Pakistan’s security forces have killed 15 militants belonging to the India-backed Fitna-al-Khawarij group in two separate counterterrorism operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). The operations, conducted on November 15 and 16 in Dera Ismail Khan and North Waziristan, were based on intelligence reports. In the first raid in Dera Ismail Khan’s Kalachi area, 10 militants, including senior commander Alam Mehsud, were killed. A second operation in Datta Khel, North Waziristan, eliminated five more militants. Security forces continue to pursue others who fled the scene. Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister congratulated the forces, calling the elimination of India-supported terrorists a matter of national consensus. The government uses the term ‘Fitna-al-Khawarij’ to refer to the banned Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The development follows a recent suicide bombing in Islamabad claimed by the TTP that killed 12 and injured 27.

A fire broke out at a market in Dhaka’s Gulistan area shortly after midnight on Tuesday, November 18. According to the Fire Service, the blaze started around 12:30 a.m. on the third floor of a six-story building known as Ramna Bhaban, reportedly from a clothing store. Five units of the Fire Service responded promptly and managed to bring the fire under control by 1:00 a.m. Duty officer Rafi Al Faruk of the Bangabazar Fire Station confirmed the incident and said no casualties had been reported so far. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. After the fire was contained, three units returned to their stations while two remained on-site as a precautionary measure to ensure safety and prevent any possible re-ignition.

A parked car was set on fire by unidentified miscreants in Dhaka’s Agargaon area late Tuesday night. The incident occurred around 11 p.m. in front of the Bangladesh Technical Education Board building. According to Fire Service duty officer Rafi Al Faruq, two units from the Mohammadpur Fire Station were dispatched to the scene and worked to bring the blaze under control. Authorities have not yet determined the extent of the damage or the motive behind the attack. No casualties were reported, and an investigation is expected to follow to identify those responsible. The fire service confirmed that the situation was contained shortly after their arrival, preventing the flames from spreading to nearby vehicles or structures.

Authorities from Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company conducted a raid in Sonargaon municipality’s Khasnagar and Bhabanathpur areas of Narayanganj, disconnecting illegal gas connections at two unauthorized lime and casting factories. The operation, led by Senior Assistant Secretary Milton Roy from the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, took place from morning to noon on Tuesday. Factory owners fled upon learning of the raid. Officials said the factories had been illegally using gas worth around 2 million taka per month. Acting on secret information, a mobile court demolished the factories using excavators and seized pipes and other equipment used for the illegal connections. Titas Gas officials stated that the illegal operations had been running under political protection since August 5 and vowed to continue similar drives to prevent theft of government resources.

Elite force RAB-11 has arrested top-listed criminal Rakib, also known as Gui Rakib, from his home in Rupganj, Narayanganj. The 24-year-old suspect faces at least 20 cases, including charges of murder, robbery, and illegal arms possession. During the early morning raid on November 18, RAB recovered a single-barrel gun, eight rounds of bullets, and nine cartridges. According to RAB, Rakib had recently been involved in extortion and a shooting incident on October 18, when a businessman named Lokman Hossain was shot in the leg after refusing to pay extortion money. Rakib and his associates had earlier demanded Tk 500,000 and threatened to shut down the victim’s business. Following the arrest, RAB handed Rakib and the seized weapons over to Rupganj police for further legal action. Authorities said the arrest is part of an ongoing drive to curb organized crime in the region.

A fire that broke out on Tuesday evening in the Kuratoli area near Kuril, on Dhaka’s Kuril World Road, has been brought under control. The blaze reportedly started around 7 p.m. and affected a rickshaw garage and nearby residential houses. Four units of the Fire Service and Civil Defence rushed to the scene and managed to control the fire within about an hour. According to fire officials, the fire has been completely extinguished, and no casualties have been reported. Local residents claimed that the fire originated from a stove at a local pitha (rice cake) shop. Approximately 150 rickshaws in the garage were reportedly burned in the incident. The extent of property damage is yet to be determined as authorities continue to assess the situation.

A major fire broke out on Tuesday night at Kuratoli Bazar in the Kuril-Bashundhara area of Dhaka, engulfing a rickshaw garage and several tin-shed houses. The Fire Service received the alert at 7:38 p.m. and dispatched four units to the scene, with the first team arriving at 7:58 p.m. to begin firefighting operations. Duty officer Khaleda Yasmin from the Fire Service control room confirmed the incident to the media, stating that efforts were ongoing to bring the blaze under control. As of the latest reports, no casualties or details of property damage have been confirmed. Authorities are investigating the cause of the fire while ensuring nearby residents’ safety. The incident caused panic among locals, but prompt response from fire crews helped prevent the flames from spreading further.

Malaysian immigration authorities have detained 95 migrants, including Bangladeshi nationals, during a large-scale operation at the Pendamar B Apartments near Klang Port in Selangor. The raid, conducted on Monday night by 78 officers from the Selangor Immigration Department, was led by Deputy Director General (Operations) Dato’ Lokman Effendi bin Ramli, with Selangor Immigration Director Khairul Aminus bin Kamaruddin also present. A total of 285 foreign nationals were questioned during the operation, and 95 were detained on suspicion of violating immigration laws. The detainees include citizens of Indonesia, Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, and Nepal. Authorities have not disclosed the exact number of detainees from each country. All arrested individuals have been transferred to the Semenyih Immigration Depot for further investigation and legal procedures.

