Authorities at Qazi Hasanuzzaman & Ajiullah Hafizia Madrasa in Raipur, Lakshmipur, have dismissed two teachers—Ataur Rahman and Sharif Hossain—for severely beating a child student.

The victim, Mahmud Hasan, was hospitalized after sustaining injuries from repeated caning. According to relatives, Mahmud was beaten six times by Sharif Hossain for failing to recite lessons, and again the next day, 12 times by Ataur Rahman, leaving him unconscious.

Mahmud later told family members that the teachers threatened to kill him if he revealed the incident to his mother.

The Indian Border Security Force (BSF) pushed 16 Bangladeshi nationals into Bangladesh territory through the Shitlmath border in Naogaon early Friday.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) detained them shortly after and confirmed they were Bangladeshi citizens from Pabna. The group included seven men, four women, and five children. They have been handed over to Patnitala police for legal action.

Newly appointed Dutch Ambassador Boris van Bommel paid a courtesy call on Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus. During the meeting, Yunus confirmed preparations for holding national elections in early February, ensuring they are free, fair, and peaceful.

Ambassador van Bommel reaffirmed the Netherlands’ support for Bangladesh’s democratic transition, noting that an EU pre-election observation mission is set to arrive this week.

Yunus also highlighted Bangladesh’s gains from Dutch expertise in flood management and coastal protection. The ambassador expressed interest in Bangladesh’s progress in social business and microfinance. Yunus further urged enhanced Dutch assistance for over one million Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar, stressing that the upcoming UN conference must mobilize global support for humanitarian relief.

A powerful earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale struck off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula, though no immediate casualties or damage were reported.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake’s epicenter was about 128 kilometers east of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers. While a tsunami warning was initially issued, it was later withdrawn.

Authorities had warned of waves up to 3 meters along parts of Russia’s coast, but no destructive tsunami was recorded, and no alerts were issued for U.S. or Canadian territories.

Jamuna TV journalist Ayub Khan Sarkar was assaulted while covering a violent clash between two factions of BNP in the remote char area of Alokbali, Narsingdi. The attack took place at Narsingdi Sadar Hospital on Thursday afternoon, where he is now under treatment.

Additional Superintendent of Police Jewel Rana confirmed that three individuals have been detained in connection with the attack.

The clash, which erupted at dawn on Thursday, left BNP activist Idan Mia (62) dead from gunshot wounds and injured at least five others. The deceased was a resident of Muradnagar village in Alokbali Union.

Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus has assured that the upcoming national election in February will be free, fair, transparent, and celebratory.

He made the statement during a meeting with a European Parliament delegation led by MEP Munir Satouri.

Yunus highlighted the revival of student union elections in several universities after decades, noting the surge of enthusiasm among young people. “Many will be voting for the first time in over 15 years, and they will turn out in record numbers,” he said.

The hour-long meeting also touched on government reforms, Bangladesh’s development journey, democratic transformation, and the Rohingya crisis. European lawmakers described the election as a “turning point” for Bangladesh, with one Dutch MEP remarking that the country is “one of the few where things seem to be moving in the right direction.”

Dr. Yunus expressed gratitude for the EU’s continued support and called for enhanced aid for the 1 million-plus Rohingya refugees hosted in Bangladesh.

China has extended an invitation to Bangladesh to participate in its Global Governance Initiative, aimed at building a fairer and more balanced international order.

Chinese Ambassador Yao Wen conveyed the invitation during a meeting with Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam. According to the Chinese Embassy, the talks covered Bangladesh-China relations, direct cooperation, the global governance initiative, as well as regional and international issues of mutual interest.

The initiative, launched by President Xi Jinping, seeks to provide a “Chinese solution” to the challenges facing global governance. Ambassador Yao highlighted the steady progress in bilateral ties, saying cooperation between the two countries continues seamlessly and their friendship has deepened.

Welcoming the proposal, Foreign Secretary Siam praised the initiative, describing it as a timely move by Xi Jinping to address pressing global challenges.

Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam has called on journalists covering the economy and business sectors to ask difficult and uncomfortable questions—stressing that doing so is not just a right but a responsibility.
He cautioned reporters not to be intimidated by economists with prestigious Western degrees, warning that selective use of statistics often leads to misleading claims about employment, poverty, and economic performance.
“To truly hold them accountable,” Alam wrote, “you must see the bigger picture—beyond exports, imports, inflation, reserves, or current account deficits. Look also at crime data, labor unrest, and cross-sector impacts. Only then can you expose hollow claims.”

The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has urged the visiting US trade delegation to help reduce countervailing duties on Bangladeshi exports.
During the meeting, the US Trade Representative team stressed labor law reforms in line with international standards. BGMEA President Mahmud Hasan Khan said Bangladesh has already achieved 20% tariff benefits, but overall exports face an average duty of 16.5%, pushing the effective burden to 36.5%. He suggested using a “stacking method” to rationalize tariffs. On labor reforms, Khan said BGMEA is in dialogue with all stakeholders and has submitted concrete proposals on amending the 2006 Labor Act.

Arab and Muslim leaders will convene in Doha on Monday to protest recent Israeli airstrikes.

Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain is attending the summit, organized by the Government of Qatar. On Sunday, he joined a preparatory meeting of foreign ministers chaired by Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.

The session was also addressed by OIC Secretary-General Hissein Brahim Taha and Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit.

The summit follows an Israeli airstrike last Tuesday on a residential building in Doha housing Hamas leaders, which killed five Hamas members and a Qatari security officer.

An earthquake measuring 5.9 on the Richter scale struck parts of South Asia at 5:11 PM on Sunday, shaking Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, and China, according to the US Geological Survey.
The epicenter was located in Dhekiajuli, Assam, India.
Experts warn that Bangladesh remains highly vulnerable to major seismic events due to its location on the India-Myanmar tectonic boundary. They caution that a strong earthquake near Dhaka could cause devastating damage given the city’s dense population and fragile infrastructure.
Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Syed Humayun Akhter said:

“Even a 7.0 magnitude quake could lead to a massive catastrophe in Dhaka, considering our level of preparedness, building structures, and urban density.”

During a media reform discussion, journalists demanded a review of the Media Reform Commission’s recommendations, the introduction of a “No Wage Board, No Media” policy, and a minimum monthly salary of Tk 35,000.
Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam welcomed many of the commission’s recommendations but strongly opposed the proposal to scrap the clause on “hurting religious sentiments.”
“Religion-related violence is a serious issue, and penalties must remain in place to prevent it,” he said. He endorsed the “No Wage Board, No Media” proposal and added that editors and publishers should not hold union positions, as it conflicts with policy. Journalists, he said, should be certified to prevent “pseudo-journalism” from harming the profession.
He also suggested security deposits: Tk 10–15 crore for online media, Tk 20 crore for newspapers, and Tk 20–25 crore for TV channels.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and India’s Border Security Force (BSF) held a meeting at the Maheshpur border in Jhenaidah on Saturday to discuss cross-border issues including pushbacks, killings, human trafficking, and drug smuggling.
The hour-long meeting took place between 5–6 PM at the commanding officer level. Lt. Col. Md. Rafiqul Alam represented BGB, while Commandant Muganthan led the BSF side. Officials described the talks as “cordial,” with both forces agreeing to take effective measures. After the meeting, commanders and staff from both sides walked about 2 km along the zero line, reaffirming their commitment to maintain friendly bilateral relations.

At least 193 people have died following two separate boat sinkings in the northwest of the Democratic Republic of Congo, and several others are missing, authorities reported. The incidents occurred on Wednesday and Thursday roughly 150 km apart in Équateur province.

Officials said a wooden passenger boat overturned after catching fire near the village of Malange, close to Lukolela, on Thursday evening; that accident killed 107 people and rescued 209 others, with 146 still reported missing. A day earlier, a motorized boat capsized in the Basankusu area, killing at least 86 people, most of them students.

Ten Bangladeshi nationals detained by India’s Border Security Force (BSF) at West Bengal’s Hakimpur border have been handed over to the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB).

The group, including three women, three men, and four children, were transferred at Satkhira’s Taluigachha border late Friday night following a flag meeting between BSF and BGB. They are residents of Rangamati, Chattogram, Satkhira, Gazipur, and Bagerhat districts.

Authorities confirmed that after verification, the detainees will be released to their families.