Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir president Zahidul Islam, in a Facebook post, lauded former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia as an 'uncompromising leader' who endured oppression but never bowed to authoritarian or foreign powers. He contrasted her humility with what he described as the opposite traits of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Zahidul also expressed admiration for late President Ziaur Rahman’s unifying and anti-hegemonic politics. However, he voiced disappointment over the current direction of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), questioning whether Tarique Rahman, Khaleda Zia’s son, was being influenced by others. He alleged that BNP has distanced itself from Jamaat-e-Islami despite Jamaat’s efforts to maintain ties, and criticized BNP’s divisive political approach. Zahidul urged Tarique Rahman to uphold his parents’ ideals and warned that BNP’s survival depends on adhering to Ziaur Rahman and Khaleda Zia’s principles. He concluded by emphasizing that power is temporary, but ideals and behavior define lasting respect.

A construction worker named Md. Jewel, aged 46, died after falling from the third floor of an under-construction seven-story building in the Urdu Road area of Chawkbazar, Dhaka, on Saturday afternoon. According to his coworker Md. Manik, Jewel accidentally slipped while working on a ring installation and fell to the ground, sustaining critical injuries. He was immediately taken to the emergency department of Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where doctors declared him dead upon arrival. Police confirmed that the body has been kept in the hospital morgue, and Chawkbazar Police Station has been informed about the incident. The deceased was originally from Narshadpur village in Adamdighi upazila of Bogura district and had been living at the construction site where he worked.

In Bangladesh’s Chalan Beel region, widespread snail collection has raised serious environmental concerns as local farmers and fishers, facing seasonal unemployment, harvest snails for sale to traders who supply them as feed for ducks and fish. The trade, reportedly worth around 50,000 taka daily at Bilsha point alone, has become a major source of income for marginalized communities. However, environmental experts warn that snails play a crucial ecological role by cleaning water bodies and maintaining soil fertility. Their indiscriminate removal could lead to water pollution, reduced fish production, and declining soil quality. Despite existing laws protecting aquatic species, enforcement remains weak, allowing the practice to continue unchecked. Local biodiversity activists have urged administrative intervention, while agricultural officials caution that the loss of snails and other aquatic organisms could reduce calcium levels in the soil, ultimately affecting crop yields. The local administration has pledged to investigate and take legal action against those involved.

Medical technologists and pharmacists across Bangladesh observed a two-hour work stoppage on Sunday, November 30, demanding the implementation of the 10th grade pay scale. The protest began at 9 a.m. and temporarily disrupted diagnostic services and medicine distribution in government hospitals nationwide, including Rangpur Medical College Hospital and Munshiganj General Hospital. Patients expressed frustration over the suspension of services. The demonstrators stated that they have been pressing for the 10th grade pay scale for three decades without any government action. They warned that if their demand is not met by December 2, they will initiate a complete shutdown of all medical colleges and hospitals across the country. The temporary strike highlights long-standing grievances among healthcare technologists and pharmacists regarding pay disparities and recognition within the public health sector.

A major protest erupted on the Chattogram-Cox’s Bazar highway on Sunday morning, as demonstrators under the banner of the Chattogram-Cox’s Bazar Highway Development Movement blocked the road demanding an official declaration to upgrade it to six lanes. The blockade began around 9 a.m. near the Bottoli police box, creating a traffic jam stretching nearly 12 kilometers on both sides. Protesters argued that the existing road is unsafe and frequently congested, leading to frequent accidents and fatalities. They vowed to continue the blockade until the government issues a final decision on the six-lane expansion. Police and local administration officials, led by Lohagara Police Station’s Officer-in-Charge Arifur Rahman and UNO Md. Saiful Islam, were present at the site to maintain order and negotiate with the protesters. The demonstration was simultaneously held in Keranihat, Lohagara, and Chakaria upazilas and was scheduled to continue until 4 p.m.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has announced an emergency press conference scheduled for Sunday, November 30, at 2:30 PM at its central office in Dhaka. According to party sources, the briefing will focus on the prevailing political situation in the country and the party’s current position on ongoing developments. Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi is expected to deliver the main address at the event. The announcement comes amid heightened political discussions and speculation about the BNP’s next course of action. The party has not disclosed specific agenda details but hinted that the conference will clarify its stance on recent national issues and internal strategies. Political observers view the move as a significant step in shaping BNP’s response to the evolving political climate.

Leaders of Jamiat Ulama-e-Islam Bangladesh have strongly refuted recent comments made by Mufti Syed Muhammad Rezaul Karim, the Amir of Islami Andolan Bangladesh, during a religious gathering in Charmonai. In a joint statement issued on Saturday, Jamiat President Maulana Ubaidullah Faruq, Senior Vice President Maulana Abdur Rab Yusuf, and Secretary General Maulana Manjurul Islam Afendi described the Pir’s remarks about Jamiat’s role in Islamist unity as baseless and misleading. They expressed surprise that such statements were made under the guise of religious leadership. The Jamiat leaders explained that their party withdrew from the liaison committee of like-minded Islamic groups after Islami Andolan unilaterally pursued a ‘PR issue’ and held joint programs without prior discussion. They accused Islami Andolan of political deception and said the Pir’s comments violated political decorum and disrespected the sanctity of religious gatherings.

