Hotels in Siliguri, Malda, and Cooch Behar districts of West Bengal have imposed a ban on Bangladeshi guests, displaying notices that prohibit their entry. The decision, announced by local hotel owners’ associations, was reportedly taken in protest against alleged persecution of minorities in Bangladesh and recent tensions along the border. Leaders of the associations said the move also follows the suspension of passport and visa services from Bangladesh.

The Malda Hotel Owners’ Association president stated that no Bangladeshi guests would be allowed to stay in district hotels, citing concerns over the situation in Bangladesh. Similarly, the Cooch Behar association said it halted services for Bangladeshi citizens after India suspended visa facilities. In Siliguri, the local association confirmed that 180 hotels under its jurisdiction have implemented the restriction, withdrawing earlier exemptions for medical and educational visitors.

The decision has drawn mixed reactions. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) welcomed the move, while the Trinamool Congress described it as an independent decision by hotel owners. Critics argued that such actions reflect growing hostility toward Bangladesh and could harm bilateral relations.

BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman visited the National Martyrs’ Memorial in Savar on Friday night to pay tribute to the heroes of the 1971 Liberation War. He arrived at the memorial around 10 p.m., accompanied by senior party leaders and numerous activists. Earlier in the evening, at 4:42 p.m., he placed flowers at the grave of late President Ziaur Rahman in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar and offered prayers.

Tarique Rahman returned to Bangladesh on December 25 after 17 years in London. His arrival drew massive crowds from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to the 36 July Expressway area, turning Dhaka into a sea of people. Later that day, he addressed a large reception on the 36 July Expressway, outlining his vision for a safe and discrimination-free Bangladesh where citizens of all faiths and communities would enjoy equal security.

Following his return, his visit to the National Memorial marked one of his first public tributes, symbolizing respect for the nation’s liberation heroes and reaffirming his political re-engagement.

A newly constructed road in Kishoreganj’s Rashidabad Union has been officially named ‘Shaheed Osman Hadi Road’ to honor the memory of Osman Hadi. The inauguration and prayer ceremony took place on Friday after Jumu’ah prayers at the Sagora Bishwaroad-adjacent Signboard Mor area, organized under the banner of the people of Kishoreganj. Residents from all walks of life participated spontaneously in the event, which included prayers for the departed soul of Osman Hadi.

According to local sources, the naming of the road aims to preserve the legacy of Shaheed Osman Hadi and commemorate his life of sacrifice and struggle. The event was attended by former general secretary of the Kishoreganj District Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, student leader Ashikuzzaman Ashik, among others. Participants reflected on Hadi’s contributions and prayed for his eternal peace.

The initiative reflects a local effort to honor historical memory through civic recognition and community participation in Kishoreganj.

A woman and her infant daughter were killed in a multi-vehicle collision on the Dhaka-Tangail Highway at Gorai in Mirzapur upazila on Friday evening. The victims were identified as Sadia Kabir, 37, wife of Jisan Kabir Tipu from Feni, and their 10-month-old daughter Tajria Kabir Piyom. Police and witnesses said Sadia was returning to Mirpur, Dhaka, from a wedding in Tangail when their white private car collided with a truck ahead of it near the eastern side of the Gorai flyover.

Following the initial crash, another private car hit their vehicle from behind, and a bus then struck a red private car involved in the sequence. Sadia and her daughter died on the spot. The accident caused a traffic jam on the highway, which police later cleared using a wrecker. The truck involved was seized, while its driver fled the scene.

According to Gorai Highway Police Station Officer-in-Charge Sohel Sarwar, four vehicles collided sequentially, resulting in two fatalities. The bodies will be handed over to the family after legal procedures.

An all-party gathering of Islamic scholars and clerics held a discussion and prayer session in memory of Shaheed Sharif Osman Bin Hadi at the Dhaka University Central Mosque on Friday after Asr prayers. Speakers said Hadi sacrificed his life for dignity, freedom, and justice, reminding everyone that true humanity lies in refusing to bow to injustice.

Participants emphasized that relations with the neighboring state of India remain strained, describing aggression not only as a physical attack but also as an assault on justice, humanity, and conscience. They recalled that Hadi had consistently spoken out against cultural aggression and urged people to remain vocal and courageous in resisting it.

Speakers pledged at Hadi’s grave to embody his spirit in their character and actions, vowing to oppose all forms of domination and aggression, including those affecting the Sundarbans, Hill Tracts, Rampal power plant, and border issues. The event concluded with prominent clerics visiting Hadi’s grave to offer prayers.

