In a terrorist attack on a United Nations base in Abyei, Sudan, six Bangladeshi peacekeepers have been killed and eight others injured. Four of the wounded are reported to be in critical condition. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) confirmed the incident on Saturday in a statement signed by Director Lieutenant Colonel Sami-ud-Daula Chowdhury. The ISPR said clashes between the peacekeepers and militants are ongoing at the site. The situation in the area remains unstable, with continued fighting between terrorists and peacekeepers. International media reports, citing hospital sources, said the UN facility in Sudan’s Kadugli was hit in a drone attack. The Sudanese government condemned the attack, holding the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) responsible. Around 11:30pm, the Chief Advisor’s Office said after receiving news of the incident, Bangladesh had already urged the United Nations to take urgent steps to ensure the best possible treatment and all necessary support for the injured peacekeepers, according to a press note. The government, it said, would stand by the families of the peacekeepers during this difficult time. Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus added that the government would coordinate closely with the UN to ensure the swift repatriation of the bodies and proper treatment for the wounded. Bangladesh has maintained a contingent of peacekeeping forces in Sudan as part of the UN’s mission to stabilise the Abyei region. Since 2023, the government of the African nation has been locked in a struggle with the RSF. Armed attacks and retaliatory clashes have frequently been reported across different parts of the country, often resulting in casualties. Relevant authorities are making every effort to provide necessary medical treatment and conduct rescue operations for injured personnel. Further updates will be shared as more information becomes available, the ISPR added. Abyei is an unresolved border region located between Sudan and South Sudan. Rich in oil reserves, the area is economically significant and has historically been home to the Dinka Ngok community of South Sudan. At the same time, the Misseriya nomadic group from Sudan has long used the land for seasonal grazing. This mix of geography and ethnicity has made Abyei a longstanding point of conflict. Under the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement between the Sudanese government and southern rebel movements, a referendum was planned to allow Abyei's residents to decide whether to join Sudan or South Sudan. However, political disputes, security concerns and disagreements over voter lists have prevented the vote from taking place, leaving Abyei effectively an indeterminate territory. To maintain stability, the United Nations has deployed peacekeepers tasked with security and violence prevention. Despite their presence, disputes over land ownership, grazing rights, oil resources and political control continue to make Abyei a conflict-prone zone between Sudan and South Sudan.

Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus is holding talks with representatives of the BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami and National Citizen Party (NCP) in the wake of the shooting attack on Osman Hadi, an election hopeful and convener of Inquilab Mancha. The meeting began around 11:15am on Saturday at the State Guest House Jamuna. An official from the Chief Advisor’s Office said each party was represented by two members. The BNP delegation includes Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed and retired Army major Hafiz Uddin Ahmed. Jamaat is being represented by its Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar and Assistant Secretary General Ehsanul Mahbub Zubair, while the NCP delegation includes its Convener Nahid Islam and Chief Organiser for the Southern Region Hasnat Abdullah. The talks follow Friday’s shooting of Hadi, a prospective independent candidate for the Dhaka-8 constituency, in the Bijoynagar area. The incident occurred shortly after Hadi had completed a campaign event at a mosque in Motijheel and was travelling by battery-powered rickshaw with colleagues towards Suhrawardy Udyan for lunch. Police say an assailant riding pillion on a motorcycle opened fire at the moving rickshaw, hitting Hadi in the head. He was initially taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where doctors carried out emergency brain surgery. He was later transferred to Evercare Hospital, where doctors described his condition as critical. Later on Friday, Yunus held an emergency meeting with members of the Advisory Council and senior law enforcement officials, describing the attack as one of the most serious incidents during the interim government’s tenure. He said the assault was a premeditated attempt to undermine Bangladesh’s democratic process and warned that authorities would not tolerate efforts to destabilise the country or derail the upcoming parliamentary election and referendum. “No matter what challenges come, no force will be able to derail the election,” he said. The parties agreed to hold an all-party meeting in the next few days under the initiative of Inquilab Mancha to protest what they described as the heinous attack, the statement said.  Party leaders also called for closer coordination to avoid divisions within what they described as anti-fascist political unity, and urged strict drives to recover illegal weapons ahead of elections.  BNP leader Salahuddin Ahmed emphasised unity, saying political parties must refrain from blaming each other and raise a united voice against the conspiracy, while also calling for intensified drives to recover illegal arms and act against those responsible.  Jamaat leader Mia Golam Parwar warned that recent statements had fuelled mutual blame and created opportunities for opponents, urging parties to reaffirm commitments and avoid rhetoric that divides the nation.  Nahid Islam said organised efforts had targeted the July Uprising since it began, including what he described as campaigns across media and different levels of the administration. He also alleged attempts to portray those involved in the uprising as criminals while normalising the Awami League and Jatiya Party, and said political forces must collectively “own” July.  Hasnat Abdullah said no security measures would prove effective if political forces failed to remain united, and accused parties of creating openings for the Awami League for narrow political interests.  The CA urged vigilance and said everyone must ensure conflicts do not spread among themselves. Asif Nazrul said the Awami League gained strength after divisions emerged among political parties, and urged leaders to stay alert not only about party interests but also national interests. 

