A Dhaka court has ordered the freezing of 21 bank accounts belonging to former Dhaka South City Corporation mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, his two children, and related parties. The order came on Monday, November 24, following a petition by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). According to court officials, the accounts collectively hold about Tk 10.38 crore. The ACC’s assistant director and investigating officer, Md Ferdous Rahman, sought the freeze to prevent the transfer or misuse of assets suspected to be linked to corruption. The ACC earlier filed a case against Taposh on January 5, alleging that he illegally amassed Tk 73.19 crore through abuse of power. Investigations revealed that between 2013 and 2024, Taposh conducted transactions totaling over Tk 539 crore across 27 bank accounts, including foreign currency dealings amounting to over USD 500,000. The court’s latest order aims to secure the assets while the corruption probe continues.

Police in Bhanga, Faridpur, have arrested former Union Awami League general secretary Touhidur Rahman Bulbul under the Anti-Terrorism Act. The arrest took place early Monday morning, November 24, in the Harirhat Bazar area of Algi Union. According to Bhanga Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md Ashraf Hossain, Bulbul allegedly led a large group of people to block the Dhaka-Khulna highway, using local weapons, felling trees, and setting fires. Following the incident, police filed a case under the Anti-Terrorism Act. Bulbul was later sent to jail custody. In a separate case, police also arrested another suspect, Limas Sheikh, in connection with human trafficking charges. Both detainees have been remanded to judicial custody as investigations continue. Authorities have not yet disclosed further details about the motive behind the highway blockade or the scale of the damage caused during the incident.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has imposed a ban on motorcycle rallies during election campaigns ahead of the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election. The decision follows several accidents involving motorcycle processions organized by Jamaat-nominated candidates in different parts of the country. In a statement released to the media on Monday, the party’s Secretary General, Professor Mia Golam Porwar, announced that the party’s Amir had decided to prohibit all motorcycle rallies and processions in district and metropolitan constituencies. The move aims to ensure safety and prevent further incidents during campaign activities. Jamaat leaders have also instructed local units to comply strictly with the directive while continuing other forms of campaign outreach. The ban reflects the party’s effort to maintain discipline and avoid negative publicity during the election period.

A Dhaka court has ordered the seizure of 36 bighas of land in Gazipur owned by Salman F Rahman, private industry and investment adviser to former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Md Sabbir Faiz issued the order following a petition from the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). The court also froze an IFIC Bank account containing Tk 54.66 crore under Rahman’s name. The ACC alleged that Rahman and others attempted to transfer or conceal assets linked to a major fraud case. The case, filed on April 20, accuses 30 individuals, including former BSEC chairman Shibli Rubaiyat-ul-Islam, of embezzling around Tk 800 crore by fraudulently overvaluing mortgaged property to raise funds through bonds. The ACC claims the accused misused authority and manipulated valuations, inflating land worth Tk 87 crore to Tk 1,020 crore, and later diverted funds to Beximco Group and related entities.

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairperson Khaleda Zia has been admitted to Evercare Hospital in Dhaka with infections in her heart and lungs. According to Professor Dr. FM Siddiqui, a member of her medical board, the former prime minister had been suffering from frequent infections in recent months, and her condition worsened due to simultaneous heart and chest complications. Khaleda Zia, who already has a pacemaker and a history of heart procedures, is now under 24-hour intensive observation. The medical team, led by Professor Shahabuddin Talukder, includes local and international specialists, with some joining virtually from London and the United States. Initial tests have been completed, and she is receiving antibiotics and emergency treatment. Doctors said the next 12 hours will be crucial in determining her progress. Her personal physician, Professor AZM Zahid Hossain, stated that she is receiving the highest level of medical attention and that there is no immediate cause for extreme concern.

The High Court of Bangladesh has released a full verdict stating that the government, not pharmaceutical companies, will determine the prices of life-saving medicines. The ruling, published on November 24, follows a public interest litigation filed by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh against a 2018 circular that limited the government’s authority to price only 117 essential drugs. The court, led by Justices Rezaul Hasan and Biswajit Debnath, declared the circular illegal and directed relevant authorities to fix and publish the prices of life-saving drugs in the official gazette. The petitioners argued that restricting government control over drug pricing infringes upon citizens’ right to life and health. The decision reinstates the government’s full authority under the 1982 Drug Control Ordinance, reversing earlier limitations imposed in 1994 that allowed manufacturers to set prices for most medicines.

Two young men were killed and another injured in a motorcycle accident caused by reckless speeding in Bogura’s Sherpur upazila on Sunday night. The victims, Mehedi Hasan and Shahabul Hasan, both 20, were riding with their friend Utsab Biswas when the motorcycle lost control and crashed into a shop shutter at Fulbari Bazar in Garidah union. Locals rescued the trio and took them to Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital, where Mehedi and Shahabul died while undergoing treatment. Police confirmed that the bodies were handed over to their families after legal formalities, and a case has been filed under the Road Transport Act. Utsab, who survived with minor injuries, stated that Shahabul was driving at high speed when the accident occurred. The victims had recently completed their higher secondary exams. Hours before the crash, Shahabul posted a cryptic Facebook status that later went viral, prompting emotional reactions online.

At the inauguration of the e-Family Court in Dhaka, Dr. Asif Nazrul, Law Adviser to the interim government’s Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, cautioned that excessive reforms could weaken the state structure. He emphasized that reforms must be sustainable and contextually appropriate, noting that constitutional change alone does not define reform. The new e-Family Court system will allow case filing, document management, hearings, and verdicts to be conducted online, aiming to reduce corruption, costs, and delays. Environmental Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan highlighted the challenges faced by litigants in traditional courts and expressed optimism that the digital system would improve access to justice if technical issues are avoided. Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser on ICT, Fayez Ahmad Tayyeb, announced that the e-Family Court operations have begun in both Dhaka and Chattogram, which is expected to ease case backlogs and save time and resources. Several senior judicial and government officials attended the event.

