Bangladesh’s Election Commission (EC) has begun discussions with seven political parties, including Jamaat-e-Islami and the National Citizen Party (NCP), as part of its ongoing dialogue process ahead of the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election. The meeting started at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday at the EC headquarters in Agargaon, Dhaka. Parties participating in the morning session include Jamaat-e-Islami, Bangladesh Minority Janata Party (BMJP), Insaniyat Biplob, NCP, Ganosamhati Andolon, and National Democratic Movement (NDM). Another session is scheduled from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., where the EC will meet with BNP, Bangladesh National Party (BJP), Gano Adhikar Parishad (GOP), Nagorik Oikya, Bangladesh Republican Party (BRP), and the Socialist Party of Bangladesh (Marxist). The EC’s Assistant Director of Public Relations, Md. Asadul Haque, confirmed the meeting earlier this week. The dialogues are part of the commission’s effort to ensure inclusive participation and transparency in the electoral process.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has stated that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had no knowledge of the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Speaking at the White House while welcoming the crown prince, Trump dismissed suggestions of his involvement, calling Khashoggi a 'controversial figure' and saying there was no need to embarrass their guest. His remarks contradict a 2021 U.S. intelligence report released under President Joe Biden’s administration, which concluded that the crown prince approved a plan to capture or kill Khashoggi inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. The crown prince has consistently denied the allegations, describing the killing as 'painful' and asserting that Saudi Arabia conducted a proper investigation. This visit marks his first trip to the United States since the murder, which had strained U.S.-Saudi relations and led to sanctions against several Saudi officials, though not against the crown prince himself.

The Election Commission (EC) of Bangladesh is continuing its series of dialogues with political parties ahead of the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election. On Tuesday, November 19, the EC will meet with leaders from 12 parties, including the BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, and the National Citizen Party (NCP), at the Election Building in Agargaon, Dhaka. The first session, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., will include Jamaat, Bangladesh Minority Janata Party (BMJP), Insoniyat Biplob, NCP, Ganasanghati Andolon, and the National Democratic Movement (NDM). The second session, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., will involve BNP, Bangladesh National Party (BJP), Gana Odhikar Parishad (GOP), Nagorik Oikya, Bangladesh Republican Party (BRP), and the Socialist Party of Bangladesh (Marxist). Earlier, the EC held discussions with 36 registered political parties over three days. With two newly registered parties, Bangladesh now has 55 registered political parties, while the Awami League’s registration remains suspended and three others have been deregistered.

Gono Odhikar Parishad President and former DUCSU VP Nurul Haque Nur has announced his candidacy for the upcoming national election from Patuakhali-3 (Dashmina-Golachipa) constituency. Speaking at a rally organized by the local Gono Odhikar Parishad, Nur said he would contest under the 'truck' symbol and called for public support. He emphasized forming a national government to restore political stability and fulfill the people's aspirations. Nur pledged to use his national and international recognition to drive development in Patuakhali-3. Referring to recent political developments, he urged parties to learn from past mistakes and warned against the resurgence of authoritarianism. He advocated for an inclusive election with participation from all political parties and proposed seat-sharing based on mutual understanding. Nur also promised to work with leaders from various parties, including Jamaat, BNP, and Islami Andolan, to improve infrastructure and living standards in the neglected char areas of his constituency.

The Bangladesh Election Commission (EC) has officially registered two new political parties — the National Citizens Party (NCP) and the Socialist Party of Bangladesh (Marxist). According to separate gazette notifications signed by Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed, the registration was granted under Chapter VIA of the Representation of the People Order, 1972, after both parties fulfilled the required conditions. The NCP’s headquarters is located at Rupayan Trade Center, Banglamotor, Dhaka, with the reserved electoral symbol ‘Shapla Kali’ and registration number 58. The Socialist Party of Bangladesh (Marxist) is based at Topkhana Road, Dhaka, with the reserved symbol ‘Scissors’ and registration number 59. The notifications were published on the BG Press website on Tuesday. With these additions, the total number of registered political parties in Bangladesh now stands at 59, as per the Election Commission’s latest update.

The Ministry of Liberation War Affairs of Bangladesh has revoked the official gazette recognition of 53 individuals listed as 'July Fighters' from the Rangpur Division due to allegations of irregularities and inconsistencies in the list. The decision, signed by Deputy Secretary (Gazette) Haridas Thakur on November 17, includes eight individuals from Pirgachha upazila. The cancellation was made under the authority of the July Uprising Martyrs’ Family and Fighters’ Welfare and Rehabilitation Ordinance, 2025, and the Rules of Business 1996. This marks the first time the ministry has taken such an action since the recognition of July Fighters began. Currently, the number of recognized martyrs stands at 836, while the total number of wounded or July Fighters in three categories—severely injured, moderately injured, and injured—remains at 13,800. The order takes immediate effect, signaling a stricter verification process for official recognition of July Fighters.

A group of 20 students from Charfassion, Bhola, have undertaken a long march toward Dhaka’s Setu Bhaban to press for five key demands, including the construction of the Bhola-Barishal bridge. On the eighth day of their journey, they reached the Padma Bridge after walking and swimming across rivers for a total of 255 kilometers. However, bridge authorities have not granted them permission to cross the Padma Bridge on foot. In response, the participants declared their intention to swim across if necessary. Their other demands include residential gas connections in Bhola, establishment of gas-based industries, a public university, and sustainable embankments. One participant, identified as Moinuddin, has been hospitalized due to illness. The marchers plan to stage a sit-in at Setu Bhaban in Dhaka until their demands are addressed, expressing frustration over the government’s unfulfilled promises of visible progress on the bridge project.

