The death toll from the Munshiganj speedboat accident has reached four. Six others were rescued following the collision between the speedboat and a trawler in the Meghna River in Gajaria upazila of Munshiganj on Friday night, said Anwar Alam, officer-in-charge of Gajaria Police Station on Saturday. The deceased have been identified as Wadud Bepari, 36, son of Mohammad Ali Bepari from Jamalpur village in Gajaria upazila; Babul Sarkar, 48, son of Bachchu Sarkar from Ramzanbeg village in Munshiganj upazila; and two men, Sakib, 26, and Nayeem, 24, both from Matlab Uttar upazila in Chandpur. Nayeem, the operator of the speedboat, was among the deceased. 2 killed as speedboat collides with bulkhead in Munshiganj According to police and locals, the accident occurred when a trawler, en route to Guagachia in Gajaria upazila from an event in Matlab Uttar, collided with the oncoming speedboat. Both vessels were carrying a total of 10 to 11 people. Dense fog at the time caused the speedboat to lose its bearings, leading to the crash. The impact caused the trawler to sink, while the speedboat was damaged. Following the collision, Nayeem's body went missing. Search efforts were immediately launched by the Fire Service, Coast Guard, and Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA). Nayeem's body was eventually recovered around 2 pm on Saturday. Jubo Dal leader snatched from police station in Munshiganj Commander Obaidul Karim Khan, deputy director of BIWTA and head of the Narayanganj rescue unit, said, "We have confirmed that the speedboat collided with an engine-driven trawler. We believe that all the deceased were passengers of the trawler." Further investigations are ongoing, the OC also stated.

Bangladesh reported its first dengue death of the year in 24 hours till Saturday morning. The death has been reported in the Dhaka North City Corporation, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). No dengue deaths in 24 hours During this period, 56 more patients were hospitalised with the viral fever, bringing the total number of cases to 221, it added. Of the new cases, 9 dengue patients were admitted in hospital under Dhaka North City Corporation while 12 were hospitalised in Dhaka South City Corporation. Currently, 436 patients are receiving treatment in hospitals across the country. Zero dengue deaths reported in 24 hours Last year, dengue claimed the lives of 575 people. According to the DGHS, there were 101,214 dengue cases and 100,040 recoveries in 2024.

Tragedy struck in Baraigram upazila of Natore on Tuesday night as a tenth-grade student fell to his death from the rooftop of a three-story building while celebrating the New Year. The deceased, identified as Ishtiak, was a student at St. Joseph High School in the Bonpara area and was set to take his SSC examinations this year. Students motorcade comes under attack in Bagerhat; 20 injured According to family members and locals, Ishtiak was celebrating with friends on the rooftop of his friend’s residence in the Kalikapur area. The incident occurred when Ishtiak, reportedly distracted by his mobile phone, lost his footing, leading to a fatal fall. He sustained severe injuries and was rushed to a local clinic, but doctors declared him dead upon arrival, said Sirajul Islam, Officer-in-Charge of Baraigram Police Station. SSC student dies in Pabna road crash The officer further said that the police would take action if the family files a formal complaint regarding the incident.

A 25-year-old unidentified youth has been killed after being hit by a train near Mobarakganj Railway Station in Kaliganj, Jhenaidah. The incident occurred on Sunday, according to witnesses. The identity of the deceased remains unknown. Teenager hit by bus dies in Sylhet; road blocked in protest Witnesses said the victim was wearing jeans and a gray t-shirt. Locals suspect that the youth may have jumped under the train, indicating a possible suicide. Arifur Rahman, a trolley man at the Mobarakganj station’s sub-assistant engineering office, said around 2pm on Sunday, unidentified youth was hit by Chapainawabganj-bound Mahananda Up train leaving Khulna near Babra Rail Gate of Mobarakganj Railway Station. Later, the Jashore Railway Police recovered the body after being notified by the station master.

A firefighter died after being hit by a truck while crossing the road in the fire team's desperate bid to douse the midnight fire at a Bangladesh Secretariat building on Wednesday. The deceased, Sohanur Zaman Nayan, son of Akhtaruzzaman from Atpania village under Mithapukur police station in Rangpur, was a firefighter stationed at Tejgaon Fire Station. According to witnesses, Nayan was seriously injured after being hit by a speeding truck at around 3:15 am while crossing the road carrying a water pipe on his shoulder. The truck sped away after the incident before it was stopped by a mob near the Public Works building, not far away from the scene. High-level committee formed to investigate Secretariat fire Later, he was taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where a doctor declared him dead. The angry mob attempted to assault the detained driver, but army personnel intervened and brought the situation under control. The Namaz-e-Janaza of the firefighter will be held at the headquarters of the Fire Service and Civil Defence (FSCD) in Dhaka after Zuhr prayers. Home Affairs Adviser Lt. Gen (retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury is scheduled to attend the janaza.

