, including illegal financial transactions and recruitment scams in government and private offices. Following reports and verified evidence reaching different levels of government, an investigation was launched. Based on confirmed information, a law enforcement team conducted a raid early in the morning at Salam’s residence in Agargaon and arrested him.

The remand will allow investigators to question Salam further to uncover the extent of his fraudulent operations and identify possible accomplices, according to the case proceedings.

An abandoned house belonging to Aminul Islam Akash, a Swechchhasebak League leader currently in hiding, was set on fire by unidentified individuals in Boyradi Dighi village of Ashokpur Union, Shahjahanpur upazila, Bogura. The incident occurred around 4 a.m. on Tuesday, destroying stored agricultural products and old furniture. Akash previously served as the district unit’s finance secretary.

According to Shahjahanpur Fire Service officer Delwar Hossain, two fire service units responded quickly and brought the blaze under control. The house had no electricity connection and was used to store potatoes and other crops. Akash claimed the fire was politically motivated and estimated his losses at about 150,000 taka.

Shahjahanpur Police Station Officer-in-Charge Ashiq Iqbal stated that the cause of the fire has not yet been determined, and police have visited the scene to investigate the matter further.

Twelve people were killed in a collision between a train and a bus at the Paduar Bazar rail crossing in Cumilla early Saturday night during Eid. Following the accident, local residents accused the on-duty gatekeepers of negligence, claiming they were under the influence of drugs and failed to hear the train’s signal. Evidence of drug use, including yaba and cannabis paraphernalia, was reportedly found in the gatekeepers’ quarters.

Locals alleged that the government quarters for gatekeepers are often used for drug gatherings due to a lack of regular supervision. They claimed that on the night of the accident, gatekeepers Mehedi and Helal were intoxicated with outsiders. However, Cumilla Railway Station Master Sheikh Anwar Hossain denied the allegations, saying no drug use occurs in the gatekeepers’ rooms and that the engineering department will determine the actual cause. Railway security officials said action would follow any confirmed complaints.

Three investigation committees have been formed to determine the cause of the accident, with a 72-hour deadline to submit reports. The Cumilla district administration assured that legal action will be taken against anyone found responsible.

Retired Lieutenant General Masud Uddin Chowdhury was presented before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court in Dhaka on Tuesday for a remand hearing in a case filed at Paltan Model Police Station. The case involves allegations of embezzling Tk 24,000 crore through a syndicate and human trafficking. Following the hearing, Metropolitan Magistrate Aminul Islam Junaid granted a five-day remand as requested by the Detective Branch (DB) police.

After the court approved the remand, unidentified individuals threw dirty drain water at Chowdhury in the court premises while he was being taken to the detention cell. The incident occurred amid tight security and protests outside the court. According to the prosecution, the accused faces serious charges that require interrogation for investigation purposes.

DB sources stated that Chowdhury is accused in multiple cases, including fraud, extortion, and murder, and that an arrest warrant had already been issued against him in a separate case in Feni. He was detained late Monday night during a DB operation in Baridhara DOHS, Dhaka.

A video showing an orphaned girl crying beside her mother’s grave in Lalmai upazila, Cumilla, went viral on social media, prompting immediate intervention by local authorities. The girl, identified as Samia Akter, had reportedly suffered prolonged physical and mental abuse from her stepmother, Ayesha Akter, while her father was abroad in Saudi Arabia. Following the viral spread of the video, the stepmother and the child were brought before the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) on March 24, where the stepmother apologized publicly and signed a written pledge not to repeat such behavior.

According to local sources, the girl had been subjected to repeated beatings and was even tied up and confined indoors for two days. The UNO, Umme Tahmina Mitu, assigned the acting chairman of Bagmara Dakshin Union Parishad, Md. Lokman Hossain, to investigate the matter. Authorities have placed the child under local surveillance to ensure her safety.

Local residents and officials, including police and community leaders, were present during the proceedings. The community has welcomed the administration’s quick response and called for continued monitoring to protect the child.

India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken Faisal Karim and Alamgir to Delhi for further interrogation in connection with the murder of Sharif Osman Hadi. According to police sources, the two accused were flown from Kolkata to Delhi on Monday night and are scheduled to appear before a special NIA court on Tuesday.

On March 22, the NIA sought permission from the Bidhannagar court to interrogate the suspects, which the judge initially approved. However, citing security concerns at Dum Dum Central Jail, the agency filed a new petition on March 23 requesting to conduct the questioning in Delhi. The court granted the request, and the transfer was carried out that night. Earlier, Judge Nishan Majumdar had ordered 12 days of judicial custody for the two, allowing both the West Bengal STF and NIA to question them in jail until April 2.

The accused face charges under Sections 16 and 18 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, related to planning or supporting terrorist acts. Faisal has denied involvement, claiming political framing and lack of CCTV evidence.

Dhaka’s Savar-based alleged serial killer, vagrant Samrat alias Sabuj Sheikh, died on Tuesday, March 24, after suddenly falling ill in Keraniganj Central Jail. Prison authorities said he complained of chest pain in the morning and was immediately taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where doctors declared him dead upon arrival.

According to police, Samrat had been in custody for about two months following his arrest in connection with a double murder at a community center in Savar on January 19. CCTV footage had led to his capture, and during interrogation he reportedly confessed to several other killings. He was charged in six murder cases and had remained in Keraniganj jail since his court appearance.

Inspector (Operations) Md Helal Uddin of Savar Model Police Station confirmed the death, saying initial indications suggest a heart attack, though the exact cause will be determined after the autopsy report.

Two people died and two others were injured in a violent clash on Monday night, March 23, in Doyail Union of Sarishabari upazila, Jamalpur. The incident began when Roni, from Champakona village, visited the home of his fiancée Shila Akter, 16, to resolve a dispute after she refused their arranged marriage. During the discussion, a heated argument broke out between the two families, leading to a physical confrontation.

Neighbor Sohel Rana, 35, rushed to the scene to stop the fight but was attacked and fatally injured. He was later declared dead at the local health complex. Upon hearing of Sohel’s death, his friend and neighbor Monju Mia, 40, suffered a heart attack and died shortly afterward. Two women, Hasna Begum, 20, and Sahera Begum, 25, were also injured and received treatment at the upazila health complex.

Police recovered Sohel’s body and prepared to send it for autopsy. Authorities said further legal steps would follow after receiving the postmortem report.

A Dhaka court has granted a five-day remand for retired Lieutenant General Masud Uddin Chowdhury in connection with a human trafficking case. The former army officer was shown arrested by the Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police in a case filed at Paltan Police Station. Following his arrest, DB police sought a five-day remand, which the court approved.

According to DB officials, Masud Uddin faces more than eight cases, including some filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) that are still under investigation. He was arrested late Monday night from his residence in Baridhara DOHS, Dhaka. DB’s Additional Commissioner Md. Shafiqul Islam confirmed the arrest and ongoing investigations during a press briefing at the DMP Media Center on Minto Road.

Masud Uddin previously served as the General Officer Commanding of the Ninth Division during the 2007 “One-Eleven” political crisis and was coordinator of the National Coordination Committee on Serious Crimes and Corruption Suppression during the emergency period.