A Dhaka court has ordered the freezing of 57 bank accounts belonging to former state minister and Awami League leader Jahangir Kabir Nanak, his wife Syeda Arjuman Banu, and their daughter S. Amreen Rakhi. The accounts reportedly contain around Tk 2.89 crore. The order was issued by Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Sabbir Foyez on November 17 following a petition from the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). According to the ACC’s application, investigations revealed suspicious transactions totaling Tk 32.18 crore across various accounts, including deposits of Tk 17.55 crore and withdrawals of Tk 14.62 crore. The ACC suspects the funds may have originated from corruption and bribery, indicating possible money laundering. The commission also noted attempts to transfer or conceal the funds, prompting the court to freeze the accounts to ensure a fair investigation.

A tragic road accident near Medina, Saudi Arabia, claimed the lives of 42 Umrah pilgrims when a passenger bus collided with a diesel tanker early Monday morning. According to local media reports cited by NDTV, most of the victims were Indian nationals, primarily from Hyderabad in Telangana. The bus was traveling from Mecca to Medina when the collision occurred near the Mufrihat area around 2 a.m. Bangladesh time. The impact caused the bus to catch fire, trapping many passengers who were asleep at the time. Among the deceased were at least 11 women and 10 children, though authorities are still verifying the exact numbers. Rescue teams reported that the bus was completely burned, making identification of victims extremely difficult. One survivor, identified as Mohammad Abdul Shuaib, has been hospitalized. The Telangana government is coordinating with the Indian Embassy in Riyadh to assist with the aftermath and repatriation efforts.

Gono Adhikar Parishad General Secretary Rashed Khan stated that people who did not receive compassion from former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina should not show sympathy toward her. In a Facebook post on November 17, he wrote that Hasina should face the death penalty if found guilty of crimes related to the 2024 mass uprising, which left around 1,400 people dead and 25,000 injured. The International Crimes Tribunal-1, led by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Majumdar, is set to deliver its verdict today in the case against Hasina. The case accuses her of responsibility for the casualties during the nationwide protests. Khan’s remarks come amid heightened anticipation across Bangladesh as citizens await the tribunal’s decision, which could have significant political and social repercussions.

Pakistan’s Army Chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, has warned that any future aggression against Pakistan will be met with a swift and strong response. Speaking during a luncheon in honor of Jordan’s King Abdullah II, Munir emphasized that Pakistan’s military victory in May was due to divine blessing, not personal achievement. He described the Pakistan Army as 'Allah’s army,' fighting in the name of God. The remarks come after a recent conflict in May, when India launched attacks following a deadly terrorist incident in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam area that killed 28 people. Pakistan claimed to have downed seven Indian fighter jets, including three Rafales, during the confrontation. India blamed Pakistan for the Pahalgam attack without presenting concrete evidence, which Islamabad denied. Munir reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to peace but stressed that any future aggression would be met with decisive military retaliation.

In Kishoreganj upazila of Nilphamari district, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami organized a sit-in program on Monday to prevent possible acts of sabotage following the court verdict against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and two other accused in a case related to crimes against humanity. The demonstration began at 10 a.m. at key locations including Jharna Mor and the local press club area. Upazila Nayeb-e-Ameer Akhtaruzzaman Badol, Assistant Secretary Shibbir Ahmed, and Upazila Workers’ Party President Manjurul Islam Ratan addressed the gathering. The party stated that the program aimed to maintain peace and order in the area amid heightened political tension. Local authorities monitored the situation closely to ensure no violence occurred during the event.

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has alleged that Awami League-linked 'terrorists' are using money looted from banks and financial institutions to carry out acts of arson and explosions in Dhaka. Speaking at an emergency press conference at the BNP’s central office in Naya Paltan on Monday, Rizvi claimed that funds embezzled from Bangladesh Bank, BASIC Bank, and other financial institutions, as well as alleged corruption linked to the Padma Bridge project, are being used to finance these violent incidents. He accused the ruling party of orchestrating these attacks to create unrest and shift blame onto the opposition. The Awami League has not immediately responded to Rizvi’s allegations, which come amid heightened political tensions and sporadic violence in the capital.

Bangladesh’s Finance Ministry has issued a warning after a fake video featuring the image and AI-generated voice of Economic Adviser Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed circulated on social media. The ministry clarified that the video, used in advertisements and promotions by an unidentified group, is entirely false and has no connection with Dr. Ahmed or the ministry. The misleading content, created using artificial intelligence technology, allegedly harms the adviser’s social and official reputation. Authorities have taken steps to remove the video and pursue legal action against those responsible. The ministry urged citizens not to be deceived by such fabricated videos or news and to refrain from engaging in any financial transactions based on such misinformation.

Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal is set to deliver its first verdict today in a case against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and two co-accused over alleged crimes against humanity committed during the July mass uprising. The prosecution has sought the maximum punishment, while victims’ families have expressed strong demands for the death penalty. Mir Mahbubur Rahman Snigdha, brother of slain protester Mir Mugdha, told reporters that even a thousand executions would be insufficient for Hasina’s alleged crimes. The tribunal, chaired by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Majumder with Justices Md Shofiul Alam Mahmud and Mohitul Haque Enam Chowdhury, will announce the verdict. The case also names former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and former Inspector General of Police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun as co-defendants. The judgment is expected to mark a significant moment in post-uprising accountability efforts and could have major political repercussions.