Eight days after the death of Inquilab Moncho spokesperson Shaheed Sharif Osman Hadi, large numbers of people continued to visit his grave at the Dhaka University Central Mosque premises. On Friday, December 26, after the Asr prayer, the gate of the Kazi Nazrul Islam Mausoleum was opened, allowing admirers to enter and pay their respects.

Visitors stood beside Hadi’s grave, offering prayers and supplications. Many were seen tearfully demanding justice for his killing, while some lamented over the perpetrators. The turnout reflected that public affection and interest in Hadi had not diminished but rather seemed to grow with time.

The continued gatherings at the site underscored the emotional connection many still feel toward Hadi and their ongoing call for justice surrounding his death.

The Directorate of Primary Education has postponed the recruitment examination for the position of accounts assistant. The exam was originally scheduled to take place on Friday from 3:00 p.m. to 4:20 p.m. According to an official notice issued on Thursday afternoon, the test was deferred due to unavoidable reasons. The authority stated that the new date and schedule for the postponed examination will be announced later.

The notice clarified that the decision to postpone was made under the Directorate’s jurisdiction and applies specifically to the accounts assistant post. No further explanation was provided regarding the cause of the postponement. The announcement emphasized that candidates should wait for further instructions and updates from the Directorate.

The Directorate confirmed that the revised schedule will be communicated in due course, ensuring that applicants are informed once a new date is finalized.

An Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) soldier drove a vehicle over a Palestinian man who was praying in the West Bank on Thursday, December 25, 2025. Video footage of the incident spread widely on social media, sparking global condemnation. The video showed a man in civilian clothes carrying a gun and driving an ATV, suddenly ramming into the praying Palestinian before shouting at him to leave the area. The IDF confirmed that the driver was a reserve soldier and later suspended him from duty.

The victim, identified as Majdi Abu Mukho, was taken to a hospital after the attack. His father said that although he is now home, he continues to suffer severe pain in both legs and alleged that the soldier also sprayed pepper spray into his son’s eyes. According to United Nations data, 2025 has seen record levels of violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank, marking it as a particularly violent year.

The report also noted that since October 7, 2023, Israeli aggression in Gaza has killed more than 71,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children.

On Friday, a large group of armed Hindutva activists demonstrated outside the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Kolkata’s Beckbagan area, protesting the death of Bangladeshi minority member Dipu Das. The rally, which coincided with Friday prayers, featured saffron-clad monks carrying swords and tridents, chanting religious slogans, and displaying images of Dipu Das. Despite the charged atmosphere, no untoward incidents occurred due to heavy police security and barricades around the mission.

Opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari led a delegation of five, including four representatives of the Hindu Sanhati Sangh, to submit a memorandum to the Deputy High Commission demanding justice for Dipu Das. Adhikari later addressed a gathering, declaring solidarity among Indian Hindus to protect Bangladesh’s Hindu population. Protesters from several Indian states joined the rally, calling for boycotts of trade with Bangladesh and expressing anger over alleged attacks on Hindus across the border.

The report linked the Kolkata protest to broader communal tensions, noting recent killings of minority individuals in both India and Bangladesh, and suggested that political forces were exploiting such incidents for gain.

Tensions between Israel and Turkey have intensified following reports that Turkey is deploying radar systems inside Syria. According to Western intelligence sources cited by i24News, the deployment aims to enhance Turkey’s monitoring capabilities in the region. The move is expected to significantly restrict Israel’s freedom of movement in Syrian airspace and could also affect its ability to conduct operations in Iran and other nearby areas using Syrian routes.

Reports from Middle East Monitor indicate that the new Turkish radar installations will allow Ankara to track Israeli aircraft operating over Syria, as well as those en route to missions in Iraq or Iran. Israeli security sources described the potential establishment of Turkish military bases in Syria as a “possible threat,” warning that such developments could further limit Israel’s operational freedom in the region.

The situation underscores growing regional friction as both countries expand their strategic presence in and around Syria, with implications for future military coordination and airspace control.

Rashed Khan has resigned from his position as general secretary of Gana Odhikar Parishad to join the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and contest the upcoming election under the BNP’s paddy sheaf symbol. The announcement was made on Friday night through an audio message from Gana Odhikar Parishad president Nurul Haque Nur. Party media coordinator Abu Hanif confirmed that while Rashed Khan will run under the BNP symbol, Nurul Haque Nur will contest using the Gana Odhikar Parishad’s truck symbol.