Traffic on the Dhaka-Barishal highway was disrupted for about two hours early Tuesday after miscreants felled trees to block the road in Kamaldi area of Rajoir upazila, Madaripur. The incident occurred around 5 a.m., halting vehicle movement and causing suffering for passengers and drivers. Police and fire service personnel from Rajoir and Mostafapur Highway stations worked jointly to remove the trees and restore normal traffic flow by 7 a.m. Authorities suspect the act may be linked to political unrest following the reported death sentence of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Earlier, similar blockades were reported in several nearby locations, including Gopalpur and Melkai, where trees were also used to obstruct the highway. Law enforcement is investigating the incident to identify those responsible for the coordinated obstruction.

A Dhaka court has issued a travel ban on A.K.M. Badiul Alam, a member of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) responsible for tax legal and enforcement, following a request from the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). The order was given by Judge Md. Sabbir Foyez of the Metropolitan Sessions and Senior Special Judge’s Court on Tuesday. ACC Assistant Director Piyas Pal filed the petition, citing corruption allegations against Badiul Alam. The ACC had earlier instructed him to submit a statement of assets, which he has already done, and the verification process is ongoing. According to reliable sources, Badiul Alam was allegedly attempting to flee the country, prompting concerns that his departure could obstruct the investigation. The court therefore deemed the travel restriction necessary to ensure the integrity of the ongoing inquiry.

Iran has suspended its visa-free entry facility for Indian citizens following a surge in human trafficking and fraudulent job offers targeting Indians. The new rule, effective from November 22, requires all Indian travelers, including those transiting through Iran, to obtain a visa in advance. According to India’s Ministry of External Affairs, the Iranian government’s decision aims to curb trafficking networks exploiting visa-free access to lure Indians with promises of high-paying jobs or easy routes to Gulf and European countries. Investigations revealed that many victims were kidnapped or held for ransom upon arrival in Iran. The Indian government had earlier warned citizens about fake job agents misusing the visa-free policy, which was originally introduced in February last year to strengthen diplomatic ties and promote tourism. Under the previous arrangement, Indian passport holders could visit Iran for up to 15 days every six months without a visa. Tehran’s move reflects growing concern over the misuse of this facility by criminal syndicates.

Dhaka University Deputy Registrar Lavlu Mollah Shishir has been sent to jail after a Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate denied his bail in a case filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act. He was arrested for allegedly financing a banned Awami League procession held in Shahbagh, Dhaka. Police stated that evidence linked him to funding the rally, which was organized in defiance of restrictions and aimed at spreading propaganda against the interim government. Additionally, authorities noted that following a court verdict sentencing former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to death for crimes against humanity, Lavlu posted a controversial photo card on Facebook expressing political slogans. He was detained shortly afterward. The case was filed on June 1, and the incident reportedly occurred on May 31 in the Paribagh area. Lavlu, a former president of the banned Chhatra League’s Surya Sen Hall unit, remains in custody pending further investigation.

A Dhaka court has ordered the seizure of immovable properties worth Tk 180.37 crore belonging to NASA Group Chairman Nazrul Islam Majumder, including 162 kathas of land in the Jalshiri Housing Project and 53 registered plots. The order was issued by Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Md Sabbir Foyez on Tuesday, November 18, following a petition by Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Assistant Director Shahjahan Miraj. The court also directed the freezing of Tk 2.02 crore across three bank accounts. The ACC alleged that Majumder amassed Tk 781 crore through misuse of power, bribery, and corruption, which are inconsistent with his known sources of income. Investigators claimed that he was attempting to transfer or sell his assets before the case’s resolution. The court acted under the Money Laundering Prevention Act, 2002, and the ACC Rules, 2007, to prevent potential loss to the state.

A Dhaka court has ordered the freezing of 74 bank accounts associated with Tanvir Ahmed Mishuk, former managing director of mobile financial service provider Nagad Limited, and other related individuals and entities. The order was issued by Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Md Sabbir Foyez following a petition from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). The CID sought the freeze to ensure an impartial investigation into allegations that Nagad officials and affiliates may have issued excess e-money, embezzled funds through fraudulent transactions, and laundered money abroad. The petition also raised suspicions of undervalued share transfers to foreign investors as part of possible money laundering. The accounts will remain frozen until the investigation concludes under the Money Laundering Prevention Act, 2012 (amended 2015). The court’s decision aims to prevent any transfer of funds that could obstruct the ongoing inquiry.

A Dhaka court has ordered the freezing of 33 bank accounts belonging to former Home Minister and ex-chairman of Farmers Bank Limited, Dr. Mahiuddin Khan Alamgir, and his wife Sitara Alamgir. The order was issued by Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Md Sabbir Foyez following a petition from the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). The ACC alleged that the couple attempted to withdraw and transfer funds from their accounts to conceal illegally obtained money. Investigators suspect the accounts were used for money laundering between 2009 and September 2024, involving over Tk 216 crore and foreign currency transactions. The freeze was imposed under the Money Laundering Prevention Act, 2012, and the ACC Rules, 2007, to ensure a fair investigation. The ACC had earlier filed a case against the couple on November 12, accusing them of concealing the sources and ownership of illicit wealth.