A massive fire broke out at the Standard Phoenix coil factory in the Bagherbazar area of Gazipur Sadar upazila on Wednesday afternoon. The blaze started around 1 p.m., prompting immediate efforts by factory security personnel to contain it. As the fire intensified, the Fire Service was alerted, and four units from the Joydebpur Fire Station rushed to the scene to bring the situation under control. According to Md. Mamun, Deputy Assistant Director of Gazipur Fire Service, all four units are currently working to extinguish the fire. As of the latest reports, the fire had not yet been fully controlled, and the extent of damage or any casualties remains unknown. Authorities are investigating the cause of the fire while emergency teams continue their operations at the site.

Rapid Action Battalion (RAB-4) has arrested two suspects, Pata Sohel alias Monir Hossain and Sujon, for their alleged involvement in the murder of Golam Kibria, member secretary of the Pallabi Thana Jubo Dal. The arrests were made during overnight raids in Savar and Tongi areas of Dhaka on Tuesday, confirmed RAB-4 Commander Lt. Col. Md. Mahbub Alam. Kibria was shot dead on Monday evening inside a hardware store in Mirpur-12 by three masked gunmen. During their escape, the attackers also shot a battery-run rickshaw driver for not driving fast enough. The driver is currently hospitalized. Following the murder, Kibria’s wife filed a case naming five suspects, including Sohel, and several unidentified individuals. Police and RAB are continuing investigations, and further details are expected to be shared in a press briefing at the RAB Media Center in Karwan Bazar.

A group of unidentified arsonists set fire to a local train coach stationed at the Mymensingh Railway Station wash pit early Wednesday morning. The incident occurred around 4 a.m. and was quickly brought under control by three members of the Railway Security Force (RNB) — Habildar Masud Rana, Sipahi Asaduzzaman, and Nayek Ismail — who acted swiftly using wet jackets to extinguish the flames. Their prompt response prevented the fire from spreading to other coaches and the engine, averting a potential catastrophe. Authorities reported that several seats were partially burned, and traces of gunpowder-like substances and petrol-based liquids were found, suggesting an attempt to intensify the blaze. The suspects managed to flee in the darkness. Railway officials are reviewing CCTV footage to identify and apprehend those responsible for the attack.

Bangladesh’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has seized approximately 45 million shares of Meghna Bank PLC owned by former land minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury Javed, his brother Anisuzzaman Chowdhury Rony, and Rony’s wife Imrana Zaman Chowdhury. The shares, valued at nearly Tk 60 crore, were allegedly purchased using illicit funds. According to CID, the accused had long been involved in extortion, fraud, and organized crime, generating large sums of illegal money. A portion of these funds was laundered abroad and later repatriated to Bangladesh through associates before being invested in bank shares. The Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge’s Court ordered the asset seizure on November 18 following CID’s request. The investigation, supervised by the Financial Crime Unit, is ongoing to identify other individuals involved and trace the full extent of the financial crimes.

The Internal Resources Division of Bangladesh has demoted Sajid Khan, an Additional Tax Commissioner of the Rangpur tax region, for irregularly granting BRB Cable Industries Limited tax benefits totaling around Tk 180 crore. While serving in the Khulna tax region’s Circle-1 Companies division, Khan approved Tk 151 crore in tax credits and Tk 29 crore in refunds for the 2018–19 and 2019–20 fiscal years without proper authorization. A departmental investigation confirmed the irregularities, leading to disciplinary action under the Government Servants (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 2018. Following a personal hearing on November 13, the allegations were proven beyond doubt. As a result, Khan was demoted by one grade, with his salary fixed at Tk 45,330. The case highlights ongoing efforts by the Internal Resources Division to enforce accountability and transparency within the tax administration system.

Testimony is scheduled today against former Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Habibur Rahman and seven others in a case over the killing of six people during the July-August 1975 uprising in Dhaka’s Chankharpul area. The chief investigating officer, Md Monirul Islam, is set to testify before International Crimes Tribunal-1, marking the final witness session in the case, where 26 witnesses have already testified. Separately, the International Crimes Tribunal-2 will continue hearing testimony for the 18th day in another crimes against humanity case involving the burning of six bodies and the killing of seven people in Ashulia, with former MP Saiful Islam and 15 others accused. The prosecution stated that SI Sheikh Abzalul Haque, who turned state witness, will testify soon. Of the 16 accused in the Ashulia case, eight are currently in custody and were presented before the tribunal this morning.

Hundreds of buyers across Bangladesh have reportedly fallen victim to online fraud schemes involving fake advertisements for Katimon mangoes from Chapainawabganj. Despite the mango season being over, several social media pages have been offering 'juicy and delicious' mangoes year-round, luring customers to pay in advance. One such page, 'BD Official Mango House,' allegedly deceived a buyer from Charghat, Rajshahi, who lost 11,000 taka after being tricked by scammers posing as couriers. Investigations revealed that the page had no physical office in Chapainawabganj as claimed and that the perpetrators were operating from Narail. Victims and local residents have demanded swift action against these fraudulent online businesses. Police have urged consumers to verify sellers before placing online orders and warned against making advance payments until goods are received.

