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.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Chapainawabganj has arrested a husband and wife accused of leading a fraud ring that stole Tk 2.13 million through mobile banking platforms Nagad, bKash, and Rocket. The arrests took place on Monday morning at their home in Chhoto Bongram Uttarpara, Rajshahi. The detainees were identified as Mobarak Hossain, 55, and his wife Sultana Khatun, 45. The CID disclosed the details at a press conference on Tuesday afternoon.

According to CID Inspector Rozaul Karim, the couple collected SIM cards from beggars under the pretense of distributing food aid, then opened mobile banking accounts using those SIMs. They bought the SIM cards back for Tk 100–200 along with PIN codes and used them to impersonate relatives of targeted victims, claiming illness to extract money through mobile transactions. The arrests were made with the help of information technology during an investigation into an embezzlement case filed at Gomostapur Police Station.

CID officials said the two suspects have been handed over to court, and a remand petition will be filed for further investigation.

Around 20 mahogany trees planted to prevent river erosion along an embankment in Kamalpur area of Mithamain upazila, Kishoreganj, were allegedly cut down by local BNP leader Zahidul Alam Jahangir. Residents said the trees, considered symbols of protection against erosion, were removed gradually since August 5, with 10 to 12 trees felled on February 21. Each tree was valued between Tk 20,000 and Tk 25,000. The accused reportedly used electric saws to cut and transport the logs elsewhere.

Jahangir, president of Mithamain upazila BNP, denied the allegations, claiming the trees were not on government land and that each person cut trees from their own property. Local officials stated the trees had been planted under the supervision of the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) and an NGO named Khoab in the mid-1990s. The felled trees were seized from a sawmill, and a case has been filed.

Police confirmed identifying a worker involved in transporting the logs and are pursuing him to trace the main culprit. The Kishoreganj district BNP secretary said legal and organizational action would follow if the allegations proved true.

Police in Singra, Natore recovered 50 rounds of pistol ammunition from the Nagor River on Tuesday, February 24, 2026. The discovery was made around 2 p.m. after two children found a blue plastic box containing the bullets while fishing. The ammunition, marked 'CBC 32 AUTO,' was handed over to police who took it to the station for examination.

According to Singra Police Station Officer-in-Charge A S M Abdun Nur, the bullets were likely abandoned after being submerged in water for a long time. The police have informed the Superintendent of Police and initiated an investigation into the incident. Along with the bullets, a plastic cleaning rod and two brushes used for pistol maintenance were also found in the box.

Authorities are currently investigating the origin and purpose of the ammunition discovered in the river.

New Chief Prosecutor Aminul Islam announced that allegations of bribery involving the prosecution team in a war crimes case will be investigated. The claims concern efforts to make former Inspector General of Police Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun a state witness. Aminul Islam made the statement on Tuesday during a press conference at the International Crimes Tribunal, emphasizing his need to understand all tribunal activities and case details before proceeding.

The allegations were raised by Prosecutor BM Sultan Mahmud against former Chief Prosecutor Tazul Islam, both appointed during the interim government period. Mahmud made the accusation through a Facebook post by lawyer Kazi Mostafizur Rahman Ahad, which discussed the issue of state witnesses. Aminul Islam stated that he would review all such complaints as part of his new responsibilities.

The announcement signals an internal review within the prosecution team amid concerns about integrity in handling war crimes cases at the tribunal.

A Dhaka court has issued an order prohibiting retired Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Bangladesh Police Sheikh Nazmul Alam from leaving the country. The order was passed on Tuesday by Judge Md Sabbir Foyez of the Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge’s Court following a petition from the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). Court bench assistant Md Riaz Hossain confirmed the matter.

According to the ACC’s petition, a significant investigation is underway against Sheikh Nazmul Alam concerning allegations of corruption and illegal accumulation of wealth. Reliable sources indicated that he was attempting to leave the country, prompting the ACC to seek a travel ban to ensure an unhindered investigation.

The court’s decision aims to facilitate the ongoing inquiry by preventing any potential obstruction that could arise if the accused were to leave Bangladesh during the investigation process.

A Narail court has ordered six suspects arrested in connection with a quadruple murder to be sent to jail. The decision came on Tuesday afternoon when the accused were produced before Senior Judicial Magistrate Md. Maruf Hasan at the Narail Sadar Amli Court. The arrests followed a violent incident early on February 23 in Barokula village under Shingasholpur Union, where four people, including a father and son, were killed amid a dispute over local dominance.

