BNP central sports affairs secretary and Dhaka North convenor Aminul Haque cautioned that using religion as a political tool undermines faith and misleads the public. Speaking at a meeting in Dhaka’s Rupnagar on November 20, he said that trading religion for political gain risks destroying one’s faith. Aminul criticized those who engage in political propaganda in mosques and likened them to clandestine groups lacking real capacity. Citing the 1971 Liberation War, he warned that followers of the anti-liberation forces remain active and must be confronted. He also accused certain groups of trying to disrupt the upcoming national election by spreading misinformation and selling false promises of salvation. Aminul pledged that if the BNP wins, it will build a humane, prosperous, and democratic Bangladesh by strengthening education, healthcare, the judiciary, and the rule of law under Tarique Rahman’s leadership.

Bangladesh’s Annual Development Program (ADP) for the current fiscal year is progressing sluggishly, with only about 8.33% of allocated funds spent between July and October, compared to 7.90% during the same period last year. The Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED) reported that Tk 19,878 crore was spent in the first four months, down from Tk 21,978 crore a year earlier. Political unrest, curfews, and shutdowns following last year’s government change significantly disrupted development activities. Many projects were halted or re-evaluated due to fiscal constraints and political considerations, leading to the lowest implementation rate in two decades. The revised ADP for FY2024–25 saw only 67.85% of total allocations utilized, nearly 13 percentage points lower than the previous year’s 80.63%. Officials note that early-year spending is typically slow but expect acceleration later, though the current stagnation reflects deeper structural and political challenges.

BNP’s acting chairman and chief patron of the 'Amra BNP Poribar' initiative, Tarique Rahman, has extended financial assistance to more than fifty underprivileged families. The aid was distributed on Thursday at the Krishibid Institution Bangladesh (KIB) Convention Hall in Dhaka’s Khamarbari area. The beneficiaries included families of martyrs and injured from the 24th uprising, as well as destitute and persecuted families. The event was organized by 'Amra BNP Poribar' and attended by senior BNP leaders, including Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi as the chief guest and convener Atikur Rahman Rummon as chair. Other notable attendees included BNP Joint Secretary General Shahiduddin Chowdhury Annie, BNP Treasurer M Rashiduzzaman Millat, and several advisers and party members. The program was jointly conducted by agriculturist Moksedul Momin Mithun and journalist Zahidul Islam Rony.

A Bogura financial loan court has issued a travel ban on Arvind Saha, owner of Joy Flour Mills located in the BISIC Industrial Area, in connection with a loan default case exceeding Tk 31.55 crore. Judge Md Ahsan Habib of the Bogura Financial Loan Court passed the order, instructing immigration authorities to prevent Saha from leaving the country without court permission. The case stems from a loan taken from the SME unit of a private bank’s Bogura branch, which accumulated substantial interest over time. The bank filed a money decree suit against Saha, his wife Sandhya Rani Saha, their son Joy Kumar Saha, and a deputy general manager of the BISIC Industrial Area after the loan remained unpaid. Following the hearing, the court imposed the travel restriction to ensure compliance with legal proceedings related to the unpaid debt.

A young man in Bogura has filed a lawsuit against the district commissioner and six others, alleging that he was denied a lab assistant position at Namuja SSI Fazil (Degree) Madrasa after refusing to pay a Tk 10 lakh bribe. Shahadat Hossain, who topped both written and oral exams for the post, claimed the madrasa principal demanded the bribe during a meeting at a hotel. When he refused, the recruitment process was restarted to exclude him. After his complaint to the then DC Hosna Afroza was dismissed, he filed a case on October 9 at the Senior Assistant Judge Court. The court sought explanations from the accused but, after no response within seven days, imposed a stay order on the recruitment process. A hearing scheduled for November 20 was postponed. The district education officer confirmed multiple corruption allegations against the principal, and an investigation committee is being formed to look into the matter.

