The Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase has approved a proposal to buy 212 double-cabin pickup vans for the Bangladesh Police at a total cost of Tk 182.32 crore. The decision was made at a meeting chaired by Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury at the Secretariat. The vehicles will be supplied by state-owned Pragoti Industries Limited under the direct purchase method during the 2025–26 fiscal year.

According to the proposal, the pickups are being procured to strengthen the police’s operational capacity across the country. The vehicles will support law enforcement, patrol duties, crime prevention, and emergency operations. The Finance Division has already given its consent to the purchase.

Officials expect that the addition of these new vehicles will enhance police mobility and make field operations more efficient, particularly in maintaining law and order in different regions.

Police in Matlab North, Chandpur, have arrested a local Volunteer Party leader and a woman on charges of raping an eighth-grade student and causing her to become pregnant. The arrests took place on Wednesday, with the accused identified as Md. Kaiyum Mal, 36, general secretary of the Kolakanda Union Volunteer Party, and Mosammat Tania Akter, 28, both residents of Paschim Hanirpara village.

According to the police and the case statement, the incident occurred on October 12, 2025, when Kaiyum, with the direct and indirect assistance of the female accused, allegedly raped the student multiple times under threats. The case came to light after the victim, recently married, fell ill and was found to be 28 weeks pregnant during medical examination. Upon questioning, she disclosed the assault to her family.

Matlab North Police Officer-in-Charge Mohammad Kamrul Hasan confirmed that the accused were sent to court and that the investigation is ongoing. Assistant Superintendent of Police Jabir Husnain Sanib described the case as a severe example of moral and social degradation, noting that the victim’s elder sister allegedly assisted in the crime.

Sarjis Alam, chief organizer of the National Citizen Party (NCP), has praised the bravery of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) for their actions at the border. In a Facebook post on Wednesday, he emphasized that relations should be based on equality and dignity, asserting that there should be no compromise on independence, sovereignty, and national honor.

The remarks came after tension erupted at the Ramrampur border in Bakshiganj upazila of Jamalpur district, where an attempt to push in a stateless person led to a confrontation between BGB and India’s Border Security Force (BSF). A 30-minute flag meeting failed to resolve the issue, prompting both BGB and local residents to take positions along the border. A video of the incident went viral on social media, showing a verbal altercation between the two forces.

During the exchange, BGB members reportedly pushed the individual back toward Indian territory after BSF attempted to push him into Bangladesh. When a BSF member mentioned firing, BGB personnel responded with a warning, asserting their readiness to defend if provoked.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) of Bangladesh has announced plans to create a permanent stakeholder dialogue platform aimed at identifying and resolving academic and administrative challenges in the country’s universities. The initiative was revealed by UGC Chairman Professor Dr. Mamun Ahmed during a meeting held at the UGC office in Agargaon, Dhaka. The meeting was attended by vice-chancellors from public and private universities under the Higher Education Acceleration and Transformation (HEAT) project.

According to Dr. Ahmed, the platform will facilitate regular discussions among teachers, administrators, and other stakeholders to promote collaboration and experience sharing across universities. He emphasized that the initiative will strengthen professional relationships among faculty members and improve institutional efficiency. The meeting also discussed introducing continuous training programs for university teachers, including management training for senior faculty and foundational training for new teachers.

The UGC plans to link training with promotions and develop a pool of local and international trainers. These programs will be implemented under the HEAT project through residential and hybrid formats, aligning with the government’s strategic vision for transforming higher education.

Police in Mirzapur upazila of Tangail have arrested two local leaders of the Awami League and Chhatra League in connection with a case filed over a protest incident that left a young man blind in both eyes. The arrests took place on Tuesday night around 10:30 pm at Mirzapur Old Bus Stand and Garail Trimohon areas. The detainees are Sohel Rana, 48, organizational secretary of Mirzapur Upazila Awami League, and Abdur Rabby Saad, 25, a member of the upazila Chhatra League convening committee.

According to police and case sources, on August 4, 2024, during a student and public demonstration on the Dhaka–Tangail highway near Gorai Highway Police Station, Himel of Lalbari village was seriously injured by police shotgun pellets and later lost his eyesight. His mother, Nasima Begum, filed a case in Tangail court naming 100 individuals, including police officers, journalists, and Awami League leaders, with 400–500 unnamed accused.

