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.

Dhaka Metropolitan Detective Police (DB) have revealed possible links between Faisal Karim Masud, the prime suspect in the shooting of Inquilab Mancha spokesperson Sharif Osman Hadi, and multiple professional shooters as well as underworld networks. Investigators recovered a motorcycle, helmet, and fake license plate used in the attack from a residential area in Agargaon, tracing the vehicle through eight ownership transfers before it was allegedly purchased using a fake identity.

Authorities said Faisal’s parents were detained in Keraniganj but denied knowledge of his whereabouts, though they admitted he had contact with former home minister and banned Awami League leader Nanak. The DB continues efforts to arrest Faisal and his associate Alamgir, while a court granted three-day remand for a suspect accused of aiding Faisal’s escape.

The attack, which occurred on December 11 following the announcement of Bangladesh’s 13th parliamentary election schedule, is being investigated as part of a broader plot to destabilize the country and intimidate candidates ahead of the polls.

The parents of Faisal Karim Masud, also known as Daud Khan or 'Shooter Faisal', the prime suspect in the attempted murder of Inquilab Mancha spokesperson Sharif Osman Bin Hadi, have confessed their involvement before a Dhaka court. On Wednesday afternoon, Humayun Kabir and his wife Hasina Begum were presented before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court, where their statements were recorded under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. Following the confession, the court ordered their transfer to jail custody.

According to Dhaka Metropolitan Police officials, the couple was arrested by the Rapid Action Battalion from Hasnabad in South Keraniganj on December 16. The case stems from a December 12 shooting in Purana Paltan, where Hadi was critically injured by assailants on a motorcycle. He remains in critical condition, currently receiving treatment in Singapore. Several other suspects, including Faisal’s wife and associates, have been remanded for interrogation.

Authorities continue to investigate the motive and network behind the attack, which has drawn public concern over rising political violence in Dhaka.

The Chamber Judge Court of Bangladesh has suspended all bail orders previously granted by the High Court to Chattogram’s alleged top criminal Sajjad Hossain, known as ‘Chhoto Sajjad,’ and his wife Sharmin Akter Tamanna. The decision, issued by Justice Rezaul Haque, means the couple will no longer benefit from bail in any of their pending cases.

According to Additional Attorney General Barrister Anik R Haque, Sajjad faces 19 cases, including 10 for murder, while Tamanna is accused in eight separate cases. Earlier, a High Court bench led by Justices Mostafa Zaman Islam and Yusuf Abdullah Suman had granted them bail until the disposal of related rulings. The state later appealed, prompting the Chamber Judge to halt the bail orders.

Legal observers note that the suspension underscores the judiciary’s cautious stance in high-profile criminal cases. The matter is expected to return to the Appellate Division for further hearing, potentially setting a precedent for similar bail disputes involving serious criminal allegations.

A Dhaka court has granted a three-day remand for Md. Nuruzzaman Noman alias Ujjal, accused of assisting the prime suspect in the attempted murder of Sharif Osman Hadi, spokesperson of the political and cultural platform Inqilab Mancha. The order was issued by Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Jashita Islam on Wednesday, following a police request for custodial interrogation.

According to the police remand petition, digital evidence and intelligence sources indicate that Nuruzzaman was directly involved in helping main accused Faisal Karim Masud flee using a rented vehicle. Investigators claim he advised the driver and coordinated the escape. Police argue that his interrogation is essential to identify other conspirators, recover the weapon used, and uncover the full motive behind the attack.

The case stems from the December 12 shooting of Hadi in Dhaka’s Paltan area, where unidentified assailants on a motorcycle opened fire, leaving him critically injured. The incident has drawn public attention, with authorities emphasizing a thorough and transparent investigation to ensure justice.

