The Bangladesh government has issued a formal reprimand against Barishal Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner and former Narsingdi Superintendent of Police (SP) Md Abdul Hannan after allegations of irregularities, abuse of power, and tarnishing the police’s image were proven true. According to a Ministry of Home Affairs circular signed by Senior Secretary Nasimul Gani, the disciplinary action followed an internal investigation that found Hannan had allegedly paid Tk 5 million in bribes in 2023 to secure his posting as Narsingdi SP. The posting was not realized due to political changes in August 2024. Later, in November 2023, after assuming office, Hannan and a subordinate officer reportedly collected Tk 500,000 from the same individual in Dhaka without authorization. Despite the serious nature of the offenses, which include bribery—a criminal act—the government imposed only a reprimand as punishment, raising questions about accountability within the police force.

The Deputy Head of Mission of the Embassy of Palestine in Dhaka, Mr. Ziad M. H. Hamad, paid a courtesy visit to Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Niaz Ahmad Khan on Monday. During the meeting, they discussed opportunities for Palestinian students to study at Dhaka University, including admission procedures, scholarships, and tuition fee waivers. The diplomat requested the university’s cooperation in providing scholarships and fee exemptions for Palestinian students. In response, Vice-Chancellor Dr. Khan assured full support and possible assistance from the university to facilitate educational opportunities for Palestinian nationals. The meeting was attended by Dhaka University Treasurer Professor Dr. M. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, Provost of Shamsunnahar Hall Professor Dr. Nasrin Sultana, and Director of the International Affairs Office Professor Dr. Syeda Rozana Rashid. The information was confirmed by the university’s Public Relations Officer Mohammad Rafiqul Islam.

The Government of Bangladesh has promulgated the 'Deposit Protection Ordinance, 2025' to strengthen depositor confidence and ensure financial stability in the banking sector. Under the new ordinance, depositors will be entitled to receive up to Tk 200,000 immediately if a bank or financial institution is liquidated or closed. The ordinance, issued by the President under Article 93(1) of the Constitution due to the dissolution of Parliament, replaces the Bank Deposit Insurance Act of 2000. A new Deposit Protection Department will be established under Bangladesh Bank to oversee premium collection, fund management, member inspections, and payout operations. Two separate protection funds will be created for banks and financial institutions, financed through premiums, penalties, and investment income. All existing banks will automatically become members, while financial institutions will join by July 1, 2028. Certain government and foreign deposits will remain excluded. Bangladesh Bank will also be empowered to cooperate with foreign regulators and adopt international standards to enhance depositor protection.

A fire erupted at Dhaka University’s Bijoy Ekattor Hall on Monday evening, November 24, around 6:13 p.m. According to the Fire Service control room, four units were dispatched immediately to the scene near the Jamuna building extension. Witnesses reported hearing a loud explosion before seeing flames and smoke rising from the extension area. Preliminary reports suggest that the fire may have been caused by a gas cylinder explosion. Firefighters were working to bring the blaze under control, and no casualties had been reported at the time of the initial update. The incident caused panic among students residing in the hall, though authorities responded quickly to prevent the fire from spreading further. Further investigations are underway to determine the exact cause and extent of the damage.

The Jagannath University Central Students’ Union (JnUSU) has released the preliminary list of candidates for its upcoming election following the verification of nomination papers. The announcement was made on Sunday through a notice signed by Chief Election Commissioner Professor Dr. Mostafa Hasan. According to the notice, any aggrieved candidate may appeal to the president of the central students’ union within one day of the list’s publication. The election commission has clearly specified the appeal deadline. Under the current structure, JnUSU has 21 posts, including president, general secretary, assistant general secretary, 11 secretarial positions, and 7 executive member posts. The preliminary list shows 12 candidates for vice president, 11 for general secretary, and 13 for assistant general secretary. Additionally, multiple candidates have submitted nominations for various secretarial and executive positions, with 28 candidates vying for executive member posts.

