The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has filed a case against six former officials of Essential Drugs Company Limited (EDCL), including former managing director Professor Dr. Ehsanul Kabir. The case alleges that they illegally appointed five officials on a contractual basis without prior approval from the EDCL board, causing financial losses to the state-owned company. The case was announced on Sunday afternoon at the ACC headquarters in Segunbagicha, Dhaka, by the commission’s Director General (Prevention) Md. Akhter Hossain.

According to the ACC, Dr. Kabir, in collusion with other accused officials, abused his authority and engaged in fraud and criminal breach of trust by directing the unlawful appointments. The irregularities allegedly caused a financial loss of 3,614,943 taka to EDCL. The case has been filed under sections 409, 420, and 109 of the Penal Code, along with section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947.

The other accused are former finance director and company secretary Muhammad Khurshid Alam, former general manager (procurement) Syed Zahir Uddin Jamal, former deputy general managers Md. Shawkat Ali and A. Kaiyum Khan, and former production manager Bikash Kumar Sarkar.

Senior Assistant Secretary Md. Kamal Hossain, serving as a special officer on special duty (OSD) under the Ministry of Public Administration, has been temporarily suspended for allegedly misusing power to obtain a BCS administration cadre position. The ministry issued the suspension order on Sunday following a case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) while he was serving as Upazila Nirbahi Officer in Nachol, Chapainawabganj. On January 28, a Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge’s Court denied his bail and sent him to jail.

According to the government order, the suspension was made under Section 39(2) of the Government Service Act, 2018, effective from January 28. During the suspension period, Kamal Hossain will receive subsistence allowance as per regulations. The ACC case, filed on December 26, 2024, alleges that he falsified his parentage to claim benefits under the freedom fighter quota.

The case statement says Hossain listed his uncle, freedom fighter Md. Ahsan Habib, and aunt, Mosha. Sanoara Khatun, as his parents instead of his real father and mother. Using this false identity, he gained university admission and later secured his BCS administration cadre post through the 35th BCS examination.

A CCTV camera installed at a polling center in Keraniganj, Dhaka, for the upcoming 13th national parliamentary election has been stolen. The incident occurred at Amirabag Government Primary School, designated as a polling center under Dhaka-3 constituency. According to local administration officials, six cameras had been installed at the school’s old building on Thursday, but one camera placed at the main gate was found missing the following morning.

Keraniganj Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md. Umar Faruq and Jinjira Union Parishad Administrator Shiblizzaman confirmed the theft. A local vegetable vendor, Abul Hossain, said he saw the cameras being installed and later noticed one missing. He also heard that another camera from a nearby mosque building had been stolen. Officials visited the site and verified that one of the six cameras was taken.

Md. Umar Faruq stated that the perpetrators have not yet been identified and assured that all polling centers will have CCTV installations completed by February 5, with overall security measures strengthened.

A group of thieves stole five cows from the barn of farmer and grocery trader Rafiqul Islam in Kopatia Para, Maona Union of Sreepur upazila, Gazipur, early Sunday, February 1, 2026. The stolen livestock, including one bull, two cows, and two heifers, are valued at around seven lakh taka. Locals said the thieves emptied the barn, leaving the farmer destitute.

Rafiqul Islam reported that around 1 a.m. he checked on the cows and found everything normal. However, at dawn he discovered the barn door locked from outside. After calling his nephew Shamim to help open it, he found all the cows missing. He suspects the thieves locked him inside before stealing the animals.

The incident has caused alarm in the area, with residents claiming cattle thefts have recently increased. They urged authorities to identify and arrest the culprits. Rafiqul Islam said he is preparing to file a complaint with Sreepur Police Station, though the officer-in-charge could not be reached for comment.

Police in Mirsharai, Chattogram have arrested Imam Hossain, 25, joint convener of Baraiyarhat College Chhatra Dal, on charges of gang-raping a seventh-grade girl after forcing her to consume an intoxicating substance. The arrest followed a case filed on Sunday by the victim’s mother at Jorarganj Police Station, naming two other suspects, Hridoy, 25, and Rana, 27. The incident reportedly occurred on January 26 around 7 p.m. in a garden near a pond beside Shahjahan’s house in Jamalpur village under Baraiyarhat municipality.

According to the case statement, the accused threatened the girl not to disclose the assault and later pressured her family to avoid filing a case. Police confirmed that Imam Hossain is currently in custody while efforts are underway to arrest the remaining suspects. Chattogram North District Chhatra Dal General Secretary Sarowar Hossain Rubel said he would look into the matter and take necessary organizational action after returning from an election rally.

Law enforcement officials stated that the investigation is ongoing and further arrests are expected as part of the case proceedings.