According to police, law enforcement agencies including RAB, the Detective Branch, and local police conducted operations in and around the crime scene, detaining six individuals. The arrested are Sadar Molya, Lajuk Sikder, Jasim Molya, Roni Sikder, Halim Fakir, and Tufan Molya. Police confirmed that investigations into their alleged involvement are ongoing.

The killings have drawn attention in Narail, with authorities maintaining heightened vigilance in the area as the investigation continues.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) detained three members of Myanmar’s armed group Arakan Army while they were attempting to illegally enter Bangladesh through the Naikhongchhari border in Bandarban. The arrest took place on Monday evening in the Amtali border area of Ghumdhum Union’s Ward No. 8. BGB personnel recovered Myanmar currency from the detainees and later handed them over to Naikhongchhari Police Station for legal action.

According to police and local administration sources, the three individuals were intercepted after raising suspicion during their attempted entry. Upon questioning, they identified themselves as members of the Arakan Army. Naikhongchhari Police Station Officer-in-Charge Abdul Baten Mridha confirmed that legal proceedings are underway. Lieutenant Colonel S M Khairul Alam, commanding officer of the 34 BGB Battalion in Cox’s Bazar, said the detainees were transferred to the relevant authorities following standard procedures.

Local administration officials stated that law enforcement agencies are handling the matter in accordance with legal protocols. BGB has intensified patrols and surveillance along the Naikhongchhari border to prevent illegal crossings and drug trafficking.

A Dhaka court has ordered the freezing of five savings certificates and five bank accounts belonging to former Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) Director General Md Harun Ar Rashid and his wife Fateha Farvin Luna. The accounts and certificates hold a total of Tk 7.35 million. The order was issued on Tuesday afternoon by Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Md Sabbir Foyez, confirmed by court bench assistant Riaz Hossain.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) had earlier sought the freeze through an application filed by its Deputy Assistant Director Md Imran Akon. The ACC stated that an investigation is ongoing into allegations that Harun Ar Rashid amassed and laundered illegal assets worth Tk 10 billion. Investigators reportedly found substantial movable assets in the names of the couple without satisfactory sources of income.

According to the ACC’s submission, the couple was attempting to transfer or dispose of the assets, prompting the court to order the freeze to prevent such actions during the ongoing inquiry.

A third person has died following a gas explosion at a residential building in Chattogram’s Halishahar area. The deceased, 40-year-old Samir Ahmed, succumbed to burn injuries at the National Burn and Plastic Surgery Institute in Dhaka around noon on Tuesday. According to the institute’s assistant professor Shawon Bin Rahman, Samir had suffered burns on 45 percent of his body and had been admitted the previous day. His death raised the toll from the incident to three.

Earlier, on Monday morning, 16-year-old Shawon, who was Samir’s nephew, died while undergoing treatment at the same institute. Shawon’s mother, Noor Jahan Akhter Rani, aged 40, had died earlier that day. The explosion occurred around 4:30 a.m. on Monday during sehri time at a third-floor flat of a six-story building named Halima Manzil in Halishahar’s H Block. Neighbors reported hearing a loud blast followed by a fire.

Nine members of the same family, including three children, were burned in the explosion. Six of them remain under treatment in Dhaka after being transferred from Chattogram Medical College Hospital.

A Dhaka University student and a journalist were allegedly assaulted by police during an anti-drug operation at Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka on the night of February 23. Witnesses said anthropology student and leftist student leader Nayeem Uddin was beaten after questioning police actions, and his mobile phone was reportedly seized. Several journalists covering the operation were also injured. The operation was led by a Dhaka Metropolitan Police officer, and the incident occurred in front of DC Masud, according to students.

The Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) strongly condemned the attacks in a statement issued by Vice President Sadiq Kayem. DUCSU said Banglanews24 multimedia journalist Tofayel Ahmed was seriously injured while performing his duty, and Nayeem Ahmed was beaten without provocation. The statement described the attacks as violations of law and human rights, stressing that unprovoked use of force is unacceptable in a lawful state.

DUCSU demanded that the responsible police officers be identified and punished. It also urged authorities to ensure that no student, journalist, or citizen faces harassment during future anti-drug or similar operations.