In Nilphamari’s Saidpur, Bangladesh, potato farmers and traders are facing severe financial losses as market prices have plummeted far below production costs. Despite storing around 90,000 tons of potatoes in 11 cold storages with hopes of earning fair prices, demand has sharply declined, forcing many to sell at Tk 10–12 per kilogram, while production and storage costs reach Tk 20–25. Some farmers, unable to recover expenses, are feeding potatoes to cattle. Compared to last year, prices have dropped by more than half, leaving both farmers and cold storage owners struggling. Many traders have yet to release their stock due to the low market rate. Farmers are urging the government to increase market monitoring, offer incentives, and explore export options to stabilize prices. Agricultural officials report that 9,300 hectares have been planted with potatoes this season, and new crops are expected soon, which may provide some relief if prices improve.

A wild elephant was found dead after being electrocuted by an illegal electric trap in a paddy field near Rahmaniapara, West Khayrati, Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar, late Monday night. Forest officials recovered the carcass on Tuesday morning following reports from locals. According to Ukhiya Range Officer Md Abdul Mannan, the elephant, estimated to be 40–45 years old, bore burn marks consistent with electrocution. Locals said elephants increasingly enter villages due to food shortages in nearby hills, leading residents to install electric fences for protection. This practice has resulted in several elephant deaths. Forest officials confirmed that the carcass was buried after a post-mortem examination, and an investigation is underway to determine the exact cause of death. According to the Forest Department, five wild elephants have died in the Ukhiya-Teknaf region since January 2024, highlighting the growing tension between human settlements and wildlife in the area.

After a 22-day suspension, the Barapukuria coal-based thermal power plant in Parbatipur, Dinajpur, resumed electricity production on Tuesday afternoon by restarting its first unit. The plant, which has a total capacity of 525 megawatts across three units, is currently generating only 50 megawatts per day. Operations had been halted due to mechanical failures that rendered all three units inactive, cutting off power supply to the national grid. The second unit, with a capacity of 125 megawatts, has been permanently out of service since 2020, while the third 275-megawatt unit remains offline. Authorities expect that full restoration of operations may take until January, as discussions with Chinese technical experts continue to resolve the mechanical issues. The partial resumption offers some relief amid ongoing power shortages in the region.

In Peru’s Ucayali region, members of the Kakataibo Indigenous Guard are patrolling deep Amazon forests to protect their ancestral lands from illegal coca cultivation, which fuels cocaine production and threatens their environment and lives. Armed with traditional weapons and a few old firearms, they cross rivers and dense jungles to locate hidden coca fields. Similarly, in northern Peru, the Wampis Indigenous people have formed a volunteer patrol group called Charip in 2024 to stop illegal gold mining and deforestation. Despite limited government support, Charip has achieved early success by detaining corrupt police officers and destroying illegal dredging machines. However, the group now faces manpower shortages as members receive no pay and risk their lives to defend their territory. Peru, the world’s second-largest cocaine producer, has seen coca cultivation nearly double since 2013, driving deforestation, corruption, and violence that have claimed the lives of at least 20 Indigenous leaders.

The Government of Bangladesh has approved the purchase of 220,000 metric tons of fertilizer from China, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, and Kafco at a total cost of approximately Tk 1,579 crore. The procurement includes 70,000 tons of urea, 120,000 tons of DAP, and 30,000 tons of TSP fertilizer. Additionally, the government will construct 34 buffer warehouses across the country at a cost of Tk 55.25 crore to improve fertilizer storage and distribution. The decisions were approved at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase chaired by Economic Adviser Dr. Salahuddin Ahmed. The imports will be made for the 2025–26 fiscal year, with specific agreements including 40,000 tons of urea from Saudi Arabia’s SABIC Agro Nutrients Company and 30,000 tons from Bangladesh-based Kafco. The move aims to ensure adequate fertilizer supply for the upcoming agricultural seasons.