Nurul Haque Nur explained that during the joint movement against what he described as fascism, BNP led coordination among around 42 political parties and alliances, including Gana Odhikar Parishad. He said that following the movement, discussions were held to rebuild the state and form a national government together. Under current election laws, coalition partners must contest under their own symbols, but some allies are choosing to run under the BNP symbol as a strategic move to increase their chances of winning.

Nur added that Rashed Khan’s decision to contest under the BNP symbol was part of this coordinated strategy, and the party will soon appoint an acting general secretary.

Protesters under the banner of Inquilab Moncho announced an overnight sit-in at Shahbagh intersection in Dhaka on Friday, December 26, 2025, demanding justice for slain activist Sharif Osman Hadi. The group declared that they would not leave the area until the government ensures justice for Hadi, who was shot dead on December 12 in Purana Paltan. The sit-in, part of an indefinite blockade program, began after a protest march from Dhaka University Central Mosque following Friday prayers and brought traffic in the Shahbagh area to a halt.

Inquilab Moncho leaders reiterated their three-point demand: formation of a speedy trial tribunal to complete Hadi’s murder trial within 30 working days, inclusion of an internationally recognized investigative agency such as the FBI or Scotland Yard, and arrest of alleged Awami-linked perpetrators within civil and military intelligence. Leaders including Abdullah Al Jaber and Fatima Tasnim Juma accused the government of failing to ensure citizens’ safety and called for public accountability.

Participants said the blockade would continue until the killers are brought to justice, urging government representatives to come to Shahbagh and answer directly to the people.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman addressed the central members’ conference of Islami Chhatra Shibir at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Center in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka. At the event, Nurul Islam Saddam was elected as the new president and Sibgatullah Sibga as the secretary general for the 2026 term. Rahman stated that any political party could form an electoral alliance with Jamaat if it met three conditions: refraining from corruption, ensuring equal justice for all, and committing to implement reform recommendations.

Rahman emphasized Jamaat’s goal of establishing an education system that eliminates unemployment, saying the party wants every young person to become a builder of the nation rather than depend on unemployment benefits. He criticized past decades for diverting students from education, claiming that campuses had turned into militarized zones and that students’ safety and careers were uncertain.

The event was attended by leaders from Jamaat and other allied organizations, including Khelafat Majlish Secretary General Ahmad Abdul Kader and several parliamentary candidates.

Freedom fighter Md. Rafiqul Islam from Bhairab, Kishoreganj, has formally joined Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami. The joining ceremony took place on Friday afternoon at the party’s central office in Moghbazar, Dhaka, where he presented flowers to Jamaat Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman and completed the associate membership form. The former BNP leader was welcomed by several senior Jamaat figures, including former MP and freedom fighter Major (Retd.) Akhtaruzzaman Ranjan, Kishoreganj district Ameer Professor Ramzan Ali, and local Jamaat leaders.

Rafiqul Islam had been politically active since the founding of the BNP and previously served as president of Bhairab Municipal BNP. He is also known as the founder of Bhairab Rafiqul Islam Women’s College and several other educational and religious institutions, including Halima Sadia Women’s Madrasa and Fatema Ramzan Government Primary School. In the 1960s, he was elected Drama and Recreation Secretary of the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU).

Earlier, on December 13, freedom fighter Major (Retd.) Akhtaruzzaman Ranjan also joined Jamaat-e-Islami, drawing public attention.

Several Facebook pages and social media accounts linked to posts about Shahid Sharif Osman Hadi have reportedly disappeared, with allegations pointing to Indian involvement. The report claims that after Hadi’s killing by members of the banned organization Chhatra League, his supporters and activists who posted about him faced content removals. Among those affected was former interim government adviser Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan, whose official page with three million followers was taken down.

Former army officer Mustafizur Rahman alleged that a group of Indian-origin employees at Meta played a role in removing a video of Hadi’s poem from the chief adviser’s official Facebook page. He claimed the group had previously coordinated with Bangladeshi officials to suppress opposition voices and was now misusing Meta’s internal reporting system to label Hadi as a criminal. Activist Pinaki Bhattacharya also alleged that a coordinated network was disabling social media accounts through fake copyright reports.

The article portrays Hadi as a symbol of anti-hegemony resistance whose death has sparked international attention and protests, particularly among Sikh leaders abroad.