In Bogura’s Shibganj, Jahangir Alam, a district member and upazila coordinator of the Nationalist Citizen Party (NCP), has begun an indefinite hunger strike demanding the removal of syndicates controlling the agricultural sector. The protest started on Monday afternoon at the local Mugdha Square and continued into Tuesday. According to NCP’s joint coordinator Rafia Sultana, the strike aims to protest fertilizer dealer syndicates, fertilizer smuggling, artificial shortages, unfair government fertilizer allocations, and the appointment of unauthorized dealers from other upazilas. The movement also highlights issues such as potato spoilage in cold storage and calls for the liberation of farmers from exploitative practices. Several local NCP members and student leaders have expressed solidarity with Alam’s protest, and the party leadership has pledged organizational support for the ongoing hunger strike.

Bangladesh Police Headquarters has reassigned officers-in-charge (OCs) of 527 police stations across the country through a lottery system, ahead of the announcement of the 13th National Parliament election schedule. The process aimed to ensure transparency and neutrality in law enforcement during the upcoming election period. Before the lottery, unit chiefs submitted lists of honest and impartial inspectors, which served as the basis for the random selection. The transfers covered all district-level police stations, excluding 110 metropolitan ones, where commissioners will handle postings internally. The distribution included 98 OCs in Dhaka Range, 111 in Chattogram, 64 in Khulna, 36 in Mymensingh, 46 in Barishal, 39 in Sylhet, 71 in Rajshahi, and 62 in Rangpur. Earlier, on November 26, the Ministry of Home Affairs reassigned 64 district superintendents of police (SPs) through a similar lottery process, reflecting a broader effort to maintain neutrality in law enforcement ahead of the election.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s student wing, Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), has strongly condemned Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) Vice President Abu Sadiq Kayem for filing a cybercrime case against several Facebook pages and accounts accused of spreading misinformation and cyberbullying female leaders. In a statement issued on Tuesday, JCD leaders Rakibul Islam Rakib and Nasir Uddin Nasir called on Kayem to withdraw the case and publicly apologize to students. The organization described the move as unprecedented and an abuse of legal authority, claiming it undermines freedom of online expression. JCD further alleged that Kayem’s actions reflect political intolerance and misuse of the Cyber Security Act, which no longer allows defamation-related cases. The statement accused Kayem of following authoritarian tactics and using legal tools to suppress dissent rather than addressing criticism democratically.

Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) Executive Director Dr. Iftekharuzzaman stated that establishing peace and ensuring indigenous rights in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) is not within the government’s hands but depends on the Bangladesh Army. Speaking at a press conference in Dhaka, he emphasized that the army holds authority over the region and possesses the capability to bring peace if it acts with genuine commitment and evidence-based initiative. He urged the army to reflect on its global peacekeeping reputation and apply the same dedication domestically. Dr. Iftekharuzzaman noted that despite the government’s long rule, it failed to fully implement the Peace Accord, whereas the army could succeed if it demonstrates goodwill. He added that the army’s success in peacekeeping across 169 countries proves its capacity to establish peace within Bangladesh’s own borders, calling it an opportunity to enhance national and international credibility.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s formal request for a presidential pardon in his ongoing corruption cases has triggered intense political debate across Israel. President Isaac Herzog now faces three complex options: rejecting the plea, granting unconditional pardon, or offering a conditional compromise. Israeli law requires an admission of guilt before a pardon can be granted, making approval uncertain. Analysts suggest Netanyahu’s move is politically calculated to shift public focus from controversial draft exemption laws. Opposition parties demand his resignation and admission of guilt, while his Likud allies push for clemency. Former U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly urged Herzog to pardon Netanyahu, angering Israeli opposition groups. If approved, experts warn of mass protests potentially larger than the 2023 judicial reform demonstrations. Netanyahu faces three major corruption cases—known as Cases 1000, 2000, and 4000—alongside an International Criminal Court arrest warrant over alleged war crimes in Gaza, where tens of thousands of civilians have been killed since October 2023.

European Union Ambassador to Bangladesh Michael Miller has expressed satisfaction with the Election Commission’s preparations for the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election and referendum, scheduled for early February 2026. Following a meeting with Chief Election Commissioner A.M.M. Nasir Uddin in Dhaka, Miller said he was impressed by the professionalism and readiness demonstrated during a recent mock voting exercise. He described the election as a major opportunity for Bangladesh’s democratic progress and reaffirmed the EU’s support for a timely, transparent, and participatory electoral process. Miller also announced that the EU will deploy a large observer mission to monitor the election, emphasizing the bloc’s continued commitment to assisting Bangladesh in ensuring credible polls. The election schedule is expected to be announced in the second week of December 2025.

A new survey by the US-funded International Republican Institute (IRI) indicates that the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) would receive 30% of votes if the 13th national parliamentary election were held soon. The poll shows Jamaat-e-Islami with 26% support, the National Citizen Party (NCP) with 6%, the Jatiya Party with 5%, and Islami Andolan Bangladesh with 4%, while other parties collectively hold 8%. Conducted between September 13 and October 12, 2025, the survey interviewed 4,985 adults across 63 districts, excluding Rangamati, with a 95% confidence level and a 1.4% margin of error. The study also found that 69% of respondents support Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus and 70% express satisfaction with the interim government’s performance. Moreover, 80% of participants believe the upcoming election will be free and fair, reflecting a generally positive public outlook toward the current political transition.

