United News of Bangladesh

The international Crime Tribunal-1 (ICT-1) on Sunday fixed December 23 for hearing the charge framing against seventeen people including Sheikh Hasina and ten former army officers in a case filed over enforced disappearances and torture at the Joint Interrogation Cell (JIC) during the Awami League regime. A three-member panel, headed by ICT-1 Chairman Justice Md Golam Mortuza Majumder, passed the order as a defense counsel filed a petition seeking time. Earlier in the day, ten army officers were produced before the court amid tight security from Dhaka Cantonment Special Jail. They are--former Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) Additional Director General Brig Gen Md Jahangir Alam, Brig Gen Tofayel Mostafa Sarwar, Brig Gen Md Kamrul Hasan, Brig Gen Md Mahbub Alam, Brig Gen K.M. Azad, Col Abdullah Al Momen and Col Anwar Latif Khan, ex-Rab intelligence wing officials Lt Col Md Mashiur Rahman, Lt Col Saiful Islam Sumon, Lt Col Sarwar Bin Kashem. Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan and Tarique Ahmed Siddique, former defence and security adviser to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and three other accused went into hiding. According to the prosecution, 30 individuals, including former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, have been named as accused in the two cases. One case names 17 accused, another 13. Hasina has been named in two of the cases. Among the 25 army officers charged, 15 are currently in custody. The first case involves allegations that opposition figures were abducted and secretly detained and tortured inside the Task Force Interrogation (TFI) cell operated by Rab during the Awami League’s tenure. In the case, the formal charges naming Hasina and 16 others were submitted on October 8. The second case was filed against Hasina, and 12 others over enforced disappearances allegedly carried out at the Joint Interrogation Cell (JIC), also known as the “Aynaghar.” Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam presented the charges before the tribunal and requested that they be accepted for trial. After a preliminary hearing, the tribunal issued arrest warrants and ordered the accused to appear before the court by October 22.  

M Manjurul Karim Rony, general secretary of Gazipur Metropolitan unit BNP, on Sunday collected his nomination paper to contest the parliamentary election from Gazipur-2 constituency. Rony along with his party leaders collected the nomination paper from the office of District Returning Officer and Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Alam Hossain in the afternoon. After collecting the nomination papers, Rony said people have not been able to vote for 18 years and now they hope for a free and fair election on February 12. “We are optimistic that in this election, the BNP and the 'Sheaf of Paddy' symbol will win by a huge margin across Bangladesh.” He said a vested quarter has engaged in conspiracies against polls, assuming they cannot win the election.  

Stating that no media outlet in Bangladesh’s 53-year history had ever faced arson attacks like the recent ones, The Daily Star Editor Mahfuz Anam on Sunday said the country is currently in a deeply devastated state, with its institutions being challenged and destroyed. Speaking at a views-exchange meeting with editors and senior journalists at a city hotel ahead of BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman’s homecoming, he also urged political parties to accept ‘critical journalism’ as essential for good governance and press freedom. “Bangladesh is currently in a deeply devastated state as its institutions are being challenged and destroyed. Please remember that in the country’s 53-year history, no media office had ever been set on fire. For the first time, the offices of Prothom Alo and The Daily Star have been attacked with arson. Why did this happen? What crime did we commit?” Mahfuz Anam said. He called upon media outlets to sincerely and responsibly ask why the offices of the two leading newspapers came under attack. “At the same time, I want to look to the future. We aim to build a constructive and respectful relationship with the media. In this regard, my message is clear: freedom of expression must be step one. But for any political party, the most important principle is to ensure the freedom to express critical opinions,” the Daily Star Editor said. He noted that while freedom of expression exists in the country, there is little space for expressing critical opinions. “What we need is the freedom to criticise. One major experience from our 53 years of politics is that no government has ever fully accepted critical journalism. I hope that in a new Bangladesh, you will embrace critical journalism,” Mahfuz said. He also said critical journalism is not only about freedom of the press but also an opportunity for good governance. “You must nurture independent journalism. Of course, we have an interest in that. But you must also understand that if you do not want to hear the truth, you will make mistakes—and repeat them. Because you have never taken critical journalism seriously before,” the veteran editor said. He warned political leaders that party members, intelligence agencies, and bureaucrats will not tell them the truth. “It is the independent media that will tell you the truth about the country. If you do not want to hear that truth, you will make mistakes.” The editor expressed the hope that the new Bangladesh, to be built under the leadership of Tarique Rahman, will encourage critical journalism and independent media. “Yes, I also admit that we do make mistakes. When that happens, what will you do? Will you condemn us? Will you try to destroy us? My request is that you always come to us and say, ‘Mahfuz Anam, this report of yours is not fact-based and incorrect.’ I promise that when you point out that my report is incorrect or not fact-based, I will apologise,” the Daily Star editor said. Pointing to BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed, Mahfuz Anam said that although he appears media-friendly now, the real test will come once his party assumes power.  “You are media-friendly now because your party is not in power. How media-friendly you will remain after coming to power will show how much you truly support independent journalism,” he added. Criticising ethical lapses within the media, Mahfuz Anam said many editors have become public relations officers for owners. “Ethics, ethics and ethics—there is no alternative to ethical journalism in the future,” he said. The Daily Star editor said building a new Bangladesh will require creating a new media environment, and this presents a unique opportunity for Tarique Rahman to do so.

