United News of Bangladesh

Mohammad Arshadul Rouf, Additional Attorney General, will assume the responsibilities of the Attorney General on an additional charge. The Law and Justice Division of the Ministry of Law issued a notification on Thursday confirming his appointment. The notification, signed by Law and Justice Secretary Liakat Ali Molla, stated that the President has assigned Arshadul Rouf the additional duties of Bangladesh’s Attorney General. At the same time, the President has accepted the resignation of Md. Asaduzzaman, who had been serving as Attorney General. A separate notification was issued regarding his resignation. Asaduzzaman stepped down from the post following his nomination by the BNP for the Jhenaidah-1 constituency ahead of the 13th National Parliamentary Election.

Sanjay Chisim and Md. Faisal, arrested in connection with the murder of Sharif Osman Hadi, have given confessional statements. This is a different Faosal from the one who is the main accused in the murder, Faisal Karim. After a three-day remand, the two accused provided their statements before Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Jamshed Alam on Thursday. Following the confessions, the court sent Sanjay, Faisal, and Sibun Diuke to jail. Hadi was attacked on December 12 in Bijoynagar, Dhaka. The assailants, riding a motorcycle, shot at Hadi while he was in a moving rickshaw, hitting him in the head. He succumbed to his injuries seven days later, on December 18. Sanjay Chisim and Sibun Diuke were arrested on December 14 from the Nalitabari border in Sherpur, while Faisal was apprehended on December 16 by a RAB-11 team in Taruar Bill, Narsingdi Sadar, with firearms and ammunition recovered from water. So far, the police have arrested 12 individuals in connection with the case. The accused include Faisal’s father Md. Humayun Kabir, mother Mosa Hasi Begum, wife Saheda Parvin Samia, girlfriend Maria Akter Lima, brother-in-law Wahid Ahmed Sipu, hired private car businessman Mufti Md. Nuruzzaman Nomani (alias Uzzal), Faisal’s associate Md. Kabir, and those who assisted in fleeing to India—Sibun Diuke and Sanjay Chisim—along with Aminul Islam Raju and Md. Faisal.

A youth was hacked to death allegedly by miscreants in Jhauchhar area under Hazaribagh Police Station of Dhaka early Thursday, on the first day of 2026. The victim was identified as Md Shipon, 24, son of Md Shah Alam of local Boro Mosque area under the same police station. The concerned police station’s sub-inspector Suman Chandra Shil a group of assailants hacked him with sharp weapons and left critically injured. On information, they rushed to the spot and found the youth lying in a pool of blood in an alley near Siam School in the Jhauchhar area, he said. He was rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital where physicians declared him dead upon arrival around 3:30am, the sub-inspector said, adding that the body has been kept at the hospital morgue for autopsy. Efforts were underway to identify those involved in the murder, he added.

Police have arrested another accused, who allegedly hanged the body of Dipu Chandra Das from tree after his death in a lynch-mob attack, from Gazipur district in connection in Bhaluka upazila of Mymensingh district on December 18. The arrestee was identified as Nibir Islam Anik, 20, son of Kalimullah of Trishal upazila in Mymensingh district. Police arrested Nibir from Cherag Ali area of Tongi in Gazipur district around 5:30 pm on Tuesday, said Additional Superintendent (Administration) of Mymensingh Police, Abdullah Al Mamun. In a video footage, Nibir was found hanging the body of Dipu and set it on fire after his death, he said. On Wednesday, police produced him before a court seeking a seven-day remand. Police said videos and images spread after the incident showed a man wearing a white shirt pulling Dipu up a tree with a rope. After analysing footage collected from social media the investigation team identified Nibir. Police also said he had been absent from his workplace since the incident. With this the number of arrestees in this connection rose to 19. Dipu Chandra Das, 28, a local garment worker, was beaten to death by a mob over alleged blasphemy in Bhaluka Upazila of Mymensingh district on December 18.

Twenty seven platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) have been deployed at key points of Dhaka to ensure tight security around the janaza and burial of BNP Chairperson and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia. Md Shariful Islam, public relations officer of the BGB headquarters, said the deployment covers Evercare Hospital, the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban area and Zia Udyan to strengthen overall security. The namaz-e-janaza of Khaleda Zia is scheduled to be held at 2pm on Wednesday at Manik Mia Avenue and she will be laid to rest at 3:30pm beside her husband, martyred President Ziaur Rahman. Curtain falls on a political giant as Khaleda Zia passes into history Begum Khaleda Zia passed away at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka at 6am on Tuesday. She was 80. On the other hand, Bangladesh is observing a three-day state mourning and general holiday on Wednesday over the death of Khaleda Zia. Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus announced the decision in a televised address to the nation on Tuesday.

