Professor CR Abrar of Dhaka University (DU) has been sworn in as a new member of the Interim Government Advisory Council.

After confusion about the total amount of books sold at the Ekushey Book Fair-2025, Bangla Academy has finally given the book sales figures 4 days after the fair ended. The organization said that the full account of book sales has not reached us yet. However, the book sales figure may not be Tk. 61 lakh, but Tk. 40 crore.

On Tuesday (March 4) evening, the academy's Facebook page gave the book sales figures.

The post said that Bangla Academy has received the book sales figures of 351 publishers out of the 703 participating in the Amar Ekushey Book Fair. Their sales amounted to about Tk. 20 crore. However, Bangla Academy believes that the total amount including the sales of the remaining publishers may be approximately Tk. 40 crore.

Meanwhile, a notice sent from the academy said that some confusion has been observed regarding the total book sales figure at the Amar Ekushey Book Fair organized by Bangla Academy. The member secretary of the fair's management committee, in his report given at the closing ceremony, had stated that Bangla Academy's own sales volume as of February 27 was around 61 lakh. But many have deliberately or unconsciously spread confusion by assuming that number as the total sales volume of the fair.

The Bangla Academy's announcement further stated that the total sales volume of Bangla Academy at the end of this fair stood at Tk. 64 lakh 76 thousand 323.  However, the book sales figures for previous years and this year at the fair are estimates based on the data received. 

A list of 1,067 Bangladeshis detained in various prisons in India in the last two to two and a half years has been found with their names and addresses. Some of the victims of disappearances may be there, said retired judge Mainul Islam Chowdhury, chairman of the Commission of Inquiry on Disappearances.

He made these remarks at a press conference at the office of the Commission of Inquiry on Disappearances on Tuesday (March 4) afternoon

He said that the commission has a list of 330 victims of disappearances. The possibility of these people returning is slim.

Mainul Islam said that a list of Bangladeshi citizens imprisoned in various prisons in India was requested. A list with the names and addresses of the detained Bangladeshis was found there. An investigation is underway to see if any of the names of the victims of disappearances are in the list received.

He said that the investigation is ongoing subject to receiving complete information from the police and BGB. However, we are aware that on December 22 last year, a missing person named Mohammad Rahmat Ullah from Dhamrai, Dhaka was pushed through the Gomostapur border in Chapainawabganj.

According to the investigation by the Missing Persons Commission, each missing person incident was directed from the highest levels of the then government. There were direct or indirect orders from the government in the disappearances that occurred at various times from 2008 to 2023. The Missing Persons Commission has so far received 1,752 complaints. Of these, the initial verification of about 1,000 complaints has been completed. The statements of 280 complainants have been recorded. The statements of about 45 officers of the law enforcement forces and intelligence agencies have been taken.

The commission said that after verifying a list of 140 people sent back to Bangladesh from India after the fall of Hasina on August 5, no trace of anyone who had disappeared there was found. 

Students and the public have conducted a raid on the house of Tanvir Imam, the son of the late HT Imam, political adviser to ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, and former Member of Parliament (MP) of Sirajganj-4 constituency.

The raid and search were conducted at house number 8-I on Road No. 81 in Gulshan-2 around 12 midnight on Tuesday (March 4) on charges of storing illegal weapons, drugs and a large amount of money.

Eyewitnesses said that at around 11:30 pm, an announcement was made on social media and the media that Tanvir Imam's house would be raided by the students and the public. After that, about a hundred students and ordinary people gathered in front of Justice Shahabuddin Park in Gulshan-2. Around 12 midnight, the students and the public tried to enter Tanvir Imam's house with a procession.

At this time, when the security guard of the house stopped them, some students climbed the gate and entered inside. Later, when the gate was opened, hundreds of students entered the house and searched it. They searched every room of the flat, searching various luggage, drawers and chests.

Although a raid was conducted on charges of illegal weapons, drugs and a large amount of money being stored, nothing of the kind was found in the house at that time.

About half an hour after the raid, the Gulshan police reached the spot. The police asked the students why they had come here. After that, they slowly left the scene.

During the search, no member of Tanvir Imam's family was found in the flat. Only the housekeeper and security guard were present.