Police said the two were arrested after their names appeared in the investigation. They were sent to Tangail court on Wednesday, and the investigation is ongoing.

Bangladesh’s Minister for Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment and Labour and Employment, Ariful Haque Chowdhury, has called for expanded cooperation from the International Labour Organization (ILO) to enhance entrepreneurship, skills development, employment generation, and the growth of small and medium enterprises among marginalized communities. The call was made during a meeting with ILO Director-General Gilbert Houngbo in Geneva on Wednesday.

During the meeting, the minister reaffirmed Bangladesh’s commitment to democracy, human rights, and labor rights. He informed the ILO chief about ongoing efforts to align national laws and policies with international labor standards. Bangladesh has so far ratified 39 ILO conventions and has become the first country in Asia to ratify all fundamental ILO conventions.

The minister also highlighted progress in labor sector reforms, the formation of a Labor Rights Reform Commission, the restructuring of tripartite institutions, and the amendment of labor laws through the National Tripartite Consultative Council. He expressed hope for a positive and amicable resolution of the Article 26 case filed against Bangladesh.

Bangladesh Bank has appointed an observer to Islami Bank in response to ongoing instability within the institution. The central bank announced that Executive Director Mohammad Ashraful Alam will serve as the observer under the authority of the Bank Company Act, 1991. His role will include attending board meetings, monitoring operations, and reporting findings to Bangladesh Bank to safeguard the bank’s and depositors’ interests.

The central bank stated that the move aims to strengthen governance, transparency, and accountability in the banking sector. Recent internal disputes over the appointment of a new chairman and board have triggered protests among some customers, leading to widespread concern and deposit withdrawals.

Between June 1 and 7, depositors withdrew approximately Tk 4,240 crore from Islami Bank, causing it to fall short of its required cash reserve ratio. The bank has since sought Tk 10,000 crore in loans from Bangladesh Bank to stabilize liquidity.

A man named Joydeb, aged 40, who worked as a distributor for Royal Laboratories, was killed after being hit by a Moumita Paribahan bus in Dhaka’s Chankharpul area on Wednesday afternoon. The incident occurred around 4:30 p.m. when he was crossing the road near the Chankharpul flyover. He was rescued in critical condition and taken to the emergency department of Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where doctors declared him dead at around 5 p.m.

According to a passerby named Musa Gazi, the bus struck Joydeb while he was crossing the road, causing severe injuries. The hospital police camp in-charge, Inspector Md Faruk, confirmed the death citing the attending doctor. The body has been kept in the hospital morgue for autopsy, and the local police station has been informed of the incident.

Police have taken the Moumita Paribahan bus into custody. Although the victim’s name has been confirmed, further details about his identity are still being verified.

A court in Feni has ordered both a husband and wife to be sent to jail after hearing two separate cases they filed against each other. The order was issued on Wednesday afternoon by Judicial Magistrate Minhaj Uddin following arguments from both sides. The court found that the disputes could not be settled through compromise.

According to court sources and the husband’s lawyer, Md. Suman of Sonapur village in Sonagazi upazila married Nasima Akter of Bhoag village in October 2025. Two months after the marriage, Nasima allegedly left home with four bhori of gold ornaments and one lakh taka with the help of an acquaintance. Suman’s father, Bachchu Mia, then filed a theft case against her. In response, Nasima filed a dowry case against her husband and in-laws.

Feni Court Inspector Saiful Islam confirmed that after hearings in both cases, the court ordered imprisonment for the couple as the family dispute could not be resolved through mediation.

Thousands of residents in Ramganj upazila of Lakshmipur are suffering severe hardship due to long-delayed road repair works left incomplete for months. Locals allege that negligence by contractors and the road department has turned several key roads into dangerous traps. The renovation of the 7-kilometer Sonapur–Paniyala–Uttar Bhatra road and the 3-kilometer stretch from Jor Kobor to Sonapur Bridge remains unfinished, forcing daily commuters to travel under risky conditions.

Residents report that the roads, dug up about six months ago, have since deteriorated further, with potholes expanding and rainwater accumulating to knee depth. Frequent accidents have been reported, affecting students, pedestrians, and transport users. The roads serve as vital links to educational institutions, markets, hospitals, and other key facilities in the area.

Local engineers have stated that repair work will resume soon, but no specific timeline has been provided. This uncertainty has intensified public frustration, with residents demanding urgent government intervention to complete the repairs and restore safe road communication.

