A powerful earthquake struck Ghorashal in Palash upazila of Narsingdi, Bangladesh, causing extensive damage to buildings, shops, and the Ghorashal Power Plant. Cracks appeared in several multi-story structures, and merchandise fell from shelves in local markets, injuring around 20 people. The quake triggered a fire at the substation of the Ghorashal Power Plant, leading to significant losses before firefighters brought the blaze under control. Electricity supply to Ghorashal and surrounding areas was disrupted, and authorities are working to restore power through alternative transmission routes. Local shop owners reported heavy financial losses, with some estimating damages worth several lakh taka. Residents and students in nearby buildings were left frightened as cracks appeared in walls and ceilings, prompting temporary closures of shops and educational institutions.

The National Pay Commission of Bangladesh is expected to submit its final recommendations for a new pay scale by the end of December 2024. According to commission member Dr. Mohammad Ali Khan, around 50 percent of the work has been completed, and opinions from secretaries will be collected next week before finalizing the report. The commission has dismissed a 15-page document circulating on social media as fake, clarifying that no official draft or decision has been released yet. The leaked document falsely claimed details about salary grades, increments, and allowances. Meanwhile, interim government economic adviser Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed stated that the new pay scale will likely be implemented after the national elections in February 2025. However, the Bangladesh Government Employees Unity Council has warned of strict action if the official gazette is not published by December 15. The 23-member commission, led by former finance secretary Zakir Ahmed Khan, was formed in July to review and recommend updates to the government salary structure.

A moderate earthquake measuring 5.7 on the Richter scale struck Bangladesh on Friday morning, shaking Dhaka and several surrounding districts. The epicenter was located in Madhabdi, Narsingdi. The tremor, felt at 10:38 a.m., caused panic and structural damage in parts of the capital, with reports of buildings tilting and partial collapses. At least four people, including a child in Rupganj, were killed due to falling structures. Meteorologist Tariful Newaz Kabir from the Bangladesh Meteorological Department stated that the quake was of moderate intensity and not powerful enough to cause widespread destruction. He added that there is currently no indication of potential aftershocks. Typically, earthquakes of this magnitude cause noticeable shaking and minor damage but rarely result in major casualties or large-scale devastation. Authorities are assessing the situation while urging residents to remain cautious.

At least 16 people were killed and more than 24 injured when a passenger bus lost control and plunged from a bridge into a river in Cambodia’s central Kampong Thom province early Thursday morning. Police said the bus, carrying 37 passengers from Oddar Meanchey province to the capital Phnom Penh, fell into a canal around 3 a.m. The vehicle had stopped in Siem Reap, a major tourist hub, to pick up passengers before the crash. Authorities suspect one of the two alternating drivers may have fallen asleep at the wheel. Cambodia’s Interior Minister Sar Sokha shared images of the rescue operation showing a crane lifting the half-submerged bus. The death toll initially stood at 13 but rose to 16 after the recovery operation concluded. All victims were Cambodian nationals. Injured passengers were admitted to Kampong Thom Provincial Hospital, while the bodies of the deceased were handed over to their families. Road safety data show nearly 700 people died in traffic accidents in Cambodia during the first half of 2025, slightly down from 800 in the same period last year.

At least 15 people were killed and seven others injured after a boiler explosion ripped through a glue manufacturing factory in Faisalabad’s Malikpur area early Friday, according to reports by Dawn. The blast caused the building to collapse, damaging nearby houses and structures. Preliminary investigations suggest that a gas leak triggered the explosion. Officials said most of the victims were residents of houses adjacent to the factory. Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz is personally overseeing the rescue and relief operations. Rescue teams continue to clear debris, fearing more people may be trapped under the rubble. Several nearby homes were also destroyed, leaving residents injured or missing. The death toll, initially reported as three, rose to 15 as more bodies were recovered from the site. Authorities have launched an inquiry into the cause of the incident and are assessing the extent of structural damage in the surrounding area.

A 5.2 magnitude earthquake struck several regions of Pakistan on Friday morning, according to Indian media outlet NDTV. The quake’s epicenter was located at a depth of 135 kilometers beneath the surface. No immediate reports of casualties or damage have been received, but authorities are monitoring aftershocks and advising residents to remain cautious and follow safety protocols. The tremor occurred on the same morning that a 5.7 magnitude earthquake shook Dhaka, Bangladesh, with its epicenter in Narsingdi’s Madhabdi area. Experts note that shallow earthquakes tend to cause more surface damage due to stronger ground vibrations. The region encompassing Afghanistan, Pakistan, and northern India is among the world’s most earthquake-prone zones, frequently experiencing moderate to strong seismic activity.

Bangladesh’s opposition parties, the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami, have softened their long-standing demand for an immediate caretaker government before the upcoming national election. Despite previously insisting that no election should occur without a caretaker administration, both parties now support reinstating the system only for future polls. The change follows a Supreme Court verdict restoring the caretaker provision in the constitution but specifying that it will take effect after the next parliament dissolves. BNP and Jamaat lawyers argue that constitutional and procedural constraints make immediate implementation impossible without a sitting parliament. Legal experts, however, view this as a strategic retreat from their earlier position. The attorney general described the verdict as historic, asserting that it reaffirms the caretaker system’s constitutionality and will strengthen democratic practices. The ruling has also reignited debate over the 15th Amendment, which abolished the caretaker system in 2011, and whether the new judgment conflicts with previous rulings.

