Professor Bidhan Ranjan Roy Poddar, Advisor to the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, has stated that the demand of assistant primary school teachers to be upgraded directly from the 13th to the 10th grade lacks justification. Speaking to journalists after a views exchange meeting at the Khulna District Shilpakala Academy on Saturday morning, he said that most teachers themselves believe the demand is not logical. The advisor explained that while headteachers have been promoted to the 10th grade, it is impractical to apply the same for all assistant teachers due to their large number. The government is working to ensure that teachers can at least achieve the 11th grade, he added. Professor Poddar also mentioned that the Ministry of Public Administration has a policy of allocating 80% for promotion and reserving 20% for new recruitment. The meeting also discussed improving teaching quality and teachers’ moral and practical development.

Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali, former Foreign Minister of Bangladesh and ex-MP from Dinajpur-4, passed away at the age of 83 on Thursday evening at BIRDEM Hospital in Dhaka. He had been undergoing treatment in the ICU for kidney-related complications for nearly two weeks. His funeral prayer will be held in front of his Dhanmondi residence, followed by burial at Banani Cemetery. Born in 1943 in Dinajpur’s Khansama upazila, Ali began his career as an economics lecturer at the University of Dhaka before joining the Pakistan Foreign Service in 1966. During the 1971 Liberation War, he played a key diplomatic role in mobilizing international support for Bangladesh. He served as Foreign Minister from 2014 to 2019 and later as Finance Minister after being elected in 2024. He lost his parliamentary seat following the fall of the Awami League government that same year.

Two police constables from Rajshahi’s Durgapur Police Station were beaten by locals after being accused of attempting to extort money from a young man in Shyampur village on Tuesday evening, November 4. The officers, identified as driver Imran Ali of the emergency “999” unit and computer operator Majed Hossain, allegedly demanded a large sum from Sajib Ahmed, claiming he was involved in online gambling. When Sajib refused, they reportedly threatened to arrest him. Locals became suspicious after the pair failed to show identification and detained them following an altercation. Police later arrived and rescued the constables, who have since been withdrawn to the police lines. Investigators have been assigned, and senior officers confirmed departmental action will follow if the allegations are substantiated. One of the accused, Imran Ali, denied the charges, claiming they were falsely implicated and had not gone to arrest anyone.

The United States faces growing chaos as the ongoing federal government shutdown — now the longest in the nation’s history at 36 days — begins to disrupt air travel on a massive scale. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced that, starting Friday, 10 percent of flights will be cut across 40 major airports if the shutdown continues. The decision comes amid a severe shortage of air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) staff, many of whom have been working without pay for weeks.

Although the government has not released the full list of affected airports, the measure is expected to impact busy hubs including New York, Washington D.C., Chicago, Atlanta, Los Angeles, and Dallas. Industry analysts at Cirium estimate the cuts could reduce around 1,800 flights and 268,000 seats daily. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) warned that stricter controls might follow if the crisis persists.

Airlines and trade groups such as Airlines for America are coordinating with the government to minimize disruptions for passengers and cargo transport. Since the shutdown began, over 3.2 million travelers have faced flight delays or cancellations, and more than 2,100 flights were delayed on Wednesday alone.

The Supreme Court of Bangladesh has released the complete 59-page verdict acquitting BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, and several others in the long-standing Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case. Delivered on January 15 by a five-member Appellate Division bench led by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed, the unanimous ruling overturned the earlier convictions handed down by the trial court and the High Court. The full text, published on November 4 on the Supreme Court’s official website, declared that all appellants were found not guilty, effectively nullifying the prior sentences of imprisonment and fines.

The verdict also stated that the prosecution had involved a “malicious misuse of law” and that the ruling applies to others convicted who did not file appeals. The judgment marks a significant legal and political turning point, restoring the reputation of the accused and putting an end to what the court described as unjust proceedings.

The original case was filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) in 2008, resulting in a 2018 conviction of Khaleda Zia and others. With this decision, the Supreme Court brings closure to one of Bangladesh’s most politically charged legal battles.

The trial of Sitangshu Kumar (S.K.) Sur, former Deputy Governor of Bangladesh Bank, has officially commenced after a Dhaka court framed charges against him in a corruption case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). The case involves allegations that Sur failed to submit a detailed statement of his assets within the stipulated time, as required under the Anti-Corruption Commission Act of 2004.

