A funeral prayer in absentia for Sharif Osman Hadi, spokesperson of Inquilab Mancha, was held in Naogaon on Saturday, December 20, 2025. The prayer took place at 2:30 p.m. at the Nawjowan Field in the town, drawing a large gathering of local residents, political figures, and community representatives. The prayer was led by Maulana Habibur Rahman, president of the Bangladesh Majlisul Mofasshirin Naogaon district branch. Officials from the local administration, as well as members of BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, Islami Andolan Bangladesh, Hefazat-e-Islam, NCP, AB Party, and the anti-discrimination student movement, attended the event. Participants paid tribute to Hadi’s contributions to social and political causes. The gathering reflected cross-party respect for Hadi’s activism and highlighted his influence across ideological lines. Local leaders said his death leaves a void in progressive and religious discourse in the region.

Police in Tetulia, Panchagarh, have detained Md. Ashraful Islam, chairman of the 4 No. Shalbahan Union Parishad and president of the local Jubo League unit, who is also a member of the 'Dhanmondi 32' Facebook page. The arrest took place early Saturday night during a police operation led by Officer-in-Charge Rashedul Islam of Tetulia Model Police Station. Authorities also detained Md. Ashraf Ali, general secretary of the local Krishak League, during the same operation. According to the OC, the arrests are part of a broader security drive aimed at ensuring a peaceful and secure environment ahead of the upcoming national parliamentary elections. Police have stated that operations against suspected miscreants will continue across the region. The detentions highlight growing law enforcement activity in northern Bangladesh as authorities seek to prevent unrest and maintain order before the polls.

After more than a decade of waiting, the Sonalia-Kortia railway station in Tangail has officially opened to the public. The inauguration took place on Saturday morning when Bangladesh Railway Director General Afzal Hossain cut the ribbon and waved the green flag to mark the first train’s departure. Senior railway officials, local leaders, and hundreds of residents attended the ceremony, celebrating the long-anticipated launch. The station, located in Sonalia village of Basail upazila near the border of Tangail Sadar’s Kortia area, was constructed around 2010 but remained unused due to naming complications and administrative delays. Locals expressed relief, noting that the unused facility had been wasting government resources. They expect the new station to benefit several hundred thousand residents across three upazilas. Officials confirmed that initially one train will operate, with plans to include the Sirajganj Express and a new Tangail commuter service in the future. The reopening is expected to boost local trade and connectivity in the Kortia commercial zone, while residents have also called for improvements to surrounding roads and transport infrastructure.

Thousands of people attended the absentee funeral prayer for slain activist Osman Sharif Hadi on Saturday at Altafunnesa playground in Bogura town. The event, organized by Inquilab Mancha Bogura, drew leaders and supporters from multiple political parties including BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, NCP, and JSD. The prayer was led by Hafiz Ahsan Habib Saki, khatib of Shahpara Jame Mosque, and concluded with special prayers for Hadi’s soul. Before the prayer, local political leaders delivered speeches condemning what they described as ongoing fascist repression and covert attacks aimed at destabilizing the country. Speakers vowed that no conspiracy would obstruct upcoming national elections and framed Hadi’s death as symbolic resistance against foreign dominance. The gathering reflected growing political polarization and heightened rhetoric ahead of the election period. Observers note that such large-scale political funerals often serve as platforms for opposition unity and mobilization. Authorities have yet to comment on the event, but security concerns remain as tensions rise across several districts.

Sharif Osman Hadi, spokesperson of the Inquilab Mancha and a key figure in the July Revolutionary movement, was laid to rest beside the grave of national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam at Dhaka University’s central mosque complex on Saturday, December 20, 2025. His funeral prayer was held earlier at the South Plaza of the National Parliament, attended by supporters and political activists mourning his death. Hadi was shot in the head on December 12 while campaigning in Dhaka’s Bijoynagar area. He was initially treated at Dhaka Medical College Hospital and later transferred to Singapore, where he died on December 18. Authorities confirmed the autopsy was completed before his burial. Police have yet to identify the main suspect, though reports link the attack to banned political operatives. Hadi’s death has sparked widespread condemnation and renewed debate over political violence in Bangladesh. Civil society groups have called for an independent investigation and stronger protection for opposition activists ahead of the upcoming elections.

