A minor fire incident occurred in front of the Grameen Bank’s Borgaacha branch in Raninagar upazila of Naogaon district late Tuesday night. According to branch manager Md. Lotus Hossain, smoke was noticed early Wednesday morning, and the night guard extinguished the fire, which appeared to have been set intentionally using straw or jute sacks. A video circulating online shows the fire at the bank’s main gate, raising suspicions of deliberate arson. However, no damage to the gate or office was reported. The incident has been reported to higher authorities, but no police complaint has yet been filed. Raninagar Police Station Officer-in-Charge Abdul Hafiz Md. Raihan stated that the fire might have been caused accidentally by a discarded cigarette, as no evidence of a major fire was found on site.

Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has arrested Sagar Pramanik, 33, from Goalbari area of Atrai upazila in Naogaon for his alleged involvement in a mob lynching incident in Bagmara, Rajshahi. The arrest took place late Tuesday night after Sagar had been in hiding since the April 4 incident. The case began when Aminul Islam fatally stabbed Abdur Razzak during a robbery attempt in Ronshibari village. Locals caught Aminul and handed him to police, but an enraged crowd attacked the officers, snatched Aminul from custody, and beat him to death. Seven police officers were injured in the attack. RAB said in a press release on Wednesday that Bagmara police filed a case after the incident, and seven suspects have been arrested so far, including Sagar. Efforts are ongoing to capture the remaining fugitives involved in the violent mob attack.

The Bangladesh Coast Guard has arrested an NGO worker in Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar, for alleged drug trafficking involving a luxury vehicle and a large quantity of yaba tablets. The detainee, identified as Md. Kamal Uddin, 48, from South Deilpara in Teknaf Sadar Union, was apprehended during a special operation conducted on Wednesday morning following a tip-off. During the raid near Hwaikong Kanjarpara area, officers searched a suspicious Noah Voxy microbus and discovered approximately 42,000 yaba pills hidden under the bonnet, valued at around 21 million taka. The Coast Guard has seized the vehicle and the drugs, and legal proceedings are underway against the suspect. Officials stated that such operations will continue to protect the youth from the dangers of narcotics and curb drug smuggling along the coastal region.

A Rohingya refugee was arrested in Magura, Bangladesh, after attempting to obtain a passport using a fake voter ID card allegedly secured through a local syndicate for 30,000 taka. The man, identified as Md. Rias, submitted his application at the Magura Regional Passport Office, where officials initially found his documents valid in the national database. However, inconsistencies in his statements raised suspicion, prompting further verification. Upon questioning, Rias admitted to being a Rohingya and confessed to paying a group linked to the Shreepur Upazila Election Office to create the fraudulent ID. Authorities have launched an investigation into the involvement of election office staff and the local network facilitating such illegal activities. Officials stated that more information could emerge as the inquiry continues, and disciplinary actions will follow based on the findings.

A devastating fire broke out on Wednesday evening in the Jarun area of Konabari, Gazipur, destroying more than 100 tin-shed houses in a residential colony owned by Rumel Pathan. The blaze reportedly started around 5 p.m. in one of the rooms and quickly spread to adjacent units before residents could contain it. Local people initially attempted to extinguish the flames but failed due to the fire’s intensity. Fire service officials dispatched two units from Konabari Modern Fire Station, later joined by two more from Sarabo Modern Fire Station, to bring the situation under control. Many residents, including garment workers, lost all their belongings, with some reporting that their savings and personal items were completely destroyed. The exact cause of the fire remains unknown, and authorities are investigating the incident. No casualties have been reported so far, but the damage has left dozens of families homeless and in urgent need of assistance.

A passenger bus parked in the Isdair Octoffice area of Fatullah, Narayanganj, was completely destroyed after unidentified miscreants allegedly set it on fire early Wednesday morning. Locals, without notifying the fire service, tried for a long time to extinguish the flames, but by the time they succeeded, only the metal frame of the bus remained. The bus owner, Bulu Das, said the vehicle was used daily to transport Ministry of Industries employees and other passengers between Narayanganj and Dhaka, and that the fire caused him severe financial loss. Fire service officials confirmed they were not informed about the incident. Police from Fatullah Model Station visited the site and said efforts are underway to identify those responsible for the arson attack.

A 35-year-old man named Razzak Sheikh was beaten to death by locals in South Dhalikandi village of Keraniganj early Wednesday on suspicion of robbery. Police said Razzak and several others allegedly tried to rob a house and attacked a woman with a knife, prompting villagers to catch and beat him to death. However, Razzak’s family denied the robbery allegation, claiming he was killed in a premeditated attack linked to political rivalry. His relatives alleged that several men, including Alamin and Kabir, falsely accused him and prevented family members from rescuing him. Alamin’s family, on the other hand, denied involvement, asserting that Razzak was a known criminal caught during a robbery attempt. Police have detained three people for questioning and emphasized that no one has the right to take the law into their own hands. Authorities said legal proceedings are underway as the case remains under investigation.

In Nazirpur, Pirojpur, an NGO named 'Rupakalpa-2041' has allegedly fled with millions of taka collected from clients as loan security deposits. The organization had rented a building in the Char Khola area and formed women's groups across several villages in Nazirpur and Pirojpur Sadar, promising loans of up to one lakh taka per person. Each participant was asked to deposit between 5,000 and 10,000 taka as collateral. However, before disbursing any loans, the NGO's staff reportedly vanished overnight on November 18. Victims gathered in front of the NGO’s locked office and filed complaints with the Nazirpur police. The office owner identified one of the NGO’s officers as Kamruzzaman from Narail. Police confirmed receiving complaints and stated that an investigation is underway to take legal action against those responsible.