In Bagmara upazila of Rajshahi, 18 cooperative societies have disappeared after allegedly embezzling around Tk 95 crore from over 2,300 depositors. Over the past few years, hundreds of cooperatives were registered under the Department of Cooperatives, promising rural development and high returns on savings. Many villagers, lured by promises of doubling their money, deposited life savings, only to find the offices shuttered and officials missing. Victims have filed complaints with the local administration and police, who advised them to pursue fraud cases. Authorities confirmed that most of the affected depositors are from lower and lower-middle-income groups. Investigations reveal that 303 cooperatives were registered in the area between 2018 and 2020, many of which illegally collected deposits. The cooperative department has since canceled 68 registrations and blacklisted 99 others. Officials are now probing how so many societies were approved and are urging residents to avoid unregulated cooperatives.

A woman in Nalchira cluster village of Gournadi upazila, Barishal, has filed a written complaint alleging that she was assaulted by a local man after rejecting his immoral proposal. The accused, identified as Jewel Sardar, son of Ratan Ali Sardar and a member of the managing committee of Nalchira Secondary School, allegedly attacked the woman with his associates on Thursday morning. According to the victim, Jewel had been making indecent proposals since her husband left for Qatar two months ago. She also claimed that Jewel took 5,000 taka from her and demanded an additional 20,000 taka in extortion. The accused denied the allegations, saying they were intended to socially defame him. Gournadi Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md. Tarikul Islam stated that an investigation is underway and legal action will be taken if the allegations are proven true.

In Cumilla, two separate groups of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) held peaceful rallies on Thursday evening despite earlier speculation about possible clashes. The events took place in adjacent locations at Kandirpar, where BNP Chairperson’s advisers Haji Aminur Rashid Yasin and Monirul Haque Chowdhury organized separate programs. Yasin’s supporters arranged a prayer gathering for Khaleda Zia’s recovery and Tarique Rahman’s well-being, while Chowdhury, the party’s nominated candidate for Cumilla-6, held an election rally. Authorities had earlier prohibited both groups from using the Town Hall ground due to security concerns and directed them to alternative venues. Additional police, army, RAB, and intelligence personnel were deployed to prevent unrest. The rallies concluded without any untoward incidents, reflecting effective coordination between the administration and law enforcement agencies.

After nearly six years of closure, gas has been rediscovered in Well No. 1 of the Kailashtila gas field in Sylhet, Bangladesh. According to Sylhet Gas Fields Limited Managing Director Abdul Jalil Pramanik, the well contains an estimated reserve of around 20 billion cubic feet of gas. Daily production is expected to reach 5 to 6 million cubic feet, potentially sustaining output for the next decade. The well, originally drilled in 1961 and last active in 2019, was reopened under a government project to overhaul old wells, with Bapex initiating work in August 2023. Following three months of operations and testing, officials confirmed the find on Thursday evening. The gas will be added to the national grid within two to three days, saving an estimated 33 billion taka in foreign currency by reducing LNG imports. This rediscovery is expected to strengthen Bangladesh’s domestic energy supply and reduce dependence on imported gas.

At least 15 people were injured in a violent clash between two groups in Roumari upazila of Kurigram district on Thursday, reportedly over a longstanding land dispute. The incident occurred at midday in Madhya Ichakuri village under Roumari Sadar Union. Among the injured, four — Abul Hashem, Abdus Sabur, Ashura Khatun, and Majnu Mia — were critically hurt and transferred to Rangpur Medical College Hospital. According to police and local sources, the conflict stems from a 40-year-old dispute over approximately 3.84 acres of land between Israfil Haque and Raja Mia, both residents of the same village. The altercation began when Israfil’s group attempted to plough the disputed land, prompting Raja Mia’s supporters to intervene, leading to a prolonged confrontation. Police later arrived at the scene and brought the situation under control. Authorities said no formal complaint has yet been filed, but an investigation will follow if one is received.

