Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) Managing Director Faruk Ahmed has clarified his citizenship status following public discussion about his foreign nationality. Speaking at a media briefing in Uttara, he stated that although he holds an Aadhaar card from India due to his previous employment there, he is not an Indian citizen. Faruk explained that he is a Bangladeshi citizen by birth and also holds Australian citizenship. He noted that foreign nationals have previously worked in similar positions in Bangladesh, including at Biman Bangladesh Airlines. Faruk added that he accepted the DMTCL position despite earning significantly less than in India, motivated by a desire to contribute to his home country. He emphasized that his Aadhaar card was only required for practical reasons during his stay in India and does not indicate Indian citizenship.

A bus belonging to Trust Transport Service caught fire late Wednesday night in the Sagupta Road area of Pallabi, Dhaka. According to the Fire Service, the blaze was reported around 12:10 a.m., prompting two firefighting units from the Pallabi station to respond immediately. Duty officer Md. Shahjahan confirmed the incident and said that efforts to bring the fire under control were underway. The cause of the fire and the extent of the damage have not yet been determined. Authorities suspect miscreants may have set the bus ablaze, but an investigation is ongoing to confirm the details.

Actress Richi Solaiman stated in a Facebook post that the Awami League of the streets is stronger and more popular than the faction that is in power. Referring to the Awami League’s announced Dhaka lockdown program ahead of the verdict involving Sheikh Hasina, she said, “The Awami League of the streets is more powerful and popular. The opposition has already made the lockdown, called by the Awami League, successful a day earlier. This is the politics of people with awareness.” In another post on her Facebook page, she added, “This time, when the Awami League returns, I hope we will see a league free of ready-made leaders — those who will engage in politics through hard work and intellect, not flattery.” It is noteworthy that, according to the text, during their lockdown program, the Awami League burned numerous buses and cars, resulting in the death of a bus driver who was burned alive.

The Maulana Bhasani Hockey Stadium in Dhaka came alive ahead of the Bangladesh-Pakistan three-match hockey series starting tomorrow. The series winner will qualify for the Hockey World Cup qualifiers. Pakistan, which missed the Asia Cup, was granted this playoff opportunity by the International Hockey Federation. Due to security concerns, the Bangladesh Hockey Federation has arranged extra protection, with Pakistan’s team to arrive at the venue 90 minutes early. Entry for spectators will be free to encourage attendance. Bangladesh’s Dutch coach Siegfried Aikman said the team aims to narrow the gap with Pakistan, while captain Rezaul Karim Babu emphasized the need for more domestic competitions. Pakistan’s coach Usman Ahmed and captain Ammad Shakeel Bhatt praised Bangladesh’s hospitality and the stadium’s atmosphere. Pakistan’s head coach Tahir Zaman withdrew from the tour citing internal issues.

The Bangladeshi government has decided to permit limited onion imports to stabilize prices after a sharp rise of about Tk 30 per kilogram within a month. The supply shortage emerged as the production and storage season neared its end, pushing wholesale prices in Chattogram’s Khatunganj market to Tk 100–112 per kg. Authorities say the move aims to balance market stability while protecting local farmers’ interests. The imported onions are expected to arrive within a week, though sea shipments may take up to two weeks. Bangladesh had significantly reduced onion imports in recent years, relying mostly on domestic production. However, traders warn that without immediate imports, prices could rise further before the next harvest season begins in December.

The Bangladesh government has approved the import of sugar, soybean oil, rice, and fertilizers from five countries at a total cost of Tk 998 crore. The decision was made at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase chaired by Economic Adviser Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed. Under the plan, 12,500 tons of refined sugar will be bought from Turkey, 12 million liters of soybean oil from the UAE, and 50,000 tons of parboiled rice from Singapore. Additionally, 40,000 tons of DAP fertilizer will be imported from Morocco and 40,000 tons of granular urea from Saudi Arabia. The committee also approved several other proposals, including an e-waste management plant at Kaliakoir Hi-Tech Park, short-term LNG supply from Aramco Trading Singapore, and a PPP-based container terminal project at Chittagong Port with Denmark’s APM Terminals.

A Japanese consortium led by Sumitomo has expressed interest in operating and maintaining the third terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka. Japan’s Ambassador to Bangladesh, Iwama Kiminori, conveyed this interest during a meeting with Commerce Adviser Sheikh Bashiruddin at the Secretariat. The envoy said the consortium is eager to begin discussions with the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) as soon as possible. The commerce adviser noted that Japan’s involvement in Bangladesh’s airport infrastructure, along with progress on the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), would strengthen bilateral trade and economic ties. The EPA is expected to provide duty- and quota-free access for Bangladeshi products to the Japanese market. Senior officials from the Civil Aviation Ministry, the Japanese Embassy, and Sumitomo Corporation also attended the meeting.