Saif Rafid, a 22-year-old student and one of the leading activists of the July Revolution in Pirgacha, died in a lift accident in Dhaka’s Nayanbazar area early Tuesday. Rafid, the only son of the late Asaduzzaman Badol and his wife, was studying at a private university in Dhaka. His parents had both passed away within the last two years, leaving him as the sole surviving member of the family. The accident occurred late at night when Rafid reportedly fell into a lift shaft. Friends and witnesses rushed him to several hospitals, but doctors declared him dead upon arrival. His sudden death has cast a pall of grief over Pirgacha, where he was widely known for his leadership during the July movement. Friends and well-wishers have expressed their sorrow and shared emotional tributes on social media, remembering him as a passionate, humble, and dedicated young activist.

A bus parked for repairs in a garage in Lakshmipur’s Itarpul area was severely damaged by fire early Wednesday morning. Fire Service officials suspect that the blaze originated from a mosquito coil left burning inside the vehicle. The fire broke out at Didar’s garage, where a Nipu Paribahan bus was undergoing maintenance. A Fire Service unit managed to control the flames within 20 minutes, but the bus’s seats and machinery were already destroyed. The owner, Mostafizur Rahman Swapan, reported an estimated loss of around 1.8 million taka and expressed distress as the bus was his only source of income. Police have begun an investigation to confirm the cause, though no complaints or arrests have been made so far. Authorities said they are treating the incident seriously and will determine the exact cause after a full investigation.

A municipal office assistant died following a physical altercation with a surveyor at Kumarkhali Municipality in Kushtia on Wednesday morning. The incident occurred around 9:30 a.m. in room 115 of the municipal building when Shahidul Islam Kuti, 56, reportedly confronted surveyor Firozul Islam while demanding overdue salaries. The municipality’s 57 employees have allegedly not been paid for 42 months, amounting to nearly 100 million taka. During the confrontation, a scuffle broke out, after which Shahidul was later found unconscious in another room and declared dead at Kumarkhali Upazila Health Complex. Following the incident, Shahidul’s relatives vandalized the surveyor’s house and blocked the main gate of the municipality in protest. Police have recovered the body and sent it for autopsy to determine the exact cause of death. Authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Three young men from Madaripur, Bangladesh — Imran Khan, Munna Talukder, and Bayezid Sheikh — were shot dead by Libyan mafia while attempting to reach Italy illegally by boat across the Mediterranean Sea. Their bodies were reportedly thrown into the sea after the attack. The victims had each paid large sums to a local human trafficking agent, identified as Shipon Khan, who allegedly promised safe passage to Italy but instead detained and extorted additional money from their families. Following the deaths, Shipon and his family went into hiding, while relatives of the victims demanded exemplary punishment for those involved and urged the government to help recover the bodies. Police in Madaripur confirmed awareness of the incident and stated that legal action would be taken once formal complaints are filed. The tragedy highlights the ongoing risks faced by Bangladeshi migrants seeking illegal routes to Europe through Libya.

A Dhaka court has ordered the imprisonment of Obaid Ullah Al Masud, former chairman of Islami Bank Bangladesh, in connection with a Tk 189 crore loan scam case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). The order was issued on Wednesday, November 19, by Metropolitan Sessions Judge Md Sabbir Foyez after the ACC’s Deputy Assistant Director Mohammad Shah Jalal requested that Masud be kept in custody until the investigation is complete. The case, filed on September 28, accuses Masud and 10 others of embezzling Tk 189.8 crore by violating banking regulations to secure a loan from Agrani Bank’s Asadganj branch in Chattogram. Masud previously served as a General Manager at Agrani Bank before becoming the chairman of Islami Bank. The court’s decision marks a significant step in the ongoing investigation into high-level financial misconduct within Bangladesh’s banking sector.

Bangladesh’s Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has arrested two notorious criminals, Monir Hossain alias Sohel alias Pata Sohel (30) and Sujon alias Bukpora Sujon (35), for their alleged involvement in the murder of Golam Kibria, the member secretary of Pallabi Thana Jubo Dal. RAB officials revealed that the killing stemmed from political rivalry and territorial dominance disputes in the Mirpur area. The murder was reportedly premeditated and involved financial transactions. Kibria was shot dead on November 17 by six armed assailants at a hardware store in Pallabi’s C Block. One bystander was also injured during the attack. Following the incident, RAB launched an investigation analyzing CCTV footage and arrested the suspects from Savar and Tongi. Both detainees are members of the infamous ‘Four Star Group’ and have multiple criminal cases, including murder and drug trafficking. Authorities suspect underworld links and are continuing investigations to identify other conspirators.

In Chattogram’s Raozan upazila, police recovered a foreign-made pistol, two loaded magazines, and ammunition from a grocery shop during a special operation. The District Detective Branch (DB) arrested three individuals—Jahir Ahmad, Sakibul Islam, and his brother Rana—in connection with the illegal possession of firearms. The raid took place on Tuesday night at Chowdhuryhat in Noapara Union, where the pistol and magazines were found hidden on a shop shelf. Based on Jahir’s information, two more suspects were detained from Patiya’s Haidgaon Maizpara area. At a press briefing on Wednesday, Additional Superintendent of Police (DB) Russell confirmed that a case under the Arms Act has been filed and the accused have been sent to court. He also stated that DB police have recently intensified operations, arresting eight people and recovering multiple firearms and ammunition across the district this month.