Three people were killed and one remained missing after a truck and four other vehicles fell into the Dhaleshwari River from a ferry in Baktaboli area of Narayanganj early Sunday. The deceased were identified as Masud Rana, 30, a Bangladeshi expatriate in Singapore, van puller Shadhin, 25, and Rafique, 35. Md Rakibuzzaman, in-charge of Baktaboli River Police, said the ferry left Narsinghpur in Fatullah for Baktaboli around 9 pm on Saturday. When the ferry reached the middle of the river, a truck suddenly started rolling and plunged into the water dragging along a motorcycle, two auto-rickshaws and a van. Eight to ten people managed to swim to safety while four others went missing, police said. On information, a firefighting unit rushed to the spot and recovered the bodies of three victims around 3 am. Md Hasanuzzaman, additional superintendent of police in Narayanganj, said police are investigating the incident.  

Two siblings died of suspected food poisoning at Wireless Mor in  the capital’s Hatirjheel area on Sunday. The deceased were identified as Afrida Chowdhury, 10, a class III student of Viqarunnisa Noon School and College and her one-year-old brother Ilham Chowdhury, children of Mosleh Uddin Chowdhury. Golam Mortuza, Officer-in-Charge of Hatirjheel police station, said the bodies were handed over to the family on Sunday following post-mortem examinations. Police said children’s father Mosleh Uddin Chowdhury, mother Saida Jakawat Ara, and their two children had dinner together on Friday night before going to sleep. On Saturday morning, Afrida fell sick and was taken to a local hospital where doctors declared her dead around 7am. Her body was later brought home. Shortly afterwards, Ilham began vomiting and became critically ill. He was rushed to another hospital where he died in the afternoon while undergoing treatment. Both parents also became sick but recovered after receiving medical treatment. “Initially, it appears the children may have died from food poisoning, but the exact cause of death will be confirmed after receiving the post-mortem reports,” the OC said.

A suspected thief was killed in a lynch-mob attack at Konaur village in Nabinagar upazila of Brahmanbaria district early Sunday. The deceased was identified as Shahed Ali, 60, son of Millat Ali of Semantaghar village in the upazila. Local people said as the house inmates raised a hue and cry for help sensing presence of a thief neighbours rushed in. They caught Shahed and beat him up mercilessly, leaving him dead on the spot. On information, police recovered the body and sent it to Sadar Hospital morgue for autopsy, said Rafiqul Islam, officer-in-charge of Nabinagar Police Station. Police arrested four people in connection with their suspected involvement in the killing.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin has sat with top representatives of law enforcement and intelligence agencies to review the overall law and order situation ahead of the upcoming national election and referendum scheduled to be held on February 12, 2026. The meeting began around 2:50 pm at Nirbachan Bhaban in Dhaka on Sunday. Home Affairs Secretary, the Principal Staff Officer of the Armed Forces Division, the Inspector General of Police, Directors general of Border Guard Bangladesh, the Coast Guard, Ansar and VDP, Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI), National Security Intelligence (NSI), National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre (NTMC) and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), along with additional IGPs of Special Branch (SB) and Criminal Investigation Department (CID), and the Inspector General of Prisons have joined the meeting. Election Commissioners Abdur Rahmanel Masud, Tahmida Ahmed, Md Anwarul Islam Sarkar  Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah and EC Secretary Akhtar Ahmed have also joined .

The National Committee to Protect Shipping, Roads and Railways on Sunday protested the recent increase in fares of  trains and demanded the immediate withdrawal of the revised fares. The demand was made in a joint statement by Mohammad Shahid Mia, president of the organisation and its general secretary Ashish Kumar Dey. According to the statement, the railway authority has increased train fares on six routes under the Eastern Railway, including the Dhaka–Cox’s Bazar route. The revised fares came into effect on Saturday. Referring to the decision to raise passenger fares by increasing tolls on various railway bridges, the civic body said train fares on these six routes have been increased five times over the last 13 years. The leaders of the National Committee said the lives of ordinary people have already become difficult due to rising prices daily necessities. In such a situation, the sudden hike in train fares will further aggravate the hardship of passengers.

A case has been filed against 300-350 people in connection with the vandalism and arson attack on the building of cultural organisation Chhayanaut in Dhanmondi area of the capital. Dulal Ghosh, manager of Chhayanaut,  filed the case with Dhanmondi police station on Saturday, said Md Saiful Islam, Officer-in-Charge of the police station. A group of unruly people set fire to the building of Chhayanaut in the early hours of Friday after the death of Inquilab Moncho spokesperson Sharif Osman Hadi at a Singapore hospital . The assailants wearing helmets and face coverings entered the building, carried out vandalism and set fire to valuables.  

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin held an hour long meeting with the chiefs of Bangladesh Army, Navy and Air Force at Nirbachan Bhaban in Dhaka on Sunday. The meeting began around 12pm and ended at 1pm. However, the outcomes of the meeting are yet to be made public. The CEC is scheduled to sit with top representatives of law enforcement and intelligence agencies on Sunday afternoon to review the overall law and order situation ahead of the upcoming national election and referendum scheduled to be held on February 12, 2026. Top representatives of the armed forces, Home Affairs Secretary, the Principal Staff Officer of the Armed Forces Division, the Inspector General of Police, Directors general of Border Guard Bangladesh, the Coast Guard, Ansar and VDP, Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI), National Security Intelligence (NSI), National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre (NTMC) and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), along with additional IGPs of Special Branch (SB) and Criminal Investigation Department (CID), and the Inspector General of Prisons are supposed to attend the meeting.