“Begum Khaleda Zia is now receiving treatment at the ICU. Dr Zahid said Khaleda Zia’s health condition deteriorated after her admission to the hospital on November 23. According to Dr Zahid, the Medical Board has unanimously decided to continue Khaleda Zia’s treatment under the management of Evercare Hospital. On behalf of Tarique Rahman and his family, Dr Zahid sought prayers from the nation for Khaleda Zia’s recovery. He said unnecessary presence or activities should not create any inconvenience for other patients or hamper Khaleda Zia’s treatment.

BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman today paid homage at the graves of the 57 fallen army officers at the Banani Military Graveyard in the capital. Photo: Video ScreenshotDHAKA, Dec 27, 2025 (BASS) - Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman today visited the graves of 57 army officers who were martyred in the Pilkhana tragedy in 2009. Fifty-seven army officers were martyred during the Pilkhana incident that took place on February 25 and 26 in 2009. Bangladesh lost 57 valiant army officers including the then BDR Director General Major General Shakil Ahmed, in the tragedy. Earlier, BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman also visited the graves of his beloved younger brother Arafat Rahman Koko and his father-in-law Rear Admiral Mahbub Ali Khan, at the Banani graveyard in the capital.

A sudden cold wave has tightened its grip across Bangladesh, dashing expectations of a mild start to winter as temperatures dropped sharply across much of the country, particularly in northern and western districts. According to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD), a mild to moderate cold wave is currently sweeping over Jessore, Chuadanga, Gopalganj, Rajshahi, Pabna, Sirajganj, Nilphamari, and adjoining areas. “This is the first cold wave of the current winter season,” said Shahnaj Sultana, a meteorologist at the BMD. “Temperatures may decrease further over the next few days, and the intensity of cold, along with fog, is likely to increase.”The cold wave has also reached the capital. These conditions are conducive to nighttime heat loss, prolonged cold spells, and the formation of dense morning fog, particularly during clear nights.

Initially, depositors will be able to withdraw up to Tk2 lakh from the branches of the merged banks. According to Bangladesh Bank data, these five banks currently have deposits of Tk142,000 crore from about 7.5 million depositors. The number of depositors from Tk1 lakh to Tk2 lakh is 149,456, with Tk2,010 crore in this account. The number of depositors with up to Tk1 lakh in Exim Bank is 1,281,858, and the deposit is Tk1,202 crore. The number of depositors with deposits of up to Tk1 lakh in Union Bank is 451,460, with a deposit of Tk707 crore.

Police have arrested three members of a counterfeit currency gang and recovered fake banknotes worth Taka 11.38 lakh in a special operation in Naikhongchhari upazila of Banadrban district. Superintendent of Police Abdur Rahman confirmed the arrests at a press conference held at the Superintendent of Police's conference room at 11:00 am on Saturday. According to police, acting on a tip-off, a special team conducted a raid late Thursday night (December 25) in front of Nurul Islam's shop in Wachkhali area adjacent to Dochhari union of Naikhongchhari upazila and arrested them red-handed while exchanging counterfeit currency. Police recovered a total of Tk 11.38 lakh in fake notes, consisting of 12 bundles of Taka 1,000 denomination notes, from their possession. Further investigation is underway to identify other members of the gang and determine the source of the fake notes, police said.

DHAKA, Dec 27, 2025 (BSS)- The 48th annual general meeting (AGM) of theBangla Academy was held today with various programmes. Besides, this year, eight individuals were selected for Bangla Academy awardsfor their contributions to literature and drama, science and nature, essay,mathematics, theatre etc formally announced at today's meeting. The 'Abu Rushd Literature Award' for outstanding contribution to translationliterature went to Shibrata Barman, with a cash prize of Taka 100,000. Safiq Islam received the 'Halima-Sharafuddin Science Award' for presentingmathematics in an accessible and enjoyable way through his book Goniter RajyeAnondobhromon. The award carries a cash prize of Taka 50,000.

ATHENS, Dec 27, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - The Greek coastguard on Friday rescued nearly 400 would-be migrants from a fishing boat and another vessel off southern Crete, ANA news agency reported. In one operation about 35 nautical miles from the small island of Gavdos, off Crete, a coastguard vessel, a Danish freighter and a helicopter took 365 people off a fishing boat, according to the agency. Earlier about 30 people were moved onto a Frontex European frontier agency boat, about 25 nautical miles from Gavdos. Some 39 people on a rubber dinghy were rescued on Thursday just south of Crete. The sea between Turkey and Greece and Libya to Greece are popular routes for undocumented migrants trying to reach Europe.

