Dhaka Metro Rail has officially launched an online recharge system for its Rapid Pass and MRT cards, allowing passengers to top up their travel cards from home. The service, inaugurated at Agargaon Station by Dr. Sheikh Moinuddin, special assistant to the chief adviser for road and railways, enables users to recharge between Tk 100 and Tk 5,000 through the website rapidpass.com.bd using mobile financial services such as bKash, Nagad, Rocket, bank cards, or internet banking. Once recharged, users can activate the balance by tapping their cards at Add Value Machines (AVMs) installed at 16 stations, totaling 32 machines. The Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA) also announced plans to introduce app-based recharge within a month. Refunds and cancellations are allowed within seven days before activation, subject to a 5% service charge. Currently, around 1.6 million passengers use Rapid Pass and MRT cards, and the new system aims to make metro travel smoother and more convenient.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has announced a 101-member central convening committee for the Nationalist Generation of the Liberation War. Engineer Ishraq Hossain has been appointed as the convener, while Advocate K.M. Kamruzzaman Nannu will serve as the member secretary. The announcement was made through a press release signed by Ishtiaq Aziz Ulfat, president of the Nationalist Freedom Fighters’ Party, on Monday. According to the statement, the committee was formed with the approval of BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman. Dr. K.M.A.I. Monti has been named senior joint convener. The formation of this committee is seen as part of BNP’s broader effort to engage younger generations with the party’s liberation war-oriented nationalist ideology and strengthen its organizational structure ahead of future political activities.

A rally and human chain organized by the Cumilla Journalists Forum, Dhaka (CJFD), was held in front of the National Press Club demanding the establishment of a separate Cumilla Division. BNP Chairperson’s adviser Monirul Haque Chowdhury expressed solidarity with the movement, saying Cumilla has long been deprived of fair development and infrastructure. He highlighted delays in major projects such as the Dhaka–Cumilla highway, Cumilla University, and the unlaunched Cumilla airport, blaming decades of neglect since the British and Pakistani eras. Chowdhury urged unity among residents and leaders, suggesting dialogue with Noakhali representatives but also hinted at pursuing an independent path if consensus fails. He pledged to join the movement directly, vowing to fight until Cumilla’s rightful administrative recognition is achieved. The event was attended by political figures, journalists, professionals, and a large number of citizens supporting the demand for a new division.

Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Niaz Ahmad Khan visited two injured students, including Chhatra Dal leader Sheikh Tanvir Bari Hamim, who was hurt on a dormitory staircase during a recent earthquake. Hamim, a former general secretary candidate in the last DUCSU election, is currently receiving treatment at a hospital in Dhaka. The VC also visited another injured student, Tanzir Hossain of Haji Muhammad Mohsin Hall, at the university’s medical center to check on his condition. During his visits, Dr. Khan spoke with the injured students, inquired about their medical care, and wished them a speedy recovery. Additionally, he inspected the site of a gas cylinder explosion at Bijoy Ekattor Hall. The university administration has expressed concern for student safety following these incidents.

Bangladesh’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has seized assets worth approximately Tk 5.45 crore belonging to AHM Fuad, former assistant personal secretary (APS) to ex-LGRD minister Engineer Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain. The seizure, ordered by the Faridpur Senior Special Judge’s Court, includes a luxury flat and nearly 39 decimals of land. Fuad is accused of amassing illegal wealth through tender manipulation, extortion, and forming a gang known as the ‘Helmet Bahini’ to dominate government contracting processes in Faridpur. Investigations revealed that he laundered money and purchased properties under the names of his two wives, mother-in-law, and relatives. The CID filed a money laundering case on August 3 under the Money Laundering Prevention Act and continues to investigate Fuad’s financial network and associates. Officials said the operation aims to uncover the full extent of his illicit activities and bring all involved individuals under legal scrutiny.

