Police have arrested Tanjidur Rahman Tanjil, a leader of the banned Chhatra League, for allegedly being involved in a nationwide plan of violence and sabotage against Bangladesh’s interim government. The 24-year-old was detained early Sunday (November 2) from Jahangirnagar Housing Society’s Mollanagar area, according to Savar Model Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Mohammad Jewel Miah.

Tanjil, son of Rahidul Islam from Daulatpur upazila in Kushtia, was serving as the vice president of the Savar upazila unit of the banned Chhatra League. Recently, he was also appointed president of the humanities department of Savar Model College Chhatra League — a post that sparked controversy on social media due to the organization’s proscription.

Law enforcement officials stated that Tanjil had been directly involved in planning acts of sabotage and creating unrest in support of the “fascist Awami League.” During interrogation, he reportedly confessed to playing an active role in suppressing anti-discrimination movements and revealed crucial information about planned attacks in Savar as part of the group’s wider strategy. Authorities are now reviewing the intelligence gathered from his statements to take immediate legal and security measures. Police plan to seek a 7-day remand for further interrogation.

At a discussion titled “Communal Harmony and a Friendly Bangladesh” held on Saturday (November 1) at the Lalmonirhat Zila Parishad auditorium, Religious Adviser to the Prime Minister, Dr. A.F.M. Khalid Hossain, emphasized that communal harmony is vital for Bangladesh’s progress and global image. He said Bangladesh is a land of peace and religious coexistence, unlike neighboring countries where communal tension often surfaces. Most conflicts in the country, he clarified, are politically motivated rather than communal.

Dr. Hossain reminded that people of all faiths—Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Christian, and ethnic minorities—fought together for independence in 1971 and against autocracy in 1990. Equal rights must be guaranteed for all citizens, he added, and the government is committed to ensuring that no group’s rights are violated.

He warned that without social harmony, no nation can achieve sustainable development, attract foreign investment, or draw tourists. Describing Lalmonirhat as a fertile ground of communal harmony, he urged citizens to strengthen unity, combat drug abuse and youth gangs, and elect capable leaders in the upcoming national election. Citing Hadith, he recalled Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) example of compassion and respect for all communities during warfare.

Starting November 1, the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has enforced a new rule restricting individuals to a maximum of 10 active SIM cards per National ID. Mobile operators have begun deactivating extra SIMs exceeding the limit. Previously, a person could hold up to 15 SIMs. The BTRC had announced the policy earlier in July to ensure its full implementation by December. According to the regulator, the measure aims to establish order in SIM management and prevent fraudulent activities. Citizens can verify the number of SIMs registered under their NID by dialing *16002# or checking online. Data shows Bangladesh currently has about 186.2 million active SIMs, though the actual user base is only around 67.5 million. Over 80% of subscribers use fewer than five SIMs, while just 3% hold more than ten. The deactivation will follow a random selection process, meaning even important SIMs could be deactivated if they exceed the limit.

India’s passport has slipped further in the 2025 Henley Passport Index, ranking 85th—five spots lower than last year—despite an increase in visa-free destinations from 52 in 2015 to 57 in 2025. Countries like Rwanda, Ghana, and Azerbaijan have now surpassed India, reflecting a growing gap in global travel accessibility. Experts attribute the decline to intensifying global competition, as nations rapidly expand mutual visa agreements. The Henley & Partners report highlights that the global average of visa-free destinations per traveler has nearly doubled since 2006, from 58 to 109.
Former Indian ambassador to Armenia, Achal Malhotra, notes that passport strength is tied not only to visa access but also to economic stability, political credibility, and international reputation. He recalls that Indian citizens once enjoyed greater visa-free travel to Western nations, which declined after the 1980s due to political unrest and the Khalistan movement. Moreover, high rates of overstaying visas and rising cases of passport fraud—203 arrests in 2024 alone—have damaged India’s credibility. Experts also point to India’s slow visa processing and complex immigration procedures as further factors weakening its global passport standing.

U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance has expressed hope that his wife, Usha Vance—who was raised in a Hindu cultural background—will one day embrace Christianity. Speaking at a Turning Point USA youth event in Mississippi on October 29, Vance said that Usha now accompanies him to church almost every Sunday and that he hopes she will be positively influenced by the Catholic Church as he was. However, he emphasized that her potential conversion is entirely her choice, acknowledging that “God has given everyone free will.” Vance, who converted to Catholicism in 2019, recalled that he considered himself an agnostic or atheist when he first met Usha. Despite their differing religious backgrounds, their children are being raised in the Christian faith and attend a Christian school. His comments have drawn attention to the couple’s interfaith marriage and Vance’s public expression of faith.

