US President Donald Trump announced that the second phase of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza will begin soon. The truce, brokered by the United States, Qatar, and Egypt, initially started on October 10 but has been violated more than 500 times by Israeli forces, resulting in around 400 Palestinian deaths. Recent Israeli air and artillery strikes in Khan Younis killed at least five displaced people, following claims that Hamas had attacked Israeli troops. Trump commented that despite recent explosions and casualties, the ceasefire is progressing and peace efforts in the Middle East continue. Although no formal agreement has been reached for the second phase, the United States is reportedly working through the UN Security Council to establish mechanisms for implementation. The next phase would see a technocratic government take control in Gaza, with international forces assuming security responsibilities instead of Hamas.

The Dhaka University unit of the Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), the student wing of the BNP, has accused Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) Liberation War and Democratic Movement Affairs Secretary Fatima Tasnim Juma of distorting the history of Bangladesh’s Liberation War through a recent social media post. In a statement issued on December 3, JCD leaders Ganesh Chandra Roy Sahas and Nahiduzzaman Shipon condemned Juma’s remarks, calling them an affront to the nation’s democratic aspirations. The group also criticized the university administration for failing to uphold the tradition of decorating campus landmarks during December, the month of victory, describing it as negligence toward the Liberation War’s legacy. JCD urged the administration to properly honor the contributions of Dhaka University’s teachers, students, and staff during the 1971 war and demanded accountability from DUCSU representatives for controversial actions and comments. Fatima Tasnim Juma’s post had linked the region’s anti-colonial struggles to the 1971 war and called for renewed efforts to fulfill the nation’s democratic aspirations in 2024.

A mild earthquake measuring 4.1 on the Richter scale was felt in Dhaka early Thursday morning, December 4. According to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre, the quake originated about 20 kilometers east of Tongi and 3 kilometers north of Narsingdi, with a depth of approximately 27 to 30 kilometers. The tremor occurred at 6:14 a.m. local time and caused brief shaking across parts of the capital and nearby districts. No immediate reports of casualties or property damage have been received. This follows a series of recent minor quakes in Bangladesh, including a 4.2 magnitude tremor in the Bay of Bengal on December 2 and another felt in Cox’s Bazar and Chattogram on December 1. Authorities are monitoring the situation but have not issued any warnings, as the seismic activity remains within low-risk levels.

United Peoples Bangladesh (UP Bangladesh) has called on the interim government to initiate legal action against India’s Border Security Force (BSF) at the International Court of Justice over the alleged killing of two Bangladeshi nationals near the Thakurgaon border. At a protest meeting in Dhaka, the group’s chief organizer, Naeem Ahmad, accused the BSF of committing crimes against humanity and acting out of political vengeance. He demanded that the government make the discussions of flag meetings between Bangladeshi and Indian border forces public. Ahmad also urged India to abandon its current approach and rebuild a respectful, trust-based relationship with Bangladesh. Other speakers, including joint organizers Abrar Hamim and Ahsan Ullah, emphasized the need to strengthen Bangladesh’s military capacity along the border and raise public awareness against what they described as Indian aggression. The protest reflected growing frustration over recurring border incidents and perceived diplomatic imbalance between the two neighbors.

Rajshahi University has suspended three teachers and expelled five students following various allegations of misconduct. The decisions were made during the university’s 544th syndicate meeting held on December 2. Associate Professor Dr. Anik Krishna Karmakar of Applied Chemistry and Chemical Engineering was suspended for three years and barred from exam-related duties for ten years. Professor Dr. Prabash Kumar Karmakar of Statistics and Associate Professor Mohammad Hedayet Ullah of Finance were also suspended pending further investigation. Two students had their studentship canceled, one was permanently expelled, and two others were suspended for one year. The disciplinary actions stem from incidents including alleged unethical relations and extortion involving a faculty member and students. University officials stated that final decisions on permanent termination of the teachers will depend on the findings of a new inquiry committee. The names of the punished students have not been disclosed for confidentiality reasons.

Three tenth-grade students were killed in a tragic motorcycle accident in Chatkhil, Noakhali, after losing control of their bike while returning from a tea shop late Monday night. The victims, identified as Hasibur Tanim (16), Md. Joy (16), and Md. Raihan (17), were all students of Badalkot High School. According to local sources, four friends were riding on a single motorcycle when it lost control near the Trighoria Bridge area and crashed into roadside trees. Tanim died the same night at Noakhali General Hospital, while Joy and Raihan succumbed to their injuries on Wednesday at separate hospitals in Dhaka. The bodies were later buried in their family graveyards. Police confirmed awareness of the incident but said no formal report had been filed. The accident highlights the dangers of reckless driving and overloading motorcycles among teenagers in rural Bangladesh.

The UK Justice Minister David Lammy has confirmed that 12 prisoners were mistakenly released over the past three weeks, with two still at large. Lammy attributed the errors to administrative failures within the prison system and suggested that a fully digital system could prevent such incidents in the future. The revelation follows earlier reports that 91 prisoners were wrongly released between April and October in England and Wales. Although the minister said the number of mistaken releases is now declining, he emphasized that the two fugitives are not considered dangerous or sex offenders. The issue gained attention after a convicted sex offender, Hadush Kebatu, was mistakenly freed but later recaptured and deported to Ethiopia. In response, the government has introduced new safety protocols, including checklists for prisoner release and investment in AI-based systems to reduce human error. Despite these measures, mistaken releases rose 128% last year to 262 cases, reflecting staff shortages.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) of Bangladesh has initiated an investigation against two police officials accused of amassing vast wealth through bribery and corruption. The officials under scrutiny are Jahangir Alam, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), and Mahbub Hossain, a former Assistant Sub-Inspector of the Special Branch (SB). ACC Deputy Director (Public Relations) Akhtarul Islam confirmed the inquiry at the commission’s headquarters in Segunbagicha, Dhaka, stating that the ACC investigates any individual or institution when credible information is received. The probe follows a series of corruption allegations against several senior police officers who served during the government of Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India amid the July mass movement. The ACC has already launched investigations and filed cases against several high-ranking officials, including former IGP Benazir Ahmed, SB chief Monirul Islam, and DB chief Harun-or-Rashid.

