In a shocking incident, a 13-year-old Afghan boy managed to travel from Kabul to Delhi by hiding inside the landing gear compartment of a commercial flight. The incident occurred on Sunday morning when Kam Air’s flight RQ-4401 landed at Indira Gandhi International Airport after a two-hour journey.

Authorities said the boy, from Kunduz city, sneaked into the Kabul airport and concealed himself in the rear central landing gear bay. After landing, he was spotted wandering near the aircraft’s security control room. Airline staff detained him and handed him over to security officials. During questioning, the boy admitted he entered the plane “out of curiosity.” By 12:30 p.m., he was deported back to Afghanistan on the same flight.

Home Affairs Adviser Jahangir Alam Chowdhury has assured that firefighters injured in the devastating blaze in Gazipur are receiving the highest level of medical care. He further stated that the government will provide any additional support needed for their treatment. Speaking during a visit to the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, he emphasized that there will be no negligence in their care.

The fire broke out yesterday afternoon around 3 p.m. at a chemical warehouse in Tongi, leaving four firefighters critically injured. Doctors have confirmed that burn injuries exceeding 40% are life-threatening, and they are making every possible effort to save the victims. The adviser urged the nation to keep the injured in their prayers.

Long-haul bus services from Rajshahi, Chapainawabganj, and Natore to Dhaka, Chattogram, and other destinations remain suspended for a second day as workers continue their strike demanding fair wages.

Drivers said they earn only Tk 1,350 per round trip from Chapainawabganj to Dhaka, while supervisors and helpers receive just over Tk 500. The pay structure has remained unchanged for 15 years despite multiple rounds of negotiations.

Prime Adviser Yunus met the family of Didarul Islam, the Bangladeshi-American NYPD officer killed in a July 28 shooting in Manhattan.

Expressing deep condolences, Yunus presented a crest of honor to the grieving family.

“I was shocked when I read about the incident. I saw on TV the sea of mourners at his farewell. He earned immense love, respect, and admiration,” Yunus said.

Islam joined the NYPD in 2021 and was serving in the Bronx’s 47th Precinct. He leaves behind two children.

France has officially recognized Palestine as a state, joining a growing list of Western nations.

The announcement came at a high-level meeting in New York, where Andorra, Belgium, Luxembourg, Malta, and Monaco also declared recognition. The UK had made its recognition just a day earlier.

French President Emmanuel Macron stated:

“We are here today because the time has come. It is our responsibility to do everything possible to uphold a two-state solution. Today I announce that France recognizes the State of Palestine.”

Spain, Norway, and Ireland extended recognition last year. Spain has also imposed sanctions on Israel over the war in Gaza. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said:

“When a people are subjected to genocide, a two-state solution becomes impossible. For the sake of reason, law, and human dignity, this massacre must end.”

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas addressed the Assembly via video message.

Speaking at a high-level side event on “Social Business, Youth and Technology,” Prime Adviser Yunus warned that reducing UN budgets or development aid for Least Developed Countries (LDCs) would be counterproductive.

He highlighted Bangladesh’s unique challenges—hosting over 1.3 million Rohingya refugees, tackling climate shocks, and navigating global economic instability.

“Instead of cuts, what we urgently need is increased international support, guaranteed technical assistance, and a fair path for vulnerable nations to graduate,” Yunus said.

He stressed that building a better world cannot be measured by past failures but requires courage, action, and unwavering commitment today. Yunus also emphasized the importance of social business, renewed multilateral diplomacy, and deeper global cooperation to achieve sustainable development.

Prime Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus has arrived in New York to attend the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). He landed at JFK Airport at 1:30 AM Bangladesh time on Monday.

Accompanying him as political representatives are BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Jamaat-e-Islami’s Deputy Ameer Syed Abdullah Muhammad Taher, NCP Member-Secretary Akhtar Hossain, NCP Joint Convenor Dr. Tasnim Jara, and Humayun Kabir, foreign affairs adviser to BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman. Jamaat leader Dr. Naqibur Rahman Tariq is also set to join the delegation.

The Election Commission (EC) has announced that it will publish the final updated voter list on November 18, ahead of the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election.

According to an EC notification, the process will include registration of citizens born on or before October 31, 2007, ensuring their inclusion in the final list. To facilitate this, the commission has set a detailed schedule covering the publication of the draft voter list, filing of claims, objections, and corrections, as well as resolution of those applications.

October 25: Deadline for preparing the PDF version of the draft list and sending links to registration officers’ CMS portals.

November 1: Draft voter list to be printed and made public.

November 16: Final date for submitting claims, objections, and correction requests.

November 17: Deadline for resolving all submitted applications.

November 18: Official publication of the final updated voter list.