Dr. Badiul Alam Majumdar, head of the Election Reform Commission, has expressed concern that politics in Bangladesh has become a business, with political parties operating like business syndicates. Speaking at a roundtable organized by Dhaka Institute of Research and Analytics (DAIRA) on 'Political Financing Culture and Business Protection in Bangladesh,' he questioned whether any truly democratic and transparent political party exists in the country. Participants highlighted the lack of transparency in party financing, weak regulatory oversight, and dependence on informal transactions that distort democratic competition and policymaking. Transparency International Bangladesh’s Executive Director Dr. Iftekharuzzaman proposed mandatory public disclosure of income and expenditure by elected representatives. Other speakers, including academics and party representatives, discussed the deep-rooted link between business and politics and the need for legal clarity and political goodwill to ensure accountability. The discussion underscored doubts about the Election Commission’s capacity to reform the current opaque system.

Thirty-five former members of the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) were released on bail from Kashimpur Central Jail in Gazipur on Monday evening in connection with a case filed under the Explosives Control Act related to the 2009 BDR mutiny. Their release followed a court order issued last Thursday granting bail to 53 accused. According to prison officials, the bail documents arrived at the jail on Monday afternoon and were verified before the prisoners were released around 6:30 p.m. Among those freed, one was from the Kashimpur High Security Central Jail, two from Central Jail Part-1, and 32 from Part-2. The 2009 BDR mutiny at the Pilkhana headquarters in Dhaka resulted in the deaths of 74 people, including 57 army officers. Following the incident, separate murder and explosives cases were filed, leading to one of the largest trials in Bangladesh’s history, with hundreds convicted and others acquitted.

A Dhaka court has ordered the freezing of 21 bank accounts belonging to former Dhaka South City Corporation mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, his sons Sheikh Fazle Nashwan and Sheikh Fazle Nawar, and their associates. The order was issued by Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Md Sabbir Foyez following a petition from the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). The ACC alleged that Taposh abused his power to amass illegal wealth worth over Tk 73 crore. Investigators found that between September 2013 and August 2024, Taposh deposited and withdrew a total of Tk 539 crore across 27 bank accounts, along with significant foreign currency transactions. The ACC argued that the freeze was necessary to prevent the transfer or concealment of assets while the investigation continues. The court granted the request after reviewing the evidence presented by the ACC’s assistant director and investigation officer, Md Ferdous Rahman.

Police in Jessore have arrested a man named Babul Hossain, 32, for allegedly running an illegal Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) operation and smuggling information to India and other countries. Acting on a tip-off, police raided a rented house near Chuadanga Bus Stand early Sunday and detained Hossain, while two or three others managed to flee. Officers seized a Dell laptop, 317 Indian SIM cards—47 from VI and 270 from BSNL—a black VOIP device, two Bangladeshi SIM cards, and a mobile phone. Investigators said Hossain had been importing Indian SIM cards illegally and using them to conduct VOIP calls that evaded government taxes. He was charged under the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulation Act and sent to jail on Monday following a court order. Authorities suspect the operation had been ongoing for a long time, causing financial losses to the state through revenue evasion.

Senior journalist Manik Muntasir has called on Baul artists to reject hypocrisy and return to the spiritual and humanist teachings of legendary figures like Lalon Shah and Shah Abdul Karim. His comments came through a Facebook post titled “Stop hypocrisy in the name of Baulism,” following the arrest of Baul singer Abul Sarkar, accused of making derogatory remarks about Islam and Allah. Muntasir emphasized that true Baul saints never mocked any religion and urged that Sarkar’s alleged offenses be handled through proper judicial process. While acknowledging that Sarkar and his followers were previously victims of attack, Muntasir criticized their misinterpretations of religious texts and warned against using religion for sensationalism. He concluded by advising aspiring Bauls to study the lives of Lalon Shah, Shah Abdul Karim, and even Gautama Buddha to understand the essence of spiritual practice and social reform.

