BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has accused the government of jeopardizing Bangladesh’s pharmaceutical industry through opaque and one-sided policies.

In a statement, Fakhrul said no new drug registrations have been issued in nearly two years, and medicine prices have not been adjusted for an extended period — putting the country at risk of losing its TRIPS waiver benefits when Bangladesh graduates to middle-income status on November 24, 2026.

He criticized the exclusion of Bangladesh Association of Pharmaceutical Industries representatives from key drug regulation committees, calling it against the sector’s interests.

Fakhrul urged swift action to protect the industry, taking into account the post-LDC graduation scenario, and highlighted the BNP government’s past role in strengthening the sector.

Advisor Asif Nazrul announced that Malaysia has agreed in principle to introduce a Graduate Pass Visa for Bangladeshi students studying there.

Following a productive meeting with Malaysia’s Minister of Higher Education, Nazrul said both sides must complete certain formalities before the policy is implemented.

Currently, around 10,000 Bangladeshi students are enrolled in Malaysian universities but lack the post-study employment opportunities available to students from other countries. If enacted, the visa will open the Malaysian job market to them.

Professor Muhammad Yunus also urged Malaysian authorities to officially recognize Bangladeshi degrees. In a separate meeting, the Malaysian Education Minister expressed strong interest in Yunus’s “Three Zero” campaign — aiming for zero poverty, zero unemployment, and zero carbon emissions.

Tangail’s joint forces have arrested 34 individuals, including Asgar Ali, president of the Sadar Upazila BNP, during a late-night raid at the so-called “Shatabdi Club” gambling den.

The operation, conducted early Tuesday night, recovered Tk 149,410 in cash, various gambling materials, and two empty liquor bottles.

Confirming the incident, Tangail Sadar Police Station OC Tanvir Ahmed said the detainees were handed over to police for legal action. A case is being prepared, and the accused will be presented before the court following formal charges.

BNP leader Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has dismissed claims that party activists extorted money from a Chattogram-based doctor whose live-streamed complaint went viral. Speaking to reporters, Rizvi said the doctor faced legal action for constructing a building without approved plans, not due to extortion, and alleged the doctor staged his injuries to smear BNP members.
Rizvi accused a religion-based political group of orchestrating the propaganda to cover its own misdeeds. He also condemned the mob killings of two Hindu men in Rangpur, calling for laws to prevent vigilantism.
Additionally, Rizvi criticized the government for failing to recover over Tk 2,000 crore allegedly looted and deposited in Farmers Bank (now Padma Bank). He reiterated that Bangladesh is not yet ready for proportional representation voting. BNP will hold nationwide prayer gatherings on Friday to mark Khaleda Zia’s birthday and honor fallen martyrs.

BNP leader Dr. AZM Zahid Hossain has warned that threats to block elections indicate an ominous return to authoritarianism. Speaking after paying tribute to former President Ziaur Rahman with newly elected Doctors’ Association of Bangladesh (DAB) leaders, Zahid said, “Intimidation cannot suppress the journey towards elections. Those who threaten to prevent polls do not care about the people’s will.”
He reminded that the fall of the Awami League government came through a united student and public movement, not through the agitation of a single group.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir departed Dhaka on Wednesday morning for Bangkok to receive eye treatment, following his doctor’s advice. According to BNP Media Cell member Shayrul Kabir Khan, Fakhrul boarded a Thai Airways flight from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 11:15 AM, accompanied by his wife, Rahat Ara Begum.
Before leaving, Fakhrul visited party chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia at her Firoza residence on Tuesday night to inquire about her health.

Writer and activist Farhad Mazhar has declared that the public will not accept elections under the constitution left by Sheikh Hasina. Speaking at a political event, he warned that the old tactic of “buying and selling bureaucrats to cross the electoral river” will no longer be tolerated. Mazhar accused successive governments of deceiving citizens and vowed to continue the fight until people’s sovereignty is secured. Addressing the BNP, he urged them not to pit their party against the youth, whom he credited for their liberation. He called for intellectual advancement to counter conspiracies and cautioned against getting drawn into “obscene arguments.”

