The interim government’s advisory council held a special meeting on Tuesday, December 2, chaired by the Chief Adviser at the state guesthouse Jamuna, to discuss the medical care of BNP Chairperson and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia. According to an official statement read by Planning Adviser Wahiduddin Mahmud, the council decided to ensure uninterrupted hospital treatment for Khaleda Zia and, if necessary, to arrange for her advanced medical care abroad. The meeting also resolved to declare her a Very Very Important Person (VVIP), ensuring her security, transportation, and privileges consistent with her status as a three-time former prime minister. All relevant agencies have been instructed to implement these decisions immediately. The council also offered prayers for her speedy recovery and called upon the nation to join in prayers for her health. Khaleda Zia’s family and her political party, the BNP, have been informed of the government’s decisions.

The Dhaka District Administration has appointed new presidents for 215 private schools and colleges in the capital. According to an official order signed by Dhaka Deputy Commissioner Md. Rezaul Karim on December 1, the appointments were made following directives from the Secondary and Higher Education Division and the Bangladesh Inter-Education Board Coordination Committee issued in mid-November. Officials from various levels of the district administration have been assigned as presidents, with each individual responsible for overseeing between three and eight institutions. The move aims to ensure better administrative oversight and compliance with government policies in private educational institutions. The official order specifies that the Dhaka Deputy Commissioner or his designated representatives will serve as presidents of these institutions as per the approved list.

The chiefs of Bangladesh’s Army, Navy, and Air Force visited former Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka on Tuesday night, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations Directorate (ISPR). Khaleda Zia, who has long suffered from arthritis, diabetes, kidney, lung, and eye complications, has been under treatment since November 23 after a lung infection was detected. Following her release after the fall of the Awami League government in August last year, she spent over three months in London for advanced medical care before returning to Bangladesh in May. Her personal physician, Dr. A.Z.M. Zahid Hossain, expressed hope for her recovery but became emotional while speaking to reporters, urging the public not to spread rumors about her condition. A medical team from the UK is expected to arrive soon to assess whether she should be taken abroad for further treatment. The interim government has declared Khaleda Zia a ‘very important person’.

Mohammad Ali Hossain, Senior District and Sessions Judge of Jashore, and Mohammad Mostafizur Rahman, Chief Metropolitan Magistrate of Dhaka, have been elected as the new president and general secretary of the Bangladesh Judicial Service Association. The election was held online on December 2 in a festive atmosphere, with live coverage from the Judicial Administration Training Institute. Out of 2,138 eligible judges across 64 districts, 1,890 cast their votes, marking an 88% turnout. Hossain received 1,003 votes while Rahman secured 1,238 votes. A total of 45 judges were elected to 16 executive positions. In his remarks, Rahman expressed gratitude to his colleagues and pledged to modernize the judiciary, implement full judicial allowances, advance the e-judiciary project, and improve judges’ working conditions and security. The new committee also aims to enhance training opportunities and ensure fair rights for all judges nationwide.

The High Court of Bangladesh has issued a rule asking why a policy should not be formulated to regulate house rent in Dhaka. The bench, led by Justice Shikdar Mahmudur Razi, directed the authorities of Dhaka North and South City Corporations and other concerned parties to respond within four weeks. The order came following a writ petition seeking the implementation of the House Rent Control Act of 1991, which mandates city authorities to periodically determine rent rates based on factors such as building quality, size, road connectivity, and available amenities. Advocate Parvez Hossain, representing the petitioner, argued that the law has not been effectively enforced despite being in place for decades. The court’s move aims to ensure fair rent determination and protect tenants from arbitrary rent hikes, aligning with practices followed in many global cities.

Two Bangladeshi men were allegedly beaten to death by India’s Border Security Force (BSF) and their bodies dumped in the Padma River near the Wahedpur border in Shibganj upazila of Chapainawabganj district early Sunday. Local representatives and multiple sources claimed that the incident occurred between international pillars 76 and 77 when a group of cattle traders crossed the border. Two of them, identified as Ibrahim Rinku (28) and Momin Mia (29), were reportedly caught and assaulted by personnel from India’s Nimita BSF camp before being thrown into the river. Other members of the group managed to escape. Although Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has not officially confirmed the incident, local officials and intelligence sources have acknowledged receiving reports. Families of the missing men have remained silent, allegedly fearing legal complications. BGB’s 53rd Battalion Commander Lt. Col. Kazi Mostafizur Rahman stated that they have contacted BSF authorities to verify the matter.

Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), originally established as East Pakistan Agricultural University, has played a pivotal role in the nation’s agricultural development and food security over the past 64 years. Located on 1,200 acres near Mymensingh, the university began with two faculties and now comprises six faculties, 43 departments, and six institutes. With 595 teachers and over 1,100 staff, BAU offers nine undergraduate and 50 postgraduate degrees. Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. A.K. Fazlul Hoque Bhuiyan highlighted the university’s contributions to transforming Bangladesh from feeding 75 million people at independence to achieving food self-sufficiency for 175 million today. BAU continues to lead in modern, climate-resilient, and technology-driven agriculture, with its graduates contributing to productivity and rural livelihoods both domestically and internationally. The institution remains a cornerstone for agricultural education, research, and innovation in Bangladesh.

More than 130,000 expatriate Bangladeshis have registered to vote by postal ballot in the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election and referendum, according to the Election Commission (EC). The registrations were completed through the ‘Postal Vote BD’ app, which allows overseas citizens to register using their local mobile numbers. As of Tuesday noon, 130,672 expatriates had registered—114,083 men and 16,589 women. The highest numbers came from the United States, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Singapore, and Canada. The EC has extended the registration deadline to December 25, from the earlier December 18, to accommodate more applicants. The app was launched on November 18 and registration is open in 148 countries. The EC also plans to introduce an in-country postal voting system for government officials, detainees, and those stationed outside their constituencies. Proper address submission is required to ensure ballot delivery abroad.

Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) and Annex Communications Limited have signed an agreement granting Annex exclusive rights to manage inside branding services for the Dhaka Metro Rail. The signing ceremony took place at DMTCL’s conference room on Monday, December 1, marking a new phase of collaboration between the two organizations. The agreement was signed by DMTCL’s Joint Secretary and Company Secretary (additional duty) Khandaker Ehteshamul Kabir and Annex Communications Director Sharif Sabbir. Senior officials from both sides, including DMTCL Managing Director Faruk Ahmed and Annex Chairman Mahmudur Rahman, attended the event. The partnership aims to enhance the metro’s passenger experience through innovative branding and advertising solutions, while also opening new commercial opportunities for both entities. The initiative reflects DMTCL’s broader strategy to integrate modern marketing approaches within public transport infrastructure.

BNP Standing Committee member and personal physician of party chairperson Khaleda Zia, Professor Dr. AZM Zahid Hossain, has urged the public and media not to believe or spread rumors regarding her health condition. Speaking to journalists outside Evercare Hospital in Dhaka on Tuesday afternoon, he confirmed that Khaleda Zia remains in a critical state but continues to receive treatment. Both local and international doctors, including a new specialist arriving from London, are involved in her care. Dr. Zahid, visibly emotional during the briefing, thanked journalists for their cooperation over the past six years and requested continued support. He also mentioned that BNP’s acting chairperson Tarique Rahman is regularly monitoring Khaleda Zia’s condition. Preparations are reportedly in place to transfer her abroad for advanced treatment once her condition improves. Dr. Zahid reiterated the call for patience, restraint, and prayers for the former prime minister’s recovery.

In Bogura’s Shibganj, Jahangir Alam, a district member and upazila coordinator of the Nationalist Citizen Party (NCP), has begun an indefinite hunger strike demanding the removal of syndicates controlling the agricultural sector. The protest started on Monday afternoon at the local Mugdha Square and continued into Tuesday. According to NCP’s joint coordinator Rafia Sultana, the strike aims to protest fertilizer dealer syndicates, fertilizer smuggling, artificial shortages, unfair government fertilizer allocations, and the appointment of unauthorized dealers from other upazilas. The movement also highlights issues such as potato spoilage in cold storage and calls for the liberation of farmers from exploitative practices. Several local NCP members and student leaders have expressed solidarity with Alam’s protest, and the party leadership has pledged organizational support for the ongoing hunger strike.

Four police officers in Chattogram have been withdrawn and attached to the police lines following allegations of negligence during a rally organized by the banned Chhatra League on Chatteswari Road. The incident occurred on Saturday morning when several members of the banned student group suddenly gathered in front of the Berger Color Paints office and a small explosion was reportedly heard. The officers on patrol duty, including one assistant sub-inspector and three constables from the Chawkbazar area, allegedly failed to report the rally to their superiors. The matter came to light after videos of the rally circulated on social media. According to Assistant Commissioner of Police (Public Relations) Aminur Rashid, the officers were withdrawn for dereliction of duty. Senior police officials confirmed that two of the withdrawn officers were from Chawkbazar Police Station, while the assignments of the other two remain unclear. The rally participants dispersed after police arrived at the scene.

A newly submitted report by Bangladesh’s National Independent Investigation Commission has revealed fresh evidence implicating several army officers in the 2009 Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) mutiny and the subsequent Pilkhana massacre. According to testimonies from key witnesses, including prisoner witness No. 14, a secret meeting took place on February 24, 2009, the night before the massacre, where rebel soldiers planned to take their commanding officers hostage using ropes and knives. The report also cites witness No. 65, who confirmed that weapons from three battalions were stored in the central quarter guard and that certain officers were assigned duty there days before the attack. The mutiny, which occurred on February 25–26, 2009, at the BDR headquarters in Dhaka, resulted in the brutal killing of 57 army officers. The commission, after an 11-month investigation, handed over its findings to the chief adviser, shedding new light on one of Bangladesh’s darkest chapters.

Police in Bakerganj, Barishal, have arrested Shahnaz Parvin Rani, a former general secretary of the Upazila Women’s Awami League and former assistant editor of an Awami League subcommittee, who had been sentenced to one year in prison. She was convicted by a Patuakhali court on February 12 in a 2019 cheque dishonor case and ordered to repay Tk 11.7 lakh. Following the verdict, she had been in hiding. On Monday, police attempted to arrest her at her home during a family event, but she initially escaped after a scuffle with relatives. Later that night, around 2 a.m., police successfully apprehended her. Officer-in-Charge Abul Kalam Azad confirmed the arrest, stating that she had been evading law enforcement since her sentencing. The arrest ends months of evasion after her conviction for financial misconduct.

Police in Brahmanbaria arrested Kamrul Islam, a local Jubo Dal leader, after seizing 36 kilograms of cannabis from his private car during a raid on the Akhaura-Agartala road bypass area on Tuesday morning. Kamrul, 40, is the joint convener of the Akhaura upazila Jubo Dal and a resident of Taragan village. His associate, Golam Rabbi, 25, was also detained. Police said the drugs were being transported from India's Tripura state to Dhaka. The Toyota car used in the smuggling operation was confiscated. According to Akhaura police officer-in-charge Mohammad Shamiuddin, both suspects were sent to jail following legal procedures. Senior BNP leaders in the upazila stated that Kamrul’s arrest with drugs has tarnished the party’s image, and organizational action is being taken against him.