Bangladesh’s Election Commission (EC) announced that 249,338 expatriates have registered through the ‘Postal Vote BD’ app to cast ballots in the upcoming 13th national parliamentary election. Of these, 228,147 are men and 21,191 are women. The EC will send ballot papers by mail to the registered expatriates’ addresses, marking the first time the country is using an IT-supported postal voting system.

The registration process began on November 19 and will continue until December 23. Eligible groups include expatriates, individuals in legal custody, and election officials on duty. Registration is open in more than 30 countries, including South Korea, Japan, Saudi Arabia, the United States, and Australia. According to EC data updated on December 8, the initiative aims to ensure broader participation among overseas Bangladeshis.

The EC is targeting five million expatriate voters as part of its broader effort to expand electoral inclusion. The 13th national election is expected to be held in the first half of February 2025, with postal voting seen as a key test of digital election management.

Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary, Shafiqul Alam, has publicly revisited the 2013 Shapla Chattar killings, alleging that the Awami League government repeatedly used its affiliated youth and student wings to suppress political opposition through intimidation and violence. In a detailed Facebook post on December 8, Alam described the night of May 5, 2013, when clashes between security forces and Hefazat-e-Islam supporters in Dhaka’s Motijheel area led to numerous deaths.

Alam recounted his experience as a journalist at the time, verifying reports of gunshot victims in multiple hospitals and describing the government’s denial of casualties. He cited human rights groups that later estimated around 60 deaths, contradicting official figures. Alam also named individuals allegedly involved in the violence and linked subsequent killings to intra-party rivalries.

His statement has reignited debate over state accountability and political violence in Bangladesh. Analysts suggest the remarks could intensify scrutiny of past government actions and influence ongoing discussions about justice and political reform.

Seventeen former ministers, state ministers, and senior officials from Sheikh Hasina’s administration were produced before Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal on Monday in connection with alleged killings and crimes against humanity during the July–August 2024 unrest. The accused, including former law minister Anisul Huq, former education minister Dipu Moni, and former ICT state minister Zunaid Ahmed Palak, were brought under tight security from Keraniganj and Kashimpur prisons. The tribunal, led by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Majumder, is scheduled to review case progress and hear formal charges.

Prosecutors have filed separate formal charges against several high-profile figures, including Salman F Rahman, Hasanul Haq Inu, and Palak. The tribunal has also accepted charges against Sajeeb Wazed Joy, son of Sheikh Hasina, issuing an arrest warrant for him. Allegations include curfew-related killings and suppression of protests during the 2024 movement. Security was heightened around the tribunal premises, with law enforcement conducting strict checks on all entrants.

The proceedings mark a significant escalation in post-Hasina accountability efforts, signaling a broader judicial push into alleged state actions during the 2024 crisis.

An air ambulance carrying medical support for former Bangladeshi Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia is scheduled to land at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, December 9. The aircraft will later depart for London around 9 p.m. the same day, pending final medical evaluations and logistical preparations by Zia’s medical team.

According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB), the flight has been granted landing permission and will operate as a special medical evacuation mission. The air ambulance is a Bombardier Challenger 604 business jet, a model widely used for long-distance medical transfers due to its range and onboard medical facilities.

Zia’s planned transfer follows weeks of concern over her deteriorating health. Her medical team and party officials have been pressing for advanced treatment abroad. Any change in her condition or readiness could alter the flight schedule, officials said.

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has urged party members and the public to stay alert against fake Facebook accounts operating under his name. In an official statement, he clarified that he has never opened a Facebook account and that any posts or comments attributed to him on such pages are entirely fabricated.

Rizvi stated that unidentified groups have been spreading false statements through these accounts, misleading the public and tarnishing his reputation. He mentioned that he had previously filed a general diary with the police and informed the media about the issue. The BNP leader also requested the authorities and Facebook to take immediate action to close the fake accounts.

He further appealed to his party colleagues and citizens not to be misled by any content shared from these fraudulent profiles, emphasizing the need for vigilance against misinformation on social media platforms.

Bangladesh’s Ministry of Education has released a new ‘Private Educational Institutions (School and College) Manpower Structure and MPO Policy 2025’, introducing major changes for non-government schools and colleges. The policy, published Sunday by the Secondary and Higher Education Division, allows inclusion of honors and master’s level teachers under the Monthly Pay Order (MPO) scheme and revises institutional eligibility indicators. Each class must now have at least 55 students for MPO consideration.

