Jamaat-e-Islami chief Shafiqur Rahman has called for a break from “old, stagnant” politics, saying Bangladesh must now move forward under a new formula. Shafiqur said, “The new Bangladesh will no longer run on the old formula, In shaa Allah. The new Bangladesh will follow a new formula. The Jamaat chief said “a profound cost in lives” shaped the political shift in 2024. Responding to accusations that Jamaat would restrict women if elected, he said the party would answer “all propaganda” through its actions, not words.

A protest demanding justice for attacks on Baul singers and the release of detained artiste Abul Sarkar had been disrupted in Shahbagh after a confrontation with a group identifying themselves as members of “July Mancha”. The scuffle broke out around 5pm on Friday outside the Shahbagh Public Library, where cultural group Sampriti Jatra was holding a programme titled “Ganer Artonad” (The Cry of Song). Organisers alleged the group arrived with a march, demanded the event be stopped, and chanted slogans against Baul Sarkar. At that moment, a group using the name ‘July Mancha’ arrived and objected to the programme. Organisers said the incident occurred in front of Shahbagh Police Station, but police remained “passive”.

Bangladesh have moved a step closer to the AFC U17 Asian Cup finals with a hard-earned 2–1 win over Bahrain, extending their perfect run to four victories from four matches in the qualifiers. Playing on Friday at the Tongliang Long Stadium in China, Golam Rabbani Choton’s side delivered a dominant second-half performance to remain top of Group A with 12 points. The breakthrough came in the 59th minute when Bayezid Bostami pounced on a loose clearance after a long throw from Sabbir Islam caused chaos in the Bahrain box. Bostami kept his composure, drilling a low strike through traffic to put Bangladesh ahead. Bangladesh have been in imperious form throughout the campaign, having opened with a 5–0 win over Timor-Leste, followed by an 8–0 rout of Brunei, and a 5–0 victory against Sri Lanka to take control of the group.

Dhaka residents hailing from the Bhola District have blocked the capital’s Shahbagh intersection to demand the construction of a bridge linking Barishal and Bhola. Bhola residents have been holding various programmes in Dhaka and Bhola for quite some time to demand the construction of a Barishal-Bhola bridge. As a continuation of those protests, several hundred people with banners and festoons took up positions at Shahbagh and blocked the road on Friday afternoon. The meeting had concluded with an announcement that the construction of the Bhola-Barishal bridge would begin in December. But on Nov 14, Advisor Fouzul said that the design work on the bridge project had yet to start and was still stuck at the policy division level.

Senior BNP leader Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has urged journalists to break free from the clutches of political parties, warning that partisanship has blighted the country’s media landscape. Whether it is an opposition party or the ruling party, it doesn’t work. ‘ANARCHY ON SOCIAL MEDIA’Fakhrul said that in Bangladesh, as well as other countries around the world, social media has become a source of instability. “Since there is no accountability on social media, one can say whatever they want. “Similarly, our leader [BNP Chairperson] Khaleda Zia did her best to uphold the freedom of press.

The banks facing financial strain are Exim Bank, First Security Islami Bank, Global Islami Bank, Union Bank, and Social Islami Bank. To support operational costs, Bangladesh Bank provided Tk 3.5 billion in liquidity to these banks on Thursday. Mohammad Shahriar Siddiqui, assistant spokesperson of Bangladesh Bank, said on Thursday that as an emergency measure, proportional cuts in pay and benefits are being considered. Bangladesh Bank has issued a Letter of Intent (LOI) for the state-owned Shariah-based bank. Sammlito Islami Bank will have a total capital of Tk 350 billion, with the government contributing Tk 200 billion.

They are pressing for four demands, including elevating their pay scale from Grade 10 to Grade 9 and the formation of an independent Directorate of Secondary Education without delay. Teachers from districts across the country joined the demonstration on Thursday morning under the banner of the Government Secondary Teachers’ Association. A Directorate of Secondary Education should be formed immediately and the gazette published. Publishing the gazette restoring the advance salary benefits for assistant teachers with three or two increments, as they had before 2015. “We will enforce a complete shutdown in government secondary schools.”According to DSHE, there are 721 government secondary schools across the country.

A rally in Khulna protesting the nationwide attacks on shrines and Sufi sites -- and demanding the release of Baul Abul Sarkar -- has been attacked, leaving several activists of the left-leaning Democratic Students’ Alliance injured. Police and witnesses said several leftist organisations had earlier announced programmes demanding the release of Manikganj Baul Sarkar and protesting recent assaults and obstructions targeting Baul artistes and local cultural traditions. Before long, they declared they would resist those supporting Sarkar. Some among the counter-protesters warned they would resist anyone supporting the Baul artistes, shouting “Atheists will not be allowed in Khulna”. Earlier in the day, Baul artistes attempting to gather in Thakurgaon with the same demands also came under attack.