Detective Branch (DB) police in Barishal faced obstruction from local BNP activists while attempting to arrest a leader of the banned Chhatra League in Babuganj upazila on Sunday evening. The incident occurred around 6:30 p.m. at Rahutkathi Bazar in Dehergati Union, where the DB team detained Yasir Arafat, also known as Sohel Kazi. As officers tried to place him in their vehicle, a group led by Babuganj Upazila Jubo Dal convener Rakibul Hasan Khan Rakib reportedly surrounded the car and forcibly freed the detainee.

DB Sub-Inspector Redowan confirmed that an incident took place but declined to provide details, while other senior police officials said they were unaware of the matter. Local sources said Sohel Kazi had been an active Chhatra League leader and a candidate for the upazila unit presidency before the organization was banned. He is also believed to be a close relative of Rakibul Hasan Khan Rakib.

The incident has sparked widespread discussion in the area. Concerned citizens described the act of obstructing law enforcement and snatching a detainee as a direct challenge to state authority and called for an impartial investigation and strict legal action against those involved.

A former local leader of the Krishak Dal, Helal Uddin Palowan, was killed in Kapasia, Gazipur, following a dispute with his nephew over a mobile phone theft. The incident occurred on Saturday night when Helal Uddin was attacked with a shovel, leaving him critically injured. He was taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where doctors declared him dead on Sunday morning.

According to police, the attack took place in the Kotbajalya area, where four to five unidentified assailants struck him from behind with local weapons and a shovel. The officer-in-charge of Kapasia Police Station said the killing appeared to be linked to a family dispute. The victim’s body was sent to Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmad Medical College Hospital morgue for autopsy.

Gazipur district Krishak Dal member secretary Fakir Iskandar Alam described the killing as brutal and condemned the incident, expressing condolences to the family. Police said legal action would follow based on the complaint filed.

Mahmudul Haque, the main accused in the murder case of Maulana Rezaul Karim, secretary of Jamaat-e-Islami’s Sreebardi upazila unit in Sherpur, filed an anticipatory bail petition with the High Court on Sunday. Haque is also the BNP candidate for the Sherpur-3 constituency. Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kajol is scheduled to represent him during the hearing before a High Court bench.

The case was filed by Rezaul Karim’s wife, Marzia, on Friday night, January 30, at Jhenaigati Police Station, naming 234 individuals and accusing a total of 734 people. The incident occurred on January 28 at Jhenaigati Mini Stadium during a manifesto presentation event for Sherpur-3 candidates, where a dispute over front-row seating led to clashes between BNP and Jamaat activists.

Although the situation initially calmed, violence resumed later that evening when Jamaat candidate Nuruzzaman Badol attempted to move toward the town with his supporters but was stopped by authorities. During the ensuing attack by BNP activists, Rezaul Karim was critically injured and died on the way to Mymensingh.

A joint operation by the army and police in Anwara upazila of Chattogram led to the arrest of listed terrorist Akter on Sunday, February 1, 2026. The operation took place around 7 a.m. at a community center in Bairag Union, where Akter was detained from his home. Authorities said the arrest followed the circulation of a viral photo showing Akter participating in an election campaign, which drew administrative attention.

Law enforcement officials claimed to have recovered several weapons and items from Akter’s possession, including a local shotgun, a foreign revolver, two Chinese axes (one with a handle and one without), a machete, a bullet removal stick, four firecrackers, a torture whip, and 18,950 taka in cash. Attempts to contact the officer-in-charge of Karnaphuli Police Station, Md. Shahinur Alam, for further comment were unsuccessful.

The arrest highlights ongoing joint security operations in the region targeting listed criminals and illegal arms possession, though no official statement on subsequent legal proceedings was available at the time of reporting.

A youth named Hasan Akon was arrested with 23 cocktails during a joint forces operation in Kalkini, Madaripur, on Sunday, February 1, 2026, around noon. The operation was conducted by the army camp in Kalkini at Khunerchar village under Bashgari Union. Hasan, the son of Nizam Akon from the same village, was detained and later handed over to the local police after initial questioning.

According to sources, the explosives were recovered based on secret intelligence information. The joint forces stated that the seized cocktails posed a serious threat to public safety. Following the arrest, the officer-in-charge of Kalkini Police Station, Zahidul Alam, confirmed that security measures in the area had been strengthened.

Authorities are investigating whether others are involved in supplying the explosives, as part of ongoing efforts to ensure public safety in the region.

A human chain and protest rally were held in Mahipur, Patuakhali, demanding justice for agricultural scientist Md. Shahidul Islam, whose body was recovered after he went missing. The event took place on Sunday morning at the Khapravanga Bridge under the banner of local residents, with participation from his family, political and social leaders, students, and community members. Speakers called for a fair and impartial investigation and exemplary punishment for those responsible.

