The Awami League, once Bangladesh’s dominant political party, is facing renewed internal crisis following its collapse on August 5, 2024, after a mass uprising ended its 15-year rule. Despite being banned from political activities, exiled top leaders, including former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, are reportedly urging supporters to engage in violent protests such as the recent 'Dhaka lockdown' and arson attacks. Analysts and senior party members warn that these actions are deepening the party’s isolation and alienating remaining grassroots activists. Many leaders express frustration over the lack of direction, arguing that only a return to peaceful, reformed politics and public apology for past mistakes can restore credibility. Political experts caution that continued reliance on threats and violence could permanently destroy the party’s chances of revival. Meanwhile, Hasina’s public statements from abroad and calls for confrontation have further divided the party and drawn public disapproval, leaving its future uncertain amid growing despair among loyalists.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) has accused Israel of deliberately obstructing humanitarian aid to Gaza, warning that millions of Palestinians face worsening conditions as winter approaches. Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini told the UN General Assembly that Israel’s restrictions and funding shortfalls threaten essential services, including health care and education. The agency, employing 12,000 people in Gaza, is struggling to maintain operations after the United States suspended funding following Israeli allegations—without evidence—that some UNRWA staff were involved in the October 2023 Hamas attack. Despite a ceasefire stipulating 600 aid trucks daily, only about 150 are entering Gaza, leaving displaced families without adequate shelter or food. The UN has warned of catastrophic hunger, particularly in northern Gaza, where famine was declared earlier this year. Meanwhile, Israel has reopened the Zikim crossing for limited aid deliveries, and exchanges of captives and bodies between Israel and Hamas continue under the truce. Gaza health officials report receiving 15 more Palestinian bodies, many of which remain unidentified due to severe decomposition.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Detective Branch (DB) has arrested five leaders and activists of the banned Awami League and its affiliated organizations on allegations of planning sabotage and preparing for flash processions in the capital. According to a DMP press release issued on Friday, November 14, the arrests were made during raids conducted in several areas of Dhaka over the past 24 hours by the Lalbagh division of the DB. The detainees include Shahidul Islam, president of the central committee of Trinamool Jatiya Sramik League; Ruhul Amin, former member of the Sramik League’s Telihati Union unit in Gazipur; Zahidul Islam, former member of the Mongla Upazila Chhatra League in Bagerhat; Sathi Akter, women affairs secretary of the Sramik League’s Sripur Upazila unit; and Kamal Hossain, vice president of Kalindi Union Ward No. 2 Awami League under Keraniganj Police Station. Police said legal action is being taken against them.

The World Trade Organization (WTO) has confirmed that Bangladesh will continue to receive technical support even after graduating from the Least Developed Country (LDC) category in 2026. WTO Deputy Director-General Xiangchen Zhang stated that Bangladesh remains a major beneficiary of the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF), which helps LDCs integrate into global trade. The country will be eligible for EIF benefits for five years after graduation. Bangladesh has also benefited significantly from the WTO’s Aid for Trade initiative, receiving around USD 23 billion between 2006 and 2023. Zhang highlighted Bangladesh’s strong institutional framework, including the WTO Reference Centre at the Bangladesh Foreign Trade Institute. However, he noted that post-graduation, Bangladesh must adapt its engagement strategy within the WTO, shifting from the LDC group to forming strategic alliances with developing members. The continued support aims to strengthen Bangladesh’s trade capacity, diversify exports, and sustain competitiveness in the evolving global trade environment.

Bangabir Kader Siddiqui, president of the Krishak Sramik Janata League, declared that his party members would continue to chant 'Joy Bangla, Joy Bangabandhu' and challenged authorities to arrest him first if saying the slogan is deemed a crime. Speaking at a gathering in Kalihati, Tangail, after visiting his parents’ graves with his recently released brother Abdul Latif Siddiqui, he criticized the interim government for excluding his party from national discussions. Kader Siddiqui emphasized that his party would not participate in any election where the majority of voters are unable to cast their votes, calling for a truly participatory election ensuring every citizen’s right to vote. Latif Siddiqui echoed his brother’s sentiments, expressing relief at being expelled from the Awami League and criticizing the hypocrisy of some political elites. The event drew a large turnout of supporters who accompanied the Siddiqui brothers in a motorcade to the village rally.

