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 While a tsunami warning was initially issued, it was later withdrawn.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.

Mahalaya, the auspicious start of Durga Puja, will be observed on September 21. This year, no official public holiday has been declared for Mahalaya, though many take optional leave on the day.

An analysis of the government holiday calendar shows that public servants will enjoy a four-day break during the main festival, as October 1 (Mahanabami) has been declared a special holiday, followed by the October 2 holiday for Vijaya Dashami.

Primary schools will remain closed from September 28 to October 7, with the preceding weekend extending the break to 11 days. Secondary schools and colleges will be closed from September 26 to October 7, totaling 12 days. Madrasas will begin their vacation on September 30, resuming classes on October 5, with Fatheha-e-Yazdaham included in the schedule. Technical institutions, however, will observe only a two-day Puja holiday on October 1–2, followed by the weekend.

Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus has emphasized that Bangladesh and China will move forward hand in hand, strengthening their strategic cooperative partnership. In a video message marking China’s 76th founding anniversary and the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh-China diplomatic ties, Yunus extended warm congratulations and expressed gratitude for China’s long-standing trust and support for Bangladesh.

He praised China’s achievements under the Communist Party’s leadership in areas such as economic development, technological innovation, poverty alleviation, and public service.

Meanwhile, Chinese Ambassador Yao Wen recalled China’s sacrifices in safeguarding global peace eight decades ago and its transformation into a major power. Highlighting President Xi Jinping’s Global Governance Initiative, Yao said the initiative has garnered broad international support, including from Bangladesh, reinforcing multilateral cooperation. He affirmed that China is ready to support Bangladesh’s modernization journey and write a “new chapter” in building a China-Bangladesh community of shared future.

A joint force rescued 66 trafficking victims—including 23 women and 21 children—from a remote hill camp in Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar.
The operation, conducted from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Thursday in Kachhapia area, found both Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi citizens who were held captive for trafficking purposes.
Authorities confirmed that details will be shared in a press briefing later today.

RAB has arrested Mushfiq Uddin Togor (50), one of the prime accused in the 2002 murder of BUET student Sabekun Nahar Soni.
He was captured from Azimpur on Thursday with a revolver and 156 rounds of ammunition.
Soni, a 1999 batch student of chemical engineering, was killed on June 8, 2002, when she was caught in the crossfire during a clash between two factions of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal on the BUET campus.
RAB will brief the media with further details today.

A rice distribution program for poor families in Nabinagar, Brahmanbaria, descended into controversy after sacks marked with political slogans were discovered.
Each of the 60 ultra-poor families was supposed to receive 30 kg of rice under the government’s VGF program. However, sacks carried the inscription: “Sheikh Hasina’s Bangladesh—Hunger Will Be Eradicated.”
Annoyed by the irregularities, Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Rajib Chowdhury walked out without inaugurating the event, later directing the union chairman to investigate.

The Advisory Council has approved a draft ordinance amending the Election Officer (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, introducing tougher penalties for negligence and misconduct during election duties.
Key changes include:

Failure to perform election duty without valid reason: fine increased from Tk 5,000 to Tk 100,000.

Misconduct during duty: punishment raised from 6 months imprisonment or Tk 2,000 fine to 1–5 years imprisonment or Tk 20,000 fine (or both).
The amendment broadens “misconduct” to include defying Commission or Returning Officer orders, deliberate law violations, and negligence in duties.

A major renewable energy project is set to transform the Padma Bridge service areas (1, 2, and 3) into solar-powered hubs.
Bangladesh Bridge Authority has signed an agreement with Omera Renewable Energy Ltd. to implement a 6.03 MWp rooftop solar project.
The system will generate 9,000 MWh of clean power annually, cutting carbon emissions by 6,000 tons per year—the environmental equivalent of planting 250,000 trees or removing 1,200 fuel-driven cars from the roads.
Chief Engineer Ferdous Alam said, “This initiative reflects our commitment to sustainability and sets a benchmark for green energy integration in national infrastructure.”