Deputy Secretary Syed A.Z. Morshed Ali said the policy updates BEd scale eligibility, permitting teachers with degrees from private institutions affiliated with the National University or University Grants Commission to receive the benefit. The policy also formally abolishes the senior lecturer post and consolidates earlier amendments. Clause 24 emphasizes professional ethics, prohibiting coaching business and notebook dependency among MPO teachers.

Education stakeholders view the reforms as a step toward standardizing teacher qualifications and institutional accountability. Implementation is expected in 2025, with monitoring mechanisms to ensure compliance and quality improvement across private education institutions.

Bangladesh’s Primary and Mass Education Adviser Professor Bidhan Ranjan Roy Poddar announced that promotions for around 32,000 assistant teachers remain suspended because of a pending court case. Speaking to reporters after inspecting several schools in Kutubdia, Cox’s Bazar, he said that although thousands of schools lack head teachers, the government cannot proceed with promotions until the legal dispute is resolved. He assured that efforts are underway to settle the matter, which could unlock multiple administrative bottlenecks within the primary education system.

The adviser also highlighted acute teacher shortages in remote and island areas such as Kutubdia. He stated that new recruitment drives will be launched to address staffing gaps in these regions, ensuring that isolated schools receive adequate teaching personnel. Local education officials accompanied him during the visit, emphasizing the government’s commitment to improving infrastructure and staffing in under-resourced schools.

The resolution of the court case is expected to significantly impact teacher morale and school management nationwide, potentially reshaping the promotion process within Bangladesh’s primary education sector.

Students from Dhaka’s seven government colleges continued their sit-in late into Sunday night in front of the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education on Abdul Gani Road. They are demanding immediate issuance of the ordinance for the proposed Dhaka Central University, which would transform their colleges into a unified university structure.

The protest began around 1 p.m. with processions from each college converging at the Education Bhaban. Although the students lifted their blockade at the High Court intersection in the evening to ease public suffering, they maintained their presence outside the building. Representatives said the movement would continue until the ordinance is officially issued.

The proposed ordinance, published on September 24 by the Education Ministry, suggests reorganizing the seven colleges into four interdisciplinary schools while retaining higher secondary programs. Teachers and education cadre officials have expressed concerns about losing autonomy and promotion rights, while some students support swift approval. The ministry has acknowledged ongoing revisions to the draft, noting the process will take time.

At least 35 people were injured in a series of violent clashes between rival factions of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) during campaign activities in Gazipur-1 constituency on Sunday evening. The incidents occurred in three separate areas—Rakhaliychala, Chandra Polli Bidyut, and Matikata Rail Crossing—where motorcycles were also set on fire. Injured supporters were admitted to local clinics and health complexes.

According to witnesses and party sources, the violence broke out when supporters of BNP-nominated candidate and former mayor Mojibur Rahman were allegedly attacked by followers of Barrister Ishraq Ahmed Siddiqi, who was denied nomination. Mojibur Rahman accused Ishraq’s supporters of launching an unprovoked assault and burning 11 motorcycles. However, Ishraq’s local coordinator Nurul Islam Sikder denied the allegations, claiming Rahman’s men initiated the attack.

The clashes have heightened tensions within the BNP ahead of the upcoming 13th national election, raising concerns about internal divisions and security risks during the campaign period.

A seven-year-old boy and his mother were arrested in Chattogram on kidnapping charges, sending shockwaves through the local court and police departments. The arrest followed a complaint filed by a woman whose four-year-old son went missing from Chattogram Medical College Hospital in April. Police detained the child and his mother from the city’s Soloshahar area and presented them before court, which ordered the mother to jail and the child to a juvenile development center in Tongi.

Legal experts and rights activists quickly pointed out that under Bangladesh’s Children Act, no child under nine can be treated as an accused. Following this revelation, the prosecution sought bail for the child, which the court granted on Sunday. Chattogram Metropolitan Police officials said they are reviewing the incident and will take corrective measures if procedural errors are confirmed.

The case has reignited debate over the handling of minors in the justice system, highlighting gaps in police training and child protection protocols. Authorities are now under pressure to ensure accountability and prevent similar incidents.