Three more deaths were reported from dengue in 24 hours till Saturday morning, raising the number of fatalities from the mosquito-borne disease in Bangladesh to 548 this year. According to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), recent fatalities have been reported in various divisions of the country. One death each occurred in the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), Barishal Division, and Khulna Division (outside the city corporations). During the same period, 316 additional patients were hospitalised with viral fever, the DGHS added. Two more die of dengue, 478 hospitalised in 24hrs Of them, 95 dengue patients were admitted in hospital under Dhaka North City Corporation while 63 were hospitalised in Dhaka South City Corporation. As of now, 1,777 patients are receiving treatment in hospitals across the country. Since January 1, 2024, a total of 98,504 dengue cases have been reported. Dengue: 5 more die, 629 hospitalised in 24hrs Last year, dengue claimed the lives of 1,705 people, making it the deadliest year on record. According to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), there were 321,179 dengue cases and 318,749 recoveries in 2023. 

Police recovered the body of a man in the Shahbagh area of Dhaka on Saturday noon. The deceased was identified as  Md. Kalam Hossain, 55. According to Shahbagh police, the man was found unconscious near Gate 3 of Suhrawardy Udyan at around 1:30pm. Narsingdi clash leaves 2 UP members killed    Later, local residents informed the police and took him to the Emergency Department of Dhaka Medical College Hospital around 3:30 PM, where doctors declared him dead. The body has been sent to the hospital morgue for autopsy, said Sub-Inspector Asaduzzaman Jewel of Shahbagh Police Station.

A 40-year-old man was killed and eight others were injured in a clash between two groups of villagers over the ownership of a piece of land at Sonatiki village in Rajnagar upazila of Moulvibazar district on Friday. The deceased was identified as Misrab Khan, son of Rahmat Khan of the upazila. Quoting local people, officer-in-charge of Rajnagar Police Station, Shah Mohammad Mubasshir, said Abdul Hakim, son of Tajmul Mia of the village, had long been at loggerheads with Misrab over the ownership of a piece of land. An altercation was ensued between the two groups over the issue on Friday afternoon. At one stage, both groups equipped with locally made weapons attacked each other, leaving Misrab dead on the spot and eight others injured. Two college students die in Moulvibazar road accident The injured were taken to Rajnagar Upazila Health Complex. On information, police rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control.

At least four people, including two drivers, were killed and 20 others injured in a head-on collision between a bus and a truck in Dinajpur on Friday morning, said police. The accident occurred on Dinajpur-Panchagarh highway in Chakai intersection around 8:30am, said Birganj police station’s Officer-in-Charge (OC) Abdul Gafur. The deceased included bus and truck drivers and two bus passengers. Details about casualties couldn’t be known immediately, he said. All the injured were first sent to Birganj Upazila Health Complex, the OC said, adding that later six of them were shifted to Dinajpur Medical College Hospital for advance treatment as their condition was stated to be critical. Read: 4 killed in separate road accidents in Natore Quoting locals, OC Gafur said the paddy-laden truck collided with the Panchagarh-bound bus coming from Dhaka, leaving the four dead on the spot and some 20 others injured. On information, police and Fire Service personnel went to the spot and rescued the injured and sent them to the hospital, he said.

Three years ago, a man known only as ‘Mahmudur Rahman’ was quietly laid to rest in a madrasa graveyard in Savar, his identity shrouded in mystery. Today, DNA testing has brought this chapter of uncertainty to a close, unearthing a poignant tale of mistaken identity, unanswered questions, and a family's enduring quest for closure. The man has been conclusively identified as Harris Chowdhury, the former political secretary to ex-Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and a prominent BNP leader. This revelation ends years of speculation about his fate and sheds light on a story that had remained buried—both figuratively and literally. DNA Confirmation and Exhumation Following a High Court order, Harris Chowdhury’s body was exhumed from the madrasa graveyard by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). DNA samples collected from the remains were matched with those of his daughter, Barrister Samira Tanzin Chowdhury, yielding a positive match. The High Court, led by Justice Fahmida Khatun and Justice Mubina Asaf, granted permission for Harris Chowdhury’s burial at a location chosen by his family. The court further instructed that he be accorded due honours as a freedom fighter. Barrister Mahdin Chowdhury, who represented the petitioner, said that the court's decision brought long-awaited justice for the family. Read: Body exhumed in Savar to verify Harris Chowdhury’s identity Barrister Samira expressed relief, saying, “The outgoing fascist regime scripted a drama to cast doubt on my father’s death, perpetuating confusion through media reports. This uncertainty was agonising for us as a family. We turned to the court for closure, and today, justice has been served.” A Life Shrouded in Mystery Harris Chowdhury disappeared in 2007 during the military-backed caretaker government’s anti-corruption drive. He reportedly went into hiding in Sylhet, later fleeing to India and eventually settling in the United Kingdom after stints in Pakistan and Iran. In 2015, rumours suggested he had returned to Bangladesh, but no concrete evidence emerged. Even his family and close political associates were unaware of his whereabouts. Living under the alias Mahmudur Rahman, Chowdhury resided in Dhaka until his death from Covid-19 on September 3, 2021, at Evercare Hospital. Under pressure from law enforcement agencies, his death was concealed, and he was buried in Savar without a death certificate under his real name. Barrister Samira said the government of the time denied her father the honours he deserved as a freedom fighter. Read more: HC orders to exhume body of Harris Chowdhury for DNA test “Today’s court order ends the harassment and confusion surrounding my father’s death. We are grateful to the court for allowing us to re-bury him with dignity,” she remarked. As his body is finally laid to rest, the veil over his life—and death—has been lifted, ending a tale of mystery, intrigue, and resilience.