The EC said these measures aim to ensure a transparent and accurate voter database ahead of the national polls.

A Sylhet court has ordered four BNP-affiliated student and youth leaders to jail in connection with a protest that blocked the motorcade of two government advisers.

The accused are: Ajir Uddin (President, East Jaflong Union Chhatra Dal), Suman Shikder (Senior Vice President), Sohel Ahmed (Joint General Secretary, District Chhatra Dal), and Zahid Khan (former Joint Convener, Upazila Jubo Dal, recently expelled).

Prosecutors said the four had been out on four weeks’ bail from the High Court. On Monday, they surrendered before the lower court, which rejected their bail plea and ordered their imprisonment.

The case stems from a June 14 incident when sand and stone traders blocked the motorcade of advisers Syeda Rizwana Hasan and Muhammad Faozul Kabir Khan in Gowainghat. The case names nine individuals and 100–150 unidentified others.

Routine maintenance work will cause traffic diversions in the Karnaphuli Tunnel, Chattogram, from September 25 to 30, the Bridge Authority has announced.

Traffic will be regulated nightly from 11 PM to 5 AM, with diversions alternating between the Patenga-to-Anwara and Anwara-to-Patenga tubes as needed.

Commuters may face delays of 5–10 minutes depending on traffic volume. Authorities urged public cooperation to ensure safe and efficient maintenance operations.

Police have arrested a Begum Rokeya University staff member in connection with arson and explosives charges tied to last year’s student protests.

Shafiqul Islam (36), an office assistant in the Physics Department, was detained Monday from Shaheed Abu Sayeed Chattar in Rangpur, police confirmed.

Tajhat Police Station OC Md. Shahajan Ali said Shafiqul was a named accused in a case filed by BRUR Registrar Dr. Harun-or-Rashid during the anti-discrimination student movement. He allegedly participated directly in violent attacks.

Police said Shafiqul has already provided “important information” during initial interrogation, which is being verified before he is presented in court.

Chattogram City Corporation Mayor Shahadat Hossain has accused ministry advisers of obstructing key development projects. Speaking at an event, he alleged that three city projects are stuck at the Ministry of LGRD because “an adviser takes the files home instead of keeping them in the ministry, and then they disappear.”

He said foreign-funded projects from the UK, Japan, and South Korea have been stalled, costing the city dearly. “This is not only Chattogram’s failure—it is a failure of the state and the government,” he declared.

Shahadat further alleged that a Tk 400 crore infrastructure project was slashed to Tk 298 crore by the Finance Ministry, which then imposed a Tk 160 crore loan with 5% interest. “If I fail, it means the state fails,” he said, urging immediate resolution of Chattogram’s waterlogging and funding crises.

To meet growing passenger demand, Dhaka Metro Rail is set to extend its operating hours and shorten train intervals. Under the new schedule, services will begin 30 minutes earlier in the morning and end 30 minutes later at night.

Train frequency will also increase, with departures every 4 minutes 15 seconds during peak hours—down from the current six-minute gap. The changes will be introduced after a short trial phase, during which the additional morning and evening trains will also carry passengers.

Currently, the first train leaves Uttara at 7:10 AM and the last at 9:00 PM, while from Motijheel, the first leaves at 7:30 AM and the last at 9:40 PM. Under the revised timetable, Uttara’s first train will depart at 6:40 AM and the last at 9:30 PM, while Motijheel’s first train will leave at 7:00 AM and the last at 10:10 PM. Officials say this will maximize the metro’s operational capacity.

Brigadier General Mohammad Zahid Kamal, Director General of Fire Service and Civil Defence, has assured that the government is taking the “highest possible measures” to treat the firefighters injured in Monday’s devastating chemical warehouse explosion in Tongi, Gazipur.

Visiting the burn victims, Kamal said that if necessary, the injured will be flown abroad for advanced treatment. Four firefighters, including a warehouse officer, sustained burns while battling the blaze; two of them suffered 100% burns, one 42%, and another 5%. Doctors have confirmed that three of the victims remain in critical condition. The explosion occurred at Sahara Market in Tongi BSCIC Industrial Area on Monday afternoon, after several fire units had rushed to contain the initial fire.

In a disturbing incident in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, a Muslim imam was allegedly assaulted by Hindu extremists after refusing to chant “Jai Shri Ram.”
The victim, identified as Imam Mustaqim, claimed he was targeted because of his beard and cap while riding a bicycle. He said a group stopped him, forced him to chant the slogan, and when he refused, they beat him with sticks for nearly two hours, threatening to bury him on the spot.
Police, however, downplayed the incident, labeling it a case of “general assault” rather than communal violence.
According to reports, the attack stemmed from a prior dispute involving local children and another individual named Zeeshan.