A Dhaka court has granted a three-day remand for Md. Nuruzzaman Nomani, also known as Ujjal, who allegedly rented a microbus to help Faisal Karim Masud, the prime suspect in the attempted murder of Inqilab Mancha spokesperson Sharif Osman Hadi, flee the scene. The order was issued by Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Jashita Islam after police sought a five-day remand. The hearing was conducted in the absence of the defense lawyer.

The case, filed on December 14 by Inqilab Mancha’s member secretary Abdullah Al Jaber, accuses several individuals of involvement in the December 12 shooting of Hadi in Dhaka’s Paltan area. Hadi, an independent candidate for Dhaka-8 constituency, was critically injured and later transferred to Singapore for advanced treatment. Earlier, Masud’s wife, her friend, and his brother-in-law were placed on five-day remand, while a motorcycle owner was remanded for three days under Section 54.

The attack has raised concerns about election-related violence ahead of Bangladesh’s 13th national polls, with investigators probing possible political motives and organized networks behind the assault.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit has recovered a motorcycle, helmet, and fake number plate allegedly used in the recent attack on Inquilab Mancha spokesperson Osman Hadi. The items were found abandoned in the Bonolota residential area of Sher-e-Bangla Nagar on December 14, following a targeted search operation based on intelligence and CCTV footage analysis.

According to CTTC officials, investigators traced the motorcycle’s altered registration number through video evidence and discovered it had changed hands eight times before being purchased under a false identity. The fake plate was later recovered from a nearby manhole. The recovered evidence has been handed over to the Detective Branch (DB) for further forensic and ownership verification.

Authorities say the findings could help identify key suspects, including Faisal and his associate Md. Kabir, who allegedly used forged documents during the vehicle’s last transaction. Investigators are now focusing on mapping the chain of ownership to establish direct links to the attackers.

Bangladesh’s Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam announced that formal charges have been filed against retired Major General Ziaul Ahsan for alleged involvement in enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings. The tribunal accepted the charges, issuing a production warrant for Ahsan and scheduling the next hearing for December 21. The case accuses him of orchestrating operations that led to the abduction and killing of over 100 people across multiple districts.

According to the prosecution, the charges include three major incidents involving the abduction, torture, and killing of political dissidents and others between Dhaka, Gazipur, and coastal regions like Barguna and the Sundarbans. Victims were allegedly executed and their bodies disposed of in rivers to conceal evidence. The prosecutor claimed that the operations were conducted under the guise of anti-crime or anti-piracy missions.

The tribunal’s move marks a rare legal step against a former senior security official. Human rights groups are expected to closely monitor the proceedings, which could set a precedent for accountability in cases of state-linked disappearances.

Biru Molla, the president of the BNP’s Laxmikunda Union unit in Ishwardi, Pabna, was shot dead on Wednesday morning following a family dispute over land. The incident occurred in Kamalpur village when Molla visited his cousin Jahurul Molla’s home to discuss the contested property. According to police, an argument escalated, leading Jahurul and his son to open fire, fatally striking Biru Molla in the head.

Additional Superintendent of Police Pranab Kumar Sarkar confirmed that the killing stemmed from a long-standing family conflict. Ishwardi Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mominuzzaman said the body was sent for autopsy and legal proceedings are underway. Local residents reported heightened tension in the area after the shooting.

Police have been deployed to prevent further violence, as the killing of a local political leader has stirred unrest in the community. Authorities are investigating the incident to determine whether political motives were involved or if it was purely a domestic dispute.

Four people, including three members of Iran’s security forces and one civilian, were killed in an armed confrontation at a security checkpoint in Fahraj County, southeastern Iran. The incident occurred early Monday near the entrance to the county along the Zahedan–Fahraj road, according to Iran’s Mehr News Agency.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Headquarters confirmed the clash, stating that armed assailants opened fire on law enforcement personnel stationed at the checkpoint. Security and law enforcement agencies have launched a joint investigation to identify the attackers and determine their motives. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the assault.

