The 22-day nationwide ban on catching hilsa, imposed to protect the fish during its breeding season, ends at midnight tonight (Saturday, October 25). Around 300,000 fishermen in Bhola district are eagerly preparing to set sail on the Meghna and Tetulia rivers. They are busy repairing boats, mending nets, and purchasing new fishing gear—many by taking loans. The fishermen hope to catch enough hilsa to repay their debts and recover from the financial strain of the fishing ban. Bhola’s District Fisheries Officer, Md. Iqbal Hossain, expressed optimism that this year’s hilsa season will be successful and help fishermen overcome losses. During the restriction period, authorities from the Fisheries Department and Coast Guard conducted drives across seven upazilas, detaining over 200 fishermen and seizing a large number of illegal nets.

Bangladesh has secured the second position among countries successfully exporting value-added products to the U.S., trailing Cambodia and outpacing Vietnam, according to the latest IMF report. Cambodia leads with a 21% growth in value-added exports, while Bangladesh recorded a 20% increase, primarily driven by ready-made garments, leather goods, and handicrafts. The IMF highlights that Asian countries heavily depend on markets in Europe and the U.S. for foreign currency through exports and remittances. Strengthening value addition in products enables higher export opportunities, fostering competition among exporters. While Sri Lanka maintained steady exports, other nations saw a decline. Countries like Japan, Malaysia, South Korea, India, and Thailand lagged in boosting value-added export growth. The report also kept Bangladesh’s GDP growth forecast at 4.9% for the current fiscal year.

Although the construction of a 250-bed modern hospital in Bandarban was completed six years ago, it has not yet been inaugurated due to administrative delays and the absence of staff recruitment. The old 100-bed hospital, established in 2005, now struggles to accommodate the growing number of patients from both urban and remote hill areas. Many patients are forced to lie on the floor due to a severe shortage of beds. The new facility—built at a cost of Tk 36 crore—includes advanced medical infrastructure such as ICU, CCU, isolation wards, and surgical units. However, without approval and manpower, it remains unused, depriving thousands of residents of better healthcare. Locals believe that opening the hospital would significantly reduce patient suffering and improve medical services. The civil surgeon has confirmed that the infrastructure is ready and the hospital will open soon after administrative approval.

World Bank President Ajay Banga has warned that 1.2 billion young people will enter the global workforce over the next 25 years, but current economic growth is failing to create sufficient job opportunities. Speaking at the World Bank–IMF Annual Meetings in Washington, Banga emphasized that the world must prepare now to avoid a massive generational failure. He noted that by 2050, 85% of the world’s population will live in developing countries, where lack of education, skills, and employment could trigger inequality and instability. Banga stressed the importance of job creation in five key sectors—infrastructure and energy, agriculture and agribusiness, healthcare, tourism, and mineral production and processing—and urged developing countries to modernize these sectors to attract private investment. He also called for global unity and compassion, reminding that employment, climate change, and governance are shared global challenges.

China and Pakistan have signed a significant Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance educational cooperation and academic collaboration. The agreement was formalized between the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE) and Xinjiang University at a ceremony held in Urumqi, China. According to PIDE’s statement, both universities agreed to expand joint research initiatives, faculty and student exchange programs, and capacity-building projects. The discussions particularly emphasized strengthening cooperation within the frameworks of the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Representing Pakistan, PIDE Vice Chancellor Dr. Muhammad Nadeem Javed highlighted that the MoU marks an important milestone in reinforcing educational and research ties between the two nations. The partnership is expected to open new avenues for innovation, cross-cultural understanding, and sustainable development in the region, reflecting the growing strategic and academic ties between China and Pakistan.

Fifteen army officers accused in two cases of enforced disappearance and torture during the Awami League government, as well as one case related to the anti-discrimination movement in Rampura, have been transferred from prison to a sub-jail located inside the Dhaka Cantonment. The Ministry of Home Affairs declared the “MES Building No. 54” on Bashar Road as a temporary jail on October 12. According to prison regulations, their care remains under the Department of Prisons, with 35 security personnel assigned to the sub-jail. Each officer has a separate room equipped with basic furniture, a fan, and a daily newspaper. Meals are provided from the central jail, including bread and vegetables for breakfast; rice, lentils, vegetables, and fish or meat for lunch; and fish or meat with vegetables for dinner. Oversight will be conducted by senior prison officials, ensuring all operations comply with official prison rules.

The Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges has announced a significant policy change regarding driving licenses in Bangladesh. Advisor to the ministry, Muhammad Faozul Kabir Khan, revealed that all drivers must complete a mandatory 60-hour training program at an approved training center before receiving a driving license. Additionally, trainees will receive a stipend during their training period. The announcement was made on Wednesday (October 22) during a discussion marking National Road Safety Day 2025 in Tejgaon, Dhaka. Khan emphasized that untrained drivers are one of the main causes of road accidents and traffic congestion. He added that the existing licensing committee system will be abolished and replaced with a training-based model. The new approach aims to align Bangladesh’s system with international standards and ensure safer, more skilled drivers on the roads.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) will engage in discussions with Bangladesh’s next elected government before releasing the next tranche of the $5.5 billion loan package, scheduled for December, according to Bangladesh Bank Governor Ahsan H. Mansur. Speaking from Washington, where he is attending the IMF–World Bank annual meetings, Mansur explained that the IMF made this decision in light of the upcoming national elections. Bangladesh has neither objected to nor endorsed the decision, as it currently faces no financial pressure. The Governor emphasized the importance of maintaining policy continuity rather than focusing solely on disbursement. He added that conducting a full review now would be premature, given the election period. The IMF’s Article IV mission will arrive in October for a partial assessment, with the final review expected in February, following the elections. So far, Bangladesh has received $3.6 billion of the pledged loan.

