A Bangladeshi expatriate businessman, Belal Hossain alias Sumon from Begumganj upazila of Noakhali, was shot dead by armed assailants in Johannesburg, South Africa. The incident occurred on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, in the Mayfair area, where Sumon was attacked inside his own business establishment. He sustained gunshot wounds to the head and neck and died on the spot.

According to local accounts, Sumon had been running a business in South Africa for the past 15 years and had visited Bangladesh a year earlier. His death has cast a shadow of grief over his home village in Noakhali. Begumganj Police Station Officer-in-Charge Shamsuzzaman said he learned of the incident from media reports and would contact the victim’s relatives for further information.

The report did not mention whether South African authorities have launched an investigation or identified any suspects in connection with the killing.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has sent letters to several offices, including the Bangladesh Computer Council (BCC), to collect documents related to the alleged theft of data from the National Identity (NID) database. The letters were sent on Thursday following reports that personal information of millions of registered citizens under the Election Commission (EC) had been stolen. According to the report, data of at least 110 million citizens out of more than 120 million in the country were compromised.

Sources said the EC and BCC had signed a bilateral agreement in October 2022 to protect citizens’ data, prohibiting any exchange or sale of personal information. However, allegations claim that a mirror copy of the data was given to BCC, and Digicon Global Service Limited later sold 46 types of personal data to 182 domestic and foreign organizations, violating the agreement.

The ACC has requested documents from the EC, BCC, and other offices to uncover the details of the illegal data sale. A related case was filed in October 2024 against 19 individuals, including Sajib Wazed Joy and former state minister Zunaid Ahmed Palak.

Police in Panchagarh’s Atwari upazila have concluded that the recent vandalism of a Kali idol was not a communal incident but stemmed from a long-running land dispute. The incident occurred on July 8 in the Jugikata area of Dhamor Union, where two families—those of Anil Chandra Roy and Lakshmicharan Roy—have been contesting ownership of 6.66 acres of land. Police said a temporary temple and idol had been set up months earlier on the disputed land, and that the idol was later broken to mislead the public and inflame tensions.

Authorities reported that Anil Chandra’s group entered the land to cultivate it despite a local administration order prohibiting access before a scheduled July 12 mediation. A clash ensued with Zakir Hossain, who had purchased the land from Lakshmicharan Roy, leaving Zakir seriously injured. Police said a video was circulated online showing the broken idol placed in Zakir’s hands to frame him.

Officials confirmed that the situation is now under control, with additional police deployed. Both sides later attended a meeting at the Upazila Nirbahi Officer’s office and announced a settlement.

At least ten police officers were injured when a group of people attacked Agailjhara Police Station in Barishal on Thursday afternoon. The violence erupted after rumors spread that a detainee had died in police custody. The injured officers were admitted to the local upazila health complex for treatment.

Police said that on Wednesday night, Riaz Fakir, aged 26, was detained near a filling station in Agailjhara while allegedly intoxicated. Authorities claimed he faced multiple drug and theft cases. After being taken to the station, Riaz fell ill and was transferred first to the Agailjhara Upazila Health Complex and later to Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital in Barishal for advanced care.

The officer-in-charge, Masud Khan, confirmed that Riaz Fakir is alive and receiving treatment. He said a group spread false news of Riaz’s death on social media, triggering the attack. Police have regained control of the situation and are preparing legal action against those involved.

Police in Pangsha upazila of Rajbari district arrested a 24-year-old man named Abu Hossain Molla on Wednesday morning for allegedly setting fire to a copy of the Holy Quran and important land documents at his home in Raghunandanpur village under Bahadurpur Union. The incident occurred around 10 a.m., and the accused is the son of Jabbar Molla.

According to local sources, Abu Hossain had been addicted to drugs for a long time. On the day of the incident, he reportedly asked his mother for money to buy drugs. When she refused, he became angry and burned the Quran and land papers in the cooking stove. He also physically assaulted his ailing mother during the incident.

After news of the incident spread, locals gathered at the accused’s house. Police from Pangsha station later visited the scene, and following a case filed by Abu Hossain’s father, officers arrested him in the afternoon.

Police in Melandah upazila of Jamalpur have arrested Syed Khalekuzzaman Juberi, chairman of Durmut Union Parishad and a local Awami League leader, in connection with a sabotage case. The arrest took place around 2 p.m. on Thursday in front of the Melandah Upazila Parishad office, confirmed Officer-in-Charge Md Obaidur Rahman of Melandah Police Station.

