Bangladesh on edge after killing of 2024 uprising activist triggers unrest

World news Asia, Asia-Pacific, Bangladesh, Elections, Freedom of the Press, India, News, Politics, Protests, singapore December 19, 2025

Security forces fan out nationwide after violent demonstrations follow the shooting of an election candidate.

Bangladesh’s security forces have moved onto the streets of the capital Dhaka and other major cities after overnight violence erupted over the death of a prominent youth leader of the 2024 uprising, raising fears of further unrest ahead of February’s national elections.

Police and paramilitary units increased patrols across Dhaka after protests turned violent late on Thursday, targeting media offices, political buildings and cultural institutions. While streets were largely calm on Friday morning, residents said tensions remained high, particularly ahead of Friday prayers.

Government faces mounting pressure

Bangladesh has been run by an interim administration led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus since August 2024, after longtime leaderHasina was ousted and fled to India amid mass protests.

The government faces mounting pressure over delayed reforms, while Hasina’s Awami League has been barred from participating in the February 12 election.

In a televised address after Hadi’s death, Yunus said: “His passing represents an irreplaceable loss to the nation’s political and democratic sphere.” He urged calm, pledging a transparent investigation and warning that violence could jeopardise the credibility of the vote.

The interim government declared Saturday a day of state mourning, ordering flags flown at half-mast and organising special prayers nationwide.

Hasina’s violent legacy lingers

Elsewhere, protesters torched the home of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Bangladesh’s first president and Hasina’s father, which had already been attacked twice last year. In Rajshahi, demonstrators bulldozed an Awami League office, while highways were blocked in several districts.

Violence also spread to Chittagong, where protesters attacked the Indian Assistant High Commission, as anti-India sentiment continues to grow since Hasina’s flight to New Delhi.

In November, Hasina was sentenced to death by hanging after she was found guilty of crimes against humanity for ordering a deadly crackdown against a student-led uprising last year that eventually ousted her.

Hasina fled Bangladesh by helicopter on August 5, 2024, after weeks of student-led protests against her “autocratic rule”.

Shaina Begum, the mother of 20-year-old student Sajjat Hosen Sojal, who was shot and his body burned by the police hours before the student-led uprising forced Hasina to resign and flee the country, told Al Jazeera after the verdict, “I cannot be calm until she [Hasina] is brought back and hanged in this country.”

Hundreds of families who lost loved ones in the protests wonder if the deposed prime minister will actually face justice.

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Police in the Bahamas have released without charges a Michigan man who said his wife disappeared after falling overboard from a small boat in waters off the Caribbean island country, authorities said Monday.

Brian Hooker, of Onsted in southern Michigan, had been in police custody since 8 April – five days – after being questioned by authorities.

Law enforcement freed him after consulting prosecutors who recommended against filing charges at this time, with investigations under way.

Brian Hooker told police that Lynette Hooker, 55, fell overboard the night of 4 April as they were traveling in an 8ft (2.4-meter) motorboat from Hope Town to Elbow Cay, a group of small islands on the eastern end of the Bahamas. He said Lynette had the boat’s keys, causing the vessel’s engine to shut off and forcing him to paddle ashore.

“Strong currents subsequently carried her away, and he lost sight of her,” police said in a statement.

After reaching shore, Brian Hooker alerted someone about his wife’s disappearance early the following day, according to authorities.

Hooker has denied any wrongdoing, according to his attorney, Terrel Butler. She did not immediately respond to an email Monday from the Associated Press requesting comment on Brian Hooker’s release.

The US Coast Guard has opened an investigation separate from the one being conducted by authorities in the Bahamas.

The couple has been married for more than 20 years and chronicled their adventures sailing around the Caribbean on their Sailing Hookers Facebook page. They posted videos in 2023 of buying a sailboat they named Soul Mate in the coastal town of Rockport, Texas, and then embarking on a cruise through the Gulf of Mexico from the port town of Kemah, Texas.

