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.

Ferry services on the crucial Daulatdia–Paturia river route between Rajbari and Manikganj were suspended again on Friday evening due to dense fog. The suspension took effect from around 7:15 p.m., as authorities at the ferry terminals halted all operations citing safety concerns. Visibility on the river dropped sharply after sunset, making navigation lights unclear and increasing the risk of accidents.

The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) Daulatdia office confirmed that the decision was taken to prevent possible river accidents. Assistant General Manager (Commercial) Mohammad Salauddin said fog began forming before sunset and intensified rapidly, reducing visibility to a dangerous level. As a result, all ferries and other vessels were temporarily stopped for safety.

The suspension left passengers and drivers of buses, trucks, and private cars stranded in the cold night, with long queues forming at both ferry terminals. Authorities said ferry operations would resume once fog density decreases and conditions improve.

The Bangladesh Election Commission has published a gazette redefining the boundaries of four parliamentary constituencies—Pabna-1, Pabna-2, Faridpur-2, and Faridpur-4. The gazette, signed by Md. Mamunur Rashid, Deputy Director of the Department of Films and Publications attached to the Commission, was released on Wednesday. The decision follows a writ petition filed with the High Court Division of the Supreme Court.

According to the gazette, Pabna-1 (constituency 68) will now include Santhia Upazila and several unions and the municipality of Bera Upazila. Pabna-2 (constituency 69) will cover Sujanagar Upazila and the remaining parts of Bera Upazila, excluding the areas included in Pabna-1. Faridpur-2 (constituency 212) will consist of Nagarkanda and Saltha upazilas, while Faridpur-4 (constituency 214) will include Bhanga, Charbhadrasan, and Sadarpur upazilas.

The redefinition aims to align constituency boundaries with administrative and legal considerations as directed by the High Court petition.

Fatima Tasnim Juma, spokesperson for the Dhaka University branch of Inquilab Manch, expressed strong anger at the interim government’s stance on the murder of Shaheed Sharif Osman Hadi. On Friday, December 26, after the Juma prayers, Inquilab Manch leaders, students, and supporters marched from the university’s central mosque to Shahbagh, where they blocked the road and halted traffic. The protest site filled with slogans demanding justice for Hadi’s killing.

In her speech, Juma recalled Hadi’s legacy as a humble activist who never claimed leadership but inspired others through his dedication. She criticized the authorities for failing to provide clear information about the suspects’ whereabouts and accused intelligence agencies of negligence. Juma also warned against attempts to label their movement as mob activity, calling such claims a tactic to delay justice and elections.

Juma declared that the protesters would not leave the streets until Hadi’s killers are brought to justice, vowing that the trial must take place in Bangladesh and that Shahbagh would witness its outcome.

After Friday prayers, leaders and activists of Inquilab Mancha, along with students and the public, marched from Dhaka University Central Mosque to Shahbagh intersection and began a sit-in. The demonstration was organized to demand justice for Sharif Osman Hadi, who was shot on December 12 and later died in a Singapore hospital on December 18.

Inquilab Mancha member secretary Abdullah Al Jaber announced that the protesters would not leave Shahbagh until the interim government’s advisers publicly respond regarding Hadi’s case. He stated that they were prepared to stay overnight and even risk their lives to continue the protest. A reliable source indicated that the sit-in would continue until Home Adviser Lieutenant General Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury arrives at the site.

The protesters accused government advisers of avoiding accountability and vowed to maintain their position at Shahbagh until their demands are addressed.

A fire that broke out at the Khaddar Bazar Shopping Complex in Gulistan, Dhaka, was brought under control after about one and a half hours on Friday, December 26. The Fire Service managed to contain the blaze at 6:58 p.m., after receiving the first report at 5:28 p.m. The first response team arrived at the scene within five minutes, and a total of nine units from the Siddik Bazar Fire Station worked to extinguish the fire.

The upper floors of the commercial building contained warehouses, raising fears that the fire could spread quickly. Panic spread among shopkeepers and customers on the lower floors, prompting them to evacuate the building immediately. Firefighters initially faced difficulties in accessing water sources due to heavy crowds on the road.

Authorities have not yet confirmed the cause of the fire or the extent of the damage, and an assessment is expected once the site is fully secured.

Dhaka University authorities announced that additional metro rail services will operate on Saturday, December 27, to ease transportation for candidates attending the 2025–26 academic year science unit undergraduate admission test. The measure aims to prevent travel congestion as both Dhaka University (DU) and the Military Institute of Science and Technology (MIST) are holding admission tests on the same day. The DU Public Relations Office confirmed the arrangements on Friday, December 26.

A total of 114,114 students will compete for 1,891 seats in the DU science unit admission test, which will be held at Dhaka University and seven public universities in divisional cities including Rajshahi, Chittagong, Barishal, Khulna, Sylhet, Mymensingh, and Rangpur. To accommodate students who shifted their DU exam centers to Dhaka due to the MIST schedule, three additional centers have been set up in Mirpur and Farmgate.

Authorities have also shortened metro rail intervals and arranged extra trains to ensure safe and smooth travel for examinees. Additionally, MIST rescheduled its architecture department’s second phase exam from December 27 to December 28 following DU’s request.

A poem by Inquilab Mancha spokesperson Shahid Sharif Osman Hadi, previously shared on Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus’s verified Facebook page, was suddenly removed along with the page’s profile photo. The disappearance, noticed on Friday morning, quickly drew widespread discussion and speculation across social media platforms.

The poem had earlier sparked nationwide attention after being posted on the Chief Adviser’s page. When users found the post and profile photo missing, questions arose about the cause. Senior Assistant Press Secretary Fayez Ahmad stated that neither the government nor the press office deleted any content. He attributed the incident to a technical error on Facebook’s side and confirmed that communication with the platform’s authorities was underway to resolve the issue.

According to the press wing, the changes were temporary and the page was expected to return to normal soon. However, the unexplained timing of the “technical error” continued to fuel public curiosity during a sensitive period.