On Thursday, November 6, Judge Ayesha Nasrin of the Dhaka Special Judge Court-2 read out the charges in the presence of the accused, who pleaded not guilty. The court then fixed January 20 as the date for recording witness testimonies. During the hearing, ACC Prosecutor Shamsuddin Md. Abul Kalam argued in favor of proceeding with the case, while no defense lawyer was present on behalf of the accused.

According to case records, Sur received the ACC directive on October 27 of last year but failed to submit his wealth statement within 21 working days. Following an investigation, the ACC filed the formal charge sheet on August 25 this year. Sur has been in custody since his arrest on January 14 in Segunbagicha, Dhaka.

Bangladesh’s National Consensus Commission (NCC) has submitted its report on the July Charter, aimed at political and constitutional reforms, but major parties remain divided on its implementation. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) alleged its dissenting views were excluded from the final report, while leftist and smaller parties refused to sign the charter, citing lack of clarity and insufficient reflection of the Liberation War’s principles. The charter proposes restoring the caretaker government system, limiting prime ministerial terms, and ensuring institutional independence. Disagreements persist over the timing of a referendum and the adoption of a proportional representation system. With the ruling Awami League excluded from the consultation process, the absence of broad consensus threatens to stall democratic transformation and deepen political fragmentation in the country.

The Bangladesh Police Headquarters has issued a public warning about fraudulent activities involving the misuse of names and photos of government officials and senior officers. According to a statement posted on the police’s official Facebook page Thursday night, scammers have been sending WhatsApp messages impersonating high-ranking officials to demand money. The police cautioned citizens not to respond to such messages or assume that a profile picture of a well-known person confirms the authenticity of the number. Authorities assured that the police remain vigilant and will take strict legal action against anyone involved in such fraudulent schemes.

The Trump administration has canceled 80,000 non-immigrant visas in the past nine months as part of its increasingly stringent immigration policy, according to a senior U.S. State Department official cited by Reuters. Following his inauguration on January 20, President Donald Trump took a firm stance against illegal immigration, fulfilling a campaign pledge to make America free of undocumented immigrants. A series of executive orders led to nationwide raids involving police, customs, and paramilitary forces, resulting in thousands of undocumented migrants being detained and deported.

However, many of the 80,000 people affected were not undocumented. Several held valid short-term visas but had them revoked due to various offenses. Around 16,000 visas were canceled for driving under the influence, 12,000 for assault or violent behavior, and 8,000 for theft-related charges. In August alone, 6,000 foreign students lost their visas due to overstaying, breaking laws, or allegedly supporting terrorism. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated in May that the visa revocations would continue as part of ensuring alignment with U.S. foreign policy priorities. The administration emphasized that individuals engaging in conduct contrary to U.S. laws or interests will face strict immigration consequences.

The Bangladesh government has introduced the draft of the Telecommunication (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025, proposing strict penalties for using telecom or wireless equipment and digital platforms to spread communal, religious, or ethnic hatred. According to Section 66(k) of the draft, individuals, organizations, or groups found guilty of promoting hate speech that threatens national integrity, public order, or security may face imprisonment for up to five years or a fine of up to Tk 99 crore—or both.

The ordinance also addresses other serious offenses, including hacking, disruption of satellite or defense communications, data fraud, and AI-based scams. Additionally, Section 69(k) criminalizes the use of telecom tools for transmitting obscene, intimidating, or extortion-related messages, prescribing up to two years’ imprisonment and a Tk 1.5 crore fine. Harassing others through repeated phone calls without valid reason could result in a fine of Tk 1 lakh and up to six months in jail.

The draft ordinance, published by the Posts and Telecommunications Division on Wednesday, is open for public opinion until November 15. Feedback can be sent via email to secretary@ptd.gov.bd or by post to the Bangladesh Secretariat.

The High Court has granted bail to former Textiles and Jute Minister Abdul Latif Siddique in a case filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act at Shahbagh Police Station in Dhaka. The order was issued by a division bench of the High Court on Thursday, November 6, as confirmed by Assistant Attorney General Ibrahim Khalil. Earlier, on August 29, a Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate’s court sent Siddique and 15 others to jail in connection with the same case.