The Bangladesh Police Service Association has strongly protested remarks made by Jamaat-e-Islami leader Shahjahan Chowdhury, who urged party members to bring local administrations under their influence ahead of the next national election. In a statement issued Monday night, the association said such comments undermine the professionalism and neutrality of a key democratic institution and incite political misuse of law enforcement. The association described the remarks as 'ambitious and derogatory' toward the police. Shahjahan Chowdhury, a central executive member of Jamaat and former MP, made the comments at a rally in Chattogram on Saturday, sparking widespread criticism on social media. The association emphasized that the Bangladesh Police operates under the constitution and law, and that attempts in the past to politicize the force have damaged public trust. It reaffirmed that ahead of the February 2026 parliamentary election, the police remain neutral, professional, and accountable to the people.

National Citizen Party (NCP) chief coordinator Nasiruddin Patwari has called for the trial of those involved in the 1971 genocide, similar to the accountability sought for the 2024 massacre perpetrators. Speaking at a press conference in Dhaka’s Shahbagh, he announced that a new alliance will soon be formed to represent women, religious scholars, and the interests of Bangladesh. Without naming Jamaat-e-Islami, he accused a political group of trying to control the administration through intimidation. Patwari also criticized the Election Commission, alleging bias and lack of a level playing field ahead of the upcoming elections. NCP’s southern region organizer Hasnat Abdullah claimed that the Awami League and Jatiya Party are obstructing democratic progress. Meanwhile, senior joint secretary Dr. Tasnim Jara said the party has completed most of its candidate interviews, including those of expatriate aspirants, and will finalize the remaining ones soon.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has reinstated 65 of its leaders and activists by withdrawing previous expulsion and suspension orders, just three months before the upcoming national election. In a press release issued late Friday, the party announced that the disciplinary actions had been lifted following individual appeals and a central committee decision. The reinstated members include leaders from various districts such as Kushtia, Narsingdi, Sunamganj, Rajshahi, Khulna, and Cumilla, among others. The BNP stated that the decision was made to strengthen internal unity and organizational readiness ahead of the polls. Additionally, the suspension of Mojammel Hossain Mridha, the former general secretary of Majidbari Union BNP in Patuakhali, was also revoked. The move is seen as part of the party’s broader effort to consolidate its grassroots network and reconcile with previously penalized members before the national election.

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) acting chairman Tarique Rahman has stated that only an elected government has the legitimate authority to make long-term national decisions such as the country’s graduation from Least Developed Country (LDC) status and strategic decisions regarding Chittagong Port. In a detailed Facebook post, he argued that the current interim government lacks electoral mandate and therefore should not take decisions that could shape Bangladesh’s economic future for decades. Rahman emphasized that while Bangladesh has earned the qualification to graduate from LDC status, it may not yet be fully prepared for the transition, citing economic pressures on businesses, foreign exchange shortages, and export challenges. He also criticized the government for closing off public debate and weakening the country’s negotiating position internationally. Referring to past examples of countries that delayed their LDC graduation, he urged for strategic patience and democratic legitimacy in policymaking, asserting that only a government elected by the people should decide the nation’s future.

Online activist Asif Saikat and filmmaker Anonno Mamun have called for the strictest punishment for Baul singer Abul Sarkar, who was arrested on charges of making derogatory remarks about Islam and Allah during a musical performance in Ghior, Manikganj. Saikat stated that Sarkar’s comments constituted clear blasphemy and should be dealt with under existing laws, rejecting any call for his release. He also alleged that certain political groups used Sarkar to provoke religious sentiments. Mamun echoed similar sentiments, saying that artistic freedom cannot justify insulting religious beliefs. Following the October 4 incident, widespread criticism erupted on social media, and various Islamic organizations demanded Sarkar’s arrest. Police detained him in Madaripur and brought him to Manikganj, where he was sent to jail after appearing before a magistrate. The case, filed by a local imam, accuses Sarkar of distorting Quranic verses and misleading followers under the guise of spirituality. Authorities confirmed that the investigation is ongoing.