New Delhi has confirmed receiving Bangladesh’s letter requesting India to return Sheikh Hasina, who was sentenced to death for crimes against humanity in the July Uprising. India’s Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randeep Jaiswal said on Wednesday that the letter had been received and is under review. Without clarifying whether a response will be given, he added: “As part of ongoing judicial and internal legal processes, we remain committed to the best interests of the people of Bangladesh, including peace, democracy, inclusion, and stability in that country. And will continue to engage constructively in this regard with all stakeholders.”The interim government’s Foreign Advisor Touhid Hossain said the government is awaiting a reply. On Wednesday, he said: “We do not expect an immediate reply.”He noted that responses to previous letters have not been received.

A court has imposed travel ban on Lovello Ice-Cream Managing Director Md Ekramul Haque, his wife and Lovello Chairman Shamima Nargis Haque, and their daughters—Muhsinina Taufika Ekram and Muhsinina Sharika Ekram—over allegations linked to a loan scam. The daughters are directors of the company. Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Sabbir Faiz issued the order on Wednesday following a petition by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). Bench Assistant Riaz Hossain said ACC Assistant Director Hafizur Rahman had filed the petition seeking to bar the four from leaving the country. The petition accused the four of defaulting on a loan taken from Shimanto Bank.

Judge Rabiul Alam of Dhaka's Special Judge's Court set the date for the verdict on Tuesday after both sides concluded their arguments, ACC lawyer Tariqul Islam said. After hearing both sides, the court scheduled the verdict for Dec 1. The ACC filed six cases against Hasina, her sister Rehana and their children in January on charges of corruption in plot allocation. Of the six cases, the verdicts in three cases against Hasina, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy and daughter Saima Wazed Putul has already been set for Nov 27. Two more cases against Rehana's son Radwan Mujib Siddiq Bobby and daughter Azmina Siddique are in the final stages of recording testimony.

More than 20,000 expatriate Bangladeshis have registered in the first five days to vote by post in the upcoming 13th parliamentary election, according to Election Commission data. The registrations are being carried out through the newly launched "Postal Vote BD" app, which opened on Nov 19 for expatriates living in East Asia, South America and Africa. HOW POSTAL VOTING WILL WORK:Registered voters will receive postal ballots and return envelopes at their overseas addresses. Upon receiving their ballot, voters must scan a QR code using the Postal Vote BD app to verify their ballot paper. The initiative marks Bangladesh's first attempt to allow large-scale postal voting by expatriates, who number in the millions worldwide.

Chattogram Port has recorded growth in both container and cargo handling in the first 10 months of the year, with improvements also seen in ship berthing time. Cargo handling also grew, reaching 115.07 million metric tonnes, up 12.64 percent or 12.98 million tonnes from the previous year. The port handled 3,552 vessels during this period, 351 more than last year. In the last four months of the fiscal year (July–October), container handling totalled 1.2 million TEUs, cargo 45.28 million tonnes, and vessel calls 1,422, reflecting growth of 10.15 percent, 15.76 percent, and 11 percent respectively. Port Secretary Omar Faruk attributed the improvements to modern equipment, expanded yard capacity, IT use, and the dedicated efforts of port staff and users.

Bangladesh Bank (BB) has further expanded the scope of policy support available to classified loan borrowers. All loans classified as adverse (defaulted) on upcoming November 30 will now be eligible for rescheduling under a special facility. This means that borrowers with loans classified within the specified timeframe will be eligible for the new policy's rescheduling benefits. Relaxation for Unclassified and Restructuring Loans:Special Restructuring: Concessions have also been extended for unclassified term loans. Special Exit Facility ChangesNew flexibility has been introduced for the special exit facility as well:Extended Period: Alongside taking the down payment as per previous instructions (BRPD Circular No.-13/2024), the duration of the exit facility can be extended by an additional one (01) year.

DU CorrespondentDhaka University (DU) has ordered all students to leave their residential halls by 5pm on Sunday, a day after the institution declared a 15-day closure in response to mounting anxiety over recent earthquakes. Hall provosts have been tasked with ensuring that all students vacate their rooms by the deadline. Students have been instructed to take their valuables with them and hand over room keys to hall authorities. Vice-Chancellor Prof Niaz Ahmed Khan chaired the meeting, which was attended by senior university officials and provostsThe move follows Friday’s 5.7-magnitude earthquake, during which several Dhaka University students reportedly jumped from hall buildings out of fear. Three more tremors on Saturday intensified anxiety across the campus, prompting the university to suspend classes and exams before extending the break to 15 days.