The Bangladesh Secretariat Officers and Employees Coordinated Council has warned of large-scale protests if the National Pay Commission fails to submit its recommendations for a new pay scale by November 30. Council President Badiul Kabir stated that employees are united and ready to launch greater movements if their demands are not met. The Pay Commission, chaired by Zakir Ahmed Khan, held a meeting on Monday with secretaries from various ministries to review pay structures for government, semi-government, autonomous, and state-owned institutions. The commission aims to finalize recommendations for salary, allowances, and benefits based on these reviews. Although the commission is expected to submit its final report by late December, Kabir insisted that at least a summary should be submitted within the set deadline. If the recommendations are delayed, a mass rally on December 5 will announce further protest programs.

A construction worker named Parvez, aged 30, was allegedly beaten to death in Sonachora area of Bandar upazila, Narayanganj, after being accused of stealing electrical wires. The incident occurred on Monday morning at the residence of a man named Mesbah Uddin. According to police, Parvez’s body was recovered and sent to Narayanganj General Hospital for autopsy. His wife, Khadija Begum, claimed her husband was innocent and worked as a construction laborer, not a thief. She alleged that he was falsely accused and brutally assaulted to death. Bandar Police Station’s Officer-in-Charge, Liakat Ali, confirmed that legal proceedings are underway and efforts are being made to arrest those involved. The incident has sparked outrage in the local community, with demands for justice and accountability against mob violence.

India faces the prospect of a humiliating home series defeat after South Africa’s commanding performance in the second Test in Guwahati. Following a crushing loss in the first Test at Eden Gardens, India again struggled against the Proteas’ pace and spin attack. South Africa posted a formidable 489 in their first innings, led by Senuran Muthusamy’s 109 and Marco Jansen’s 93. In reply, India collapsed for 201, with Yashasvi Jaiswal scoring 58 and Washington Sundar adding 48. Jansen starred with the ball, taking 6 wickets for 48, while Simon Harmer claimed 3 for 64. South Africa opted to bat again instead of enforcing the follow-on, reaching 26 without loss at stumps on Day 3, extending their lead to 314 runs. With India trailing heavily, captain Rishabh Pant’s side now faces an uphill battle to avoid a series whitewash at home.

Bangladeshi film director Ananya Mamun has called for a fair trial for Baul singer Abul Sarkar, who is currently in jail over allegations of making derogatory remarks about Islam and Allah during a musical performance in Manikganj. In a Facebook post, Mamun stated that no artist should be exempted from legal consequences for hurting religious sentiments and emphasized that Sarkar’s comments were highly offensive. The controversy began after a video of Sarkar’s performance went viral, sparking widespread outrage on social media and prompting protests by Islamic groups demanding his arrest. Police detained Sarkar in Madaripur and later presented him before a Manikganj court, which ordered his imprisonment. The case, filed by a local imam, accuses Sarkar of distorting Quranic verses and misleading followers under the guise of being a spiritual leader. Authorities have confirmed that the investigation is ongoing.

A Dhaka court has ordered the seizure of assets worth approximately Tk 44.78 crore belonging to Nazrul Islam Majumder, chairman of NASA Group, amid ongoing allegations of amassing wealth beyond known income sources. The order, issued by Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Sabbir Foyez, includes a 39.75-katha plot in Gulshan and 487 decimals of land in Narayanganj’s Sonargaon and Dhaka’s Ashulia. The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the petition, alleging that Majumder abused his power to acquire assets worth over Tk 781 crore through bribery and corruption. Authorities argued that Majumder was attempting to sell properties under the pretext of paying workers and settling company dues, which could harm state interests before case resolution. Earlier, on November 18, assets worth Tk 180 crore and several bank accounts were frozen. The latest order aims to prevent further transfer or sale of the disputed properties until the corruption case is resolved.

