A Dhaka court on Thursday granted a three-day remand for Sibion Diu and Sanjoy Chisim, who were arrested for allegedly helping Faisal Karim Masud flee to India following the attempted murder of Sharif Osman Hadi, spokesperson of the political-cultural platform Inquilab Moncho. The order was issued by Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Jashita Islam after police sought seven days of remand for interrogation.

According to investigators, the two suspects were detained from Mymensingh’s Haluaghat and Dubaura areas. The prosecution argued that their interrogation was necessary to trace Masud’s escape route and identify other accomplices. No defense lawyer was present during the hearing. The case was filed on December 14 by Inquilab Moncho’s member secretary Abdullah Al Jaber.

Hadi was shot on December 12 in Dhaka’s Paltan area by unidentified assailants on a motorcycle and remains in critical condition in a Singapore hospital. Several other suspects, including Masud’s family members and associates, have already been placed on remand as the investigation expands.

Police recovered the hanging body of Jannatara Rumi, a leader of the Nationalist Citizens’ Party (NCP), from a private women’s hostel in Jigatola, Dhaka. Authorities have registered an unnatural death case, though questions remain over whether it was suicide or foul play. Family members cited her long struggle with depression, while party colleagues pointed to sustained online harassment as a possible contributing factor.

According to NCP senior joint convener Ariful Islam Adib, Rumi had faced months of cyberbullying and threats of violence from activists linked to the now-banned Awami League. Her personal and family information had reportedly been circulated online, leaving her distressed and withdrawn in recent weeks. Police confirmed that the family’s case mentioned her mental health issues and ongoing treatment.

The incident has sparked debate over the growing problem of political cyber harassment in Bangladesh. Rights groups have urged a transparent investigation and stronger digital safety measures for women in politics. Police said they are awaiting autopsy results before determining the cause of death.

A decomposed human skeleton, believed to be that of 22-year-old Ismail Hossain, was discovered in a forested area of Eidgaon, Cox’s Bazar, two months after his disappearance. The remains were found along with clothing and sandals matching those he wore when last seen, near the border of Islampur and Islamabad unions.

Family members, who had been searching for Ismail since he went missing, identified the items and informed local police. His aunt, Jyotsna, said Ismail had been mentally unstable and vanished from home two months earlier. About a month after his disappearance, an unidentified caller demanded a ransom of 100,000 taka from Ismail’s father, threatening to kill him if unpaid.

Police have dispatched a team to the site and are awaiting forensic confirmation of the identity. Authorities are investigating whether the case involves abduction and murder or other causes. The discovery has raised concerns among locals about safety and law enforcement in the area.

Three people were killed and one critically injured in a motorcycle collision late Wednesday night in Golapganj, Sylhet. The accident occurred around midnight on the Sylhet-Bianibazar-Jakiganj road near Termaile. Police confirmed that one person died at the scene, while two others succumbed to injuries at Sylhet Osmani Medical College Hospital. Among the four riders involved, only one remains under treatment.

The deceased were identified as Abdul Ahad (42) from Goaspur village, Sabbir Ahmed (21) from Ranaping Chhatrish village, and Ariful Haque Joy (35) from Fazilpur village. The injured, Zakir Ahmed (20) from Juri upazila of Moulvibazar, is receiving treatment at the hospital. Golapganj Model Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md Ariful Islam said locals rescued the victims before police arrived and sent them to the hospital.

Authorities are investigating the cause of the crash, which adds to a rising trend of fatal motorcycle accidents in the Sylhet region. Road safety advocates have urged stricter enforcement of traffic laws and helmet use to prevent further tragedies.

Police in Patiya, Chattogram, are under scrutiny after a detained student leader, Sheyaib-ul Islam Fahim, allegedly posted selfies and Facebook statuses while in police custody. Fahim, president of the Baralia Union Ward 7 unit of the banned Chhatra League, was arrested on December 17 on charges of involvement in anti-state activities. Despite being detained, he reportedly used a hidden mobile phone to post photos and messages, including one showing a sleeping police officer.

The incident sparked widespread criticism on social media, with many questioning how a detainee could access a phone under police supervision. Patiya Police Station Officer-in-Charge Ziaul Haque stated that Fahim had concealed the phone in his undergarments, which was later confiscated. He confirmed that the suspect was sent to court under the Anti-Terrorism Act.

The controversy has raised concerns about custodial oversight and police accountability, prompting calls for an internal investigation into the breach of detention protocols.