Kushtia-3 Member of Parliament Amir Hamza has called for making the Lalon Shah shrine area in Kushtia free from drugs. He raised the demand during a supplementary question session in the National Parliament on Wednesday, asking Culture Minister Nitai Roy Chowdhury whether any initiative exists to declare the shrine a drug-free zone. Hamza expressed concern over unethical activities taking place during the annual birth and death anniversary events of Lalon Shah.

In response, Culture Minister Nitai Roy Chowdhury said the government aims to make not only the Lalon Shah shrine area but the entire country drug-free under the leadership of the Prime Minister. He stated that the government has extensive plans to eliminate drugs and linked the effort to economic development, noting that drug eradication succeeds when economic activities increase in society.

The minister added that the country had experienced a dark period over the past 18 years when drug abuse spread widely, even involving political figures. He said the current government is working to end that era and build a new Bangladesh through social and economic transformation.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman announced that the government has decided to recruit 500,000 new government employees. Among these, recruitment for 2,879 vacant posts under the Ministry of Public Administration and its subordinate offices is already underway. He made the statement on Wednesday afternoon during the question-and-answer session in the National Parliament, responding to a query from BNP lawmaker Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas of Pabna-5, whose question was presented by AKM Selim Reza Habib of Pabna-2.

In response to a supplementary question from BNP lawmaker Abul Kalam of Comilla-9 regarding recruitment to vacant government posts, the Prime Minister said that many positions remain vacant across various government sectors. He emphasized that filling these posts is essential to make administration more dynamic and to deliver services more efficiently to citizens. The government is reviewing the matter seriously and aims to begin the recruitment process as soon as possible.

The parliamentary session began at 3 p.m. under the chairmanship of Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, with the first 30 minutes allocated for the Prime Minister’s questions.

Authorities in the Rajshahi region have decided to end the long-standing 'Dholon' system in mango trading and introduce per-kilogram pricing. The decision was made on Tuesday at a meeting held at the office of the Divisional Commissioner, chaired by Dr. A. N. M. Bazlur Rashid. The new system aims to ensure fair prices for mango growers. Under the revised rule, wholesalers will receive a commission of three taka per kilogram.

Officials explained that under the previous system, traders often took 44 to 54 kilograms of mangoes while paying for only 40 kilograms, causing financial losses for farmers. The meeting was attended by administrative officials from Rajshahi, Naogaon, Natore, and Chapainawabganj, along with mango growers, traders, and representatives from relevant departments.

Participants expressed hope that implementing the new system would fulfill a long-standing demand of mango farmers and bring greater transparency to the regional mango trade.

A relief train derailed while attempting to rescue the Dhaka-bound Brahmaputra Express after one of its power car coaches went off the tracks in Mymensingh city’s Itakhola area on Wednesday morning. The incident caused a complete suspension of train movement on the Mymensingh–Dewanganj route for about five and a half hours before services were restored on the Dhaka–Mymensingh–Jamalpur line.

According to railway officials, the relief train from Kewatkhali Locoshed also derailed near Baghmara rail crossing, complicating the rescue operation. A hydraulic tool van was later deployed to complete the recovery. After nearly five hours of effort, the derailed power car was retrieved, and damaged rail tracks and a culvert were repaired before train operations resumed around 2 p.m.

Railway authorities have declared the accident site a “dead trap zone” as a precaution and formed a five-member investigation committee led by Traffic Inspector Mujibur Rahman. The committee has been instructed to submit its report within three working days.

Prime Minister Tareq Rahman has clarified why ruling party women members of parliament were assigned to oversee development activities in constituencies represented by opposition MPs. The explanation came during a parliamentary session on Wednesday when Jamaat MP Mir Ahmad Bin Kasem from Dhaka-14 raised a question about media reports suggesting that government party women MPs were given responsibility for monitoring development projects and issuing government order letters in opposition areas.

In response, the Prime Minister stated that women MPs elected under the party’s quota system do not have specific constituencies under the constitution or law. Therefore, based on political and organizational structure, certain areas were designated for them to work. He emphasized that opposition MPs retain full rights to participate in development activities in their constituencies, while women MPs also have legitimate roles as elected representatives.

The Prime Minister assured opposition MPs of direct cooperation if needed for development in their areas, noting that the government is proceeding according to established rules.