Unidentified miscreants threw homemade explosive devices, locally known as cocktails, at the main gate of Grameen Industrial Park-2 in Kaliakoir, Gazipur, early Monday morning. The attack occurred around 5 a.m., causing a fire that burned the park’s signboard before security personnel managed to extinguish it. No casualties were reported as no one was present at the gate during the incident. The attackers also targeted a nearby construction site belonging to the same company before fleeing the scene. Police were informed and later visited the site, though officials have not yet commented publicly. In a separate but possibly related incident, another act of arson was reported at a construction excavator in the nearby Medhi Ashulai area. The motive behind the attacks remains unclear, and law enforcement authorities have not confirmed any arrests or suspects so far.

Sajeeb Wazed Joy, son of former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has warned that Awami League supporters may disrupt the upcoming national election scheduled for February if international sanctions on the party are not lifted. In an interview with Reuters, Joy stated that the situation could escalate into violence if the restrictions persist. The warning came just before the verdict in a war crimes case against Sheikh Hasina and two others, related to alleged offenses during the July 2024 uprising that led to her ouster. Sheikh Hasina has reportedly been residing in India since August 2024 under government protection. Joy claimed that India is providing her full security and treating her with the respect accorded to a head of state. He also expressed his belief that his mother would likely be convicted and possibly sentenced to death in the ongoing trial.

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir stated that the nation is anxiously awaiting the verdict in the war crimes case against Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and two others, which is scheduled to be announced today by the International Crimes Tribunal. In a Facebook post, Fakhrul expressed hope for a fair judgment aligned with international standards. The verdict will be broadcast live by Bangladesh Television (BTV), other local media, and Reuters, with large screens set up across Dhaka for public viewing. Security has been heightened around the tribunal and Supreme Court areas, with multiple law enforcement agencies, including the army and intelligence units, deployed to maintain order. The three-member judicial panel, led by Justice Md. Golam Mortuza Mojumdar, is expected to deliver the ruling after 11 a.m. amid intense national and international attention.

Injured July fighters arrived at the International Crimes Tribunal in Dhaka on Monday morning to witness the verdict in a war crimes case against ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, and ex-Inspector General of Police Mamun. The case concerns mass killings during July–August, with Hasina and Kamal being tried in absentia while Mamun, currently imprisoned, testified against them as a state witness. The three-member tribunal, led by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Majumder, was scheduled to deliver the verdict later in the day. Security was significantly heightened around the tribunal and Supreme Court areas, with police, RAB, APBn, BGB, and army personnel deployed. Law enforcement restricted public movement and closed nearby roads from Sunday evening to ensure safety. The prosecution sought maximum punishment for Hasina and Kamal, leaving Mamun’s sentencing to the tribunal’s discretion.

A fire broke out at a shoe factory in the Sikkatuli Mazar Goli area under Bangshal Police Station in Old Dhaka early Sunday, leaving three workers seriously injured. The incident occurred around 1:40 a.m. when an adhesive solution reportedly caught fire during night work. The victims, identified as Ainuddin (45), Amir Uddin (40), and Ruman (16), were rescued by locals and taken to the burn unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital. According to hospital sources, Ainuddin suffered burns on 20 percent of his body, Amir Uddin on 10 percent, and Ruman on 45 percent. Police confirmed that all three are currently receiving treatment. The cause of the fire appears to be accidental, triggered by flammable materials used in shoe production. Authorities are investigating the incident to ensure workplace safety compliance and prevent future accidents in similar small-scale factories across the area.

Two separate arson incidents occurred in Savar and Dhamrai between Sunday night and early Monday, reportedly linked to unrest surrounding a court verdict involving Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. In Savar’s Birulia area, unidentified assailants set fire to a parked bus, burning more than half of it before locals and fire services brought the blaze under control. In Dhamrai, another bus parked near the Palli Bidyut office was similarly torched, though no casualties were reported. Police suspect political motives behind the attacks and have launched investigations to identify those responsible. In response to rising tensions, Savar police established checkpoints along the Dhaka-Aricha highway to ensure public safety and verify passenger identities. Authorities also conducted raids, arresting four Awami League activists suspected of involvement in recent violence. The incidents come amid heightened political activity and security measures tied to the ruling party’s lockdown program.

A homemade explosive, locally known as a 'cocktail', detonated in front of Tax Zone-10 in Dhaka’s Segunbagicha area on Sunday night, November 16. The explosion occurred around 10:15 p.m., according to Ramna Police Station Officer-in-Charge Golam Faruq. No injuries or casualties were reported, but the blast created panic among nearby residents and passersby. Law enforcement personnel quickly arrived at the scene to secure the area and begin an investigation. Police are currently working to identify the individuals or groups responsible for the incident. The motive behind the explosion remains unclear, and authorities have yet to determine whether it was politically motivated or an act of local mischief. Security has been tightened in the surrounding areas as a precautionary measure.