A banned rally under the banners of Chhatra League and Jubo League took place in front of police officers in Sirajdikhan, Munshiganj, on Tuesday morning, causing widespread debate and concern among locals. The procession, led by local Jubo League leader Zahidul Islam Litu, marched through Imamganj Bazar despite the organizations being officially banned. A police patrol car was seen following the rally, raising questions about law enforcement’s role. Following the incident, three police personnel—Sub-Inspector Kamruzzaman Sikder and constables Shafiqul and Badsha Mia—were closed for negligence of duty. Police later detained three individuals allegedly involved in the rally. The local police chief stated that the rally occurred suddenly and that officers did not have time to intervene. The incident has sparked discussions about political activities under banned banners and the accountability of law enforcement in maintaining order.

Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal–1 on Monday sentenced former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal to death for crimes against humanity, including killings during the July mass uprising. Former Inspector General of Police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, a prosecution witness in the same case, received a five-year prison term. Prosecutor Gazi Monowar Hossain Tamim told reporters that the convicts have 30 days from the verdict date to file appeals under Section 21(3) of the tribunal law. If no appeal is filed within this period, the verdict will be executed upon arrest. He clarified that the tribunal law does not allow for delay condonation, unlike general criminal law. Appeals must be resolved within 60 days once filed. The prosecutor added that the convicts can only collect certified copies of the verdict and related documents to submit with their appeals to the Appellate Division, where they may also seek bail. Families of July uprising victims plan to appeal for harsher punishment for Mamun.

The Left Democratic Alliance (LDA) has issued a statement responding to the death sentence of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in a case related to crimes against humanity during the July uprising. Following a meeting of its central executive committee in Dhaka, the alliance said the verdict proves that no one is above the law. It called for ensuring that the judicial process remains beyond national and international controversy and that all stages, including appeal and review, are conducted transparently. The LDA also criticized the lenient punishment of the former police chief, who was made a state witness, despite evidence implicating law enforcement in the killings. The alliance urged the prosecution to appeal for stricter punishment, warning that impunity could embolden future abuses by security forces. The statement reiterated the demand for fair trials for all July–August killings to ensure justice for victims and accountability for all perpetrators.

Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal has sentenced former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to death for crimes against humanity committed during the July uprising that led to her ouster. Prosecutor Gazi Monowar Hossain Tamim confirmed that certified copies of the verdict will soon be sent to relevant government offices, including the Dhaka District Magistrate, for enforcement. The tribunal also directed that absconding convicts may obtain certified copies if they surrender or are arrested within 30 days. Meanwhile, the government has begun preparing an application through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to Interpol for a new notice based on a conviction warrant, replacing the previous arrest warrant. Hasina fled to India on August 5 last year amid a mass uprising and remains there. Authorities aim to secure her return to Bangladesh to implement the tribunal’s verdict.

Netherlands Vice Minister for International Cooperation Pascal Grotenhuis met Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus in Dhaka on Tuesday to discuss expanding bilateral cooperation in agriculture, trade, investment, technology, and youth development. The meeting also covered the formation of a social business fund for young and women entrepreneurs. Yunus reaffirmed his government’s commitment to holding a free, fair, and participatory election in early February, noting that the Awami League remains barred from contesting due to its suspended registration. He described the upcoming polls as a historic moment for new voters who were previously unable to vote. Grotenhuis praised Bangladesh’s progress in election preparations despite limited time and welcomed recent labor law reforms, saying they would attract more European investment. He also announced plans for a memorandum of understanding on public-private partnerships between the Netherlands and Bangladesh, aiming to elevate bilateral relations from development cooperation to equal political and economic partnership.

Bangladesh’s National Security Adviser Khalilur Rahman arrived in New Delhi a day earlier than scheduled to attend the Colombo Security Conclave (CSC) meeting of national security advisers, set for November 20 at Hyderabad House. According to diplomatic sources, Rahman reached Delhi on Tuesday evening and was received by a senior official from India’s National Security Council Secretariat. His early arrival comes amid heightened diplomatic tension following the International Crimes Tribunal’s death sentence for former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who has reportedly been in Delhi since August last year. Bangladesh’s foreign ministry has formally requested India to extradite Hasina, but New Delhi has not commented on the matter. Rahman is expected to leave Delhi after the CSC meeting, though speculation continues over whether he will discuss Hasina’s situation with Indian officials during his stay.

Bangladesh’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain has confirmed that a diplomatic note is being prepared to request India to return Sheikh Hasina and Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, both sentenced to death for crimes against humanity related to the 2024 mass uprising. Speaking to journalists at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Hossain stated that the letter has not yet been sent but may be dispatched soon through a note verbale. The ministry will not send copies of the verdict but will formally notify India of the sentences and request the transfer of the two convicts. Earlier, a similar request to India reportedly went unanswered, but officials now believe the situation has changed following the court’s verdict. Hossain emphasized that Bangladesh and India have an existing agreement that allows for such extradition requests, and the government intends to pursue the process officially.

The death sentence handed down to former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, currently in exile in India, has intensified diplomatic tension between the two neighbors. Despite repeated requests from Dhaka, New Delhi has refused to extradite Hasina, citing a clause in the 2013 extradition treaty that exempts political figures. Analysts including Michael Kugelman, Sreeradha Dutta, and Sanjay Bhardwaj told Al Jazeera that India now faces an uncomfortable dilemma—balancing its traditional loyalty to Hasina with the need to engage Bangladesh’s new leadership. Kugelman described Hasina’s presence in India as a long-term irritant in bilateral relations, while Dutta noted that India must now rebuild ties with other political stakeholders in Dhaka. Bhardwaj emphasized that extraditing Hasina would legitimize anti-India forces in Bangladesh. Experts agree that while trade and security cooperation continue, the Hasina issue remains a major obstacle to restoring trust between the two countries.