BNP central leader and former minister Advocate Ruhul Kuddus Talukder Dulu claimed that a rival political party has begun conspiring after realizing the likely victory of the BNP’s election symbol, the 'Sheaf of Paddy'. Speaking at a campaign rally in Natore Sadar’s Panditgram Sabina Yasmin Chhobi High School field, Dulu said the nation is waiting for a free and fair election after nearly two decades of limited voting rights. He asserted that if people are allowed to vote freely, the BNP would return to power with a large majority. Dulu urged party activists to remain vigilant against any conspiracies aimed at undermining the electoral process. The rally, organized by the local BNP, was chaired by local leader Zainal Abedin and attended by several district BNP, Jubo Dal, and Chhatra Dal leaders, including Rahim Newaz, Saiful Islam Aftab, and former Natore mayor Kazi Shah Alam.

Students at Dhaka University staged a protest on Saturday evening demanding strict disciplinary action against Professor Dr. Ershad Halim of the Chemistry Department, who was arrested on allegations of sexually harassing male students. The demonstrators gathered in front of the Vice-Chancellor’s office, giving the university administration a 15-minute ultimatum to respond to their demands. The students insisted that the accused professor be permanently dismissed and that the administration publicly clarify what measures have been taken. Dr. Halim was detained from his residence in Shewrapara, Dhaka, on Thursday night following multiple complaints. The protest reflects growing frustration among students over how the university handles sexual misconduct cases, with calls for greater accountability and transparency within the institution’s disciplinary process.

A local BNP leader, Abul Kalam Zohir, 50, was hacked to death by unidentified assailants in Chandraganj, Lakshmipur, on Saturday night. The attack occurred around 8:30 p.m. in West Latifpur village under Chandraganj Union. Zohir, who served as the general secretary of ward no. 8 BNP, was found dead at the scene with severe injuries, and bullet shells were recovered nearby. Police confirmed the incident but have not yet identified the attackers or the motive. Locals suspect the killing may be linked to a power struggle or past enmities, as Zohir had previously been involved in drug and soil trading before returning to a normal life. Chandraganj BNP president Belal Hossain said he was unaware of the details but was investigating the matter. The murder has sparked tension in the area, and police are continuing their investigation.

A passenger bus traveling from Gazipur to Dhaka caught fire suddenly on Saturday night near the Hurricane area under Gacha Police Station along the Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway. According to Gazipur Chowrasta Modern Fire Service Senior Station Officer Iqbal Hasan, two fire service units reached the scene and brought the blaze under control within 20 minutes. The bus was nearly 80 percent burned, but no casualties occurred as passengers managed to exit quickly. Witnesses said the fire appeared to start from the engine, and both the driver and helper were not found after the incident. Police suspect a mechanical fault caused the fire. Authorities are investigating the exact reason behind the blaze, which caused significant damage but no loss of life.

Jahangirnagar University (JU) authorities have announced a ban on all types of events on campus after 10 PM, citing the need to maintain peace, order, and security. The decision was communicated through a press release issued by the university’s Public Relations Office on Saturday, November 15. According to the statement, the restriction follows a resolution adopted in a previous syndicate meeting and will remain in effect until further notice. The university also warned that any event held beyond the permitted time would lead to disciplinary action against the organizers under existing university rules and regulations. Additionally, the notice instructed that sound levels during events must be kept within tolerable limits to avoid disturbance. The move aims to ensure a safe and peaceful environment for students, faculty, and staff on campus.

Eight-year-old Preyoshi Chakraborty from Tangail has been named the national champion in the music category (Group A) of the children's talent competition 'Notun Kuri'. The award ceremony took place on Thursday, November 13, at the Shapla Auditorium of the Chief Adviser’s Office, where Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus presented her with a trophy and a cash prize of three lakh taka. Preyoshi, a third-grade student at Shaheen Cadet, comes from a musically gifted family—her father Sanjoy Chakraborty Babul and mother Rakhi Chakraborty are both musicians, while her elder sister Shreyoshi Chakraborty has won five national music awards and is currently studying classical music at Delhi University under an ICCR scholarship. Preyoshi’s achievement has sparked widespread celebration in Tangail’s cultural community, with her family expressing hopes that both daughters will one day become timeless icons in Bangladeshi music.

Several crude bomb explosions occurred in Dhaka on Saturday evening, causing panic but no casualties, according to police. Between 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., four separate explosions took place near the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) office in Mirpur, under the Mirpur-12 metro station, and beneath the Madhubagh Bridge in Hatirjheel. Law enforcement officials confirmed that unidentified individuals detonated the devices before fleeing the scenes. One motorcycle caught fire following the Hatirjheel blast, but no injuries were reported. Police units from Mirpur, Hatirjheel, and Pallabi stations immediately cordoned off the affected areas and began investigations. Authorities are yet to determine the motive or identify those responsible. The incidents have raised security concerns in the capital, prompting heightened patrols and surveillance in key public areas.

A violent clash broke out between students of Barishal Government Brojomohun (BM) College and transport workers at the Nathullabad bus terminal in Barishal on Saturday evening, following a dispute over the half fare policy. According to reports, students allegedly vandalized more than fifty buses after a student was physically assaulted by bus workers for demanding half fare. The incident escalated into a large-scale confrontation, leaving around fifty people, including students and workers, injured. Transport workers denied initiating any attack, claiming that students carried out the vandalism and assaulted several workers. Police have been deployed to the scene to bring the situation under control. The clash highlights ongoing tensions over student demands for discounted fares, a recurring issue in several parts of Bangladesh.