Police have named Faisal Karim Masud, also known as Daud Khan—a notorious activist of the Awami League’s Chhatra League and feared figure in Adabor, Mirpur—as a prime suspect in the brazen attack on Inquilab Mancho spokesperson and Dhaka-8 prospective independent candidate Sharif Osman Hadi. Hadi remains in critical condition after two assailants on a motorcycle shot him at point-blank range in the capital’s Paltan area on Friday afternoon. The bullet tore beneath his ear, passed through his neck, and lodged in his skull. He was rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital before being transferred to Evercare Hospital, where he is now receiving intensive care. The violence escalated that night with a burglary at Hadi’s family home in Nalchiti, Jhalokathi. Taking advantage of the house being empty, intruders smashed a window and stole valuables, leaving his family traumatised. Police confirmed the raid, emphasising that the perpetrators would be brought to justice. The timing of the attack suggests a chillingly calculated plot aimed at terrorising Hadi’s relatives while he lay fighting for his life. Hadi, who rose to prominence during the July 2024 uprising against the Awami League regime, has become the target of intense speculation. On Saturday, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police released a photograph of a suspected assailant and urged the public to provide any information that could help identify or locate him. Investigative outlet The Dissent reported that OSINT analysis of CCTV footage, campaign images, and recordings from the Inquilab Cultural Centre on 9 December all point to Faisal Karim Masud. Facial recognition verification showed a match, and a distinctive wristwatch seen on the shooter mirrors one Masud has often worn in photographs. Masud’s past further underscores the threat he poses. Arrested in November 2024 by RAB over a Tk1.7 million armed robbery in Adabor, he was subsequently released on bail. Al Jazeera journalist Zulkarnain Saer confirmed that Masud, a former Chhatra League vice-president of Dhaka North and ex-president of Adabor Chhatra League, sat beside Hadi at a meeting on 9 December. He is reportedly close to Awami League leaders Jahangir Kabir Nanak and former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, now a fugitive in India. UNB traced a Facebook account under Masud’s name showing photos with senior political figures, including ex-president Abdul Hamid and ministers Dipu Moni and Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, confirming his political connections. His name also appears on the Chhatra League central committee announced in May 2019 and in the 2018 election coordination committee for Dhaka-12. Law enforcement continues to verify Masud’s identity. CCTV analysis remains ongoing, and DMP has urged anyone with relevant information to come forward. Home Affairs Adviser Lieutenant General (Retd.) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury announced a reward of Tk5 million for information leading to Masud’s arrest. Earlier on Friday, around 2:15 pm, Hadi was shot while travelling in a rickshaw in front of the water tank in Bijoynagar, Dhaka. The attackers fled the scene immediately after firing. Hadi’s family rushed to Dhaka upon learning of the attack. BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi described the assault as a “well-planned conspiracy” and demanded a fair investigation to identify the real perpetrators. Speaking at a BNP rally in Nayapaltan, he questioned why Hadi—who had never attacked any established politician—was suddenly targeted. Rizvi highlighted attempts to defame BNP leaders on social media and warned against politically motivated disorder. “The attack on Hadi, and the separate attempt on BNP candidate Ershad Ullah in Chattogram, are not isolated incidents,” Rizvi said. “This is a calculated effort to create fear and frame others. Democracy cannot thrive under terror and impunity.” Sharif Osman Hadi remains in critical condition, while his family grapples with shock and fear. The assault on his home and his life sends a stark message: those who challenge injustice in Bangladesh may no longer be safe.