In a significant policy update, the Cabinet Division has ruled that if a retired government official remarries while receiving a pension, the second spouse will also be eligible for pension benefits after the official’s death.
Additionally, the mandatory wait period for restoring pensions of those who surrendered 100% of their benefits has been reduced from 15 years to 10 years.
The decision also allows pensioners with critical illnesses to seek medical assistance from the Government Employees Welfare Board. Officials are also addressing anomalies in festival bonuses and increments for those whose pensions were later restored.

Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have signed a landmark defense agreement under which an attack on either nation will be considered an attack on both, prompting joint retaliation.
Political analyst Asif Nazrul welcomed the move, writing, “In reality, Muslim countries have no choice but to forge such alliances.”
Experts note that Gulf states have long relied on U.S. security guarantees, but waning trust has prompted them to diversify defense ties. A senior Saudi official said the pact, the result of years of negotiations, institutionalizes cooperation rather than responding to any specific crisis.
However, Riyadh also stressed the importance of maintaining balanced relations with India, with whom it currently enjoys its “strongest-ever ties.” Notably, Saudi officials hinted that Pakistan’s nuclear capability is also a factor in the agreement.

For the first time in Bangladesh’s history, civil and criminal courts have been fully separated in a major judicial reform. The government expects this move will accelerate case disposal and ease the decades-long backlog.
Previously, joint district judges, additional district judges, and district judges handled both civil and criminal cases, contributing to judicial delays. At present, around 1.6 million civil cases and 2.3 million criminal cases remain pending in lower courts across the country.
Despite the higher number of criminal cases, judges were tasked with managing both types. To address this, the government has established 203 new additional sessions courts and 367 joint sessions courts, where judges will now exclusively preside over criminal matters.

Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus has instructed ministries to inform the public about reforms they have implemented independently, beyond the recommendations of reform commissions.
Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam said the directive came after a Council of Advisers meeting. Out of 121 initial reform proposals, 77 have been marked “high priority,” with 24 already implemented and the rest in progress.
The meeting also approved the draft of the Financial Laws (Second Amendment) Ordinance 2025.

Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr. Ahsan H. Mansur has emphasized the urgent need to strengthen the agriculture sector for a prosperous future.
Speaking at a daylong training workshop in Cox’s Bazar with over 300 agricultural entrepreneurs, he stressed: “We must enhance entrepreneurial skills, adopt modern technology, and expand financial support to ensure sustainable farming.”
He noted that agriculture not only boosts economic resilience but also secures food security for the nation.

The Bangladesh Secretariat Officers and Employees Coordinated Council has placed a seven-point demand that includes rejuvenation training, overseas opportunities, and enhanced medical allowances for retirees.

Key demands include:

Extending rejuvenation training for employees in grades 10–20 to a minimum of 10 days.

Providing at least Tk 20,000 in pocket allowances to trainees.

Organizing training programs in SAARC member countries.

Completing and implementing the recommendations of the 9th National Pay Commission by November 2025.

Replacing the existing 20-grade pay structure with a 12-grade structure. The council warned that failure to do so could trigger a nationwide movement by employee unions under a single demand platform.

Allocating Tk 15,000 as a monthly medical allowance for retirees, along with special budgetary provisions for their welfare.

Eliminating unnecessary delays and alleged harassment in financial decision-making within the Ministry of Finance.

The Coordinated Council urged the government to act swiftly, warning of united action if their demands are ignored.

The government has initiated a plan to enhance housing, medical, and festival allowances for teachers and employees working in MPO-enlisted private educational institutions.

To facilitate this, the Ministry of Education has sent a formal request to the Ministry of Finance, seeking an additional allocation of Tk 769.34 crore in the 2025–26 fiscal budget. The letter, signed by the Education Adviser, emphasized that ensuring the welfare of teachers is a fundamental responsibility of the government.

The adviser pointed out that in the past, reductions in the education budget and a greater focus on infrastructure development created disparities in teachers’ living standards. Addressing these inequalities and strengthening the social status of teachers and staff, the letter stated, requires higher investment in the education sector.

The proposal also highlighted that while teachers’ festival allowances were previously raised from 25% to 50%, staff allowances did not exceed 50%, leaving many frustrated. To resolve this, a demand has been placed to raise staff festival allowances to 75%.