Amid escalating political unrest ahead of its national elections scheduled for February 12, 2026, Bangladesh has recorded the killing of journalist Rana Pratap Bairagi, who has become the first journalist worldwide to be murdered this year. The global media safety and rights organisation Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) has strongly condemned the killing and demanded a thorough investigation to bring the perpetrators to justice.
According to local media reports, Bairagi (45), a resident of Arua village in the Jessore region of southern Bangladesh, was fatally shot in the head by three assailants on January 5, 2026. The editor of the Bengali daily Dainik BD Khabar was found dead at Kopalia...
In a major crackdown on terror networks, a special NIA court in Guwahati has convicted Md. Kamruj Zaman, a key accused in a Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) terror conspiracy case, and sentenced him to life imprisonment.
Zaman, also known as Dr Hurairah and Kamaruddin, was awarded life imprisonment under Section 18 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), along with two additional sentences of five years’ simple imprisonment under other UAPA provisions. All sentences will run concurrently. The court also imposed fines in each case.
The case relates to a 2017–18 conspiracy to set up an HM terror module in Assam to carry out terrorist activities and spread fear. NIA investigations...
An eerie silence is prevailing in Karbi Anglong and West Karbi Anglong districts following the death of two people belonging to different communities amid growing demand to evict the non tribals from the hills districts on Tuesday.
Mobile internet has been suspended and the authority has imposed some restrictions on public gatherings to ensure peace and tranquility in the tribal dominated hills districts.
Security forces are patrolling on the streets in the vulnerable areas to avert any untoward incident.
But the tribal leaders and their followers have blamed it all on the government for allowing the non tribals to settle there which is contrary to the laid down rules.
" We are...
Tension gripped West Karbi Anglong district for a second consecutive day on Tuesday as clashes between protesters and security forces in Kheroni area left two people dead and over 45 injured, including 38 police personnel.
The deceased have been identified as a differently-abled youth from the Karbi community, who succumbed during police action to disperse agitators, and another individual who died in arson attacks on shops in Kheroni market. Reports indicate the violence involved stone-pelting, use of crude bombs, arrows, and bows by mobs, prompting police to resort to lathi-charge, tear gas, and blank firing.
The unrest stems from long-standing demands by Karbi organisations for the...
The hills of West Karbi Anglong district in Assam witnessed a dramatic eruption of violence this week, underscoring deep frustrations over land rights and perceived governmental inconsistency.
On December 22, 2025, protesters demanding the eviction of alleged encroachers from protected tribal grazing reserves torched the ancestral home of Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) Chief Executive Member Tuliram Ronghang in Dongkamukam and set fire to several shops in Kheroni Bazaar. The next day, despite prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), clashes between opposing groups led to stone-pelting, injuring several people, including protesters,...
New Delhi: Senior journalist Sangeeta Barooah Pisharoty has created history by becoming the first woman to be elected President of the Press Club of India (PCI), marking a significant milestone in the institution’s long-standing legacy. Her election is being widely hailed as a landmark moment for gender representation and leadership in Indian journalism.
A respected name in the profession, Pisharoty is known for her incisive reporting, editorial leadership and long-standing commitment to press freedom, ethical journalism and the welfare of media professionals. Over the years, she has earned wide credibility for her work on politics, governance and social issues.
The Press Club of...
A two-day ‘People’s Consultation on Strengthening Humanitarian Response and Climate Resilience in the Brahmaputra Basin’ concluded today at Hotel Clubway Grand, Jorhat, with the adoption of the People’s Declaration for a Resilient Brahmaputra Basin. The event was organised by the North-East Affected Area Development Society (NEADS) in collaboration with the Inter Agency Group (IAG) of Assam and various local humanitarian civil society actors from across the Brahmaputra valley, with support from Start Network.
The consultation brought together humanitarian practitioners, climate workers, community leaders, civil society organisations, youth groups and women’s collectives to deliberate on...
Guwahati: Curtains came down on the 9th Chalachitram National Film Festival at the Jyoti Chitraban premises in Kahilipara on 30 November 2025, as distinguished guests at the closing ceremony handed over awards, certificates, and cash prizes to the winning filmmakers in the presence of eminent film personalities, emerging director-producers and cine-goers. Organized by Chalachitram, a subsidiary of Vishwa Samvad Kendra-Assam, the two-day CNFF-25 showcased over 30 short features and documentaries across competitive and screening categories. ‘Koli’, directed by Jyotirmoy Mazumder, was adjudged the best short feature in the Northeast India category, while ‘Joba’, directed by Indira Baikerikar,...
The North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU) on Friday hosted the IIC Regional Meet 2025, drawing more than 500 participants from higher educational institutions across the Northeast. The day-long programme, organised under the Ministry of Education’s Innovation Cell (MIC) and the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), was held at the Multi-Convention Hall on the NEHU campus.
The event commenced with the traditional lighting of the lamp, followed by an introductory address by Prof. Dinesh Bhatia, SPOC of the Regional Meet. Prof. G. Bez, Chairperson of the Meet, delivered the welcome speech, while Prof. I. Hussain, Dean of the School of Technology, NEHU, offered brief remarks....
Guwahati: Tirtha Prasad Saikia, Director of the North-East Affected Area Development Society (NEADS) — a local organization and an Indigenous Peoples’ Organization member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) based in Assam — has been elected to the Executive Body of the India National Committee (INC) of IUCN, representing the North-East India region.
NEADS works at the intersection of humanitarian response, resilience building, climate action and environmental sustainability, adopting a nexus approach to address the human dimensions of environmental crises arising from both natural and human-induced disasters. The organization emphasizes community well-being...
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