Former anti-discrimination student movement coordinator Tarekul Islam, known as Tarek Reza, has claimed that the death of activist Jannat Akter Rumi was not a suicide but a murder. In a Facebook post on Thursday, he accused ruling party supporters of relentless cyberbullying and threats that allegedly drove Rumi to take her own life. Rumi, a joint coordinator of the NCP Dhanmondi unit, reportedly faced continuous online harassment and phone threats over the past month.

According to Reza, despite repeated appeals, authorities failed to provide protection or take action against those responsible. He vowed to seek justice, declaring that those who destroyed his “sister’s life” would not live in peace. The incident has sparked outrage among student activists and renewed debate over digital harassment and political intimidation in Bangladesh.

Observers say the case highlights the growing dangers of online abuse targeting political activists, particularly women. Calls are mounting for a transparent investigation and stronger cybercrime enforcement to prevent similar tragedies.

Police recovered the body of Jannatara Rumi, a leader of the National Citizens Party (NCP), from a women’s hostel in Jigatola, Dhaka, on Thursday morning. Rumi, who served as joint coordinator of the NCP’s Dhanmondi unit, was found hanging from the fifth floor of the building. Authorities have yet to confirm whether the death was a suicide or involved foul play.

Following the discovery, former Bangladesh Students’ Union president Bappaditya Basu drew public criticism after expressing apparent satisfaction over Rumi’s death in a Facebook post. Basu, a former organizer of the Shahbagh-based Gonojagoron Mancha movement, had previously faced arrest in 2024 on charges of embezzlement and fraud. His remarks have reignited debate over political intolerance and online hate speech in Bangladesh.

Investigators are examining the circumstances surrounding Rumi’s death, while political observers warn that such reactions on social media risk deepening divisions among activist groups. The NCP has not yet issued an official statement, and police said an autopsy report will determine the cause of death.

A Bogura court has directed the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to take immediate action against seven individuals, including Islami Bank PLC’s senior officials and Afaco Cold Storage Limited chairman Mahmudur Rahman Mannan, over allegations of loan rescheduling fraud worth Tk 380 million. The order was issued by Senior Special Judge Shahjahan Kabir following a case filed on December 11 by a local resident, accusing the defendants of falsifying board meeting attendance and signatures to secure loan rescheduling.

According to court and bank sources, Afaco Cold Storage, located in Shibganj, Bogura, received a Tk 220 million loan in 2010, which has grown to Tk 380.4 million with interest. Despite being a profitable enterprise, the company allegedly delayed repayments and benefited from six rescheduling approvals. The accused include Islami Bank’s chairman Dr. M. Zubaidur Rahman and managing director Omar Faruk Khan. ACC’s Bogura office confirmed receipt of the court order and said an investigation is underway.

The case highlights ongoing scrutiny of loan irregularities in Bangladesh’s banking sector, with the ACC expected to intensify its probe into potential policy violations and document forgery.

At least 12 people were killed and three others abducted when armed men attacked a mining site in Atoso village, Plateau State, Nigeria, late Tuesday night. Local leaders told Reuters that the assailants, identified by residents as armed Fulani militia, opened fire on workers before fleeing the scene. Five more victims were hospitalized with gunshot wounds.

Police spokesperson Alfred Alabo confirmed that an investigation has been launched into the incident. The attack underscores the persistent insecurity in central Nigeria, where ethnic and religious tensions between farming communities and herders have repeatedly erupted into violence. Local youth leader Daliop Solomon Mwantiri of the Berom Youth Moulders Association condemned the assault and urged authorities to strengthen protection for rural communities.

Despite repeated government pledges to restore peace, Plateau State continues to experience deadly clashes. Analysts warn that without stronger law enforcement and reconciliation efforts, such attacks could further destabilize the region’s fragile security landscape.

The Bangladesh Coast Guard has detained 53 fishermen and seized around 5,500 kilograms of marine fish in two separate operations off the Cox’s Bazar coast. Officials also confiscated three artisanal trawling boats and 30 fishing nets, with the total value of the seized items estimated at over BDT 6.5 crore. The operations were conducted in the Khathkhali River estuary of Banshkhali and near Saint Martin’s Island.

According to Coast Guard media officer Lieutenant Commander Siam-ul-Haq, the first raid took place late Tuesday night based on intelligence reports, leading to the arrest of 16 fishermen and seizure of one illegal trawler. The second operation, conducted early Wednesday, resulted in the detention of 37 more fishermen and two additional trawlers. Authorities said legal proceedings against the detainees are underway.

Officials emphasized that such drives are part of ongoing efforts to protect marine resources and curb illegal fishing in Bangladesh’s coastal waters, with further operations planned in the coming months.