The case was filed by Sub-Inspector Md Amirul Islam of Shahbagh Police Station following a roundtable discussion organized by “Moncho 71” at the Dhaka Reporters Unity on August 28. According to the police report, Siddique allegedly delivered a speech encouraging armed resistance to overthrow the interim government, which authorities interpreted as an act of conspiracy against the state. Sixteen people, including university professors and senior citizens, were arrested during the event.

The defense lawyers argued for bail, while the prosecution opposed it. After hearing both sides, the High Court decided to grant bail to Abdul Latif Siddique, providing temporary relief to the former minister amid ongoing legal proceedings.

A proposal has been made to establish a centralized platform in Bangladesh to curb online gambling, betting, and pornography. The platform will integrate key digital and identity infrastructures — including SIM cards, mobile financial service (MFS) accounts, national identity (NID) numbers, and website monitoring systems — under a unified operational framework. The initiative was discussed in a meeting held at the BTRC headquarters in Dhaka, attended by representatives from the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and ICT, BTRC, Bangladesh Bank, Election Commission, law enforcement, intelligence agencies, mobile operators, and MFS providers.

The proposed system aims to detect and block illegal gambling transactions, identify suspicious mobile and MFS accounts, and track online activities using advanced verification tools. A joint Subscriber Data Verification Platform (SDVP) between BTRC and Bangladesh Bank is being developed to facilitate this. Authorities are also working on a “crawling engine” to trace gambling-related content. Representatives emphasized coordination, stronger monitoring, and public awareness to prevent youth exploitation and money laundering. The move marks a comprehensive effort to strengthen digital security and social stability through cross-sectoral collaboration.

The Bangladesh government has decided not to grant permission for Indian-born Islamic preacher Dr. Zakir Naik to visit Dhaka at this time, according to a source in the Ministry of Home Affairs. The decision was made during a core law and order committee meeting held on Tuesday (November 4) at the Secretariat, chaired by Home Affairs Adviser Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury. Other key officials present included Public Works Adviser Adilur Rahman Khan, International Affairs Envoy Lutfe Siddique, Special Assistant Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Abdul Hafiz, and Inspector General of Police Baharul Alam.

During the meeting, it was revealed that an organization had invited Dr. Naik to attend a two-day program in Dhaka on November 28 and 29, with possible visits outside the capital. However, authorities expressed concern that his arrival could attract massive public gatherings requiring extensive law enforcement deployment—resources currently focused on the upcoming national election. Consequently, it was decided that Dr. Zakir Naik may visit after the election but not before.

Dr. Naik left India after being accused of inciting extremism following the 2016 Holey Artisan attack in Dhaka. He currently resides in Malaysia with permanent resident status.

The United States is facing unprecedented travel chaos as the government shutdown reaches its 35th day — the longest in the nation’s history. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has reported severe staffing shortages, with up to 80% absenteeism among air traffic controllers in New York and half of major control centers operating with limited personnel. The ongoing crisis, caused by unpaid federal employees, has led to over 16,700 delayed flights and 2,282 cancellations from Friday to Sunday, with thousands more affected since Monday.

According to the FAA, around 13,000 air traffic controllers are continuing to work without pay since October 1, but increasing absenteeism is forcing authorities to reduce air traffic volume to maintain safety. Major airports such as Chicago O’Hare, Dallas Fort Worth, Denver, and Newark have experienced major disruptions. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated that delays will persist as safety remains the top priority, adding that some controllers have taken secondary jobs to survive.

Currently, approximately 670,000 civilian federal employees are on forced leave, while another 730,000 are working without pay, underscoring the widespread impact of the shutdown on essential national operations.

Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus has described the plight of the Rohingya community as one of the most tragic humanitarian crises of the present time, stating that they are suffering solely because they are Muslims and have been stripped of citizenship. During a meeting with a Turkish parliamentary delegation led by Mehmet Akif Yilmaz at the State Guest House Jamuna, Yunus discussed strengthening bilateral cooperation in trade, investment, and humanitarian support. The Turkish delegation highlighted the deep historical and cultural ties between the two nations and shared insights from their recent visit to the Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar. Yunus expressed gratitude for Turkey’s continued support for the Rohingya cause and urged Turkish entrepreneurs to invest in Bangladesh. He also emphasized that the prolonged camp life has left Rohingya children with limited educational and future opportunities, warning that such deprivation could lead to despair and instability.