Participants described the incident as mysterious and alarming, emphasizing that Shahidul’s death could not be considered natural. They urged authorities to identify the perpetrators swiftly to restore public confidence in justice. Shahidul’s father, Motiur Rahman, has filed a murder case with Shibchar Highway Police Station against unidentified persons.

According to police, an investigation is underway to uncover the motive and identify the culprits. Shahidul, a research and development coordinator at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), went missing on January 21 while traveling from Dhaka to Barishal. His body was found on January 23 beside a highway in Shibchar, Madaripur.

The International Crimes Tribunal-1 has issued arrest warrants against former Superintendent of Police (SP) Anisur Rahman and four others in a case involving alleged crimes against humanity in Jessore’s Chowgacha. The tribunal, led by Justice Shafiul Alam Mahmud and retired judge Mohitul Haque Enam Chowdhury, delivered the order on Sunday. Three other accused have been directed to appear before the court on February 16.

According to Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam, the case stems from an incident on August 3, 2016, when two student leaders, Ruhul Amin and Israfil, were allegedly detained under false charges, tortured for two nights, and later shot in the legs on the orders of then-SP Anisur Rahman. The prosecution stated that the victims’ injuries led to severe infections, resulting in amputation. The tribunal has taken the charges into cognizance against eight accused in total.

Three of the accused—former Sub-Inspector Akikul Islam, Constable Sajjadur Rahman, and Constable Zahurul Haque—are already in custody. The remaining accused include former Officer-in-Charge Moshiur Rahman and three sub-inspectors, Mokhles, Jamal, and Majedul, against whom arrest warrants have also been issued.

Brigadier General Abdullahil Aman Azmi testified before International Crimes Tribunal-1 on Sunday as the third witness in a crimes against humanity case involving enforced disappearance and torture at the Joint Interrogation Cell (JIC) in Dhaka’s Kochukhet area. He stated that he was abducted from his Moghbazar residence on 22 August 2016 by around 50 to 60 plainclothes men, handcuffed, blindfolded, and taken to the DGFI complex. Despite being blindfolded, he recognized one of the abductors as Lieutenant Colonel Mokshurul of DGFI.

Azmi said he was held in cell number 11 of the JIC until 5 August 2024, enduring severe physical and psychological torture, poor food, and inadequate medical care. He described being deprived of sunlight and natural air for 2,908 days and suffering from multiple health problems. He also recounted how artificial noise was used to mask sounds from inside the cells. Azmi’s testimony detailed his identification of the detention site through familiar sounds and landmarks near the DGFI complex.

The tribunal adjourned the hearing, setting the next session for the continuation of Azmi’s deposition.

Rubel Ahmed, a friend of former Bangladesh Chhatra League central general secretary Golam Rabbani, has confessed to his involvement in the murder of Inquilab Moncho spokesperson Shahid Sharif Osman Hadi. His statement was recorded by Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md. Mahbubur Rahman on Saturday, after which he was sent to jail. According to court sources, Rubel voluntarily agreed to give a confessional statement following his remand, and the court approved the recording upon request from CID Assistant Superintendent of Police Abdur Kadir Bhuiyan.

Rubel was arrested by the CID with the help of the Detective Branch from Ati Noyabazar in South Keraniganj on January 21 and was placed on two separate remands totaling nine days. Hadi, known for his role in the July uprising and the movement to ban the Awami League, was shot on December 12 while campaigning in Bijoynagar and later died in Singapore on December 18. The case initially investigated by the DB police named 17 accused, including former ward councilor Taizul Islam Chowdhury Bappi and former Chhatra League activist Faisal Karim Masud.

The DB’s charge sheet suggested political revenge as the motive behind Hadi’s killing. Following dissatisfaction from the complainant, the court later transferred the investigation to the CID.

Dhaka’s Special Judge Court-4, presided over by Judge Robiul Alam, is set to deliver verdicts on Monday, February 2, in two separate corruption cases involving former prime minister Hasina and her niece Tulip Rizwana Siddiq. The cases allege fraudulent allocation of government plots in the Purbachal New Town Project. A total of 36 individuals, 18 in each case, are accused of irregularly obtaining 20 kathas of land through abuse of power and procedural violations.

According to court and Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) records, the first case was filed on January 13 last year by ACC Assistant Director S.M. Rashedul Hasan against Radwan Mujib Siddiq, Hasina, and Tulip, with a charge sheet submitted on March 10. The second case, filed the same day by ACC Assistant Director Afnan Jannat Keya against Azmina Siddiq, Hasina, and Tulip, also led to a charge sheet on March 10. Witness testimony concluded earlier this year, with 28 and 31 witnesses testifying in the respective cases.

The court had framed charges on July 31 last year, and after closing arguments in January, fixed February 2 for verdicts in both cases.