The president of the BNP’s Porsha upazila unit in Naogaon, Mozammel Shah Chowdhury, has been temporarily expelled from his position and the party over allegations of spreading false propaganda against a senior leader and violating party discipline. The decision was announced on Saturday, November 15, through a letter signed by district BNP general secretary Mamunur Rahman Ripon. The letter instructed all party members and affiliated organizations to refrain from maintaining any political contact with Chowdhury. In response, Chowdhury denied the allegations, claiming he never engaged in false propaganda or breached party discipline. He also criticized the expulsion process, saying he was not given any prior notice or opportunity to explain himself before the decision was made. The incident highlights ongoing internal tensions within the BNP’s local leadership in Naogaon.

Debate is intensifying in Bangladesh over how to regulate tobacco and safer nicotine alternatives amid rising concerns about illegal trade and public health. Experts and policymakers are divided: one group advocates for a balanced, evidence-based policy that protects health while recognizing market realities and offering smokers safer, regulated alternatives; another group calls for a total ban on all alternatives, a stance critics say ignores global evidence and could harm both health and the economy. National Board of Revenue Chairman Md. Abdur Rahman Khan warned that illegal trade in tobacco and substitutes is causing major revenue losses and argued that regulation is more effective than prohibition. International examples from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and the United States show that controlled harm-reduction strategies, such as nicotine pouches, can reduce smoking-related diseases and support cessation. Advocates say Bangladesh should follow a similar evidence-based approach to strengthen its tobacco control strategy and advance its goal of becoming tobacco-free.

A 24-year-old Indian Muslim man, Shibu Syed Jafri from Lucknow, has told a Dhaka court that Indian officials blindfolded and handcuffed him before forcing him onto a flight to Kolkata and later pushing him across the Bangladesh border at gunpoint. Shibu was detained in Dhaka on July 15 after locals reported a man who could not speak Bengali. He claimed he was abducted from a Delhi slum and had no intention of entering Bangladesh. The court has ordered an investigation into how he crossed the border, with a police report due by November 24. Human rights groups have long criticized India’s alleged practice of “push-ins,” where people are forcibly sent across the border into Bangladesh. Over 2,000 individuals, including Rohingya refugees, have reportedly been subjected to such actions this year. Shibu remains in custody in Dhaka, awaiting further hearings, while efforts continue to reunite him with his family in India.

Bangladesh’s total government debt has exceeded Tk 21 trillion for the first time, driven by weak revenue performance and ambitious development spending. According to the Finance Division’s debt bulletin released Thursday, total debt stood at Tk 21.44 trillion at the end of June, up 14% from Tk 18.89 trillion a year earlier. External debt reached Tk 9.49 trillion, accounting for 44.27% of total debt, compared to Tk 4.20 trillion in 2021. Domestic debt also rose by 11% year-on-year to Tk 11.95 trillion. Officials attribute the surge to increased borrowing for major infrastructure projects such as the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, Dhaka Metro Rail, and Matarbari coal-based power plant, as well as post-pandemic budget support from development partners. The data indicates that external debt has grown more than twice as fast as domestic debt over the past five years.

Four police officers in Rajshahi have been temporarily suspended following the murder of Judge Mohammad Abdur Rahman’s son, Tawseef Rahman Tousif, and an attempted murder of the judge’s wife, Tasmin Nahar Lusi. The suspension came after a video of the accused, Limon Mia, recorded while in police custody, was leaked on social media, causing widespread embarrassment for the Rajshahi Metropolitan Police (RMP). The court has taken suo motu notice of the incident and ordered RMP Commissioner Mohammad Abu Sufian to appear in person on November 19 to explain the matter. Preliminary investigation found negligence of duty by the four officers assigned to guard Limon at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital. They have been closed to the police lines, and a committee has been formed for further investigation. Authorities reiterated that publishing or broadcasting statements of detainees without authorization is illegal and can influence ongoing investigations.

Bangladesh’s Home Affairs Adviser Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury announced that law enforcement agencies have completed all necessary preparations to prevent any untoward incidents surrounding the upcoming verdict against ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, scheduled for November 17. Speaking to journalists in Patuakhali, he said a special nine-day security operation will be enforced nationwide around the forthcoming national election, covering five days before, election day, and three days after. Approximately 100,000 army personnel will be deployed, alongside 150,000 police, 35,000 Border Guard Bangladesh members, 5,000 navy, 4,000 coast guard, 8,000 Rapid Action Battalion officers, and around 550,000 Ansar members, who will be equipped with weapons and body cameras. Chowdhury assured that the election will be peaceful and that the security forces are fully prepared. He added that the election is expected to take place in early February before Ramadan, with administrative reshuffles to follow the official schedule announcement.

Munatashir Mahmud, a recently expelled central organizer of the Nationalist Citizens Party (NCP), has alleged that his dismissal was orchestrated under pressure from Mahbub Alam, the brother of the party’s information adviser Mahfuz Alam. In a lengthy Facebook post on Saturday, Mahmud claimed that Mahbub used his influence to force NCP convener Nahid Islam to expel him. He further accused Mahbub of having him wrongfully terminated from his job and of threatening him in front of other party members. Mahmud also said he faced character assassination, including false claims about his sexuality, and that police attacked him and his supporters at Mahbub’s direction. He alleged that the party ignored his repeated complaints about corruption and internal injustice. Mahmud warned that he could release call recordings with adviser Mahfuz Alam to expose alleged corruption cover-ups. The NCP leadership has not yet responded publicly to the allegations.