Seven wild Asian elephants were killed and one calf injured when a high-speed passenger train collided with a herd in northeastern India. The incident occurred near Sairang in Mizoram as the Capital Express, carrying 650 passengers from Guwahati to New Delhi, struck the animals. The impact caused the train’s engine and five coaches to derail, though no passengers were injured, according to Indian Railways spokesperson Kishore Sharma. Officials said the driver applied emergency brakes after spotting nearly 100 elephants on the tracks but could not avoid the collision. The accident site, about 125 kilometers southeast of Guwahati, lies outside a designated elephant corridor. Veterinary teams conducted autopsies on the elephants, which will be buried the following day. Assam, home to roughly 7,000 wild elephants, has seen several similar accidents in recent years. Conservationists have urged authorities to improve monitoring and install early-warning systems along railway routes intersecting elephant habitats to prevent future tragedies.

Unidentified miscreants set fire to the Kushtia District Election Office building early Saturday morning, damaging some stored documents in the Sadar Upazila election office storeroom. The incident occurred between dawn and 9 a.m., when attackers reportedly broke a rear window to start the blaze. Local residents noticed smoke and, with the help of the office night guard, managed to bring the fire under control before it spread further. Senior District Election Officer Mahbubur Rahman confirmed the incident, stating that while some documents were burnt, no major losses were reported. District Commissioner Iqbal Hossain, Sadar Upazila Executive Officer Roknuzzaman, and senior police officials visited the site shortly after. Kushtia Model Police Station Officer-in-Charge Kabir Hossain Matubbar said an investigation has begun to identify those responsible. Authorities are assessing the extent of the damage and reviewing security measures at election offices across the district to prevent similar incidents ahead of upcoming electoral activities.

The Bangladesh Navy conducted a late-night raid in Teknaf’s Hnila Union on Friday, recovering a cache of illegal firearms, ammunition, and narcotics. Acting on intelligence, a specialized naval force and local police jointly searched the residence of alleged top criminal ‘Lamba Mizan,’ seizing three pistols, nine rounds of live ammunition, two locally made weapons, and 10,000 yaba tablets. The seized items were later handed over to Teknaf Police Station for legal proceedings. Authorities said the operation was part of the Navy’s ongoing efforts to strengthen internal security and curb criminal activities in coastal and border regions. The Navy has been conducting regular anti-smuggling and anti-drug drives to maintain law and order in sensitive areas. Officials emphasized that such coordinated actions with law enforcement agencies are crucial to dismantling organized crime networks. Security analysts note that continued naval engagement in inland operations reflects growing inter-agency cooperation to combat drug trafficking and illegal arms trade along Bangladesh’s southern coastline.

A crude bomb, locally known as a cocktail, exploded on the second floor of an under-construction shop inside a commercial building in Dhunat town, Bogura, on Saturday afternoon. The explosion occurred around 12:15 p.m., causing widespread panic among traders operating on the ground floor of the same building near the Central Shaheed Minar area. According to police and local sources, unidentified individuals detonated the explosive device in the unfinished shop space. No casualties were reported, but the loud blast alarmed nearby shopkeepers and residents. Law enforcement officials, including senior officers from Dhunat Police Station, visited the site shortly after the incident. Officer-in-Charge Atikul Islam confirmed that evidence from the scene had been collected and CCTV footage from surrounding areas was being reviewed. Police have launched an investigation to identify and apprehend those responsible. Authorities have heightened security in the area to prevent further disturbances, while business owners have urged swift action to ensure their safety and restore normalcy in the local market.

In Panchagarh, Bangladesh, the parents of a young woman named Amina Akter Ratna held a press conference demanding justice for what they allege was her murder by her husband’s family. The couple, Amir Uddin and Nargis Akter, claimed their daughter was killed two years after marriage and that the in-laws staged her death as a suicide. Ratna was taken to Atwari Upazila Health Complex on November 22, where she was declared dead, with her husband’s family claiming she had ingested poison. However, Ratna’s family reported finding multiple injury marks on her body and no evidence of poisoning. They filed a case with Atwari Police Station on November 24 after rejecting an alleged offer for an out-of-court settlement. Amir Uddin further alleged that the accused family has since issued threats and attempted to bribe officials to alter the autopsy report. Local residents and relatives attended the press conference, calling for a transparent investigation and protection for the victim’s family amid growing concerns over intimidation and manipulation of evidence.