According to police sources, Juberi, who serves as vice president of the Jamalpur district Awami League and president of the Durmut Union Awami League, had been wanted in a sabotage case filed at Melandah Police Station. Police claimed he had been in hiding since the political change on August 5. After his arrest, he was sent to court following legal procedures.

The report did not include details about the specific allegations or the broader political context surrounding the case.

A Chattogram court has sentenced Babu Sheikh, aged 50, to death for the murder of child Jannatul Nayeem Ira Moni in Sitakunda. The verdict was delivered on Thursday at 3 p.m. by Judge Jannatul Ferdous Aleya of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal-4. Alongside the death penalty, the court imposed life imprisonment for abduction, ten years of rigorous imprisonment for attempted rape, and a total fine of 250,000 taka. Babu Sheikh was present in court during the verdict.

According to court records, on March 1, Babu Sheikh lured Ira to the Chandranath Hill area, attempted to rape her, and when unsuccessful, slit her throat and left her in a ravine. Locals rescued her and took her to hospitals, where she described the assault before dying on March 3. Police arrested Babu the next day, and he later confessed. The prosecution presented 16 of 17 witnesses, and the court set July 9 for the verdict after closing arguments on July 2.

Ira’s family expressed satisfaction following the judgment, according to the report.

A female teacher in Mohanganj, Netrakona, has accused Md. Solaiman Hossain, a member of the district Olamaleague’s convening committee, of sexual harassment. The teacher, employed at a Darul Arqam Ibtedayi Madrasa run by the Islamic Foundation, submitted a written complaint to the district Islamic Foundation’s deputy director on June 22. The accused, a former teacher at the same institution, allegedly made indecent proposals and comments, causing mental distress. The deputy director confirmed receiving the complaint and said an investigation would begin after his recovery from an injury.

According to the complaint, Solaiman continued to harass the teacher and her family even after being transferred to another madrasa in Atpara upazila. He allegedly threatened the teacher’s husband and pressured her to withdraw the complaint. The teacher claimed that previous complaints had been dismissed due to political influence. The latest incident reportedly occurred on June 21, when Solaiman verbally abused and attempted to assault her outside the district Islamic Foundation office.

Solaiman denied the allegations, calling them false and motivated, and claimed the teacher had submitted a forged academic certificate against which he had earlier complained.

The Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) has arrested four additional members of a Jessore-based yaba trafficking group during a continued intelligence operation in Dhaka. The arrests took place on the night of July 6 in the Dholai Par area under Shyampur Police Station. Authorities seized 14,500 yaba tablets, 110,000 taka in cash, four mobile phones, and two motorcycles used for drug transport. The operation followed information obtained from a previous arrest involving 16,000 yaba tablets.

The detainees—Prince Mahmud, Monira Begum Misti, Zahirul Haque Tuhin, and Joli Begum—reportedly admitted to long-term involvement in organized yaba trading. The DNC stated that the group collected yaba shipments in Dhaka and transported them to Jessore by motorcycle to avoid law enforcement surveillance. Investigators found that the suspects maintained close personal and family ties, enabling them to operate as a coordinated network.

A case has been filed under the Narcotics Control Act, 2018, at Shyampur Police Station. The DNC said efforts are ongoing to identify other members, financiers, and associates of the network, and that nationwide intelligence monitoring and special operations will continue.

A Mymensingh court has sentenced three adult defendants to death for the murder of five-year-old Nishamoni in Dobaura upazila. The verdict was delivered on Thursday afternoon by Judge Sudipta Sarkar of the Child Violence Suppression Tribunal at the Mymensingh Chief Judicial Magistrate Court building. The convicts—Arif, Rakib, and Siam—were also fined 200,000 taka each. In the same case, juvenile defendant Maruf was sentenced to 11 years in prison by Judge Mezbah Uddin Ahmed of the Women and Child Repression Prevention Tribunal. All four accused were present during the verdict.

According to the case details, Nishamoni went missing on June 14 from near her home in Tangahati village. Her body was later found buried in the riverbed of the Kangsha River. Following signs of assault, police launched an investigation, leading to the arrest of four suspects who confessed to the crime. The case was prosecuted by Special Public Prosecutor Bazlul Karim Chowdhury, while Advocate Mokbul Hossain Sarkar represented the defense.

After the verdict, the victim’s family expressed satisfaction and urged for swift execution of the judgment, saying they now see hope for justice.

The Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) stopped an attempt by India’s Border Security Force (BSF) to push seven individuals into Bangladesh through the Companyganj border in Sylhet. The incident occurred around 4:30 a.m. on Thursday at the Kalairag Kauar Tuk border area. The seven people are currently positioned in the no-man’s land between the two countries.

According to BGB and local sources, the attempt took place near sub-pillar 33 of the 1251 main border pillar. BGB personnel intervened and prevented the push-in, forcing the individuals to return to the Indian side, where they are now located about 50 yards inside Indian territory. The commander of the Kalasadek Border Outpost confirmed that the situation was under control and that a letter had been sent to BSF requesting a flag meeting on the matter.

The border area remains calm following the incident, and both sides are expected to address the issue through official communication channels.

Three active members of the notorious Boro Jahangir gang surrendered to the Bangladesh Coast Guard in the Sundarbans, handing over weapons, ammunition, and a walkie-talkie. The surrender took place on Wednesday afternoon near the Tambulbunia Forest Office area under Sharankhola Police Station in Bagerhat. During the same operation, a fisherman held hostage by the gang was rescued alive. The information was confirmed in a press release by Coast Guard media officer Lieutenant Commander Sabbir Alam Sujon on Thursday morning.

According to the Coast Guard, the surrender occurred as part of ongoing operations titled “Operation Restore Peace in Sundarbans” and “Operation Mangrove Shield,” aimed at eliminating forest banditry and ensuring the safety of fishermen and forest workers. The three who surrendered were identified as residents of Bagerhat, Satkhira, and Khulna districts.

Since February 12 of this year, Coast Guard operations have recovered 49 firearms, various ammunition, and rescued 41 hostages while arresting 42 bandits. Legal processes and rehabilitation efforts for the surrendered members and rescued individuals are currently underway.

A journalist in Naria upazila of Shariatpur has alleged that he was threatened by Motiur Rahman Sagor, the upazila BNP’s organizing secretary, after publishing a report about an assault complaint against the politician. The report, published in the online edition of daily Kalbela, covered a general diary filed by an office assistant of the local LGED office who accused Sagor of assault and issuing death threats. Following the publication, Sagor reportedly sent several messages to journalist Khan Mohammad Shihan’s WhatsApp, questioning his professionalism and implying influence over his employment.

When contacted, Sagor did not deny the allegations but expressed anger, saying he would take legal action against those who reported on him. Journalist Shihan described the threats as alarming and said he was consulting senior journalists and the local press club about possible legal steps. Abul Hossain Sardar, president of the district press club, condemned the intimidation, calling it a threat to media freedom and journalists’ safety.

The incident has sparked concern among local journalists about the safety of media workers and the environment for free reporting in the region.

An attempted land grab in Golapganj upazila of Sylhet turned chaotic on Wednesday afternoon when alleged attackers fled, abandoning a vehicle and local weapons after being confronted by residents. Police later seized the items from the scene. The incident occurred in Chaughari village under Golapganj Sadar Union, sparking tension in the area.

According to police, officers from Golapganj Model Police Station recovered a Noah microbus and several homemade weapons with help from locals. London expatriate Javed Ahmed filed a written complaint alleging that influential locals brought outsiders to seize his family’s land during his absence. He stated that the land is under a court case and subject to a Section 144 order prohibiting such actions.

Local residents claimed the attackers ignored the court’s restriction and attempted to occupy the land, prompting villagers to gather and resist. Police said an investigation is underway based on the complaint, and efforts continue to identify and arrest those involved.

Assistant teacher Nasrin Sultana of Rahanpur No. 2 Model Government Primary School in Gomostapur upazila, Chapainawabganj, has been temporarily suspended. The district primary education officer, Md. Saiful Islam, issued the order on Thursday under Section 39(1) of the Government Employees Act 2018. The suspension followed allegations that she threatened to set fire to the education office, was frequently absent, stole a school laptop, assaulted students, and disrespected the head teacher.

According to the office order, two departmental cases are already pending against Nasrin under the Government Employees (Discipline and Appeal) Rules 2018, and she did not attend personal hearings. Officials said her irregular attendance and conflicts with colleagues disrupted the school environment. Assistant Upazila Education Officer A.K.M. Oliul Islam stated that Nasrin had threatened to burn the office and was caught on CCTV taking a laptop, which she later returned after a police report.

Nasrin Sultana denied all allegations, claiming she was being targeted with false information and asserting her honesty and dedication to teaching.