Job-seeking persons with disabilities once again staged a sit-in protest in front of the National Museum at Shahbagh, Dhaka, on Wednesday (October 22), under the banner of the “Job-Seeking Disabled Graduates Council.” Their protest centered around five key demands: special recruitment under the Chief Adviser’s executive order based on disability type, implementation of a 2% quota in first and second-class jobs and 5% in third and fourth-class posts, policy updates ensuring independence in appointing scribes, guaranteed recruitment for visually impaired candidates, and extending the government job age limit to 35 years for disabled persons and 37 for general candidates. Around noon, the protesters began marching toward the Jamuna River but were stopped by police at Shahbagh intersection. A brief scuffle ensued before the police dispersed them. The protesters claimed they have been demanding inclusion and quota enforcement since 2018 without meaningful results.

A gas line explosion during piling work for the Narayanganj–Muktarpur flyover triggered a fire on Tuesday afternoon in Fatullah’s Panchaboti area. The blaze damaged a nearby glass shop and left one pedestrian injured. Firefighters and Titas Gas officials quickly intervened, sealing the main gas line to prevent further leaks. As a result, gas supply to Narayanganj city, Fatullah, and surrounding areas was suspended, disrupting industrial production and daily life. Many factories in the BSCIC Industrial Area and Fatullah Industrial Zone, including garment and spinning mills, were forced to shut down operations. Titas Gas engineers are working to repair the damaged pipeline and expect to restore supply by night. Residents also reported severe gas shortages at home, compounding the disruption across the city.

The Bangladesh government has suspended a proposed Tk 1,268.80-crore project aimed at improving climate-resilient livelihoods in the haor (wetland) regions across eight districts, including Kishoreganj. The project, initiated by the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development, and Cooperatives, was placed before the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) for approval on October 21. However, the plan faced strong objections from Environment and Forest Affairs Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan, who argued that large-scale infrastructure construction could severely damage the delicate haor ecosystem. Following her intervention, ECNEC decided not to approve the project in its current form and ordered a revision of the Development Project Proposal (DPP) by excluding infrastructure components. The project’s proposed funding sources included government allocations, a loan from IFAD, and a grant from Danida. Authorities are expected to resubmit a revised plan focusing on sustainable and environmentally friendly development initiatives.

To make up for instructional days lost during the recent teacher movement, MPO-listed teachers in Bangladesh have decided to hold classes on Saturdays until the upcoming annual examinations. Principal Delawar Hossain Azizi, president of the MPO-listed Education Nationalization Aspirants’ Alliance and general secretary of the Bangladesh Madrasah Teachers and Employees Forum, confirmed the decision. Teachers had been unable to attend classrooms for eight days due to the movement. The initiative aims to ensure students complete the full syllabus on time. The government recently announced a 15 percent increase in house rent allowance for MPO-listed teachers working in private institutions, fulfilling a key demand of the teachers’ movement. With the official notification received, teachers will now resume classes from tomorrow, compensating for the lost days and withdrawing their movement.

Following a major fire at the Cargo Village of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, the Dhaka Custom House has issued a directive requiring all imported goods to be cleared within 24 to 48 hours. A delegation led by Faisal Samad, Director of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), met with the Customs Commissioner on October 20 to discuss the crisis. An emergency meeting was also held with the Bangladesh Civil Aviation Authority and other stakeholders to coordinate the response. Importers and their agents have been urged to have all necessary documentation ready before goods arrive and, if possible, to receive deliveries on the same day. To assist with smooth clearance, focal officers from Dhaka Customs and Biman Bangladesh Airlines have been designated. BGMEA has requested its member organizations to actively participate and provide timely documents to ensure expedited handling of goods.

A massive fire broke out at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport’s import cargo village, with preliminary investigations indicating it may have started in the import courier section. Air Vice Marshal Md. Mostafa Mahmud Siddique, chairman of the Bangladesh Civil Aviation Authority, informed reporters at a press conference at the Kurmitola headquarters on Tuesday morning. A high-level investigation committee has been formed to determine the fire’s origin, assess the extent of damages, and provide recommendations to prevent similar incidents. The Fire Service, police, and airport authorities are coordinating with the team. The fire erupted on October 18 around 2:15 PM and was brought under control after seven hours, with 37 Fire Service units deployed. Early estimates suggest hundreds of crores of taka worth of imported goods were destroyed. Multiple agencies are conducting separate investigations.

Nicolas Sarkozy, former French president (2007–2012), has become the first French ex-leader since WWII to be jailed, beginning a five-year sentence for conspiring to finance his 2007 presidential campaign with funds from late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi. Sarkozy, 70, entered La Santé prison in Paris, where he will stay in an isolation wing cell of around 10 square meters equipped with basic amenities. Supporters gathered outside his home shouting encouragement as he left with his wife, Carla Bruni. Despite his conviction, Sarkozy maintains his innocence, calling his imprisonment a “humiliation for France” driven by revenge. He has appealed the ruling, and his lawyer has already filed a request for his release. Current President Emmanuel Macron acknowledged meeting Sarkozy, while Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin plans to visit him. Sarkozy has vowed to face prison “with his head held high,” citing faith that truth will ultimately prevail.