Several Baul artists were attacked in Thakurgaon on Wednesday while gathering to join a protest demanding the release of fellow Baul singer Abul Sarkar, who had been arrested on charges of hurting religious sentiments. The incident occurred around 2:30 p.m. in front of a tea stall near the Thakurgaon court premises. Witnesses said a group identifying themselves as 'Tawhidi Janata' launched a sudden assault on the Bauls, causing them to disperse. Police quickly intervened to bring the situation under control and ensure the safety of the artists. Thakurgaon Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge Sarwar Alam Khan confirmed the incident, stating that law enforcement had been deployed in advance to prevent unrest but the attack happened separately near the court area. Authorities are working to identify and detain those responsible for the assault.

The 12th edition of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) is scheduled to begin on December 19, with the player auction taking place on Sunday, November 30. Six franchises, including the newly added Noakhali Express, will participate in the T20 tournament. Each team can sign up to two local and two foreign players directly before the auction, with at least one from each category being mandatory. Teams must buy at least two foreign players from the auction, with a total foreign player budget of USD 350,000. A total of 250 foreign players have been listed across five categories, with base prices ranging from USD 15,000 to USD 35,000. Local players are divided into six categories, with base prices from BDT 11,000 to BDT 5 million. Franchises will have a budget of BDT 45 million for local players, excluding directly contracted ones. The auction rules ensure balanced team composition across categories.

Bangladesh is awaiting India’s response to its latest formal request for the extradition of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who was recently sentenced to death by the International Crimes Tribunal-1 for crimes against humanity during the July–August uprising last year. Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain said on Wednesday that Dhaka does not expect a reply from New Delhi within a week but remains hopeful of receiving one. The request was sent through a note verbale via Bangladesh’s High Commission in New Delhi under the existing extradition treaty between the two countries. The tribunal also sentenced former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal to death and ex-police chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun to five years in prison for aiding the prosecution. Hossain noted that Bangladesh had previously sought Hasina’s return from India without success but emphasized that the current situation differs as the judicial process has concluded and the convictions are final.

Authorities in Rajshahi’s Bagha upazila uncovered a factory producing counterfeit molasses without using any sugarcane or date juice. The operation, conducted by the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) on Wednesday morning, led to the seizure of a large quantity of adulterated molasses and sugar. The factory owners, Lucky and Santu, were fined a total of 100,000 taka by the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection. Investigators found that the molasses was made using sugar, flour, fabric dye, hydrogen, gas powder, and lime instead of natural juice. The fake products were distributed across Rajshahi, Natore, and Pabna markets. RAB officials confirmed that about one ton of adulterated molasses was destroyed. Health experts warned that consuming such chemically produced molasses could cause severe health issues, including cancer, particularly among children. The authorities said further raids and penalties would follow in other suspected factories.

Bangladesh’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has filed a Tk 107 crore money laundering case against Khandaker Enayet Ullah, owner of Ena Transport and former general secretary of the Dhaka Road Transport Owners Association. According to CID, Enayet Ullah and his associates amassed vast wealth through systematic extortion from transport owners across the country. The Financial Crime Unit lodged the case at Ramna Police Station after uncovering evidence of organized extortion and illegal financial transactions. Investigators found that Enayet Ullah controlled transport terminals nationwide, using intimidation and armed groups to collect daily and monthly payments. Authorities have frozen 53 bank accounts with Tk 110 crore in deposits and seized properties worth Tk 10 crore. CID’s analysis revealed over Tk 2,131 crore in deposits across 199 accounts linked to Enayet Ullah and his businesses, with Tk 107 crore allegedly laundered through structured transactions. The case also names five associates as co-accused under the Money Laundering Prevention Act.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has strongly condemned the recent attack on Baul artists, describing it as a ‘heinous act’ perpetrated by religious extremists. Speaking to journalists after inaugurating the Thakurgaon district BNP office, he demanded a fair investigation into the incident and measures to prevent such violence against Bangladesh’s traditional folk culture. Fakhrul also expressed deep concern over the devastating fire in Dhaka’s Korail slum, which destroyed hundreds of homes and left thousands homeless. He urged the government to provide compensation to the affected families and ensure accountability for any negligence that contributed to the disaster. Citing poor enforcement of fire safety laws and institutional negligence, he emphasized the need for stronger legal implementation and preventive measures. The BNP leader further called for a transparent inquiry to identify those responsible for both the attack and the fire.

A group of sub-inspector (SI) and sergeant candidates, who were selected in 2006 but deprived of recruitment in 2007, have appealed to Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser for final approval to join the police service. At a press conference held at the National Press Club in Dhaka, the candidates alleged that their appointments were arbitrarily canceled by then police officials without formal notice. They claimed to have suffered injustice for 18 years under previous governments. A high-level committee comprising officials from the Home, Finance, Public Administration, Law Ministries, and the Police Headquarters has already recommended reinstating their recruitment, including seniority and age relaxation. Despite these recommendations, no final decision has been made in over six months. The candidates urged the Chief Adviser to approve their appointments promptly, citing humanitarian grounds and their prolonged suffering. Many of them are reportedly struggling financially, working in low-income jobs, and unable to support their families or afford medical treatment for their parents.

