Mahalaya, the auspicious start of Durga Puja, will be observed on September 21. This year, no official public holiday has been declared for Mahalaya, though many take optional leave on the day.

An analysis of the government holiday calendar shows that public servants will enjoy a four-day break during the main festival, as October 1 (Mahanabami) has been declared a special holiday, followed by the October 2 holiday for Vijaya Dashami.

Primary schools will remain closed from September 28 to October 7, with the preceding weekend extending the break to 11 days. Secondary schools and colleges will be closed from September 26 to October 7, totaling 12 days. Madrasas will begin their vacation on September 30, resuming classes on October 5, with Fatheha-e-Yazdaham included in the schedule. Technical institutions, however, will observe only a two-day Puja holiday on October 1–2, followed by the weekend.

Authorities in Natore have suspended all medical services at a private hospital following preliminary evidence of malpractice. Civil Surgeon Dr. Muktadir Arefin confirmed the order against Al-Hera Hospital & Diagnostic Center, owned by Dr. Shamim Uddin.

The case came to light when Manik Mia, a garment worker from Narayanpur, was admitted for abdominal pain on July 27. Dr. Shamim performed an appendectomy the same day, but the patient’s condition worsened over the following week. He was later transferred to Rajshahi Medical College, where doctors identified faulty treatment.

Manik Mia, now struggling with mounting medical expenses, alleged threats from Dr. Shamim’s side after raising complaints. In response, leaders of the Natore Clinic Owners’ Association have extended Tk 10,000 in assistance to the patient’s family.

Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus has emphasized that Bangladesh and China will move forward hand in hand, strengthening their strategic cooperative partnership. In a video message marking China’s 76th founding anniversary and the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh-China diplomatic ties, Yunus extended warm congratulations and expressed gratitude for China’s long-standing trust and support for Bangladesh.

He praised China’s achievements under the Communist Party’s leadership in areas such as economic development, technological innovation, poverty alleviation, and public service.

Meanwhile, Chinese Ambassador Yao Wen recalled China’s sacrifices in safeguarding global peace eight decades ago and its transformation into a major power. Highlighting President Xi Jinping’s Global Governance Initiative, Yao said the initiative has garnered broad international support, including from Bangladesh, reinforcing multilateral cooperation. He affirmed that China is ready to support Bangladesh’s modernization journey and write a “new chapter” in building a China-Bangladesh community of shared future.

A joint force rescued 66 trafficking victims—including 23 women and 21 children—from a remote hill camp in Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar.
The operation, conducted from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Thursday in Kachhapia area, found both Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi citizens who were held captive for trafficking purposes.
Authorities confirmed that details will be shared in a press briefing later today.

RAB has arrested Mushfiq Uddin Togor (50), one of the prime accused in the 2002 murder of BUET student Sabekun Nahar Soni.
He was captured from Azimpur on Thursday with a revolver and 156 rounds of ammunition.
Soni, a 1999 batch student of chemical engineering, was killed on June 8, 2002, when she was caught in the crossfire during a clash between two factions of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal on the BUET campus.
RAB will brief the media with further details today.

A rice distribution program for poor families in Nabinagar, Brahmanbaria, descended into controversy after sacks marked with political slogans were discovered.
Each of the 60 ultra-poor families was supposed to receive 30 kg of rice under the government’s VGF program. However, sacks carried the inscription: “Sheikh Hasina’s Bangladesh—Hunger Will Be Eradicated.”
Annoyed by the irregularities, Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Rajib Chowdhury walked out without inaugurating the event, later directing the union chairman to investigate.

The Advisory Council has approved a draft ordinance amending the Election Officer (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, introducing tougher penalties for negligence and misconduct during election duties.
Key changes include:

Failure to perform election duty without valid reason: fine increased from Tk 5,000 to Tk 100,000.

Misconduct during duty: punishment raised from 6 months imprisonment or Tk 2,000 fine to 1–5 years imprisonment or Tk 20,000 fine (or both).
The amendment broadens “misconduct” to include defying Commission or Returning Officer orders, deliberate law violations, and negligence in duties.

A major renewable energy project is set to transform the Padma Bridge service areas (1, 2, and 3) into solar-powered hubs.
Bangladesh Bridge Authority has signed an agreement with Omera Renewable Energy Ltd. to implement a 6.03 MWp rooftop solar project.
The system will generate 9,000 MWh of clean power annually, cutting carbon emissions by 6,000 tons per year—the environmental equivalent of planting 250,000 trees or removing 1,200 fuel-driven cars from the roads.
Chief Engineer Ferdous Alam said, “This initiative reflects our commitment to sustainability and sets a benchmark for green energy integration in national infrastructure.”