A large digital billboard campaign in central London has drawn attention for accusing the United Arab Emirates (UAE) of supporting Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group accused of atrocities during the Sudanese civil war. The campaign, organized by U.S.-based nonprofit Avaaz, uses AI-generated imagery showing a woman taking a selfie in Dubai, juxtaposed with war-torn Sudan in the reflection, carrying the caption: “Your selfie won’t look so good if you knew what they’re doing in Sudan.” The billboard, projected on a moving van and looping every 80 seconds, includes a QR code linking to investigative reports from outlets such as *Middle East Eye*, *The Guardian*, and *The New York Times*. Passersby in London expressed surprise at the UAE’s alleged involvement, with some saying the campaign changed their perception of Dubai. The UAE has denied arming the RSF, calling related media reports fabricated, but analysts cite flight data, weapons serial numbers, and diplomatic sources suggesting ongoing Emirati support. The campaign underscores growing international scrutiny of the UAE’s regional military activities and its potential implications for diplomatic relations with Western allies.

A large number of people gathered in Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar, on Saturday, December 20, 2025, to attend the absentee funeral (gayebana janaza) of Sharif Osman Bin Hadi, spokesperson of Inkilab Manch. Two separate funeral prayers were held—first at the Ukhiya Central Shaheed Minar grounds at 2 p.m. and later at the busy Kotbazar Station at 3 p.m.—drawing participants from various political and social organizations. Local leaders from Jamaat-e-Islami and the BNP paid tribute to Osman Hadi, describing him as a courageous and principled organizer whose contributions to society would be remembered. They expressed condolences to his bereaved family and prayed for his departed soul. Police maintained heightened vigilance to ensure public order during the gatherings. According to Ukhiya Police Station’s officer-in-charge, additional forces were deployed to prevent any untoward incidents, and both events concluded peacefully. Osman Hadi’s death has cast a shadow of mourning across Ukhiya, with condolences pouring in from multiple quarters.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police recovered a cache of firearms and ammunition during an operation in the Pallabi area on Friday afternoon. Acting on a tip-off, officers from Pallabi Police Station discovered three revolvers, 73 rounds of live ammunition, a revolver cover, a machete, and two small knives abandoned on the third floor of an old City Corporation market building in Mirpur-11, Block-C. Deputy Police Commissioner Muhammad Talebur Rahman of the DMP’s Media and Public Relations Division confirmed the recovery in a press release. He stated that the weapons were found in an abandoned state and that an investigation is underway to trace their origin and identify those involved. The discovery follows a series of recent police operations aimed at curbing illegal arms circulation in Dhaka. Authorities believe the seizure may help uncover links to local criminal networks. Police have increased surveillance in the area and are analyzing forensic evidence to determine whether the weapons were intended for future criminal activities.

Police in Gobindaganj, Gaibandha, have arrested four individuals in two separate cases, including two local Awami League leaders accused of vandalizing a Jamaat-e-Islami office. The arrests took place on Friday night, when officers detained Ranjit Sarkar, general secretary of ward no. 4 of Kamaradaha Union Awami League, and Sajjadul Mondol Saju, joint general secretary of Darbasta Union Jubo League, from their homes. According to police, both leaders are accused in a case related to the vandalism of the Jamaat office in Gobindaganj upazila. In a separate operation earlier that day, police arrested two alleged drug traffickers with five kilograms of cannabis from a passenger bus on the Dhaka–Rangpur highway near Chapriganj. Officer-in-Charge Mozammel Haque confirmed that separate cases have been filed under the Penal Code and the Narcotics Control Act. All four detainees were sent to Gaibandha District Jail following court orders. The incidents highlight ongoing political and criminal law enforcement challenges in the region.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has announced that hearings in the genocide case filed by Gambia against Myanmar will begin from January 12 to 29, 2026. The case accuses Myanmar of committing genocide against the Rohingya Muslim minority during a 2017 military crackdown that forced more than 730,000 people to flee to Bangladesh. Gambia, backed by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, initiated the case in 2019, arguing that Myanmar violated the 1948 Genocide Convention. During the first week of hearings, Gambia will present its arguments from January 12 to 15, followed by Myanmar’s defense from January 16 to 20. The court has also allocated three days for witness testimonies. Myanmar continues to deny the genocide allegations, claiming its operations targeted Rohingya insurgents responsible for attacks on security forces. The proceedings mark a critical phase in a case closely watched by human rights advocates and international observers. A final judgment could take years, but the hearings are expected to shape global accountability discussions regarding mass atrocities and minority protection.