The family of Inqilab Moncho Convenor Sharif Osman Hadi has given its permission for doctors in Singapore to proceed with a surgery as he remains in “life or death” condition. Inqilab Moncho said in a post on Thursday that Hadi stands at the crossroads of life and death. Singapore’s Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan is regularly in touch with the chief advisor and is making inquiries about Hadi, it said. Hadi has been undergoing treatment at Singapore General Hospital since Monday. He was first treated at Dhaka Medical College Hospital, underwent emergency surgery, and was later admitted to Evercare Hospital.

Sajjad Hossain, alias Chhoto Sajjad, a notorious criminal in Chattogram, has secured bail from the top court in three more cases. Although bail orders have been arriving one after another at Chattogram Jail, Sajjad is currently in Rajshahi Central Jail. He is known in the port city's Bayezid, Oxygen, and Chandgaon areas as “Chhoto Sajjad” or “Burir Nati”, a follower of the other Sajjad Hossain, a proclaimed offender known as “Boro Sajjad” who fled abroad. As his follower, Chhoto Sajjad would extort money in Bayezid and Chandgaon on his behalf. The commissioner added, “Chhoto Sajjad carried out his extortion, killings and other criminal activities under the patronage and protection of Sajjad, who is currently living in Dubai."

Domestic aide Ayesha Akhter has given a confessional statement to the court in connection with the murder of a mother and her teenage daughter in Dhaka’s Mohammadpur, after her husband confessed earlier. Dhaka Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Jashita Islam recorded her confessional statement following an application by the investigation officer. The following day, the court ordered six days of questioning in police custody for Ayesha and three days for Rabby. After Ayesha’s six-day remand ended on Wednesday, Mohammadpur Police Sub-Inspector Shahidul Osman Masum produced her in court. He had been living in the Mohammadpur flat with his wife and their only daughter for about 13 years.

The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has detained the father of Faisal Karim Masud, the key suspect in the attack on Inqilab Moncho leader Sharif Osman bin Hadi, as the investigation into the attempted killing intensifies. After the detention, the RAB said it had recovered two firearms from Narsingdi and brought Faisal’s mother to its office for questioning. “Of these, one pistol is suspected to have been used in the attack on Hadi.”RAB’s spokesperson said further details would be shared later. Inqilab Moncho Member Secretary Abdullah Al Jaber lodged the case. Gravely wounded, Hadi was rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for surgery and later admitted to Evercare Hospital the same night.

Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus is set to address the nation on the occasion of Victory Day. The speech will be broadcast simultaneously on state-run Bangladesh Television, BTV News and Bangladesh Betar at 6:30pm on Tuesday, the Chief Advisor's Office said.

The 1971 Liberation War was actually a “crackdown” by Pakistan on the "Mujib Bahini", which had carried out “genocide” prior to Mar 25, Jamaat-e-Islami’s Chattogram city chief Mohammad Nazrul Islam has said. He also remarked that the intellectuals in Bangladesh were killed on Dec 14 in 1971 according to an Indian army “plan”. Calling for black chapters in history to be opened to the public, Nazrul said: “Mujib Bahini basically carried out genocide before Mar 25 in many areas. Pakistan deployed the army on Mar 25 for the crackdown in response to the genocide.”He said the nation was denied the true history over the past 54 years. He also called for discovering the history of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman passing comfortable time in jail by surrendering to Pakistan on the night of Mar 25.

President Mohammed Shahabuddin and his wife Rebecca Sultana have hosted a reception at Bangabhaban to mark Victory Day, honouring valiant freedom fighters and family members of the Bir Sreshtho. The reception was held in the lawn outside Bangabhaban on Tuesday afternoon and was attended by advisors of the interim government, along with senior government, military and civilian officials, and citizens. During the event, the president cut a cake along with the chief justice, advisors, the chief election commissioner and the three service chiefs. The president also exchanged greetings with injured freedom fighters and other guests.

Expressing his determination to take Bangladesh forward on the path of reform, National Citizen Party (NCP) Convenor Nahid Islam says, “Bangladesh will never return to where it was before Aug 5.”He said, “We are united against the brokers of 1971. He also commented that the “fallen fascist forces” are trying to destabilise Bangladesh and sabotage the upcoming parliamentary elections. He said, “The people of this land have fought for centuries for freedom, for their human dignity, for sovereignty. In 1971, we had to go through a people’s war. He said he was determined to build a new Bangladesh by “holding to” the historical struggles of 1947 to 1971 and 2024.

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.