The couple’s home in Onsted is about 70 miles (120km) south-west of Detroit.

Lynette Hooker’s daughter, Karli Aylesworth, told NBC News that it is unlikely her mother would “just fall” off the boat, saying she was an experienced sailor. She noted the couple had been sailing for years on their voyages.

The couple has had a history of contention, with Brian and Lynette Hooker accusing each other in 2015 of assault, according to a Kentwood, Michigan, police report obtained by NBC.

Brian Hooker, who was intoxicated and bleeding from the nose, told police his wife had struck him multiple times in the face, the report said. He told officers Lynette also was drunk. She was arrested and spent the night in jail. A warrant was denied because it wasn’t clear “who started the assault”.

#Bahamas #police #release #Michigan #man #questioned #wife #disappeared #boat">

Bahamas police release Michigan man questioned after wife disappeared from their boatPolice in the Bahamas have released without charges a Michigan man who said his wife disappeared after falling overboard from a small boat in waters off the Caribbean island country, authorities said Monday.Brian Hooker, of Onsted in southern Michigan, had been in police custody since 8 April – five days – after being questioned by authorities.Law enforcement freed him after consulting prosecutors who recommended against filing charges at this time, with investigations under way.Brian Hooker told police that Lynette Hooker, 55, fell overboard the night of 4 April as they were traveling in an 8ft (2.4-meter) motorboat from Hope Town to Elbow Cay, a group of small islands on the eastern end of the Bahamas. He said Lynette had the boat’s keys, causing the vessel’s engine to shut off and forcing him to paddle ashore.“Strong currents subsequently carried her away, and he lost sight of her,” police said in a statement.After reaching shore, Brian Hooker alerted someone about his wife’s disappearance early the following day, according to authorities.Hooker has denied any wrongdoing, according to his attorney, Terrel Butler. She did not immediately respond to an email Monday from the Associated Press requesting comment on Brian Hooker’s release.The US Coast Guard has opened an investigation separate from the one being conducted by authorities in the Bahamas.The couple has been married for more than 20 years and chronicled their adventures sailing around the Caribbean on their Sailing Hookers Facebook page. They posted videos in 2023 of buying a sailboat they named Soul Mate in the coastal town of Rockport, Texas, and then embarking on a cruise through the Gulf of Mexico from the port town of Kemah, Texas.The couple’s home in Onsted is about 70 miles (120km) south-west of Detroit.Lynette Hooker’s daughter, Karli Aylesworth, told NBC News that it is unlikely her mother would “just fall” off the boat, saying she was an experienced sailor. She noted the couple had been sailing for years on their voyages.The couple has had a history of contention, with Brian and Lynette Hooker accusing each other in 2015 of assault, according to a Kentwood, Michigan, police report obtained by NBC.Brian Hooker, who was intoxicated and bleeding from the nose, told police his wife had struck him multiple times in the face, the report said. He told officers Lynette also was drunk. She was arrested and spent the night in jail. A warrant was denied because it wasn’t clear “who started the assault”.#Bahamas #police #release #Michigan #man #questioned #wife #disappeared #boat