The Election Commission (EC) has advised the Ministry of Education to carefully plan the SSC and HSC exam schedules so that they do not coincide with the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election, which is expected to take place in the first half of February. EC Secretary Akhtar Ahmed shared the information on Thursday, October 30, noting that the Commission is making comprehensive preparations for the election.

During an inter-ministerial coordination meeting chaired by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) A M M Nasir Uddin at the Election Bhaban in Agargaon, senior officials from various ministries discussed logistics, law and order, electricity, health services, and budget management related to the election. The EC has requested authorities to repair access roads and prepare polling centers in advance to ensure smooth voting.

The EC also directed relevant departments to prepare educational institutions that will serve as polling centers. A full panel of presiding and polling officers, including teachers and government bank officials, is being formed to ensure neutrality and efficiency. Additionally, health teams will be stationed at upazila and union levels, and awareness campaigns will be led by the Information Ministry and BTV.

Bangladesh’s shipowners are facing a severe financial crisis as a powerful syndicate of five cargo agents in Chattogram Port continues to dominate the country’s inland water transport system. Despite operating under government transport regulations, shipowners allege they have not received payment for cargo services, leaving many vessels stranded and forcing owners to halt operations.

During an emergency meeting held at the Officers’ Club in Dhaka on October 29, organized by the Bangladesh Cargo Vessel Owners Association (BCVOA), participants demanded immediate action against the syndicate. Presided over by association president Saeed Ahmed, the meeting was attended by former Coastal Ship Owners Association chairman Gazi Belayet Hossain (Mithu) and BCVOA general secretary Engineer Mehbub Kabir.

Speakers alleged that a handful of agents have monopolized cargo transport, turning ships into “floating warehouses” for months and creating artificial crises that raise market prices while depriving the government of revenue. They warned that if all dues are not cleared within 15 days, ships will cease operations. The owners’ four-point demand includes full payment within seven days, strict enforcement of transport policies, legal action against the syndicate, and equal rights for all shipowners.

Israel’s government has approved the construction of 1,300 new homes in the Gush Etzion settlement bloc, located south of occupied East Jerusalem, according to Israeli media outlet Channel 14. The decision was reportedly made unanimously by Israel’s Special Planning and Building Committee earlier this week. The new housing plan, centered in the Har Harushim area near Alon Shvut, includes residential buildings, schools, public facilities, parks, and a large commercial center meant to serve surrounding settlements.

The approval comes amid renewed international criticism of Israel’s settlement activities. U.S. President Donald Trump recently commented that Israel was “not taking any action” in the West Bank, despite ongoing developments that contradict his statement. Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has been accelerating settlement expansion ahead of next year’s Knesset elections, aiming to establish facts on the ground that hinder the creation of a future Palestinian state.

Since Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government took office in late 2022, approximately 48,000 settlement units have been advanced in the West Bank, averaging about 17,000 units annually. The United Nations has repeatedly condemned Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territories as illegal under international law and a serious threat to the two-state solution.

The Parents’ Unity Forum has called on the government to introduce a fully lottery-based admission system for all classes in private educational institutions, especially at the school level, for the 2026 academic year. In a joint statement, the organization’s president, valiant freedom fighter Md. Ziaul Kabir Dulu, and general secretary Md. Selim Mia said that implementing lottery-based admissions would make the process transparent, accountable, and free from irregularities, discrimination, and corruption. They emphasized that it would also protect young students from the stress and financial burden of admission coaching. The leaders warned that reinstating admission tests would revive the coaching business and increase pressure on parents. They further demanded the cancellation of all quotas, including those under the Education Ministry, to ensure fairness and remove controversy from the admission process. The Forum also urged authorities not to impose excessive admission fees on students.