More than a hundred workers at Creative Collection Ltd, a garment factory under Ha-Meem Group in Tongi, fell ill on Sunday following panic triggered by the recent deaths of two colleagues. The incident came a day after around fifty workers became sick under similar circumstances. Hospital sources confirmed that dozens of workers were admitted to Tongi Shaheed Ahsan Ullah Master General Hospital and other nearby facilities. Doctors said the workers were suffering from stress-related illness rather than poisoning or infection. Factory authorities have announced a two-day closure to calm the situation and allow counseling for employees. Police reported no formal complaints or autopsy requests regarding the deaths. The panic reportedly began after one worker died on November 24 and another on November 29, both after suddenly losing consciousness. Officials urged the company to provide psychological support to prevent further mass illness incidents.

In a rare and astonishing event in the deep Bay of Bengal, around three maunds of hilsa fish reportedly jumped directly onto a cargo vessel without the use of nets. The incident occurred about 70 kilometers off the coast near the first buoy of the Rabnabad Channel at Payra Port in Patuakhali. Crew members of the coal-carrying vessel MV KSL Gladiator witnessed the unusual phenomenon as schools of small hilsa suddenly leapt from the sea onto the ship’s deck, resembling a silvery rain. Ship engineer Robiul Hossain captured a short video of the event and shared it with journalists. Marine science expert Dr. Rajib Sarkar from Patuakhali Science and Technology University explained that the behavior might have been triggered by predatory fish chasing the hilsa, combined with the ship’s lights, vibrations, and propeller noise, which could have disoriented the fish and caused them to leap upwards. The sailors described the experience as a once-in-a-lifetime sight.

The International Crimes Tribunal-1 is set to hold a hearing today on contempt of court charges against BNP leader Fazlur Rahman for his remarks regarding the court’s legitimacy while discussing a verdict involving Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Prosecutor Gazi Monowar Hossain Tamim filed the complaint last Wednesday, alleging that Rahman questioned the tribunal’s formation and impartiality during a television talk show. In a separate development, the tribunal may also receive an investigation report today in a crimes against humanity case involving former police officials Alep Uddin and Mashiur Rahman, accused of enforced disappearances and killings during the Awami League government. Additionally, in the Chandkharpul six-murder case, the defense for former Shahbagh police officer-in-charge Arshad Hossain is expected to present a witness statement. If no defense witness appears, the case will proceed to final arguments, according to the prosecution.

In Madaripur, Bangladesh, three toll collection workers were injured after a group of local youths attacked a toll office at the Seventh China Friendship Bridge over the Arial Khan River. The incident occurred on Saturday evening in Pokhira village of Sadar upazila when the attackers refused to pay the toll and subsequently stormed the office. Police from Madaripur Sadar Station visited the scene following the assault. According to Officer-in-Charge Adil Hossain, legal action will be taken once the toll authority files a written complaint. The injured workers were engaged in toll collection duties at the bridge, which connects key areas in the region. The motive behind the attack appears to be a dispute over toll payment, and authorities are investigating the matter to identify those responsible.

Voting for the Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) election began on Sunday morning at the Shafiqul Kabir Auditorium in Dhaka. The polling started at 9 a.m. and will continue until 5 p.m. The election involves professional journalists working in Dhaka, who are casting their votes in an orderly manner. The day before the election, the organization held its annual general meeting (AGM). A total of ten candidates are contesting for seven executive member positions, including Al-Amin Azad, Ali Azam, Mahfuz Sadi, Md. Abdul Alim, Md. Akhtar Hossain, Md. Majaharul Islam, Md. Rezaur Rahim, Mohammad Naimuddin, Suman Chowdhury, and Syed Akhtar Siraji. The election is expected to determine the new leadership of one of the most influential journalist organizations in Bangladesh.

Barrister Kaiser Kamal, BNP’s law affairs secretary and candidate for Netrakona-1 constituency, described the party’s 31-point program as a charter of people’s liberation rather than merely a political manifesto. Speaking at a farmers’ rally in Nazipur, Kalmakanda, he emphasized that the 27th point of the plan specifically addresses farmers’ issues, aiming to rebuild the state and secure the nation’s future. Kamal highlighted the historical significance of the nearby ‘Zia Canal,’ dug by late President Ziaur Rahman, and pledged that BNP would initiate new canal excavation projects if it returns to power. He also promised efforts to have Tarique Rahman oversee the re-excavation of the Zia Canal. Stressing his own background as a farmer’s son, Kamal urged the government to set fair prices for agricultural products based on farmers’ input. The rally, attended by hundreds of farmers, featured speeches from local BNP leaders and agricultural experts.

At a public meeting in Boda upazila of Panchagarh, National Citizen Committee (NCP) chief organizer Sarjis Alam declared that the party will stand by minorities and any individuals facing threats, harassment, or oppression from others, regardless of political affiliation. Addressing party workers, he urged them to support good initiatives from any political group and to oppose wrongdoing or injustice, even if committed by powerful figures. During the event, Alam announced the formation of NCP committees for ten unions and one municipality in Boda upazila. The program began with prayers for the recovery and long life of former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia. Leaders and activists from all five upazilas of Panchagarh district attended the meeting, emphasizing unity and social responsibility across party lines.

A 27-year-old female member of the Highway Police, identified as Mimi Khatun, was found hanging in her room at the women’s police barrack in Mujgunni Housing Estate under Khalishpur Police Station in Khulna on Saturday afternoon. Colleagues discovered her body around 1:30 p.m., and authorities later sent it to Khulna Medical College Hospital for autopsy. Police said no suicide note was found in her room, and the preliminary report mentioned suicide as the cause of death. Mimi, daughter of Nabin Biswas from Mirpur in Kushtia and wife of Imran Hossain, was serving as a constable in the Highway Region. The cause behind the suspected suicide remains unclear, and police are investigating the incident by speaking with her family and colleagues. The barrack remains in mourning as the body awaits handover to the family after the post-mortem examination.