Four major student unions—DUCSU, RUCSU, CUCSU, and JUCSU—have jointly called for ensuring merit-based recruitment in all government jobs and an end to alleged harassment under the guise of police verification. In a joint statement issued on Tuesday, the unions expressed deep concern over the exclusion of 13 candidates from the final gazette of the 17th Bangladesh Judicial Service (BJS) despite being recommended by the commission. The statement emphasized that these candidates had proven their merit through rigorous competition and should not be deprived of employment without evidence of criminal charges. The unions urged the Ministry of Law, the Judicial Service Commission, and the Public Service Commission to revise the gazette if no criminal proof is found, to make merit and qualification the sole criteria for recruitment, and to ensure transparency and fairness in the verification process. They also demanded that excluded candidates be given the opportunity to respond to allegations before any final decision is made.

A newly surfaced testimony from the National Independent Investigation Commission report on the 2009 BDR mutiny has revealed that a group of junior army officers attempted to break into an armory at the Sylhet SI&T training center the day after the Pilkhana massacre. Colonel Niamul Islam Fatemi of DGFI rushed to the scene and found officers attacking the armory door with tools, calling him a government agent. Senior officers intervened to protect him. The testimony, given by the 47th witness, also stated that Brigadier General Mamun Khaled advised Colonel Fatemi to contact Major General Tarique Siddique, then the Prime Minister’s military adviser, who said the army chief would not come. Later, Lieutenant General Jahangir Alam Chowdhury arrived by helicopter and calmed the officers after two hours of discussion. The 2009 BDR mutiny, in which 57 army officers were killed, remains one of Bangladesh’s darkest military tragedies.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami’s central secretary general Maulana Abdul Halim has reiterated his party’s firm stance on banning the Jatiya Party, accusing it of enabling Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year authoritarian rule. Speaking to reporters after inspecting the site of an eight-party divisional rally in Rangpur, Halim alleged that the Jatiya Party’s appeasement of the Awami League helped sustain Hasina’s power and undermined democratic elections in 2014, 2018, and 2024. He claimed that public sentiment has turned against the Jatiya Party, which he described as complicit in anti-democratic governance. Halim also discussed the government’s July Charter implementation order, emphasizing the necessity of a referendum to legitimize it. Although his coalition initially proposed holding separate referendums in November, they agreed to participate on a single day for national stability. He said the upcoming divisional rally aims to mobilize public support for a ‘yes’ vote, portraying the referendum as a milestone for preserving the nation’s new independence.

Following BNP leader Salahuddin Ahmed’s statement that Tarique Rahman would soon return to Bangladesh, a video circulated on social media claiming to show Rahman at London’s Heathrow Airport preparing to travel home. However, fact-checking platform The Descent clarified that the video is not recent and has no connection to Rahman’s potential return. According to The Descent, the footage dates back to June this year, when Tarique Rahman welcomed his wife, Dr. Zubaida Rahman, upon her arrival from Bangladesh at Heathrow Airport. The video resurfaced online after the political announcement, leading to widespread misinformation. The clarification underscores the growing challenge of misinformation and the importance of verifying viral political content before drawing conclusions.

The interim government of Bangladesh has declared BNP Chairperson and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia a Very Important Person (VVIP) due to her current health condition and political stature. The decision was made during a special meeting of the Advisory Council held at the State Guest House Jamuna, chaired by the Chief Adviser. The council prayed for Zia’s recovery and urged the nation to do the same. Officials stated that the VVIP status aims to ensure uninterrupted medical care, enhanced security, and logistical support for her treatment at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka. The government also mentioned the possibility of arranging advanced medical treatment abroad if necessary. Khaleda Zia’s family and party have been informed of the decision, which takes immediate effect. The move underscores her continued significance in Bangladesh’s political landscape despite her prolonged illness and limited political activity in recent years.

Golam Mortoza, the Press Minister at the Bangladesh Embassy in Washington, has requested the Ministry of Information to clarify his entitlement to secretary-level allowances. In a letter dated November 25, 2024, he stated that although he was appointed on a two-year contractual basis as Minister (Press) with the rank of secretary and a basic salary of 78,000 taka, he continues to receive allowances at the joint secretary level. Mortoza argued that this discrepancy has deprived him of benefits corresponding to his official rank. He attached copies of his appointment contract and the Finance Division’s opinion, urging that the allowances be recalculated and disbursed from his joining date. The letter, once circulated on social media, quickly went viral, sparking public discussion about bureaucratic benefits and rank-based entitlements in foreign missions.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has been allowed to join the appeal against the High Court verdict that declared several provisions of Bangladesh’s 15th Constitutional Amendment, including the abolition of the caretaker government system, as unconstitutional. The Appellate Division, headed by Chief Justice Dr. Syed Refaat Ahmed, granted his petition to be a party to the case. Earlier, the Supreme Court had permitted the appeal against the High Court’s ruling, which restored the referendum provision and invalidated certain clauses of the amendment for contradicting the Constitution’s basic structure of democracy. The High Court had observed that free and fair elections under a partisan government had failed to reflect the people’s will, emphasizing that democracy is a fundamental constitutional principle. The 15th Amendment, passed in 2011, abolished the caretaker government system, recognized Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as the Father of the Nation, and made several other constitutional changes. The ongoing appeal seeks to annul the entire amendment.

Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain stated that the Bangladesh government will take necessary steps to send BNP Chairperson and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia abroad for medical treatment if her party or family formally decides to do so. Speaking to reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday, he clarified that the government has no objection to facilitating her treatment overseas once an official request is made. Hossain also mentioned that BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman has not yet applied for a travel pass to return to Bangladesh, but one would be issued if he requests it. The adviser added that the government has not received any formal communication regarding Tarique Rahman’s return to Dhaka. The remarks come amid ongoing discussions about Khaleda Zia’s health condition and possible medical treatment abroad.