Hundreds of lawyers aligned with the opposition BNP staged a protest in Dhaka on Thursday demanding the death penalty for former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who was ousted following a student-led uprising. The demonstration, organized under the banner of the Nationalist Lawyers’ Forum, began at the lower court premises and moved through the Chief Metropolitan and District Judge Courts before concluding at the Bar Association premises. Senior lawyer leaders, including Syed Nazrul Islam and Nihar Hossain Faruk, addressed the rally. The protest came just days before the International Crimes Tribunal-1 is set to deliver its verdict on November 17 in a case against Hasina and two others accused of crimes against humanity during the July uprising. The tribunal is headed by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mojumdar, with two other judges on the panel.

Bangladesh’s capital market witnessed a significant downturn on the fourth trading day of the week, with the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) seeing its benchmark index DSEX fall by nearly 1 percent to 4,825 points. Daily turnover dropped below Tk 300 crore, totaling Tk 290.14 crore, compared to Tk 339.75 crore in the previous session. Around 77.58 percent of traded securities declined in value, with major losses led by LafargeHolcim Bangladesh, British American Tobacco, Summit Power, Beximco Pharmaceuticals, and Khan Brothers PP Woven Bag Industries. All sectors recorded negative returns, with the jute sector suffering the steepest decline of 4.2 percent. The Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) also saw declines, with its CSCX index down 67.83 points to 8,447 and turnover dropping to Tk 9.81 crore from Tk 26.34 crore previously.

Bangladesh’s National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) faces renewed uncertainty over timely distribution of secondary-level textbooks for the 2026 academic year. Despite initiating the tender process earlier than in previous years, delays caused by tender cancellations, re-approvals, and contract backlogs have slowed printing progress. While printing of grade six and nine books has begun, work for grades seven and eight has yet to start. Around 300 million textbooks are planned for printing this year, down from 400 million last year, with 180 million designated for secondary schools. NCTB officials claim 94% of primary-level books are printed and will be ready for distribution by January 1, but secondary-level printing may extend into December. Officials hope to finalize all contracts by November, though some press agreements remain pending, raising concerns that students may again face delays in receiving their books.

A brief commotion broke out during a National Citizen Party (NCP) torch procession in Narayanganj on Wednesday night after an unidentified youth shouted the slogan 'Joy Bangla'. The procession, organized to protest the Awami League’s announced lockdown program scheduled for November 13, turned tense when the youth suddenly appeared near Bage Jannat Jame Mosque and shouted the slogan. NCP activists attempted to catch him, but he escaped through a nearby alley. NCP leader Shawkat Ali described the incident as unexpected but confirmed that the rally concluded peacefully. Senior NCP and affiliated youth leaders, including Shawkat Ali and Nirab Raihan, were present at the event.

A devastating fire broke out late Wednesday night at the Shahraz multi-storey market in the Bazarghata area of Cox’s Bazar city. According to the Fire Service and Civil Defense, the blaze started around 11:30 p.m. on the second floor and quickly spread to other parts of the building. Two fire service units, assisted by local residents, worked to bring the flames under control. One shop on the second floor was completely destroyed, while several others on the ground floor suffered partial damage. The cause of the fire remains unclear, though electrical wiring work was reportedly underway at the time. Authorities have yet to determine the full extent of the losses or the exact cause of the incident.

The Supreme Court of Bangladesh has formally requested the army headquarters to deploy troops around the tribunal area ahead of the November 13 verdict announcement in the war crimes case involving former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and two others, including former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal. The court’s public relations officer, Md. Shafiqul Islam, confirmed that the registrar general’s office sent the letter on Wednesday. The verdict concerns alleged crimes against humanity committed during July–August of an unspecified year. In anticipation of possible unrest, the banned Awami League has declared a 'Dhaka lockdown' program, prompting heightened security measures across the capital, with law enforcement personnel already stationed at key locations.

A petrol bomb attack was reported early Wednesday at the Grameen Telecom Trust’s Nisorgo Resort in Gazipur’s Kaliganj upazila, marking the second such incident in five months. Security guards discovered two glass bottles containing kerosene-like liquid inside the resort’s boundary and alerted police, who later recovered the objects. Authorities suspect that unidentified miscreants threw the bombs from outside the resort’s perimeter before fleeing. No casualties or property damage were reported. Police said the earlier case from May, when two petrol bombs exploded inside the same resort, remains under investigation, and the latest attack has been added to the inquiry. The resort is owned by Grameen Telecom Trust, chaired by Nobel laureate and interim government chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus.

BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman has cautioned that efforts are underway to rehabilitate a defeated and fugitive autocrat under the cover of a national referendum. Speaking at a discussion marking National Revolution and Solidarity Day in Dhaka, he alleged that some political parties are obstructing the upcoming national election by imposing conditions, thereby enabling the return of authoritarian forces. Rahman urged anti-fascist groups to face the people in February instead of creating confusion. He also criticized the interim government for neglecting road safety and failing to ensure fair prices for potato farmers, who face losses of around Tk 3,000 crore. BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said the current political crisis is artificial and deliberately created to hinder democratic transition. Other opposition leaders expressed solidarity with BNP’s reform agenda.