Following a series of mild tremors in Bangladesh after a 5.7-magnitude quake, global attention has turned to countries with minimal earthquake risk. According to seismic data, nations far from major tectonic fault lines experience very few or no natural earthquakes. Among them, Chad and Niger in Central Africa face extremely low seismic risk, though they remain vulnerable to floods, droughts, and wildfires. Similarly, Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso in West Africa rarely experience quakes but contend with climate-related hazards. In Europe, Finland, Denmark, Latvia, and Ireland are among the safest countries, with fault lines located over 1,000 kilometers away. Finland occasionally experiences minor, human-induced tremors due to mining activities. The Bahamas, though distant from the Caribbean fault line, faces coastal flooding and hurricanes. In South America, Uruguay’s distance from major fault zones makes earthquakes rare, though flooding remains a concern. These nations exemplify regions where seismic stability contrasts with other environmental risks.

The UNESCO World Heritage-listed Sixty Dome Mosque in Bagerhat, Bangladesh, is deteriorating rapidly due to rising salinity and the impacts of climate change. Cracks, peeling lime plaster, and salt deposits are visible on the mosque’s walls, domes, and especially the mihrab. Studies by Khulna University, the National Geographic Society, and ICOMOS reveal that temperature rise, industrial pollution, monsoon humidity, and groundwater salinity are accelerating the damage. The Department of Archaeology has formed a five-member expert committee led by former Director General Dr. Md. Shafiqul Alam to assess the structure, which found the mihrab at risk of collapse. Corrosion in iron clamps has weakened the building’s load-bearing capacity. Regional Director Lovely Yasmin stated that with UNESCO’s assistance, a detailed decay map will be created, and international experts will join urgent conservation efforts. Experts warn that without immediate action, the mosque could be declared an ‘endangered world heritage site,’ posing a significant cultural loss for Bangladesh.

A Dhaka Special Metropolitan Magistrate Court has issued an arrest warrant against Md. Shahabuddin Alam, chairman of SA Group of Industries, for selling substandard milk powder under the brand 'Goalini Daily Full Cream Milk Powder'. The warrant was issued after Alam failed to appear in court on the scheduled date of November 24. Laboratory tests revealed severe adulteration, showing only 9.5% protein instead of the required 34%, and 7.58% milk fat instead of the standard 42%. The case was filed by Kamrul Hasan, a sanitary inspector of Dhaka South City Corporation, who collected a one-kilogram sample of the product for testing. The Public Health Food Testing Laboratory certified the product as substandard in a report dated October 21, 2025. The court accepted the case on November 3, naming Alam as the prime accused. SA Group has been packaging and marketing the product in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has stated that media reform will be a top priority if the party comes to power. Speaking at a discussion on the recommendations of the Media Reform Commission, he emphasized that true reform must come from within and be embraced sincerely. Fakhrul criticized divisions among journalists, alleging that some have aligned themselves with political interests, which in the past contributed to protecting authoritarian tendencies. He reiterated BNP’s commitment to establishing an independent and responsible media environment, referring to the party’s 31-point program that includes the formation of a media reform commission. The BNP leader underscored that ensuring press freedom and professional integrity would be central to the party’s governance agenda.

A Russian drone attack on the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv killed four people and injured 17 others, local officials confirmed on Sunday. Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov described the situation as dire, noting that despite ongoing peace discussions in Geneva involving U.S., Ukrainian, and European representatives, Russian forces continue to target civilian infrastructure and residential areas. Regional Governor Oleh Syniehubov reported that among the injured were two children aged 11 and 12, and fires broke out in three residential buildings and one infrastructure site. Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said significant progress was made in the Geneva talks. U.S. President Donald Trump has given Ukraine until November 27 to approve his proposed 28-point peace plan, which reportedly requires Ukraine to cede territory, reduce its military, and pledge not to join NATO. Ukraine, however, has requested revisions to the draft proposal.