Sujon, a rickshaw driver who gained public attention during the July uprising for saluting protesting students, has purchased a nomination form from the National Citizen Party (NCP) to contest the upcoming national parliamentary election from Dhaka-8 constituency. He collected the form on Thursday evening, accompanied by senior NCP leaders. Sujon expressed optimism about winning the election, citing his popularity and connection with ordinary people. He emphasized that his candidacy demonstrates equal political rights for all citizens, thanking the NCP for allowing him the opportunity. In the same constituency, BNP has nominated its standing committee member Mirza Abbas, Jamaat-e-Islami nominated Advocate Helal Uddin, and Sharif Osman Hadi from Inquilab Manch announced his independent candidacy. The contest in Dhaka-8 is expected to draw attention due to Sujon’s unique background and symbolic representation of grassroots participation in politics.

Bangladesh’s caretaker government has given final approval to establish a separate secretariat for the judiciary, a long-awaited step toward full judicial independence. The new body, to be known as the Supreme Court Secretariat, will operate under the High Court. Law Adviser Dr. Asif Nazrul announced the decision at a press conference following an advisory council meeting chaired by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus. The ‘Supreme Court Secretariat Ordinance 2025’ is expected to be gazetted next week. This move fulfills a decades-long demand stemming from the landmark Masdar Hossain case, filed in 1995 by members of the BCS Judicial Association seeking separation of the judiciary from the executive. The Supreme Court’s 1999 verdict mandated the establishment of an independent judiciary, but full implementation had been pending for 26 years. Officials described the approval as the final step in ensuring judicial autonomy in Bangladesh.

Senior lawyer Shishir Monir, representing Jamaat-e-Islami in the recent appeal, stated that under the current caretaker government formation, the most recently retired Chief Justice would serve as the head of the interim administration. However, he noted that this provision is not presently in effect. Following the Supreme Court’s historic verdict delivered by a seven-member Appellate Division bench led by Chief Justice Dr. Syed Refaat Ahmed, Monir explained that the caretaker government system has been automatically reinstated in the constitution. He added that the upcoming 13th national election will be held under an interim government, while the caretaker system will take effect from the 14th parliamentary election onward. Monir also mentioned that the final structure of the caretaker government could change depending on the outcome of the July Charter referendum and subsequent constitutional reform sessions in the new parliament.

Mahmudur Rahman, editor of the newspaper *Amar Desh*, has called on Bangladesh’s post-election government to act in accordance with the aspirations of the July Revolution. Speaking at a seminar titled “Successes and Failures of Revolutions and Uprisings: From November 7 to August 5” at Rajshahi University, he emphasized that the revolution is ongoing and will continue until its goals are fully realized. Rahman stressed the importance of holding the 13th national parliamentary election on time, warning that any delay could create instability that external forces, particularly Delhi, might exploit. Expressing doubts about the possibility of a free and fair election, he blamed administrative and bureaucratic complications and the influence of ruling party allies. He also criticized the government for failing to conduct a cleansing campaign and for not embracing the revolutionary spirit. Rahman urged the July revolutionaries to remain united, asserting that their unity is essential to keeping Bangladesh on the right path.

At Jagannath University, the student wings of Chhatra Dal and Chhatra Adhikar Parishad have formed a joint panel named 'Oikyoboddho Nirvik Jobian' for the upcoming central student union (JnUCSU) election. The panel nominated AKM Rakib, president of the university’s Chhatra Adhikar unit, as vice president candidate. Central general secretary Nazmul Hasan of Chhatra Adhikar said Rakib’s inclusion aims to keep Chhatra Dal relevant on campus and ensure broader student benefit. Rakib emphasized that the alliance is electoral, not political, and pledged to work for student rights without external influence. He also criticized the administration for irregular teacher recruitment and delays in scholarship processes. Meanwhile, Jagannath University Chhatra Dal convener Mehedi Hasan Himel clarified that the coalition is inclusive and not based on political ideology, adding that Nazmul Hasan’s remarks reflect his personal opinion. The election alliance highlights both cooperation and underlying tension between the two student organizations.