National Citizen Party (NCP) chief Nahid Islam has raised alarms over the capability of the country’s intelligence agencies following the attack on Inqilab Moncho Convenor Sharif Osman bin Hadi. On Monday, Nahid said the country’s intelligence agencies were used to “suppress all opposition” for the past 16 years. But since Aug 5, their skills seem to have vanished. Nahid stressed that the focus should not be limited to the advisor’s position; the effectiveness of the intelligence agencies also needs scrutiny. We must discuss the deep state behind these operations and the functioning of our intelligence agencies.”

At least 20 people have suffered injuries in repeated clashes between the Jamaat-e-Islami and BNP activists in Bhola’s Char Fasson Upazila. The incident occurred at Chawkbazar in Zinnagor Union on Monday, according to Char Fasson Police chief (OC) Jahangir Badsha. The clash escalated further when the injured were brought to the Upazila Health Complex, where members from both parties again confronted each other on the hospital grounds. Police eventually arrived and brought the situation under control.

A Dhaka court has granted police five days to question senior journalist Anis Alamgir in custody in an anti-terror case. Earlier in the day, Shahriar Ali, deputy police commissioner of the Uttara Division, said Anis was shown arrested in the case. “A case has been filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act,” said Kazi Mohammad Rafiq Ahmed, chief of Uttara West Police. “The complaint accuses them of spreading several types of propaganda on social media and television talk shows in favour of the Awami League. Nearly 13 hours after that, police say the complaint has been filed as a case.

A Dhaka court has granted police five days to question Saheda Parvin Samia, wife of suspect Faisal Karim Masud, his brother-in-law Wahid Ahmed Shipu, and close friend Maria Akter Lima for questioning over the attempted murder of Inqilab Moncho spokesperson Sharif Osman bin Hadi. The Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Jashita Islam issued the order during a hearing on the investigating officer’s request for a seven-day remand.

The Jatiya Chhatra Shakti, the student wing of National Citizen Party (NCP), has suspended the blockade at the Shahbagh intersection in Dhaka demanding the resignation of the home affairs advisor following the shooting of Inqilab Moncho Convenor Osman Sharif Hadi. After blocking the Shahbagh intersection from 12:30pm to 3:30pm on Monday, the organisation’s president, Zahid Ahsan, announced the end of the sit-in programme in solidarity with the protest programme organised by the Inqilab Moncho at Shaheed Minar. He said, “We are ending our programme here today in solidarity with the protest programme organised by the Inqilab Moncho. However, we are postponing all of our programmes for tomorrow, Dec 16. We will announce our programme based on the situation the day after tomorrow.”

The Election Commission (EC) has ordered an immediate halt to early campaigning for the parliamentary elections. It also instructed authorities to ensure compliance with the election code of conduct at religious, social and national programmes. The EC issued the directive to all returning officers on Sunday. With the election and referendum set for Feb 12, the EC said election campaigning will be allowed from Jan 22, following the allocation of symbols, until Feb 10. In such cases, prior consent or permission from the relevant returning officer must be obtained, the EC said.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has called Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus to express his condolences over the death of six Bangladeshi peacekeepers in a drone attack in Sudan. I am devastated,” Guterres told Yunus, adding that he was horrified by the attack. The UN chief expressed his solidarity with Bangladesh and requested the chief advisor to convey his condolences to the bereaved families. Yunus said he is deeply saddened by the loss of the Bangladeshi peacekeepers and urged the UN to facilitate the evacuation of the injured soldiers to top medical facilities. He also called on the UN to ensure the swift repatriation of the bodies.

The Detective Branch (DB) of police has taken senior journalist Anis Alamgir to its office for ‘questioning’. After 8:00 pm on Sunday, a team of the sleuths brought him to their headquarters on Minto Road. DMP Additional Commissioner and DB chief Shafiqul Islam said he was brought in to be questioned “on certain matters”. “After speaking with him, we will decide on the next steps. We will notify the media through a press release.”