All necessary arrangements are being made by the security forces and relevant state authorities to allow the public to participate in the funeral of former Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia, officials said Tuesday night. According to a press release from the Chief Adviser’s Press Wing, the funeral will be held at Manik Mia Avenue on Wednesday, after Zohr prayers, around 2:00 pm. The coffin will be placed at the western end of Manik Mia Avenue instead of the South Plaza of the National Parliament. The ceremony will take place both inside the National Parliament grounds and across Manik Mia Avenue, with measures in place to ensure that people can participate safely. Roads surrounding the avenue will also be managed to allow public access. After the funeral, around 3:30 pm, Begum Khaleda Zia will be laid to rest with state honors beside the late President and freedom fighter Ziaur Rahman. Members of her family, high-ranking state officials, government authorities, foreign guests, diplomats, and BNP-nominated politicians are expected to attend. Access will be restricted to designated personnel during the burial, and public movement in Zia Udyan, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, will be limited until the completion of the burial rites.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has directed that no assemblies or programmes, including the Bishwa Ijtema, be held at the Tongi Ijtema ground during the pre-election period to ensure the smooth conduct of the 13th Jatiya Sangsad election and the 2026 referendum. The directive was issued on Tuesday through a letter sent to the Inspector General of Police (IGP). According to the letter, requests had been made to organise Khurujer Jor from January 2–4 and Bishwa Ijtema-2026 from January 22–24 at the Tongi Ijtema ground. However, considering the need to ensure a free, fair, peaceful and uninterrupted election and referendum, the ministry asked the IGP to take necessary measures to prevent any gatherings or events, including Khurujer Jor and the Bishwa Ijtema, at the venue during the pre-election period. The letter also noted that keeping the Tongi Ijtema ground free of assemblies during the election period is necessary in view of overall law and order, public safety and administrative preparedness surrounding the nationally significant election and referendum. The Home Ministry instructed the police and all concerned authorities to take required steps and ensure full cooperation in implementing the directive.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has expressed deep shock at the sad demise of three-time former Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia. On behalf of the DMP, its commissioner SM Sazzat Ali conveyed the sadness. As a three day state mourning will be observed showing respect to Khaleda Zia from Wednesday to Friday. Considering the situation, the DMP commissioner has issued the instructions exercising his powers conferred by Sections 28 and 29 of the DMP Ordinance. 1. During that time, all types of fireworks, bursting of crackers, flying lanterns and gas balloons have been banned in the DMP area. 2. No cultural programmes, DJ parties, rallies or processions can be held in open spaces. 3. Loud honking of car horns or any other activity that creates public nuisance is prohibited. The DMP seeks the full cooperation of the respected city residents to observe the mourning.

Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) arrested a listed criminal and recovered  two firearms and ammunition during a drive in the Pallabi area of the capital late Monday night. The arrestee was identified as Ashikur Islam Shanto, 20. Based on secret information,  a team of DB (Mirpur Division) conducted the operation in front of Meghbaran Restaurant in Section-11 under Pallabi Police Station around 11:10pm. The detectives had information that a gang of armed men and drug dealers were staying inside the restaurant, said DMP's DC (Media) Talebur Rahman on Tuesday afternoon. Sensing presence of the law enforcers, arrested Ashikur was trying to flee the scene but finally he was caught. Acting on his information got during primary interrogation,the detectives carried out another drive  on the ground floor of an abandoned DNCC market at Paris Road in D Block of Mirpur-10 Section and recovered a foreign-made revolver, a foreign pistol with a magazine loaded with two rounds of 9mm bullets, and 20 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition by digging under the staircase . A case was filed with Pallabi Police Station in this connection. DB arrests 13 AL, affiliate leaders for attempting to disrupt public order During interrogation, Ashikur reportedly confessed to being an active member of a terrorist group known as “Bhaira De.” He and his associates had long been involved in drug trading, extortion and snatching in the Pallabi area by intimidating people with firearms, the DC (Media) said. Police also said Ashikur is a charge-sheeted accused in 10 cases, including snatching, preparation for robbery, theft and narcotics cases filed with different DMP police stations.

Police detained a youth with a toy pistol from behind the stage of Inqilab Mancha sit-in programme in the capital’s Shahbagh on Monday evening (December 29, 2025). Police said several people spotted the youth behaving suspiciously behind the stage of the rally and held him before handing him over to police. Read more: Inqilab Moncho's Shahbagh blockade continues demanding justice for Hadi A pistol-like object was recovered from his possession, and he was immediately taken to Shahbagh Police Station. According to the National ID card recovered from him, the detainee was identified as Md Arafat Zaman, a resident of Jigatola. Shahbagh Police Station Officer-in-Charge Moniruzzaman said the object recovered from Arafat was verified as a toy pistol. “He has been kept in police custody for questioning. During primary interrogation, he claimed he used the toy pistol for playing at home and brought it out today by mistake,” the OC said. Read more: Hadi murder case to be tried under current govt: Home Adviser