Dhaka Special Tribunal-2 has handed down a life imprisonment sentence to Ismail Hossain Chowdhury Samrat, widely known as the “Casino King” and former president of Dhaka Metropolitan South Jubo League, in an arms-related case. The verdict was announced on Tuesday, 28 October, by Judge Md. Ibrahim Mia. Samrat remains absconding, and a warrant for his arrest has been issued. He was originally arrested on 6 October 2019 in Chauddagram, Comilla, by the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), following which a raid at his Kakrail office uncovered large quantities of foreign liquor, pistols, and skins of rare wildlife. Earlier, he received a six-month sentence for possession of wildlife skins. The formal case was filed on 7 October 2019, and after investigation, a charge sheet was submitted in November 2020. The trial included testimony from 10 of 14 witnesses, with arguments concluded on 7 October 2025.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has approved filing a case against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s press secretary and journalist Nayeemul Islam Khan and his wife Nasima Khan Monty for failing to submit their wealth statements within the required deadline. ACC spokesperson and Deputy Director Akhtarul Islam confirmed the decision on Tuesday, October 28. Under Section 26(2) of the ACC Act, legal proceedings have been authorized, and the case may be filed today. Earlier, on January 7, the ACC began investigating alleged corruption and illegal assets belonging to Khan and his family. Financial intelligence reports revealed that the family maintained 163 bank accounts with transactions totaling over Tk 386 crore, of which Tk 379.52 crore was withdrawn. The report also found that Khan’s companies held 46 additional accounts involving Tk 127.64 crore. Khan went into hiding after the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government on August 5, 2024.

The International Crimes Tribunal-2 will today (Tuesday, October 28) hear defense arguments regarding the formation of formal charges against former Information Minister and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) President Hasanul Haq Inu, Awami League Joint General Secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif, and three others in two separate cases of crimes against humanity. The charges relate to killings of six people in Kushtia during the July-August Movement. The hearing will be conducted by a three-member bench headed by Justice Nazrul Islam Chowdhury. On Monday, the prosecution completed its presentation of three specific allegations—incitement, conspiracy, and murder—and sought to proceed with trial. The tribunal appointed state defense lawyers for absconding accused. Inu faces eight charges, while Hanif and others are accused in related cases. Inu was arrested in 2024 and remains in custody. The proceedings mark a major step in Bangladesh’s ongoing efforts to try crimes against humanity committed during periods of political unrest.

Teachers from across Bangladesh continued their sit-in protests in front of the National Press Club in Dhaka on Monday (August 27), pressing for two major demands — MPO (Monthly Pay Order) inclusion for disabled schools and nationalization of Ebtedayee madrasas. Representatives of teachers from schools for students with disabilities said they have been living in dire conditions without regular salaries or allowances, despite the Ministry of Social Welfare announcing a list of nearly two thousand institutions eligible for MPO inclusion. They declared that they would not end their protest until their demands are met. Meanwhile, Ebtedayee madrasa teachers, also staging a continuous demonstration at the same venue, attempted to march toward the Chief Adviser’s Office but were stopped by police at Bailey Road. Following assurances from the Education Ministry’s secretary, they returned to the Press Club and resumed their peaceful sit-in.

The interim government has clarified that ongoing reform and policy formulation initiatives will continue beyond November, refuting earlier remarks made by Information Advisor Mahfuz Alam. In a statement released on Monday, October 27, the government explained that Mahfuz’s comments during the “Meet the Reporters” event at the Dhaka Reporters Unity on Sunday caused some confusion in the media. Contrary to Mahfuz’s claim that the reform and policy work must be completed by November, the official statement affirmed that reform activities are in full swing and will remain active. The chief adviser’s press secretary, Shafiqul Alam, shared the statement on his verified Facebook page. The clarification aims to reaffirm the government’s commitment to continued reforms, even as the advisory council’s activities may slow down closer to the election period.

Global scientists are closely monitoring a newly discovered asteroid named ‘2024 YR4’, which is projected to pass near Earth in December 2032. Though the probability of impact is relatively low at 2.1 percent, the potential consequences are catastrophic if it strikes. Measuring between 130 and 300 feet in diameter, the asteroid could release energy equivalent to 8 million tons of TNT—about 500 times stronger than the Hiroshima bomb—affecting areas within a 50-kilometer radius. Possible impact zones include parts of South America, the Pacific Ocean, South Asia, the Arabian Sea, and Africa, with Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and several others on the watchlist. NASA’s Catalina Sky Survey and the United Nations Planetary Defense Protocol are tracking the object. Experts assure that if the impact threat increases, there will be enough time to evacuate populations and possibly alter its course using kinetic impact technology tested in NASA’s DART mission.