Police have arrested two men at Sherpur’s Nalitabari during border surveillance to prevent the escape of those who shot Sharif Osman bin Hadi, spokesperson of Inqilab Moncho. Police also arrested the owner of the motorcycle used during the attack on Hadi and seized the vehicle. On Friday, Hadi was shot in the head while travelling in a moving battery-run rickshaw, with the assailant firing from a motorcycle. Critically injured, Hadi was initially taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for emergency surgery before being transferred to Evercare Hospital. To prevent the attackers from fleeing, the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has increased patrols and surveillance along border areas, which led to the arrests of the two Sherpur suspects.

Two people were killed, and another was injured after a truck carrying betel leaves veered off the road and crashed in Sitakunda upazila of Chattogram. The accident occurred in the early hours of Sunday on the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway in the Bashbaria area of the upazila, police said. Both of them were residents of Haidgaon Union in Patiya upazila, reports bdnews24.com. Baraulia Highway Police Station OC Md Abdul Momin told bdnews24.com, “The victims were travelling from Patiya Haidgaon to Mirsarai Mithachara Bazar carrying betel leaves in the truck. The truck veered out of control in the Bashbaria area and crashed into a road island.”The victims were rescued and taken to the local hospital, where the doctor declared two people dead.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Sunday that Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma was summoned to Dhaka and formally requested to assist in the matter. In a media statement, the ministry said India had been asked to help stop the suspects from escaping to Indian territory. It added that if the suspects had already crossed into India, they should be swiftly arrested and extradited to Bangladesh. The ministry also raised concerns over alleged calls made by ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina from India to carry out terrorist activities in Bangladesh. It said Bangladesh expected India, as a neighbouring country, to stand with the Bangladeshi people in upholding justice and safeguarding democratic processes.

UN Secretary General António Guterres has condemned the drone attacks in Sudan that led to the deaths of several Bangladeshi UN peacekeepers. The UN chief expressed his condolences to the families of the dead and wished those injured a speedy recovery in a post on X, reports bdnews24.com. Armed insurgents launched a drone attack on the United Nations base in Abyei, Sudan, killing six Bangladeshi peacekeepers and injuring eight others. Among them, Mezbaul is in critical condition and is being kept under close observation, the Inter-Services Public Relations said in a press release. The UN secretary-general said, “Attacks against @UN peacekeepers like this one are unjustifiable & may constitute war crimes.

In the wake of recent attacks targeting candidates and election facilities, the Election Commission (EC) has instructed police to beef up security at election offices nationwide, including those of the chief election commissioner, commissioners, the EC secretary, and returning officers. The directive, issued on Saturday, was sent to the inspector general of police and relevant authorities to ensure heightened protection ahead of the general election and referendum scheduled for Feb 12. A day after the schedule was announced on Thursday, a potential candidate, Sharif Osman bin Hadi, was shot in Dhaka and the Lakshmipur election office was targeted in an arson attack. An EC official, asking not to be named, said the measures include stronger police escort for election commissioners and the secretary, armed guards for returning officers in Dhaka, Chattogram, and Khulna, and boosted security at all election offices nationwide.

Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has claimed that the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Ordinance is being “held hostage by a bureaucratic takeover”. Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman said stakeholders had hoped the gazetted NHRC ordinance would free the commission from longstanding bureaucratic control and align it with international standards and public expectations. He said changes to the selection committee on Dec 8, barely a month later, have turned that possibility into a tool of government control. It is part of a continuing pattern of government influence over the human rights commission and other constitutional and legal bodies,” he added. The inclusion of the cabinet secretary in the selection committee, he said, alone undermines the commission’s independence, neutrality, and effectiveness.

Civil society platform Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik (SHUJAN) has warned that the attack on Inquilab Mancha Convener Sharif Osman Hadi could undermine the country’s peaceful political environment and democratic process ahead of the upcoming national election. In a statement on Saturday, the organisation said it was “deeply concerned and angered” by the daylight attack on Hadi, a prospective candidate for the Dhaka-8 constituency and spokesperson of the Inqilab Mancha platform. "We believe that this type of barbaric attack is dangerous for the country's peaceful political environment and democratic process." "We wish Sharif Osman Hadi a quick recovery, express our sympathy to his family and colleagues, and demand that the best possible medical treatment for him be arranged immediately." "The failure to ensure Sharif Osman Hadi's safety, despite potential threats of attack, raises concerns about the country's overall security."