mwasimuddin125 0

Police in the Bahamas have released without charges a Michigan man who said his wife disappeared after falling overboard from a small boat in waters off the Caribbean island country, authorities said Monday.
Brian Hooker, of Onsted in southern Michigan, had been in police custody since 8 April – five days – after being questioned by authorities.
Law enforcement freed him after consulting prosecutors who recommended against filing charges at this time, with investigations under way.
Brian Hooker told police that Lynette Hooker, 55, fell overboard the night of 4 April as they were traveling in an 8ft (2.4-meter) motorboat from Hope Town to Elbow Cay, a group of small islands on the eastern end of the Bahamas. He said Lynette had the boat’s keys, causing the vessel’s engine to shut off and forcing him to paddle ashore.
“Strong currents subsequently carried her away, and he lost sight of her,” police said in a statement.
After reaching shore, Brian Hooker alerted someone about his wife’s disappearance early the following day, according to authorities.
Hooker has denied any wrongdoing, according to his attorney, Terrel Butler. She did not immediately respond to an email Monday from the Associated Press requesting comment on Brian Hooker’s release.
The US Coast Guard has opened an investigation separate from the one being conducted by authorities in the Bahamas.
The couple has been married for more than 20 years and chronicled their adventures sailing around the Caribbean on their Sailing Hookers Facebook page. They posted videos in 2023 of buying a sailboat they named Soul Mate in the coastal town of Rockport, Texas, and then embarking on a cruise through the Gulf of Mexico from the port town of Kemah, Texas.
The couple’s home in Onsted is about 70 miles (120km) south-west of Detroit.
Lynette Hooker’s daughter, Karli Aylesworth, told NBC News that it is unlikely her mother would “just fall” off the boat, saying she was an experienced sailor. She noted the couple had been sailing for years on their voyages.
The couple has had a history of contention, with Brian and Lynette Hooker accusing each other in 2015 of assault, according to a Kentwood, Michigan, police report obtained by NBC.
Brian Hooker, who was intoxicated and bleeding from the nose, told police his wife had struck him multiple times in the face, the report said. He told officers Lynette also was drunk. She was arrested and spent the night in jail. A warrant was denied because it wasn’t clear “who started the assault”.

#Bahamas #police #release #Michigan #man #questioned #wife #disappeared #boat">Bahamas police release Michigan man questioned after wife disappeared from their boat

Brian Hooker, of Onsted in southern Michigan, had been in police custody since 8 April – five days – after being questioned by authorities.

Law enforcement freed him after consulting prosecutors who recommended against filing charges at this time, with investigations under way.

“Strong currents subsequently carried her away, and he lost sight of her,” police said in a statement.

After reaching shore, Brian Hooker alerted someone about his wife’s disappearance early the following day, according to authorities.

The US Coast Guard has opened an investigation separate from the one being conducted by authorities in the Bahamas.

The couple’s home in Onsted is about 70 miles (120km) south-west of Detroit.

The couple has had a history of contention, with Brian and Lynette Hooker accusing each other in 2015 of assault, according to a Kentwood, Michigan, police report obtained by NBC.

#Bahamas #police #release #Michigan #man #questioned #wife #disappeared #boat

Published On 14 Apr 2026

The late Argentinian football legend’s childhood home has been converted into a soup kitchen serving those affected by President Javier Milei’s austerity measures.

At 523 Amazor street in Fiorito, a Buenos Aires suburb where the “Golden Boy” experienced extreme poverty growing up, locals can now receive meals and clothing assistance.

This neighbourhood of about 50,000 residents living in modest brick homes features numerous murals commemorating the career of the iconic number 10, who passed away in 2020 at the age of 60.

As a criminal negligence trial begins on Tuesday against the seven-member medical team responsible for Maradona’s final care following brain surgery, his childhood community continues his legacy of compassion.

Neighbours visit “Diego’s house” carrying containers that volunteers fill with chicken stew and other meals prepared in large cauldrons in the yard, while cumbia music – Maradona’s preferred genre – plays in the background.

“Diego would say there is a lot of hunger and we have to help, because the need is so great,” explained Diego Gavilan, who benefits from the kitchen’s services.

Gavilan, who collects cardboard and scrap metal, began visiting the soup kitchen after Milei implemented radical free-market reforms following his December 2023 election.

“You can’t make ends meet,” Gavilan noted.

Despite statistics showing poverty reduction under Milei, primarily due to decreasing inflation, family finances remain in crisis, according to Central Bank reports. Increased imports and plummeting consumption have resulted in more than 20,000 business closures.