A powerful earthquake measuring 5.7 on the Richter scale struck Bangladesh on Friday morning, shaking the capital Dhaka and several other regions. The tremor, which occurred at 10:39 a.m., had its epicenter in Madhabdi, Narsingdi, about 13 kilometers from Dhaka, according to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department. The quake caused widespread panic as residents rushed out of buildings, reporting falling objects and trembling furniture. The U.S. Geological Survey confirmed the magnitude and location of the quake. Tremors were also felt across the border in India, including in Kolkata and nearby areas, Indian media reported. The earthquake lasted only a few seconds but was strong enough to alarm residents in both countries. As of now, there have been no immediate reports of casualties or significant damage, though authorities are monitoring the situation closely.

A new report by Beirut-based digital rights group SMEX has raised serious concerns over the presence of Israeli-developed software AppCloud on certain Samsung Galaxy A and M series smartphones sold in the Middle East and North Africa. The program, created by Israeli company IronSource, reportedly has deep system integration, allowing access to users’ location, IP address, and device identifiers without explicit consent or a clear privacy policy. The issue has gained attention amid Israel’s ongoing attacks in Gaza, where 33 Palestinians were killed in a single day despite a ceasefire. Digital security experts warn that AppCloud cannot be fully removed without rooting the device, posing potential surveillance risks, particularly in conflict zones. Palestinian and regional media have questioned the sudden influx of smartphones into Gaza, suggesting possible espionage motives behind the imports. The controversy has intensified debates over digital privacy, surveillance, and the use of consumer technology in warfare.

On Universal Children’s Day, the Palestinian resistance group Hamas issued a statement asserting that Palestinian children are being deprived of rights recognized under various United Nations conventions. The group criticized Israel’s ongoing military operations in Gaza, claiming they have destroyed essential life foundations such as food, medicine, clean water, healthcare, education, and psychological support. Hamas described these actions as violations of international conventions, humanitarian values, and UN resolutions that guarantee children’s rights. The organization called for international prosecution of Israeli leaders for alleged crimes against children and appealed for global recognition of Palestinian children’s rights to protection and justice, equal to those of children worldwide. The statement comes amid intensified Israeli airstrikes on Gaza, which have reportedly resulted in dozens of civilian deaths.

BNP Chairperson and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia is scheduled to attend the Armed Forces Day reception at Senakunja on Friday, November 21. According to BNP’s media cell official Shayrul Kabir Khan, Khaleda Zia has given her consent to attend the event following advice from her medical board. She will leave her Gulshan residence at around 3:30 p.m. for Senakunja. The event will be attended by Chief Adviser Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus as the chief guest. This marks Khaleda Zia’s second public appearance at the Senakunja reception in consecutive years, following her first public engagement there last year after a long hiatus since her 2018 Sylhet visit. Several senior BNP leaders, including Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman and Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, have also been invited to the ceremony.

At least 33 Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes across Gaza within a single day, despite an ongoing ceasefire brokered by the United States. The Guardian reported that Israeli forces targeted several areas, including Gaza City and Khan Younis, violating the truce agreed on October 10. Hamas condemned the attacks, urging Washington to restrain Israel and warning that continued aggression could worsen the humanitarian crisis. In the occupied West Bank, Israeli operations also caused casualties and forced displacements, with Hamas claiming that 32,000 Palestinians have been driven from their homes this year. Israeli forces said they seized a rocket launcher and weapons cache near the “Yellow Line” area. Gaza’s media office accused Israel of expanding its military zone by 300 meters, calling it another breach of the ceasefire. Qatar denounced the attacks, warning that such actions could collapse the fragile truce and urging international efforts to maintain peace.

Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin and Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus paid tribute to the martyred heroes at Shikha Anirban in Dhaka on the occasion of Armed Forces Day. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) stated that the day’s events included courtesy meetings between the President, Chief Adviser, and the chiefs of the three armed forces, as well as receptions for decorated freedom fighters and their families. The Chief Adviser is scheduled to host a reception at the Dhaka Cantonment’s Army Multipurpose Complex, where he will present commemorative gifts to 101 decorated freedom fighters and their heirs. The day began with special prayers after Fajr at mosques in all cantonments, naval bases, and air force stations, seeking the nation’s welfare and the eternal peace of the martyrs who sacrificed their lives during the Liberation War.

At least 41 people have died and nine remain missing following a week of severe flooding and landslides in Vietnam, triggered by heavy rainfall across the central region. Authorities report that more than 52,000 homes have been inundated, while thousands of hectares of crops, livestock, and poultry have been destroyed. The hardest-hit provinces are Dak Lak and Khanh Hoa, where 30 deaths have been confirmed. Over 1 million residents experienced power outages, though electricity has been restored to about 600,000 households. More than 140 landslides have blocked provincial roads, prompting the deployment of thousands of rescue workers and police. The National Weather Bureau noted that southern and central Vietnam have faced persistent rainfall since late October, severely affecting tourist and agricultural areas. According to official statistics, natural disasters have claimed or displaced at least 279 people nationwide this year, causing over $2 billion in economic losses.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has accused the Israeli military of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity by forcibly displacing about 32,000 Palestinians from the Jenin, Tulkarem, and Nur Shams refugee camps in the occupied West Bank earlier this year. In a 105-page report, HRW said the operations, which began in January, were carried out without regard for international legal protections and left more than 850 homes destroyed or severely damaged. The rights group said Israel failed to justify the mass displacement on military grounds and did not allow residents to return. HRW called for investigations into senior Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and urged sanctions and an arms embargo. The Israeli army defended its actions as necessary to counter armed groups allegedly using the camps as operational bases. The report comes amid escalating violence in the West Bank and Gaza, where Israel’s ongoing war has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians since October 2023.