Former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, convicted of crimes against humanity linked to the July uprising and sentenced to five years in prison, has been transferred to Gazipur’s special jail. Following his conviction, Mamun will lose his Division-1 prison privileges and be downgraded to Division-2 status, as per prison regulations. The Inspector General of Prisons, Brigadier General Syed Motaher Hossain, confirmed that once a prisoner is sentenced, Division-1 privileges are automatically revoked. Mamun may apply to retain certain privileges, but government approval is required. If denied, he will be treated as a regular inmate and must wear the standard prison uniform. Sources indicate that over 150 cases are pending against Mamun in various courts and police stations. A 1982 BCS police cadre officer, Mamun served as Bangladesh’s 29th IGP and previously led the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) before his arrest on September 4, 2024.

A major fertilizer smuggling operation has been uncovered in Khulna, Bangladesh, involving urea imported under the supervision of the Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC). Following the seizure of around 20 tons of fertilizer in Chuadanga, authorities have begun investigating allegations that a powerful syndicate, including warehouse officials and transport operators, is diverting government fertilizer to the black market. The fertilizers, meant for farmers, are reportedly sold illegally at lower prices for massive profits. Summit Associates, the official distributor, and its subcontractor Jewel Transport are under scrutiny after one of their trucks was caught transporting smuggled fertilizer. Despite evidence of systemic irregularities, BCIC officials have been accused of ignoring the issue. The scandal has raised concerns about corruption in fertilizer distribution and its damaging impact on farmers and agricultural productivity in the region.

Murad Hossain, a 65-year-old Awami League leader and former commissioner of Mirpur’s Ward 12, died on Tuesday after falling ill at Gazipur’s Kashimpur High-Security Central Jail. Prison officials said he was an undertrial prisoner facing three murder cases. Around 3:15 p.m., Hossain suddenly became ill, prompting authorities to transfer him first to Dhaka Central Jail in Keraniganj and then to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH). He was declared dead by on-duty doctors at approximately 4:30 p.m. Inspector Md Faruk, in charge of the DMCH police outpost, confirmed the death. The body has been kept at the hospital morgue for autopsy in the presence of an executive magistrate. After the post-mortem examination, prison authorities will formally hand over the body to his family. The cause of death has not yet been officially determined.

Pakistan’s security forces have killed 15 militants belonging to the India-backed Fitna-al-Khawarij group in two separate counterterrorism operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). The operations, conducted on November 15 and 16 in Dera Ismail Khan and North Waziristan, were based on intelligence reports. In the first raid in Dera Ismail Khan’s Kalachi area, 10 militants, including senior commander Alam Mehsud, were killed. A second operation in Datta Khel, North Waziristan, eliminated five more militants. Security forces continue to pursue others who fled the scene. Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister congratulated the forces, calling the elimination of India-supported terrorists a matter of national consensus. The government uses the term ‘Fitna-al-Khawarij’ to refer to the banned Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The development follows a recent suicide bombing in Islamabad claimed by the TTP that killed 12 and injured 27.

A fire broke out at a market in Dhaka’s Gulistan area shortly after midnight on Tuesday, November 18. According to the Fire Service, the blaze started around 12:30 a.m. on the third floor of a six-story building known as Ramna Bhaban, reportedly from a clothing store. Five units of the Fire Service responded promptly and managed to bring the fire under control by 1:00 a.m. Duty officer Rafi Al Faruk of the Bangabazar Fire Station confirmed the incident and said no casualties had been reported so far. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. After the fire was contained, three units returned to their stations while two remained on-site as a precautionary measure to ensure safety and prevent any possible re-ignition.

A parked car was set on fire by unidentified miscreants in Dhaka’s Agargaon area late Tuesday night. The incident occurred around 11 p.m. in front of the Bangladesh Technical Education Board building. According to Fire Service duty officer Rafi Al Faruq, two units from the Mohammadpur Fire Station were dispatched to the scene and worked to bring the blaze under control. Authorities have not yet determined the extent of the damage or the motive behind the attack. No casualties were reported, and an investigation is expected to follow to identify those responsible. The fire service confirmed that the situation was contained shortly after their arrival, preventing the flames from spreading to nearby vehicles or structures.

Authorities from Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company conducted a raid in Sonargaon municipality’s Khasnagar and Bhabanathpur areas of Narayanganj, disconnecting illegal gas connections at two unauthorized lime and casting factories. The operation, led by Senior Assistant Secretary Milton Roy from the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, took place from morning to noon on Tuesday. Factory owners fled upon learning of the raid. Officials said the factories had been illegally using gas worth around 2 million taka per month. Acting on secret information, a mobile court demolished the factories using excavators and seized pipes and other equipment used for the illegal connections. Titas Gas officials stated that the illegal operations had been running under political protection since August 5 and vowed to continue similar drives to prevent theft of government resources.

Elite force RAB-11 has arrested top-listed criminal Rakib, also known as Gui Rakib, from his home in Rupganj, Narayanganj. The 24-year-old suspect faces at least 20 cases, including charges of murder, robbery, and illegal arms possession. During the early morning raid on November 18, RAB recovered a single-barrel gun, eight rounds of bullets, and nine cartridges. According to RAB, Rakib had recently been involved in extortion and a shooting incident on October 18, when a businessman named Lokman Hossain was shot in the leg after refusing to pay extortion money. Rakib and his associates had earlier demanded Tk 500,000 and threatened to shut down the victim’s business. Following the arrest, RAB handed Rakib and the seized weapons over to Rupganj police for further legal action. Authorities said the arrest is part of an ongoing drive to curb organized crime in the region.