In a significant policy update, the Cabinet Division has ruled that if a retired government official remarries while receiving a pension, the second spouse will also be eligible for pension benefits after the official’s death.
Additionally, the mandatory wait period for restoring pensions of those who surrendered 100% of their benefits has been reduced from 15 years to 10 years.
The decision also allows pensioners with critical illnesses to seek medical assistance from the Government Employees Welfare Board. Officials are also addressing anomalies in festival bonuses and increments for those whose pensions were later restored.

In Bauphal, Patuakhali, police arrested former Chhatra League leader Mainul Islam, sparking controversy after local Jamaat leader Gholam Abu Sayeed was accused of lobbying for his release.
Mainul, once vice president of Keshabpur Union Chhatra League, had actively campaigned in the 2024 Union Parishad elections for an Awami League candidate and was accused of leading violent clashes.
Abu Sayeed, however, claimed Mainul is no longer with Chhatra League and now serves as finance secretary of his union’s Jamaat youth wing, justifying his intervention.
Bauphal Police OC confirmed, “There is no question of releasing him. He is involved with banned politics and was plotting unrest.”

Rashed Khan, General Secretary of Gono Adhikar Parishad, has dismissed speculation about a possible merger with the Nationalist Citizen Party (NCP).
He clarified, “From the quota reform movement in 2018 to 2023, many NCP leaders have worked alongside us. Informal discussions happen on national issues like reforms, justice, and elections, but there has been no formal dialogue on unification.”
Rashed added that while both groups maintain a working understanding, it is “not the right time to comment on deeper political alignments.”

Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have signed a landmark defense agreement under which an attack on either nation will be considered an attack on both, prompting joint retaliation.
Political analyst Asif Nazrul welcomed the move, writing, “In reality, Muslim countries have no choice but to forge such alliances.”
Experts note that Gulf states have long relied on U.S. security guarantees, but waning trust has prompted them to diversify defense ties. A senior Saudi official said the pact, the result of years of negotiations, institutionalizes cooperation rather than responding to any specific crisis.
However, Riyadh also stressed the importance of maintaining balanced relations with India, with whom it currently enjoys its “strongest-ever ties.” Notably, Saudi officials hinted that Pakistan’s nuclear capability is also a factor in the agreement.

For the first time in Bangladesh’s history, civil and criminal courts have been fully separated in a major judicial reform. The government expects this move will accelerate case disposal and ease the decades-long backlog.
Previously, joint district judges, additional district judges, and district judges handled both civil and criminal cases, contributing to judicial delays. At present, around 1.6 million civil cases and 2.3 million criminal cases remain pending in lower courts across the country.
Despite the higher number of criminal cases, judges were tasked with managing both types. To address this, the government has established 203 new additional sessions courts and 367 joint sessions courts, where judges will now exclusively preside over criminal matters.

BNP Standing Committee member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy has dismissed claims that political chaos would erupt if the Awami League lost power, pointing to past remarks made by ruling party leaders.

“Obaidul Quader said in parliament that one lakh people would die if the Awami League stepped down. Tofail Ahmed even claimed that two lakh people would die if the party was no longer in power. But nothing of that sort happened after they lost power,” Roy said. “The BNP does not practice the politics of killing.”

He made the remarks while distributing relief and gifts among members of the Hindu community.

Roy also alleged widespread corruption in state institutions, particularly in Keraniganj. “In the last 16 years, whenever one crore taka came as aid through the UNO office, half of it would simply disappear. When government relief materials arrived, half was sold off and the rest was divided among themselves,” he said.

Contrasting this with BNP’s actions, Roy added: “During every Ramadan, we have distributed iftar items. During Eid, we have provided semai, milk, sugar, and other essentials to the best of our ability. We have never snatched food from people’s mouths or stolen their money.”

Jamaat-e-Islami leader Mia Golam Parwar has warned that Bangladesh risks sliding into another authoritarian regime if the upcoming parliamentary elections are not held under a Proportional Representation (PR) system.

Speaking at a protest in front of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque, Parwar demanded a referendum on PR-based elections. He accused the government of attempting to bypass the July Declaration without proper implementation and alleged that the ruling party was using political maneuvering to maintain control.

“The July Declaration mentioned the narrow ambitions of a few parties, which did not align with the aspirations of the people,” Parwar said. “Before the elections, the July Declaration must be given a constitutional basis. I call upon the head of government to conduct the election on the basis of that declaration. The people of Bangladesh will not allow another Hasina to emerge.”

Citing survey data, he added: “Seventy percent of the people support PR. Out of 31 political parties that engaged with the Election Commission, 25 are in favor of it. If the people accept PR, then the government must also accept it. If the people reject it, Jamaat-e-Islami will respect that verdict. But why is the government afraid of a referendum?”

Parwar argued that a PR-based system would ensure inclusive representation, eliminate the influence of muscle power and black money, and pave the way for a “quality parliament” and a government that truly reflects the will of the people—preventing any single-party majority from devolving into fascism.