At least 25 people were injured in a violent clash between BNP and Jubo Dal activists in Kishoreganj over a turf control dispute. The conflict followed a Monday night raid on illegal sand extraction from the Ghorautra River, based on a complaint by upazila Jubo Dal’s senior joint convener Azharul Islam Sohel.
Authorities fined detainee Ripon Mia Tk 100,000 and seized a dredger. Following the operation, supporters of the complainant and those of accused ward BNP president Gias Uddin armed themselves with local weapons and clashed until police intervened.

An audio recording has surfaced in which former BNP MP Abdul Gafur Bhuiyan is heard verbally abusing and threatening Comilla’s DC Amirul Kaiser and Education Board Chairman Shamsul Alam over a dispute regarding the presidency of Volain Bazar High School and College.
The conflict arose after the DC recommended Mir Abu Saleh Shamsuddin for the post, which the chairman forwarded to the institution’s head. Gafur reportedly called the chairman, threatening to “rip out” his liver and that of the person who appointed him. He also allegedly visited the board with associates to intimidate staff. Following the incident, the recommended candidate stepped down.

At a meeting with Bangladeshi expatriates in Kuala Lumpur, Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus announced readiness to hand over power to elected representatives, with the election date already declared. He assured that the government is working to secure voting rights for expatriates.
Thanking Malaysian-based Bangladeshis for their contribution to the economy, Yunus acknowledged their role in stabilizing the country’s situation. He highlighted steps taken to resolve passport-related issues quickly and announced a new “Citizen Services Bangladesh” initiative to deliver all government services to expatriates efficiently.

BNP leader Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie recalled meeting Sarjis and Hasnat at the DB office during the July uprising, telling them that just as Hasina failed to detain him during his time as Chhatra Dal president, she wouldn’t be able to stop them either.
“July taught us how to bury fascism, send Hasina home, and destroy the ‘mirror house,’” Annie said. He emphasized the need for ironclad national unity. Recounting his life experiences, he spoke of witnessing the atrocities of the Rakkhi Bahini, Awami League corruption, enforced disappearances, political killings, famine, and the November 7, 1975 revolution. Annie praised former President Ziaur Rahman as a people’s leader who ruled for only three and a half years but left a lasting mark.

BNP-aligned lawyers claimed that the commotion during the bail hearing of ABM Khairul Haque was deliberately staged to destabilize the judiciary. At a protest rally in Dhaka, leaders of the Nationalist Lawyers’ Forum accused Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of plotting from Delhi—spending billions and involving outsiders—to disrupt the judiciary and the country. They alleged that several senior lawyers were aiding this effort.
They demanded justice for an alleged assault on a state counsel inside the courtroom and urged the Chief Justice to ensure lawyers’ safety. The incident followed Monday’s heated altercation between pro-Awami League lawyers and state prosecutors during the bail and case dismissal hearing.

AB Party Chairman Mujibur Rahman Manju urged political parties to evaluate their own activities over the past year, alongside reviewing the government’s performance, in a fascism-free environment. He stressed the need to examine why larger political parties retain greater public support despite criticism, while reform-oriented smaller parties remain less popular despite a good reputation.
Manju said his party had tried to understand the state crisis deeply but had seen little initiative from political parties toward self-reform. He identified the government’s greatest weakness as its inability to set proper priorities. He also criticized the interim government for failing to maintain national unity and for poor coordination in state-funded medical care for the injured.

Islamic Movement leader Mufti Syed Muhammad Faizul Karim declared that the July uprising was not merely about holding elections. “We want reforms, justice for criminals, and elections under a proportional representation (PR) system. Under PR, all parties can enter parliament—there is no alternative,” he told a mass rally in Kishoreganj.
Faizul Karim criticized the ruling Awami League, the Jatiya Party, and the BNP for failing to govern the country effectively. “But Islam has not been given a chance yet. Test it once,” he urged. He promised that under his leadership, extortion, terrorism, and looting would end, development would take place, people would have food, clothing, and education, and all faiths could live in peace. “We will ensure an independent media free from mafia influence, and no one will be forced to live under the open sky,” he added.

Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim pledged to deepen bilateral ties into a future-focused strategic partnership. In talks in Putrajaya, they discussed trade, investment, migration, energy, education, and the Rohingya crisis. Agreements were signed on defense, LNG supply, trade, halal industry, and higher education. Malaysia will extend social security to Bangladeshi workers and allow Bengali-language complaints. Both sides aim to finalize a free trade deal, expand skilled labor recruitment, and enhance ASEAN cooperation.