An arson attack struck the Grameen Bank branch office in Shorshodi Bazar, Feni Sadar upazila, early Thursday morning. According to local sources, unidentified miscreants set fire to the building’s stairwell area around 3:40 a.m., damaging three motorcycles and two benches before the blaze was brought under control. Bank officials and employees, who were sleeping on the upper floor, managed to contain the fire with the help of local residents and firefighters.

Branch manager Ashok Kumar Debnath confirmed that the fire was limited to the stairwell and did not spread to the main office. He stated that the bank would take further steps as directed by higher authorities. Feni Model Police Station’s Officer-in-Charge Muhammad Fouzol Azim said a written complaint had been received and an investigation was underway to identify those responsible.

Authorities have yet to determine the motive behind the attack. The incident has raised security concerns for financial institutions operating in semi-urban areas of Bangladesh.

Police in Dhaka recovered the hanging body of Jannat Ara Rumi, a 30-year-old leader of the National Citizen Party (NCP), from the fifth floor of a women’s hostel on Jigatola Old Kitchen Market Road in Hazaribagh on Thursday morning. Rumi served as the joint coordinator of the Dhanmondi Thana coordination committee under NCP’s Dhaka South unit.

Authorities identified her as the daughter of Zakir Hossain and Nurjahan Begum from Nazipur in Patnitala, Naogaon district. Law enforcement officials have initiated an investigation to determine whether the death was a suicide or if foul play was involved. Hostel residents reportedly alerted police after discovering her body.

The incident has drawn attention within local political circles, as Rumi was an active organizer in Dhaka’s grassroots political network. Police stated that an autopsy will be conducted to confirm the cause of death, while NCP representatives expressed shock and called for a transparent inquiry.

Bangladesh Border Guard (BGB) has reported a sharp rise in arms smuggling along the Chapainawabganj-India border as the country prepares for its 13th national election. In a recent operation, BGB seized four U.S.-made pistols, nine magazines, and 24 rounds of ammunition from smugglers who fled during a chase near Monoharpur. Officials fear the weapons are being brought in to incite unrest and violence during the election period.

Chapainawabganj’s 129-kilometer border with India has long been a sensitive route for illegal trade. Following the shooting of a political figure in Dhaka, BGB launched special operations and set up additional checkpoints. Lieutenant Colonel Kazi Mustafizur Rahman confirmed that intelligence reports indicated attempts to smuggle arms to destabilize the political environment. The BGB has since strengthened surveillance and patrols to prevent further infiltration.

Authorities warn that the influx of foreign arms could threaten national security and disrupt the election process. Enhanced intelligence coordination and cross-border cooperation are expected to continue in the coming weeks.

A late-night arson attack targeted the Grameen Bank branch at Shorshodi Bazar in Feni Sadar upazila, Bangladesh, on Wednesday, December 17. Unknown assailants allegedly poured petrol outside the bank’s main gate and set it on fire, burning three motorcycles and several pieces of furniture. Bank staff, who were asleep on the second floor, were awakened by the night guard’s alarm and helped control the blaze before firefighters arrived to extinguish it completely.

Branch manager Ashok Kumar Debnath stated that the attackers climbed over the boundary wall and ignited the fire from outside the gate. Police from Feni Model Station visited the site and confirmed that a formal complaint had been filed by the bank authorities. Inspector (Investigation) Sajal Kanti Das said an inquiry is underway, and legal measures will follow based on the findings.

The incident has raised concerns over security at rural financial institutions, prompting calls for enhanced surveillance and nighttime protection in remote banking areas.

Sharif Osman Hadi, spokesperson of the Inquilab Mancha, remains in extremely critical condition at Singapore General Hospital after sustaining a gunshot wound to the head. His brother Omar bin Hadi was allowed a brief visit on Thursday morning. Doctors report that Hadi suffered a massive heart attack and a spreading infection, further worsening his condition overnight.

Dhaka Medical College neurosurgeon Dr. Abdul Ahad confirmed the deterioration, describing Hadi’s state as 'extremely critical.' The Chief Adviser’s Office issued a statement echoing that assessment and announced that a senior Foreign Ministry official has been dispatched to Singapore to coordinate with Hadi’s family, hospital authorities, and Singaporean officials. The government’s advisory council also held an unscheduled discussion on Hadi’s condition and the ongoing investigation into the attempted murder.

Authorities are reviewing security measures and progress in identifying those responsible for the attack. Further updates are expected following consultations between Dhaka and Singapore medical teams.