Three young men from Shibchar, Madaripur, who traveled illegally to Libya hoping to reach Italy, have reportedly been brutally tortured by human traffickers demanding Tk 6 million in ransom. A disturbing video circulating on social media shows the victims tied up and beaten, allegedly in a desert or border area of Libya. The traffickers have been threatening the families with further violence if the ransom is not paid. Human rights activists have condemned the incident as a severe violation of human rights and a growing humanitarian crisis linked to illegal migration. They emphasize that awareness campaigns alone are insufficient to curb such trafficking and call for strict legal action against traffickers. Authorities in Shibchar have detained two suspects based on complaints from the victims’ families, and legal proceedings are underway. The case highlights the urgent need for safer, legal migration channels and stronger enforcement against human trafficking networks.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has reinstated 74 leaders whose previous expulsion orders were withdrawn following a review of their appeals. The leaders had been expelled earlier for alleged involvement in activities deemed contrary to party discipline. The decision was announced in a statement signed by BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Wednesday, November 26. According to the statement, the party leadership decided to lift the expulsion orders after considering individual appeals and reviewing the circumstances of each case. The reinstated leaders include former officials from various BNP units across the country, including Gazipur, Sylhet, Khulna, Brahmanbaria, Bogura, Manikganj, and other districts, as well as members of affiliated organizations such as the Jubo Dal, Chhatra Dal, and Mohila Dal. The move is seen as part of BNP’s broader effort to strengthen internal unity ahead of future political activities and to bring back experienced organizers into the party’s fold.

Thirteen police superintendents (SPs) from various districts in Bangladesh have not been assigned to any district following a nationwide reshuffle ahead of the 13th National Parliamentary Election. Instead, they have been transferred to specialized police units such as the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), Special Branch (SB), Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI), and Criminal Investigation Department (CID). The reshuffle, conducted through a lottery at the Chief Adviser’s residence, aimed to ensure neutrality in law enforcement during the upcoming election. Senior officials from the Home Ministry and the Police Headquarters were present during the process. The Ministry of Home Affairs issued the official order, signed by Deputy Secretary Md. Mahbubur Rahman. Additionally, separate orders reassigned Rajshahi Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mohammad Abu Sufian to the Police Headquarters as DIG, while DMP Traffic Commissioner Zillur Rahman was appointed as the new Rajshahi Metropolitan Police Commissioner. The reshuffle is part of broader measures to maintain transparency and fairness in election-related policing.

BNP leader and senior Supreme Court lawyer Advocate Fazlur Rahman is facing contempt of court allegations after publicly rejecting the authority of Bangladesh’s reconstituted International Crimes Tribunal and questioning its ability to try Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. During a televised talk show on November 23, Rahman declared that he did not recognize the tribunal or its judgments, calling it biased and alleging internal arrangements between the prosecution and judges. The prosecution submitted the show’s footage to the tribunal as evidence, arguing that his statements insulted the judiciary and undermined public confidence in the legal process. A single bench of Tribunal-1, led by retired judge Md Mohitul Haque Enam Chowdhury, heard the matter and scheduled further proceedings for November 30. Prosecutors stated that if found guilty, Rahman could face up to one year of imprisonment, a fine of up to 5,000 taka, or both under the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act. The tribunal emphasized that such remarks constitute serious contempt and will be reviewed based on the video evidence.

Fayaz Ifti, the temporarily suspended publicity secretary of the National Citizen Party (NCP) Diaspora Alliance in South Korea, has declared that he will not respond to the party’s show-cause notice and instead wants to be permanently expelled. In a Facebook post on November 26, Ifti stated that he no longer wishes to maintain any affiliation with the NCP. He alleged that party members have been harassing him online since his suspension, accusing him of links with Jamaat-Shibir, which he strongly denied. Ifti clarified that his social media posts praising certain activities of Jamaat-Shibir do not make him a supporter of those groups. He emphasized his intention to remain politically neutral and post freely about any political figure whose work he appreciates. Ifti also criticized the NCP for labeling dissenters as extremists and urged the party to stop such practices, asserting his right to express independent opinions.

A group of candidates for the 47th Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) written examination has declared a boycott of the test, citing inadequate preparation time, alleged discrimination between new and previous candidates, and suppression of their protests. At a press conference held at Dhaka University’s Madhur Canteen, spokesperson Saif Murad said that despite a month-long movement demanding rescheduling of the exam, their appeals were ignored. The protesters claimed that many candidates are unable to take the exam under the current schedule and accused authorities of ignoring injuries suffered by demonstrators during clashes. They emphasized that their demands were non-political and focused solely on ensuring fair competition. Meanwhile, the Public Service Commission (PSC) confirmed that the written exam will proceed as planned on November 27 across eight centers nationwide, including Dhaka, Rajshahi, Chattogram, Khulna, Barishal, Sylhet, Rangpur, and Mymensingh, with some subject-specific exams held only in Dhaka.

The prosecution in Bangladesh has sought life imprisonment for former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, daughter Saima Wazed Putul, and 44 others in three corruption cases related to the Purbachal New Town Project. The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) accused them of abusing power to illegally obtain government plots in Dhaka’s Purbachal area. The verdict is scheduled for Thursday, November 27, to be delivered by Judge Mohammad Abdullah Al Mamun of Dhaka’s Special Judge Court-5. Prosecutors claim they have proven the charges through witness testimony and evidence. Hasina, Joy, and Putul have been absconding since the start of the trials, while one co-accused, former RAJUK member Khurshid Alam, remains in custody. The cases were filed in January, and charge sheets were submitted in March following investigations by ACC officials. The accused include several former government officials and a former state minister for housing and public works.

Teachers under the banner of the Combined Non-MPO Unity Council staged a protest in Dhaka on Wednesday, demanding that all non-MPO educational institutions be brought under the MPO scheme and that the proposed MPO policy, already sent from the Ministry of Education to the Ministry of Finance, be approved within 24 hours. As the protesters attempted to march toward Jamuna, police stopped them near the Kadam Fountain area, setting up barricades to prevent their movement. In response, several teachers sat and lay down on the road, chanting slogans to press their demands. The demonstrators stated that their demands are legitimate and vowed not to return home until the government fulfills them. They have been holding a continuous sit-in in front of the National Press Club for 25 days as part of their third phase of protests.