The day began shortly after 11am, when Tarique Rahman paid tribute at the grave of National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam beside the Dhaka University Central Mosque. After the grave visits, Tarique Rahman went directly to the Election Commission (EC) office in Agargaon. According to the EC, Tarique Rahman will be registered as a voter of Ward No. Amid his busy schedule, Tarique Rahman visited his father-in-law’s residence, Mahbub Bhaban, in Dhanmondi in the afternoon—his first visit there in 17 years. Earlier, on December 25, Tarique Rahman returned to Bangladesh from the United Kingdom, ending his long period of exile.

DHAKA, Dec 27, 2025 (BSS) - Dhaka Capitals made a winning start to theBangladesh Premier League (BPL), overcoming a heartbreaking situation tothrash Rajshahi Warriors by five wickets at Sylhet International CricketStadium today. Despite the emotional setback, Dhaka Capitals rallied together to deliver aprofessional performance and secure the win. Rajshahi Warriors, who had dominated their opening match against Sylhet,struggled to build momentum in this game. In the chase, Abdullah Al Mamun played a steady knock, scoring 45 off 39balls to anchor the innings. However, it was Sabbir Rahman's explosive 21 notout off just 10 balls that sealed the victory for Dhaka, as they raced to thevictory with 134-5, comfortably chasing down the target with seven balls tospare.

BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman visited Evercare Hospital in the capital on Saturday night to see his ailing mother and former prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia. Tarique arrived at the hospital around 9:40pm, BNP media cell member Shayrul Kabir Khan said. This was the second time Tarique visited the hospital since returning to the country on Thursday after nearly 17 years abroad. Earlier on Thursday, he went to Evercare Hospital after briefly addressing party leaders and supporters at the 300 Feet venue in the capital. Begum Khaleda Zia has been undergoing treatment at the Coronary Care Unit (CCU) of Evercare Hospital in the Bashundhara residential area since November 23.

Bangladesh’s dengue situation has taken an alarming turn this year, with experts warning that the outbreak may extend into the winter season—an unusual pattern that signals a deepening public health crisis. Increased domestic travel and the absence of mosquito control programmes in rural areas have accelerated the spread. Administrative stagnation hampers dengue controlThroughout 2025, dengue control in Dhaka remained largely confined to plans on paper, with little success on the ground. What needs to be done nowPublic health experts say immediate, coordinated action is essential to curb the dengue crisis. “Dengue is no longer just a health issue—it has become a national crisis affecting families, education and the economy,” Prof Bashar said.

Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain on Saturday said the government is serious and fully committed to ensuring a free, fair and credible election, stressing that people have long been deprived of their fundamental right to vote. The adviser made the remarks while inaugurating a voting vehicle programme at Bhola Government School ground as the chief guest. He said the election is particularly significant as no credible election has been held since 2009, depriving people of the opportunity to vote for candidates of their choice. He noted that a large number of young voters, particularly those aged around 30 or below, have been unable to exercise their franchise in recent years. Addressing political parties, Touhid Hossain urged them to present their views to voters without resorting to violence, calling for restraint to ensure a free and peaceful election.

Eight inbound flights to Dhaka were diverted to alternate airports on Saturday as dense fog sharply reduced visibility at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, airport authorities said. Airport officials said safety considerations prompted the diversions after visibility dropped due to heavy fog at the capital's main airport. Of the diverted flights, three were redirected to Shah Amanat International Airport, four landed at Kalkata in India and one was rerouted to Bangkok International Airport, officials confirmed. They said normal flight operations at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport will resume once weather conditions improve. Airport authorities thanked passengers for their cooperation and patience amid the temporary disruption.

Thirty founding members of the National Citizen Party (NCP) have threatened to resign en masse if the party proceeds with a potential alliance with Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and the 8-party coalition. One of the female NCP leaders, who signed the letter, confirmed its contents to Dhaka Tribune. “If moderate people and those expecting new politics withdraw their support, we will lose the party’s moderate base in the future. This will damage NCP’s own centrist political agency,” the letter said. The members concluded by urging that “strategy should be determined based on principled positions; principled positions should not be sacrificed for strategic reasons,” while maintaining respect for party discipline.

The Sundarbans has become vibrant with the movement of domestic and foreign tourists during the ongoing three-day holiday. On Friday alone, more than 2,000 tourists visited Katka, marking the highest single-day turnout of the season. According to Forest Department sources, over 4,000 tourists have toured Katka and other points of the Sundarbans in the last week. Md Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of the Sundarbans East Forest Division, Bagerhat, said tourist movement has increased significantly. On December 25, the department issued 18 tour permits, allowing 611 local and 13 foreign tourists to visit the Sundarbans after depositing the prescribed revenue.