Gavilan appreciates receiving assistance from Maradona’s former home: “He suffered so much hunger here as a child. For the people of the neighbourhood to receive a plate of food is special.”

The facility operates without dining accommodations. Volunteers prepare food over open fires in the yard, distributing it in bags to those waiting at the entrance.

Maradona frequently referenced his humble origins in an area without running water or paved streets. Sixty-six years after his birth, hardship remains visible on the faces of those queueing for food.

“People are going hungry,” said Maria Torres, one of the centre’s cooks, who believes Maradona would approve of his childhood home’s charitable repurposing.

#Photos #Maradonas #childhood #home #soup #kitchenGallery, News, Sport, Food, Football, Human Rights, Poverty and Development, Argentina, Latin America">

mwasimuddin125 0

Published On 14 Apr 2026

The late Argentinian football legend’s childhood home has been converted into a soup kitchen serving those affected by President Javier Milei’s austerity measures.

At 523 Amazor street in Fiorito, a Buenos Aires suburb where the “Golden Boy” experienced extreme poverty growing up, locals can now receive meals and clothing assistance.

This neighbourhood of about 50,000 residents living in modest brick homes features numerous murals commemorating the career of the iconic number 10, who passed away in 2020 at the age of 60.

“Diego would say there is a lot of hunger and we have to help, because the need is so great,” explained Diego Gavilan, who benefits from the kitchen’s services.

Gavilan, who collects cardboard and scrap metal, began visiting the soup kitchen after Milei implemented radical free-market reforms following his December 2023 election.

“You can’t make ends meet,” Gavilan noted.

Gavilan appreciates receiving assistance from Maradona’s former home: “He suffered so much hunger here as a child. For the people of the neighbourhood to receive a plate of food is special.”

The facility operates without dining accommodations. Volunteers prepare food over open fires in the yard, distributing it in bags to those waiting at the entrance.

Maradona frequently referenced his humble origins in an area without running water or paved streets. Sixty-six years after his birth, hardship remains visible on the faces of those queueing for food.

“People are going hungry,” said Maria Torres, one of the centre’s cooks, who believes Maradona would approve of his childhood home’s charitable repurposing.

#Photos #Maradonas #childhood #home #soup #kitchenGallery, News, Sport, Food, Football, Human Rights, Poverty and Development, Argentina, Latin America">Photos: Maradona’s childhood home becomes soup kitchen for those in need

Published On 14 Apr 2026

The late Argentinian football legend’s childhood home has been converted into a soup kitchen serving those affected by President Javier Milei’s austerity measures.

At 523 Amazor street in Fiorito, a Buenos Aires suburb where the “Golden Boy” experienced extreme poverty growing up, locals can now receive meals and clothing assistance.

This neighbourhood of about 50,000 residents living in modest brick homes features numerous murals commemorating the career of the iconic number 10, who passed away in 2020 at the age of 60.

“Diego would say there is a lot of hunger and we have to help, because the need is so great,” explained Diego Gavilan, who benefits from the kitchen’s services.

Gavilan, who collects cardboard and scrap metal, began visiting the soup kitchen after Milei implemented radical free-market reforms following his December 2023 election.

“You can’t make ends meet,” Gavilan noted.

Gavilan appreciates receiving assistance from Maradona’s former home: “He suffered so much hunger here as a child. For the people of the neighbourhood to receive a plate of food is special.”

The facility operates without dining accommodations. Volunteers prepare food over open fires in the yard, distributing it in bags to those waiting at the entrance.

Maradona frequently referenced his humble origins in an area without running water or paved streets. Sixty-six years after his birth, hardship remains visible on the faces of those queueing for food.

“People are going hungry,” said Maria Torres, one of the centre’s cooks, who believes Maradona would approve of his childhood home’s charitable repurposing.

#Photos #Maradonas #childhood #home #soup #kitchenGallery, News, Sport, Food, Football, Human Rights, Poverty and Development, Argentina, Latin America