Police have shown Salma Islam, a 42-year-old homemaker from Azimpur, arrested in connection with an attempted murder case filed over a student shooting incident during the July 2024 protests in Dhanmondi. The arrest comes a day after she was assaulted near Dhanmondi 32 during the banned Awami League ‘Dhaka Lockdown’ program, an incident that went viral on social media. According to police, bystanders handed her over to officers at the scene. Investigating officer SI Anwar Hossain said preliminary evidence and witness statements suggested her involvement in the 19 July shooting of a European University student. The case, filed on 1 December last year, named 37 accused including senior Awami League leader Obaidul Quader. Salma’s lawyer, however, claimed she was a victim being unjustly implicated, calling the arrest unlawful. On Friday, a Dhaka court denied her bail and ordered her to be sent to jail pending further investigation.

Petrobangla plans to expand Bangladesh’s gas exploration by deploying six contract-based rigs in addition to five operated by state-owned Bapex. The initiative aims to accelerate well drilling and increase domestic gas reserves amid declining local production. By 2028, Petrobangla targets drilling and overhauling 100 wells, with 11 rigs operating simultaneously across the country. The new rigs will be brought under turnkey contracts, where companies provide all equipment and services. Several wells, including in Titas, Sylhet, and Bhola, will be drilled by third-party contractors such as China’s CNPC and Sinopec. Petrobangla expects the new wells to add about 143 million cubic feet of gas per day to the national grid. Currently, Bangladesh’s daily demand stands at 3.8 billion cubic feet, while supply is just over 2.7 billion. To meet the shortfall, LNG imports have increased, though experts warn this is costly and risky for the economy. The government hopes the expanded drilling program will reduce dependence on imported gas.

Bangladesh’s interim government, led by Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus, issued the July Charter Implementation Order on Thursday, sparking renewed political discord among major parties including the BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, and the National Citizens’ Party (NCP). The order, aimed at enacting constitutional reforms, has been met with mixed reactions. The BNP opposed the order’s issuance by the interim government, arguing it lacked constitutional authority, while Jamaat supported it. Disagreements persist over the timing of the referendum, the structure of a proposed upper house, and the procedure for constitutional amendments. The BNP’s demands for proportional seat allocation and specific appointment powers for key institutions like the Anti-Corruption Commission were largely ignored. Meanwhile, the NCP’s call for legal grounding of the charter was partially accepted, though its proposal for automatic constitutional inclusion of reforms was rejected. The order was ultimately issued under President Md. Shahabuddin’s authority, despite NCP objections. Dr. Yunus presented the final version as a compromise to move the reform process forward.

In Bangladesh’s Comilla-9 (Laksam–Monoharganj) constituency, BNP-nominated parliamentary candidate Abul Kalam has received public support and cooperation assurance from his former rival, nomination aspirant Samira Azim Dola. The reconciliation took place on Friday evening at the BNP’s Gulshan office in Dhaka, in the presence of BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed. Earlier, Dola’s motorcade was attacked during a campaign event on November 9, injuring at least 15 people and exposing internal rifts within the party. Following the incident, BNP formed a five-member investigation committee. Dola stated that acting BNP chairman Tarique Rahman had called her, urging unity among party members. Both Kalam and Dola affirmed their commitment to work together to ensure victory for the BNP’s electoral symbol, the paddy sheaf, in the upcoming national election.