Bangladesh police officials have reported receiving repeated threats from fugitive leaders and activists of the banned Awami League, allegedly using Indian phone numbers to intimidate officers involved in anti-sabotage operations. The threats include warnings of harm to officers and their families, even after retirement. One incident involving Sub-Inspector Monir Hasan of Tungipara Police Station went viral after a phone conversation was posted online. Police have launched an inquiry through Interpol to identify the SIM card owners behind these calls. Some officers have filed general diaries seeking protection. Senior police officials believe the threats aim to create psychological pressure on field officers. Experts warn that such intimidation can cause mental stress, while former IGP Nurul Huda stated that issuing threats constitutes a criminal offense. The police headquarters have acknowledged the situation but said they are not overly concerned, confirming that investigations and legal actions are being taken where applicable.

Bangladesh’s Economic Adviser Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed stated that holding the national election and referendum simultaneously will increase government expenditure. Speaking to reporters after a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Public Purchase at the Secretariat on Monday, he explained that the additional costs would arise from arrangements for both the referendum and voting facilities for expatriates. However, he assured that the overall budget would not face any major issues due to these adjustments. Dr. Ahmed also noted that conducting both events on the same day is preferable, as practiced in several other countries, since holding them separately would be more difficult and costly. Additionally, he mentioned that the Ministry of Energy has been approved to import refined fuel and that non-basmati rice imports will be increased to stabilize rising rice prices. He urged local businesses to act responsibly, emphasizing that price control requires political commitment beyond administrative measures.

Advisor Sharmin S. Murshid emphasized that without structural reform and expansion of the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, it will be difficult for Bangladesh to take a strong stance against gender-based and child violence. Speaking at a press conference at the Secretariat on Monday, ahead of the International Campaign for the Elimination of Violence Against Women 2025, she said the ministry lacks infrastructure at the upazila and union levels, which limits its ability to address local-level violence. Murshid also noted that the previous authoritarian government had severely damaged institutional structures, making quick reconstruction unrealistic. She stressed the need for a broader and more decentralized ministry to ensure effective protection and support for women and children. The 16-day campaign will be observed nationwide from November 25 to December 10, 2025, to raise awareness and promote preventive measures against violence.

A road in Kotalipara upazila of Gopalganj has collapsed into a canal after dredging work was carried out using heavy machinery without draining the water, sparking public concern and criticism. The project, funded by the Asian Development Bank and implemented by the Bangladesh Water Development Board, was meant to be executed through water drainage excavation. However, contractor Ataur Rahman Khan Ltd used dredgers instead, causing erosion that damaged roads connecting Majhbari and Bongkura villages. Locals, including students of nearby schools and madrasas, now face severe travel disruptions and safety risks. Residents accuse the contractor and supervising engineers of negligence and corruption, alleging that similar irregularities are occurring in other canal projects in the area. Officials from the Water Development Board and local administration have acknowledged the issue and promised prompt repairs. The incident highlights growing frustration over mismanagement in rural infrastructure projects.

The International Crimes Tribunal-1 in Bangladesh has scheduled December 4 for the hearing on charge framing against Lieutenant Colonel Redwanul Islam, former Major Md Rafat Bin Alam, former ADC of Khilgaon Rashedul, and former OC Moshiur Rahman. They are accused of crimes against humanity for allegedly killing 28 people in Rampura during July–August. The tribunal, led by Justice Shafiul Alam Mahmood and a two-member judicial panel, set the date on Monday, November 24. Redwanul and Rafat Bin Alam were produced before the tribunal, while the other two accused remain absconding, with state defense lawyers appointed for them. In a separate case, Tribunal-2 fixed November 27 for the next testimony hearing in the murder of martyr Abu Sayeed involving 30 accused, including a former vice-chancellor of Begum Rokeya University. Additionally, defense lawyers continue cross-examining the investigation officer in the case over the killing of six people, including student Shahariar Khan Anas, in Chankharpul.

The High Court has granted bail to Sheikh Hafizur Rahman Karzon, a professor at Dhaka University’s law department, in a case filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act. The bench of Justice Md Rasheduzzaman Raja and Justice Md Rezaul Karim issued the order on Monday, November 24, confirming that there are no legal barriers to his release. Professor Karzon was arrested on August 29 from a discussion organized by the group 'Moncho 71' at the Dhaka Reporters Unity. He had been in custody since his arrest. The case was filed by Sub-Inspector Md Amirul Islam of Shahbagh Police Station, alleging that former minister Abdul Latif Siddique made provocative remarks at the event aimed at destabilizing the country and overthrowing the interim government. The Appellate Division had earlier granted bail to Latif Siddique and journalist Manjurul Islam Panna in the same case. Sixteen individuals were detained from the meeting attended by around 70 to 80 people.

Bangladesh’s Attorney General, Md. Asaduzzaman, stated that harassment of journalists will not end unless the state’s mindset changes. Speaking at a CGS research report launch on Monday, he emphasized the need to repeal all repressive laws affecting journalists. He expressed hope that the incoming government after the next national election would refrain from using such restrictive laws against the media. Asaduzzaman also urged journalists to change their narrative to preserve their voices. Regarding the Digital Security Act, he argued that it remains necessary to protect both citizens’ and journalists’ rights and to prevent a culture of fear from returning. At the same event, Supreme Court lawyer Barrister Sara Hossain questioned the extent to which freedom of expression for journalists is currently protected in Bangladesh.