Bipin Jyoti Chakma, the chief coordinator of the Rangamati district coordination committee of the National Citizen Party (NCP), announced his resignation from the party through a Facebook post on Sunday night, November 30. In his post, he cited prolonged mental stress along with personal and family reasons for his decision to withdraw from all party activities effective immediately. He also mentioned that he would soon send his formal resignation letter to the party’s central leadership. Earlier, on November 14, Ujjal Chakma, the joint coordinator of the same district committee, had resigned for similar personal and family reasons. The Rangamati district committee, comprising 24 members, was formed only six months ago under a directive signed by NCP’s chief organizer for the southern region, Hasnat Abdullah, and member secretary Akhtar Hossain. The recent resignations indicate emerging internal divisions within the newly formed committee.

According to the latest data from Bangladesh Bank, remittance inflows to Bangladesh surged by 24.6 percent in the first 29 days of November 2024, reaching USD 2.681 billion. During the same period last year, remittance receipts stood at USD 2.152 billion. From July to November 29 of the current fiscal year, expatriate Bangladeshis sent a total of USD 12.83 billion, compared to USD 11.09 billion during the same period of the previous fiscal year. The strong growth in remittance inflows reflects continued resilience among overseas workers and may help strengthen the country’s foreign exchange reserves amid ongoing economic challenges. Economists view this upward trend as a positive sign for Bangladesh’s balance of payments and domestic liquidity conditions.

A five-member team of Chinese medical specialists has arrived at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka to assist in the treatment of BNP Chairperson and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia. According to hospital sources, the team entered the facility around 2:50 p.m. on Monday. Khaleda Zia’s personal physician, Dr. A.Z.M. Zahid Hossain, stated that the party’s acting chairman, Tarique Rahman, is closely monitoring her treatment process. Her medical care is being coordinated among doctors from Bangladesh, the United States, the United Kingdom, Singapore, and China. Dr. Zahid added that a decision on taking Khaleda Zia abroad for further treatment will be made if her condition improves and the medical board recommends it. He also urged BNP leaders and supporters to avoid crowding the hospital premises to maintain a calm environment for all patients.

Bangladesh’s Election Commission (EC) Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed stated that BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman is not yet registered as a voter. Speaking to reporters at the EC office in Agargaon, Dhaka, Ahmed clarified that Rahman could still be eligible to vote and contest in the upcoming national elections if he applies and the commission approves his eligibility. When asked under what legal provisions such a decision could be made, the secretary referred journalists to the Voter List Registration Act, noting he did not recall the specific section. The statement comes amid ongoing political discussions about the participation of BNP leaders in the next parliamentary polls and the overall electoral environment in Bangladesh.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has urged caution in disseminating information about the health condition of its chairperson and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia. In an official statement, the party said that all verified updates regarding her medical status will be provided by Dr. A.Z.M. Zahid Hossain, a member of the BNP Standing Committee and Khaleda Zia’s personal physician. The BNP requested the media to refrain from publishing unverified or misleading information and to rely only on statements from Dr. Zahid or senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi. The appeal follows public concern sparked by remarks from a BNP vice-chairman describing Khaleda Zia’s condition as critical. The party emphasized that medical professionals are solely responsible for her treatment decisions and urged the public and media to avoid speculation or politically motivated interpretations of her illness.

Bangladesh’s Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) has approved a third revision of the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Line-6 project, extending its completion deadline by three years to December 2028. The project, which originally aimed to finish by the end of 2025, will now cost Tk 32,718 crore—Tk 755 crore less than previously estimated. The cost reduction comes mainly from the cancellation of four planned station plazas at Uttara North, Uttara Center, Agargaon, and Motijheel, as well as savings in land acquisition, civil works, and consultancy services. The extension is needed to complete the 1.16-kilometer Motijheel–Kamalapur section. MRT Line-6, Bangladesh’s first metro rail system, currently operates from Uttara to Motijheel. The revised plan also includes increased expenses for salaries, consultancy, and foreign loan interest payments, which rose by Tk 270 crore.

A newly submitted report by the National Independent Investigation Commission has revealed that the 2009 Pilkhana massacre, carried out under the guise of a BDR mutiny, was a premeditated act involving direct foreign influence and complicity of the then ruling Awami League. The report, handed to Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus by commission head Maj. Gen. (Retd.) A. L. M. Fazlur Rahman, accuses several political and military figures, including former MP and later Dhaka South Mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, of coordinating the attack with the alleged approval of then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The commission also cited failures by the army, police, and intelligence agencies to act during the crisis. Many involved reportedly fled abroad, and key evidence was destroyed. The findings aim to answer long-standing national questions about the tragedy, which claimed 57 army officers’ lives. The commission recommended measures to prevent similar incidents and ensure justice for victims.

Bangladeshi taxpayers can legally reduce their payable taxes by investing in specific sectors recognized for tax rebate eligibility. According to the National Board of Revenue guidelines, five major investment areas qualify for such benefits: life insurance, provident fund, savings certificates, deposit pension schemes (DPS), and treasury bonds or shares. Life insurance premiums paid under the policyholder’s name are considered eligible investments, while provident fund contributions by both employer and employee also qualify. Savings certificates, issued by the government, offer both high returns and maximum tax rebate opportunities. DPS accounts allow regular monthly deposits that accumulate into a lump sum, which is treated as an investment for tax purposes. Additionally, investments in government treasury bonds and listed company shares are eligible for tax rebates, with treasury bonds capped at BDT 500,000 and no upper limit for share investments. These options provide both financial security and tax-saving opportunities for individuals.

Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) Managing Director Md. Faruk Ahmed confirmed that no physical displacement occurred in Dhaka’s metro rail infrastructure following the recent earthquake. Speaking at a press conference in Uttara on December 1, he said that passenger safety remains the top priority and that operations were temporarily halted for thorough inspections. Engineers physically examined all metro structures for four to five hours after the tremor, including bearing pads at Farmgate and Bijoy Sarani. Two test runs were conducted before resuming public service, causing a 27-minute delay. Ahmed also addressed misinformation circulating on social media, dismissing claims that metro structures had collapsed. He clarified that only minor cracks appeared on a wall, two tiles fell, and a few ceiling pads loosened, none of which indicated structural damage. The DMTCL reassured commuters that the metro system remains safe and fully operational.

Bangladesh’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Towhid Hossain expressed optimism that working relations between Bangladesh and India will soon return to normal following the political changes brought by the July uprising. Speaking at a Diplomatic Correspondents Association of Bangladesh (DCAB) event in Dhaka, he noted that India is still adjusting to the new political situation in Bangladesh. Hossain also commented that the government has no official information about BNP leader Tarique Rahman’s status in London, and that it would be unusual for another country to prevent his return. Regarding former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, Hossain said Delhi has not provided any official information about his stay in India. He added that Sheikh Hasina’s issue would not hinder Dhaka-Delhi relations, though Bangladesh expects her return as a convicted person. Hossain further criticized the previous government’s ‘warm’ ties with India, saying they benefited governments rather than citizens, and lamented the lack of progress on Teesta water sharing and border killings.

Four people, including a child, were reportedly abducted from a shop near the hills adjacent to the Baharchhara South Shilkhali BGB checkpoint in Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar, on Sunday evening. Witnesses said a group of 20–25 armed men descended from the hills around 7:30 p.m. and forced the victims away at gunpoint. The abducted individuals were identified as Mamun Zia’s son Achiur Rahman (20), Mohammad Islam’s son Giyas Uddin (17), Kasim Baidya’s son Putikkya (13), and Hasan’s son Abu Siddiq (10). Locals attempted to rescue them after news of the abduction spread. Shah Imran Khan, a resident of Shilkhali, confirmed the incident. However, police said that no formal complaint had yet been filed by the victims’ families. Baharchhara police outpost in-charge Durjoy Biswas stated that officers visited the scene and are investigating whether it was a kidnapping or another issue.

Two people, including a five-year-old child, died in a speedboat accident on the Naf River while returning from Saint Martin Island to Teknaf on Monday morning. The victims were identified as Mariam Begum, 35, and Mahima, 5, both residents of Saint Martin. According to local sources, the speedboat carrying seven passengers capsized near Gholar Char in the Naf River estuary. Nearby fishermen rushed to the scene and rescued the passengers, taking them to Teknaf Upazila Health Complex, where doctors declared the two deceased. Teknaf Model Police Station Officer-in-Charge Zayed Nur confirmed the incident and said legal procedures are underway. The cause of the accident has not yet been determined, but authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding the capsizing.

British Labour Party MP Tulip Rizwana Siddiq, niece of Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has been sentenced to two years in prison by a Dhaka court for abusing power in allocating a government plot to her mother, Sheikh Rehana, under the Purbachal New Town Project. The verdict, delivered in absentia by Special Judge Md Rabiul Alam, also includes a fine of 100,000 taka, with an additional six months’ imprisonment in default. This marks the first time a British MP has been convicted by a Bangladeshi court. The case has drawn extensive coverage from major UK media outlets including The Guardian, BBC, Sky News, The Telegraph, and The Independent, all highlighting the unusual cross-border legal implications and Siddiq’s political ties. Siddiq, who resigned earlier this year as the UK’s City Minister amid separate allegations of financial misconduct, has not commented publicly on the ruling. The conviction has sparked renewed debate in both Bangladesh and the UK over political accountability and corruption.

Bangladesh’s primary and mass education ministry adviser Professor Dr. Bidhan Ranjan Roy Poddar announced that the long-standing demand of primary school teachers for an upgrade to the 11th pay grade is expected to be implemented, although the decision remains unofficial. Speaking in Monpura, Bhola, he urged teachers to suspend their protests and resume annual examinations. The adviser noted that the ministry has already communicated the teachers’ demand to the pay commission and is maintaining continuous dialogue with relevant departments. The ministry later issued a statement acknowledging the legitimacy of the teachers’ demand and confirmed that discussions are ongoing with the Finance Division, the Ministry of Public Administration, and the Pay Commission. Once the commission’s report is finalized, the Finance Division will take necessary action. Most teacher organizations have already suspended their movements in anticipation of positive outcomes.

Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) Managing Director Md Faruk Ahmed said it was fortunate that no one was electrocuted after a youth climbed onto the roof of a metro train in Dhaka on Sunday night, causing a temporary suspension of service. The incident occurred near Karwan Bazar around 8:05 p.m., prompting authorities to halt train operations for safety reasons. Security personnel later rescued the youth using a ladder, but train services remained suspended for the rest of the night, causing inconvenience to passengers. Faruk Ahmed emphasized that public safety is the company’s top priority and that a full inspection of the metro line was carried out overnight before resuming normal operations on Monday morning. He urged media cooperation to raise public awareness and civic sense, noting that the motive behind the youth’s actions is still under police investigation.