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Janata Dal (United) (JD-U), is set to return to power in Bihar with a commanding majority. According to the latest official trends, the NDA is leading in 202 out of 243 assembly seats, while the opposition Mahagathbandhan is ahead in only 35. The BJP leads in 90 seats, JD-U in 84, and allies LJP (Ram Vilas), HAM, and RLM in several others. Tejashwi Yadav’s Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) trails far behind, managing leads in just 26 constituencies. Political strategist Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party failed to make an impact, polling fewer votes than NOTA. Meanwhile, Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM surprised observers by leading in six seats in the Seemanchal region. Prime Minister Narendra Modi credited women and youth voters for the victory and suggested that Bihar’s political momentum could influence West Bengal next. Analysts attribute the NDA’s landslide to strong female voter turnout, effective caste alliances, and the enduring popularity of Nitish Kumar and Modi.

A Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami activist, Nur Alam (60), died in a tragic road accident during a motorcycle showdown organized as part of the party’s election campaign in Rangpur’s Gangachara area. The event was held in support of Jamaat’s candidate Raihan Siraji for the Rangpur-1 constituency ahead of the upcoming 13th national election. The accident occurred when Nur Alam lost control of his motorcycle and collided with an electric pole, sustaining severe injuries to his head and chest. He was taken to Rangpur Medical College Hospital, where doctors declared him dead. Several others were reportedly injured in the incident. Police have confirmed the occurrence of the accident and the death.

BNP Chairperson’s adviser and former opposition chief whip Zainul Abdin Farroque has claimed that Sheikh Mujibur Rahman did not want Bangladesh’s independence but instead aimed to become Pakistan’s prime minister. Speaking at a rally organized by the Jatiyatabadi Mohila Dal in Senbagh, Noakhali, Farroque said that when student leaders urged Mujib to declare independence, he refused, fearing a treason case. He asserted that it was Ziaur Rahman who first declared Bangladesh’s independence. Farroque also criticized current political maneuvering over election participation and urged BNP activists to remain united under Tarique Rahman’s leadership. He pledged that if BNP wins, Tarique Rahman would become prime minister and create employment for one crore people. Farroque further emphasized party loyalty, urging supporters to vote for the BNP’s ‘sheaf of paddy’ symbol regardless of personal preferences.

Israeli settlers allegedly set fire to the Hajjah Hamida Mosque in Deir Istiya village near Salfit in the occupied West Bank early Thursday, burning several copies of the Quran and damaging parts of the building. Graffiti with anti-Palestinian and racist slogans was found on the mosque walls. The attack comes amid escalating settler violence against Palestinians across the West Bank. The Palestinian Ministry of Religious Affairs condemned the incident as a heinous crime, while the UN, Jordan, and Switzerland expressed deep concern and denounced the act. UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric reiterated that attacks on places of worship are unacceptable and urged Israel, as the occupying power, to protect civilians and hold perpetrators accountable. The incident adds to growing international criticism of Israel’s settlement policies and violence in occupied Palestinian territories.

Jamaat-e-Islami’s central Nayeb-e-Ameer and former MP Dr. Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher has claimed that a deep conspiracy is underway concerning Bangladesh’s upcoming national election and the country’s sovereignty. Speaking at a public rally in Chauddagram, Comilla, he criticized the government for allegedly yielding to Indian influence and demanded transparency regarding the national security adviser’s recent visit to India. Dr. Taher warned that accepting India’s unjust demands would have dire consequences for the government. He also accused the interim government of falling into the ruling party’s trap by avoiding electoral reforms and manipulating the proposed referendum process. According to him, if a fair vote on reforms were held before the national election, the majority would support Jamaat’s stance. Other Jamaat leaders and local representatives also addressed the gathering, emphasizing the need for political reform and public accountability.

The National Citizen Party (NCP) has announced that it will sign the July Charter only after the interim government provides clear explanations regarding the implementation order, referendum structure, and reform process. At a press conference in Dhaka, NCP’s chief coordinator Nasiruddin Patwary said ambiguity remains over the government’s proposed four-question referendum package and the roadmap for holding the referendum and national election on the same day. He accused the government of deepening the ongoing political crisis instead of resolving it. Patwary stressed that the reform process and referendum must not serve any political party’s interests. NCP leaders also questioned the moral legitimacy of the new charter, saying that despite its legal basis, its implementation remains uncertain due to lack of clarity and political consensus.