A local leader of the Weavers’ League, Amzad Hossain, 35, died on Sunday afternoon after being crushed by a collapsing wall during the demolition of an old building in Tekghonapara, Rajakhali Union, Pekua upazila of Cox’s Bazar. The incident occurred around 3:30 p.m. while Amzad and several other workers were dismantling a brick structure at a landlord’s property.

According to witnesses, a section of the wall suddenly collapsed, trapping Amzad beneath the debris. Fellow workers and residents rescued him and rushed him to Pekua Upazila Health Complex, where doctors declared him dead on arrival. Amzad, son of the late Shofiul Alam, was a construction worker and an active member of the Rajakhali Union Weavers’ League. He leaves behind two children.

Local union council member Golam Rahman confirmed the incident, while Weavers’ League secretary Junaid expressed grief, calling it a tragic loss for the organization. Authorities are expected to review safety practices at local demolition sites following the fatal accident.

The Rajshahi Metropolitan Police (RMP) has transferred the Officers-in-Charge (OCs) of all 12 police stations under its jurisdiction through a lottery system, as part of preparations for the upcoming national parliamentary election. The order, signed by RMP Commissioner Dr. Md. Zillur Rahman on Sunday, December 7, takes immediate effect. The reshuffle affects key police stations including Boalia Model, Motihar, Rajpara, and others.

According to RMP spokesperson Deputy Commissioner Gaziur Rahman, the decision aims to strengthen law and order, ensure neutrality, and enhance operational efficiency during the election period. The use of a lottery system for assigning new OCs was intended to maintain transparency and minimize allegations of favoritism or political influence in police postings.

The reshuffle is part of a broader nationwide effort to ensure impartial policing ahead of the polls. Observers note that such administrative changes are common before major elections in Bangladesh, as authorities seek to reinforce public trust and prevent local-level bias in law enforcement.

In Chandpur’s Baburhat area, a seventy-year-old woman named Momtaz Begum moved many by donating her lifelong savings to Sheikh Farid Ahmed Manik, the BNP candidate for Chandpur-3 constituency. During a courtyard meeting in support of the opposition candidate, she handed over bundles of ten- and twenty-taka notes, requesting that the money be used for election expenses. Witnesses described the moment as deeply emotional, with many attendees visibly touched by her gesture.

Momtaz Begum said she had saved the money over many years and hoped it would help improve her community. Sheikh Farid expressed gratitude, calling the act a symbol of people’s trust and love, and pledged to remain committed to public service. Local residents and party supporters praised the woman’s sacrifice as a reflection of grassroots faith in leadership.

The story quickly spread across social media, sparking widespread discussion about citizen engagement and the emotional connection between voters and political candidates in Bangladesh’s upcoming national elections.

Dhaka Power Distribution Company (DPDC) has suspended Executive Engineer Amit Adhikari and Assistant Engineer Abdur Rahman Sohag following the death of a worker during transformer maintenance in Siddhirganj, Narayanganj. The suspension came after a preliminary investigation found negligence linked to the incident, which also left two others injured. The decision was confirmed on Sunday evening by supervising engineer Mohammad Sher Ali.

According to DPDC sources, both engineers have been withdrawn from the Siddhirganj office and attached to the company’s headquarters. Ahsanuzzaman, Executive Engineer of the Demra office, has been given additional charge of Siddhirganj. Local residents had earlier accused the Siddhirganj office of widespread irregularities and bribery under Adhikari’s leadership.

The fatal accident occurred on November 26 near a cinema hall in Adamjee when a power line was unexpectedly activated during transformer maintenance. DPDC has formed three investigation committees, but no official report has yet been released, raising concerns about workplace safety and accountability in public utilities.

The number of bank accounts in Bangladesh holding deposits of at least one crore taka has continued to rise, surpassing 128,000 as of September 2025, according to Bangladesh Bank’s latest data. This marks an increase of 734 such accounts over the previous quarter, even as the total amount of deposits in these accounts fell by over 59,000 crore taka during the same period.

Banking analysts attribute this trend to widening income inequality. While rising prices have forced lower- and middle-income families to draw down savings, wealthier individuals and large businesses have continued to accumulate assets. Central bank officials clarified that not all crore-level accounts belong to individuals; many are held by corporations and government entities, and a single entity may maintain multiple accounts.

The data also show that the total number of bank accounts in the country reached 174.6 million by September, up by 5.6 million in three months. Economists warn that the growing concentration of wealth in fewer hands could deepen economic disparities if inflationary pressures persist.