A major technical issue at Cloudflare caused widespread disruptions across numerous popular websites globally, including social media platform X and film review site Letterboxd. Users attempting to access affected sites encountered error messages stating that pages could not be loaded due to Cloudflare’s network problems. Cloudflare, a key internet infrastructure provider known for protecting against cyberattacks and managing heavy traffic, confirmed awareness of the issue and said investigations were underway. The outage also impacted Down Detector, a platform that tracks website disruptions, which later reported a sharp rise in outage reports worldwide. Although the exact number of affected websites remains unknown, this incident highlights the vulnerability of the internet ecosystem to single-point failures in essential infrastructure providers like Cloudflare.

A World Bank delegation led by Jean Denis Pesme, Director of the bank’s Dhaka Regional Office, held a meeting with Dr. Shafiqur Rahman, the Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, on Tuesday, November 18. The meeting took place at the Jamaat chief’s office and included World Bank officials Mehrin A. Mahbub, Economic Adviser, and Gaelle Martin, Operations Manager. On the Jamaat side, economist Dr. Mizanur Rahman, former senior secretary Muhammad Safiullah, and foreign affairs adviser Professor Dr. Mahmudul Hasan were present. Discussions focused on Bangladesh’s financial sector reforms, sustainable economic growth, taxation systems, and social sector development. The meeting reflected an exchange of views on the country’s ongoing economic challenges and potential areas for structural improvement, though no specific agreements or commitments were publicly disclosed.

The Bangladesh government has approved the purchase of one cargo of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Singapore at a cost of approximately Tk 490 crore. The decision was made during a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase, chaired by Economic Adviser Dr. Salahuddin Ahmed. Petrobangla invited bids from 24 companies with existing Master Sale and Purchase Agreements (MSPA), and four firms submitted offers. BP Singapore Private Limited emerged as the lowest bidder, offering LNG at a rate of USD 11.64 per MMBtu. The cargo, totaling about 3.36 million MMBtu, will be imported through the international spot market. Officials said the procurement aims to ensure adequate energy supply amid rising domestic demand and global fuel price fluctuations. The approval reflects Bangladesh’s continued reliance on imported LNG to meet its growing energy needs.

The eastern Chinese city of Ningbo has introduced a new incentive program to counter the country’s declining marriage rate. According to the city’s Civil Affairs Department, newly married couples will receive eight cash vouchers worth a total of 1,000 yuan (about $141 or £107). These vouchers can be used for wedding photography, ceremonies, celebrations, hotels, shopping, and other marriage-related services. The vouchers will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. Similar initiatives have been launched in other eastern cities such as Hangzhou and Pinghu, running through the end of the year. Official data show that over 6.1 million couples registered marriages last year, down nearly 20% from 7.68 million in 2023. Analysts attribute the decline to high child-rearing and education costs. In response, Chinese authorities have promoted policies encouraging marriage and childbirth, including “love education” programs at universities and local government support for marriage at an “appropriate age.”

A writ petition has been filed in the High Court challenging the legality of the government-approved merger plan involving five Shariah-based private banks in Bangladesh—First Security Islami Bank, Global Islami Bank, Union Bank, EXIM Bank, and Social Islami Bank. The petition, submitted on behalf of investor Shahidul Islam by Barrister Mahsib Hossain, names the Bangladesh Bank governor and the finance secretary among the respondents. The merger proposal, approved on October 9 by an advisory council, aims to form a new Shariah-compliant entity tentatively named either United Islamic Bank or Sammilito Islamic Bank. The new bank would assume all assets and liabilities of the merged institutions, with an authorized capital of Tk 40,000 crore, including Tk 20,000 crore from the government. Bangladesh Bank recently appointed administrators to manage the financially weak banks, assuring depositors that their funds remain secure and that no employees will be dismissed during the restructuring process.