Nigeria’s Defense Minister Mohammed Badaru Abubakar has resigned, citing health reasons, according to a statement from the president’s office on Monday. The resignation comes at a time when President Bola Tinubu has declared a national security emergency following a surge in armed banditry and kidnappings across the country. In recent weeks, incidents have included the abduction of a priest and several others from a church in Kogi State, and the kidnapping of around 490 people from various regions, including 315 children from a Catholic boarding school in Niger State. The government has responded by ordering mass recruitment into the police and military forces. Nigeria, with a population of over 220 million, reportedly has only about 370,000 security personnel, many of whom are assigned to protect wealthy individuals rather than rural communities, leaving vast areas vulnerable to criminal activity.

The Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education (DSHE) in Bangladesh has issued an urgent circular revising age regulations for student admissions from grades one to nine in both government and private secondary schools for the 2026 academic year. According to the updated directive, based on the National Education Policy 2010, students must be at least six years old to enroll in grade one. However, for the 2026 session, the minimum age is set at five years as of January 1, 2026, and the maximum at seven years as of December 31, 2026. Applicants must submit a verified copy of their online birth registration certificate with their admission form. Additionally, students with special needs will be allowed up to five extra years in age consideration. The DSHE emphasized that the online application process for admissions is currently ongoing across all metropolitan, district, and upazila-level schools under its jurisdiction.

A severe fertilizer shortage has hit five unions in Taraganj upazila of Rangpur, causing major disruption for potato farmers. The scarcity of TSP and Moroccan fertilizers has prevented many from sowing seeds on time, raising fears of reduced potato yields this season. Farmers report that despite repeated contact with local agricultural officials, no clear information or supply has been provided. Investigations reveal that some dealers are secretly selling fertilizers at nearly double the government-fixed prices, with Moroccan fertilizer bags priced between Tk 2,200 and Tk 2,500 instead of Tk 1,350. Local farmers express frustration as their fields remain idle due to the lack of fertilizer. The upazila agriculture office claims that supply is being distributed as per government allocation but admits a temporary shortage due to increased demand. Officials have promised to resolve the crisis soon and take legal action against dealers overcharging farmers.

US President Donald Trump announced he is nullifying all documents signed by his predecessor Joe Biden, including executive pardons, claiming Biden used an autopen to sign them. The autopen, a device replicating a person’s signature, has long been used by presidents from both parties for official documents. Legal experts say Trump’s move is unprecedented and lacks constitutional or statutory basis, as there is no law requiring a president to personally sign such documents or allowing one president to revoke another’s pardons. Trump made the announcement on his social media platform Truth Social, asserting that any pardon or legal document signed this way is invalid. Biden had issued several pardons before leaving office, including for family members and nonviolent drug offenders. Reports suggest Trump’s action may not affect Hunter Biden’s pardon, which was hand-signed, but could impact others like Dr. Anthony Fauci. Analysts view Trump’s decision as politically motivated and legally unenforceable.

The European Union has agreed on a provisional deal to halt all gas imports from Russia by November 2027, marking a major step toward energy independence following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. Under the agreement, member states will stop importing Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) by the end of 2026 and end pipeline gas imports by November 2027. The move aims to eliminate the bloc’s reliance on Russian energy, which once supplied about half of its gas needs before 2022. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen hailed the decision as the beginning of Europe’s energy freedom. However, the deal still requires final approval from the European Parliament and Council, and faces political resistance from countries like Hungary and Slovakia that remain dependent on Russian energy. Hungary’s foreign minister has vowed to challenge the measure in the EU Court of Justice. The agreement also bans new long-term pipeline contracts after September 2027 and LNG contracts after January 2027, with short-term deals phased out earlier.

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Baharul Alam has emphasized that only through structural reforms can transparency and accountability be ensured within the Bangladesh Police. Speaking to journalists after a meeting with Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Chairman Abdul Momen at the ACC headquarters in Segunbagicha, Dhaka, on December 3, Alam described corruption among police officers as a complex issue that cannot be resolved overnight. He underscored the importance of implementing the Police Reform Commission’s recommendations for long-term and sustainable solutions. The IGP further noted that greater accountability within the force is essential to curb corruption. His remarks come amid ongoing investigations into alleged corruption by several senior police officials who served during the previous Sheikh Hasina administration, including former IGP Benazir Ahmed, former SB chief Monirul Islam, and former DB chief Harun-or-Rashid, some of whom are now facing ACC cases.

Bangladesh’s interim government has criticized traders for raising edible oil prices without prior consultation or approval from authorities. Commerce Adviser Sheikh Bashir Uddin stated that the traders increased prices by around 20 taka per liter despite recently selling oil to the government at lower rates. He questioned both the justification and legality of the move, suggesting that the price hike lacked any rational basis. Speaking to reporters at the Secretariat on Wednesday, Bashir Uddin said the government would hold discussions with business representatives to determine necessary actions. He also responded to concerns about the growing influence of traders, emphasizing that the government would take appropriate measures through dialogue rather than confrontation. The incident has sparked debate over market regulation and the balance of power between the state and private sector in setting essential commodity prices.