The southeastern region of Iran, particularly near Kerman and Sistan-Baluchestan provinces, has seen sporadic violence involving armed groups and smugglers in recent years. Authorities have heightened security measures in the area as investigations continue into the latest deadly encounter.

Bangladesh’s Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has recovered firearms and ammunition allegedly used in the shooting of Inqilab Mancha spokesperson Sharif Osman Hadi. The operation, conducted on December 16 in Narsingdi’s Tarua area, led to the arrest of a 25-year-old suspect named Md. Faisal. Authorities seized two foreign pistols, two magazines, a toy gun, and 41 rounds of ammunition from his possession, according to RAB’s Legal and Media Wing Director, Wing Commander M Z M Intekhab Chowdhury.

The recovery followed intelligence-based operations after Hadi was shot in the head on December 12 while traveling by rickshaw in Dhaka’s Bijoynagar area. The assailant reportedly fired from a moving motorcycle. Earlier, RAB had detained the parents of the prime suspect, Faisal Karim Masud, in connection with the case.

Investigators are now analyzing ballistic evidence and communication records to trace the network behind the attack. The incident has drawn public concern over political violence and the safety of activists ahead of upcoming political programs.

Indian police have confirmed that one of the two attackers killed in the deadly Bondi Beach shooting in Sydney was an Indian citizen named Sajid Akram, aged 50. Akram, originally from Hyderabad, had moved to Australia in 1998 for work and participated in the attack alongside his son, Navid Akram. The incident, which left at least 16 people dead, is being described as Australia’s deadliest shooting in nearly three decades.

According to Telangana state police, Sajid Akram had no prior criminal record or known extremist affiliations. His family reported no signs of radicalization, and Indian authorities stated there was no evidence linking the attack to any Indian group or network. Australian police revealed that Sajid and his son had traveled to the Philippines last month, but the purpose of that trip remains under investigation.

Authorities in both countries are examining possible extremist motives and international connections, including whether the attackers targeted specific communities. The Bondi Beach tragedy has sparked widespread concern in Australia and abroad, prompting heightened security and a joint investigation into the attackers’ backgrounds and motives.

Bangladeshi intelligence sources have revealed that a secret meeting took place at a resort in Savar to plan the killing of Inqilab Manch spokesperson Sharif Osman Hadi. The three-and-a-half-hour meeting reportedly occurred early Friday morning at the Green Zone Resort in Madhumati Model Town. Surveillance footage shows four individuals entering and leaving the room during the specified time frame.

Investigators identified the participants as alleged shooter Faisal Karim Masud, also known as Dawood Khan, his partner Maria, and two others including Alomgir Hossain. Authorities claim the group discussed details of the planned attack, with an audio recording of their conversation now in the possession of law enforcement. Maria was arrested on December 13, and the investigation remains ongoing.

Security forces have seized CCTV footage and conducted searches at the resort. The resort’s staff, including a service worker who booked the room, have been questioned by the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB). Officials say the evidence is being analyzed to determine the full scope of the conspiracy.

Four days after the shooting of Inquilab Mancha spokesperson Sharif Osman Hadi, police have yet to arrest the main suspects, Faisal Karim and his associate Alamgir. Law enforcement agencies have launched extensive operations across multiple districts, including Dhaka, Narayanganj, and Mymensingh, after the suspects reportedly fled toward the Haluaghat border area. Authorities say the fugitives turned off all electronic devices to evade tracking, forcing investigators to rely on manual intelligence sources.

The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has arrested Kabir, a close aide of Faisal, who has been placed on a seven-day remand by a Dhaka court for interrogation. Kabir is accused of involvement in a plot to disrupt the upcoming national election by targeting Hadi. Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has intensified surveillance and set up checkpoints to prevent the suspects from crossing into India. Investigators are also questioning two suspected human traffickers believed to have assisted in the escape.

Officials suggest that identifying Faisal and Alamgir’s financiers could reveal the broader motive behind the attack, which is currently suspected to be politically motivated.