The Bangladesh government has issued the Bangladesh Labour (Amendment) Ordinance 2025, allowing the formation of trade unions with the consent of at least 20 workers in a factory. Previously, 20 percent of a factory’s workforce was required to form a union. The new ordinance specifies the number of workers needed for union registration based on total workforce size, ranging from 20 to 400. The amendment aims to modernize labor laws, align them with International Labour Organization (ILO) conventions, and ensure greater balance between workers and employers. It extends labor law protections to domestic workers and sailors, prohibits blacklisting, strengthens measures against sexual harassment, enhances maternity benefits, and bans gender-based wage discrimination. The ordinance also introduces improved mechanisms for dispute resolution and establishes a fund for rehabilitation and medical support of injured workers. Officials described the reform as a landmark step toward international labor standards.

Heavy rains across Southeast Asia have triggered deadly landslides, killing dozens in Indonesia and Vietnam. In Indonesia’s Central Java province, at least 18 people died and several remain missing after landslides buried homes in Cilacap and Banjarnegara. Rescue teams are struggling to recover victims buried under thick mud, with excavators deployed to clear debris. In Vietnam, six people were killed and 19 injured when a passenger bus was buried by a landslide on the Khanh Le Pass between Da Lat and Nha Trang. The incident, caused by torrential rain, trapped passengers as rescuers battled blocked roads and continuing downpours. Scientists warn that climate change is intensifying Southeast Asia’s rainy season, increasing the frequency and severity of floods and landslides. Both Indonesia and Vietnam are among the world’s most flood-prone nations, with large populations living in high-risk areas. The recent disasters follow Typhoon Kalmaegi, which earlier devastated parts of the region, underscoring growing climate-related vulnerabilities.

The Department of Environment (DoE) in Bangladesh has filed a case against 11 named individuals, including Erfanul Haque, joint coordinator of the National Citizen Party (NCP) Chattogram Metropolitan unit, and 300–400 unidentified persons for obstructing an official raid against illegal brick kilns and hill cutting in Lama upazila of Bandarban district. The case was lodged on November 17 by DoE inspector Mohammad Nur Uddin at Lama Police Station. The accused allegedly blocked roads and staged protests when an executive magistrate-led team attempted to dismantle illegal brick kilns on November 16. During the protest, workers lay on the road wrapped in shrouds, claiming their livelihoods depended on the kilns and demanding alternative employment before demolition. DoE officials stated that those obstructing the operation were not local residents but hired workers and associates of illegal kiln operators. Authorities have affirmed that legal action will proceed under environmental protection laws.

Bangladesh has recorded a 17% increase in the import of nine essential consumer goods ahead of the upcoming Ramadan, according to a recent Bangladesh Bank report. The imported items include sugar, soybean oil, pulses, chickpeas, peas, onions, garlic, ginger, and dates. Among these, pea imports surged by 294%, while date imports rose by 231%. In contrast, onion imports dropped by 99%, and garlic and ginger imports declined by 89% and 22%, respectively. The central bank attributed the overall rise in imports to stable dollar supply and policy measures facilitating trade. To ensure adequate supply and price stability during Ramadan, Bangladesh Bank has instructed commercial banks to maintain minimal cash margins for opening letters of credit (LCs) on ten key commodities until March 2026. Officials expect that these measures will prevent shortages and may even lower prices if market monitoring remains effective.

Bangladesh Bank has announced it will discontinue five public services, including the sale and purchase of savings certificates and prize bonds, starting November 30. Initially, the closure will apply to the central bank’s Motijheel office, with other regional offices following later. The suspended services also include the exchange of damaged notes, treasury challan services, and providing change for challans. Customers will still be able to access these services through commercial banks, which the central bank will closely monitor to ensure smooth operations. The decision is part of a modernization and security enhancement plan involving automated vaults and restricted public access to sensitive areas. Although recent fraud incidents involving savings certificate servers occurred at the Motijheel branch, officials clarified that the closures are primarily driven by security and modernization concerns. Currently, Bangladesh Bank handles a significant portion of the country’s savings certificate transactions, with over 30% processed through its Motijheel office.