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.

HBO is developing a live-action television adaptation of the iconic comic series 'V for Vendetta,' according to Variety. The project is in early development, with writer Pete Jackson attached to create the series. Warner Bros. Television will produce the show, joined by DC Studios executives James Gunn and Peter Safran as executive producers, alongside Ben Stephenson and Leanne Klein from Warner Bros. Television Studios UK. The original comic, created by Alan Moore and David Lloyd, depicts a dystopian future Britain ruled by a totalitarian regime, with a masked vigilante named V leading a rebellion. The adaptation follows HBO’s growing slate of DC live-action series, including 'The Penguin.' The 2005 film version of 'V for Vendetta' was a critical and commercial success, and Warner Bros. plans to re-release it in theaters in November 2026 to celebrate its 20th anniversary.

According to a recent UNHCR report, Bangladesh has received 136,000 new Rohingya refugees between December last year and October this year, bringing the total registered refugee population to 1.168 million as of October 31. The influx is linked to intensified violence in Myanmar’s Rakhine State, where clashes between the junta forces and the Arakan Army have displaced thousands. The UNHCR noted that 78% of the new arrivals are women and children, and 12% are persons with disabilities. Refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, already overcrowded, are facing severe space shortages and environmental strain. Local authorities warn that continued arrivals and reduced aid could worsen conditions in the region, which hosts 34 camps including those in Ukhiya, Teknaf, and Bhasan Char.

Twenty-one judges who recently received permanent appointments to the High Court Division of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh took their oaths at the Judges’ Lounge on Sunday. Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed administered the oath, with Registrar General Muhammad Habibur Rahman Siddiqui conducting the ceremony. The event was attended by justices from both divisions of the Supreme Court, Attorney General Mohammad Asaduzzaman, Supreme Court Bar Association President A.M. Mahbub Uddin Khokon, and family members of the newly appointed judges. The appointments were made under Article 95 of the Constitution, following consultation with the Chief Justice, and formalized by a presidential order issued earlier in the week. Among the 22 judges granted permanent status, one, Justice Syed Enayet Hossain, could not attend the ceremony due to illness and will take the oath later.

Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) has revealed that it currently has no spare bearing pads for the metro rail pillars, raising safety concerns following the October 26 accident in Farmgate that killed pedestrian Abul Kalam when a pad fell from a pillar. Each of the 620 pillars has four pads, but none are available for replacement or functional testing. DMTCL Managing Director Faruk Ahmed said the issue arose because the contract documents did not specify the need for spare parts. Temporary safety measures have been taken, and 20 new pads are expected to arrive by January. The investigation committee’s tenure has been extended to November 15, with new experts added. DMTCL has also decided to employ Kalam’s widow as a computer operator and has provided his family with Tk 500,000 in initial compensation.

A new documentary titled 'Trial of July Massacre' has been released under the supervision of Bangladesh’s Ministry of Cultural Affairs. The 21-minute-59-second film, unveiled by the Chief Adviser’s Press Wing, focuses on the killings that occurred during the July 2024 uprising, which the film attributes to the then Awami League government. According to the accompanying statement, the release aims to highlight the events as one of the most tragic episodes in world history and to reaffirm Bangladesh’s commitment to ensuring justice for the victims. The documentary seeks to preserve the memory of the uprising and promote accountability for the violence that took place.

Dhaka University witnessed intense student protests on Wednesday night following two crude bomb explosions near the Teacher-Student Centre (TSC), allegedly carried out by members of the banned Chhatra League. The blasts injured Jahangir Alam Chakladar, a government official, and damaged a nearby motorcycle. Witnesses reported conflicting accounts about the source of the explosions, with some suggesting they were thrown from Suhrawardy Udyan. The university’s proctor confirmed that police and campus security teams were investigating CCTV footage. Students gathered at TSC and Raju Sculpture areas, chanting slogans demanding justice and accountability from the administration. Leaders of the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) condemned the attack, blaming administrative negligence and calling for immediate arrests. The incident occurred shortly after a documentary screening organized by the Ministry of Culture and DUCSU, which continued despite the explosions.

Recently released emails from convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein suggest that former and current U.S. President Donald Trump may have been aware of Epstein’s victims. The emails, disclosed by Democratic members of the House Oversight Committee, include a 2011 message in which Epstein told Ghislaine Maxwell that Trump spent hours with one of the victims at his home. Another 2019 email to journalist Michael Wolff claimed Trump knew about the girls and had asked Maxwell to stop. The White House and Trump have dismissed the revelations as politically motivated, accusing Democrats of selectively releasing documents to tarnish his image. The emails are part of 23,000 documents from Epstein’s estate, followed by an additional 20,000 pages released by Republicans. The disclosures have reignited debate over Trump’s past ties with Epstein, an issue that has resurfaced multiple times since Epstein’s death.

Police in Nabiganj upazila of Habiganj district have arrested two influential local leaders from the Awami League and Jubo League on allegations of planning sabotage activities along the Dhaka–Sylhet highway. The detainees, Ali Akbar, president of the 3rd ward Awami League, and Ataur Rahman, president of the 3rd ward Jubo League, were apprehended during a special operation led by Officer-in-Charge Sheikh Kamruzzaman on Wednesday night near Goplar Bazar. According to police, the arrests followed intelligence reports suggesting a group was preparing to create unrest in the area. Other suspected members of the group reportedly fled the scene. Authorities confirmed that legal action will be taken against the detainees and that operations to prevent further subversive activities will continue.