Zohran Mamdani, recently elected as the next mayor of New York City, has included nine Bangladeshi Americans in his transition team ahead of his January 1 inauguration. The 34-year-old politician made history as the city’s first Muslim mayor. The Bangladeshi-origin members include community leaders and professionals such as Kazi Fauzia, Abdul Aziz Bhuiyan, Shamsul Haque, Mohammad Karim Chowdhury, Fariha Akter, Arman Chowdhury CPA, Shah Rehman, Tajin Azad, and Shyamatli Haque. Their inclusion is seen as recognition of the growing influence of the Bangladeshi community in New York politics, where nearly 98% of Bangladeshi Muslim voters reportedly supported Mamdani. Out of over 400 names on the transition list, 9 Bangladeshis, 11 Pakistanis, and 16 Indians have been identified, reflecting increased South Asian representation in the city’s political landscape.

Bangladesh’s Election Commission (EC) has announced that the schedule for the 13th National Parliamentary Election will be declared in the first half of December. Election Commissioner Brig. Gen. (Retd.) Abul Fazal Md. Sanaullah made the announcement during a dialogue with domestic election observer organizations in Dhaka. Observers’ lists must be submitted to the EC within ten days of the schedule announcement. Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) A.M.M. Nasir Uddin emphasized that observers must remain politically neutral and cannot be affiliated with any political party. The EC will introduce QR-coded ID cards to prevent fake observers and ensure transparency. Observers will perform duties for three days—before, during, and after the election. The EC also warned that any attempt to disrupt the transparency of the upcoming election will not be tolerated. Both the CEC and commissioners urged observers to act responsibly to ensure accountability and credibility in the electoral process.

Bangladesh Navy Chief Admiral M Nazmul Hassan has stated that the armed forces will play a crucial role in ensuring a free, fair, and neutral national election. Speaking at the passing-out parade of the 2025 batch of new sailors at BNS Sher-e-Bangla Parade Ground in Kalapara, Patuakhali, he affirmed the Navy’s commitment to support the government and the Election Commission with utmost sincerity and professionalism. The admiral also highlighted the Navy’s ongoing contributions to United Nations peacekeeping missions, noting that since 1993, about 7,500 naval personnel have served in various countries, with four members sacrificing their lives for global peace. The event saw 417 new sailors officially joining the Navy after 22 weeks of rigorous training, pledging to dedicate their lives to the nation. Awards were presented to top-performing recruits for excellence in professionalism and overall performance.

Ahead of Bangladesh’s 13th National Parliamentary Election, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has announced potential candidates for 237 constituencies but has yet to finalize seat allocations for its allied parties in the joint anti-government movement. This delay has sparked frustration and mistrust among coalition partners, who claim they are falling behind in campaign activities and losing ground to local BNP leaders. Due to recent amendments to the Representation of the People Order (RPO), each party must contest under its own symbol, complicating BNP’s seat-sharing negotiations. Smaller parties fear they cannot win independently and have urged BNP to finalize the distribution soon. Informal meetings between BNP leaders Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Nazrul Islam Khan with alliance representatives have been held to resolve the issue. BNP says acting chairman Tarique Rahman will make the final decision soon, while allies await his directive to move forward with campaign preparations.

Gono Odhikar Parishad General Secretary Muhammad Rashed Khan has called for strict punishment, not release, of Baul singer Abul Sarkar, accusing him of making derogatory remarks about religion that could disrupt social harmony in Bangladesh. In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Rashed Khan stated that Sarkar’s comments insulted the religious sentiments of Muslims and attempted to undermine communal harmony. He emphasized that while artists have freedom in their creative expression, no one has the right to speak offensively about any religion, including Islam or Hinduism. Rashed urged those advocating for Sarkar’s release to first listen to his statements, asserting that lawful punishment would deter others from making similar remarks in the future. He concluded by stressing the need for peace and unity in society, rejecting any form of religious division or controversy.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has withdrawn the expulsion and suspension orders of 65 leaders and activists from its main party and affiliated organizations. The decision was announced through a press release on Monday night, following a review of appeals submitted by the affected individuals. According to the BNP statement, the disciplinary actions had been imposed at different times for various reasons, but were lifted after central-level consideration. The reinstated members include leaders from multiple districts such as Kushtia, Narsingdi, Sylhet, Rajshahi, Gazipur, Khulna, and Comilla, among others. Additionally, the suspension of Md. Mozammel Hossain Mridha, former general secretary of Majidbari Union BNP in Patuakhali’s Mirzaganj upazila, was also revoked. The party stated that the move was made in line with its internal disciplinary process and after evaluating each appeal individually. The decision is seen as part of BNP’s ongoing effort to consolidate its organizational unity ahead of future political activities.

Kari Md. Habibullah Belali, a central leader of Islami Andolan Bangladesh and the party’s candidate for Mymensingh-10 (Gafargaon), stated that if the country is governed under an Islamic system, no new fascist forces will emerge. Speaking at a campaign meeting at Idkanul Quran Madrasa in Gafargaon on Monday, November 24, Belali emphasized that people have made sacrifices for good governance and that necessary reforms must be implemented to ensure stability. He described Islam as a religion of peace that guarantees the safety of people from all faiths. Belali urged voters to support the party’s electoral symbol, the hand fan, to bring peace and justice to the nation. Several local Islami Andolan leaders, including Maulana Zainul Abedin and Mufti Anwar Hossain, were present at the event.

BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman has questioned whether Bangladesh is adequately prepared to graduate from the UN’s Least Developed Country (LDC) category by November 2025. In a detailed social media post, he argued that seeking more time for graduation would not be an insult but a responsible act given current economic pressures, including challenges in banking, foreign exchange, and exports. Rahman criticized the interim government for making long-term economic and strategic decisions, such as those involving Chittagong Port, without a democratic mandate. He warned that closing off options for negotiation weakens Bangladesh’s leverage in international discussions. Emphasizing that national strength lies in asking difficult questions before irreversible harm occurs, he called for decisions affecting the nation’s future to be made by an elected government accountable to the people. Rahman reiterated that patience and public consultation are not weaknesses but essential aspects of democratic governance.

The Election Commission (EC) of Bangladesh held a day-long dialogue with representatives from domestic election observation organizations on Tuesday, November 25, at the EC headquarters in Dhaka. Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) A M M Nasir Uddin urged the observers to work as partners in ensuring a fair and transparent national election. According to EC officials, the meeting was part of a series of consultations aimed at gathering insights and recommendations from stakeholders. A total of 81 observer organizations participated in two sessions during the day. Senior EC officials and commissioners were also present. The dialogue follows earlier meetings with political parties, academics, civil society members, journalists, and election experts as part of the EC’s broader effort to ensure credible and inclusive national elections. The CEC reiterated the commission’s commitment to conducting the upcoming parliamentary polls properly and sought cooperation from all sectors of society.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) A.M.M. Nasir Uddin has called for cooperation from all stakeholders to ensure a fair, transparent, and credible national election in Bangladesh. Speaking on Tuesday, November 25, at a day-long dialogue with representatives of domestic election observation organizations, he emphasized that the Election Commission’s sole agenda is to deliver a credible election to the nation. Acknowledging past mistakes, Nasir Uddin said the commission aims to move forward by learning from previous experiences. He urged observer organizations to act as partners of the Election Commission in ensuring transparency and accountability in the electoral process. The CEC also stressed the importance of training new observer groups and ensuring that appointed observers remain nonpartisan and unaffiliated with any political party. His remarks come as preparations intensify for the upcoming national polls.

More than 30,000 Bangladeshi expatriates have registered to vote through the 'Postal Vote BD' app for the upcoming 13th national parliamentary election. According to the Election Commission (EC), registration began on November 19 for expatriates in East Asia, South America, and Africa, and on November 24 for those in North America, Australia, and New Zealand. The process will continue until November 28. Registered voters will receive postal ballots at their addresses, which they must return by mail after voting. The EC aims to engage around five million expatriate voters in total. Registration for expatriates in Saudi Arabia will run from December 4–8, for those in South and Southeast Asia from December 9–13, and for expatriates in other Middle Eastern countries from December 14–18. Domestic postal voters, including officials on election duty, government employees, and prisoners, can register from December 19–23. The national election is expected to be held in the first half of February 2025.

Government primary school assistant teachers across Bangladesh have launched a three-day full-day work stoppage starting Tuesday, November 25, to press for three key demands: upgrading their entry-level pay to the 11th grade, ensuring 100% departmental promotion, and resolving complexities in obtaining higher grades after 10 and 16 years of service. The strike, organized by the Primary Assistant Teachers’ Unity Council, has halted classes nationwide. Despite prolonged discussions with the government, teachers claim no visible progress has been made beyond verbal assurances. The organization warned that if their demands remain unmet, they will boycott annual examinations and begin an indefinite hunger strike from December 11. According to the Directorate of Primary Education, Bangladesh has 65,567 government primary schools employing about 384,000 teachers. The teachers expressed dissatisfaction after the government upgraded head teachers’ pay scales earlier this year but left assistant teachers’ grades unchanged, despite their higher qualifications compared to other public sector employees.

BNP Assistant International Affairs Secretary Rumin Farhana has alleged that the Bangladeshi government is providing tacit support to groups identified as 'Tawhidi Janata', who have been involved in recent mob violence across the country. Speaking on a private television talk show, she claimed that these groups operate in different regions under various identities but share a common link through government tolerance. Farhana criticized the authorities for failing to take decisive action beyond issuing condemnations, despite repeated attacks on minority communities, cultural events, and women. She cited incidents involving assaults on Baul and Ahmadiyya communities, disruptions of theatrical performances, and harassment of female athletes and artists. According to her, over 380 shrines were attacked in the past year without any legal consequences. Farhana argued that the ruling Awami League benefits politically from these mobs, using them as a pressure group to advance agendas indirectly while ensuring they face no legal obstacles from law enforcement.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has announced a 101-member central convening committee for the Nationalist Generation of the Liberation War. Engineer Ishraq Hossain has been appointed as the convener, while Advocate K.M. Kamruzzaman Nannu will serve as the member secretary. The announcement was made through a press release signed by Ishtiaq Aziz Ulfat, president of the Nationalist Freedom Fighters’ Party, on Monday. According to the statement, the committee was formed with the approval of BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman. Dr. K.M.A.I. Monti has been named senior joint convener. The formation of this committee is seen as part of BNP’s broader effort to engage younger generations with the party’s liberation war-oriented nationalist ideology and strengthen its organizational structure ahead of future political activities.

A rally and human chain organized by the Cumilla Journalists Forum, Dhaka (CJFD), was held in front of the National Press Club demanding the establishment of a separate Cumilla Division. BNP Chairperson’s adviser Monirul Haque Chowdhury expressed solidarity with the movement, saying Cumilla has long been deprived of fair development and infrastructure. He highlighted delays in major projects such as the Dhaka–Cumilla highway, Cumilla University, and the unlaunched Cumilla airport, blaming decades of neglect since the British and Pakistani eras. Chowdhury urged unity among residents and leaders, suggesting dialogue with Noakhali representatives but also hinted at pursuing an independent path if consensus fails. He pledged to join the movement directly, vowing to fight until Cumilla’s rightful administrative recognition is achieved. The event was attended by political figures, journalists, professionals, and a large number of citizens supporting the demand for a new division.