Bangladesh has, for the first time, been elected as president of the UNESCO General Conference, marking a historic milestone 53 years into its membership. The statement says initially four countries -- Bangladesh, Japan, India, South Korea -- were in the race. Ambassador Talha currently serves as Bangladesh’s permanent representative to UNESCO and as ambassador to France, Monaco and Côte d’Ivoire. He is set to succeed Romania’s Ambassador Simona Mirela Mikulescu as president at the 43rd General Conference, to be held later this month in Uzbekistan’s Samarkhand. Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus, Education Advisor CR Abrar and Cultural Affairs Advisor Mostafa Sarwar Farooki thanked UNESCO’s Executive Board for selecting Bangladesh for this prestigious role.

According to case documents, Belal “concealed information” about assets valued at Tk 40.72 million. The documents added that Belal accumulated a total of Tk 49.75 million in movable and immovable assets. On Jul 26, 2022, he submitted a statement to the ACC, where he provided information about assets worth Tk 88.31 million. However, the ACC’s verification revealed his total assets were worth Tk 134.33 million. The investigation report also said Belal purchased land, plots, flats, and shares in Dhaka, Chattogram, Cox's Bazar, and Noakhali districts with “illicit” wealth.

For the first time under the interim government, two news-based television stations have been granted broadcasting licences. The stations, named Next TV and Live TV, are linked to prominent figures from the National Citizen Party (NCP) and the National Citizens’ Committee. The station’s office is located in Karatitala Lane of Old Dhaka’s Gendaria. Currently, 50 private TV stations exist in the country, 36 of which are fully operational, while 14 are awaiting broadcast approval. When asked about the status of Live TV, Aranya said: “Some paperwork is still pending.

UN Resident Coordinator Gwyn Lewis has said serving the people of Bangladesh has been "one of the greatest honours and privileges" of her career. The statement noted that Lewis described her tenure in Bangladesh as highly memorable and significant. Reflecting on her tenure, Lewis said: "Serving the people of Bangladesh over the past three and a half years has been one of the greatest honours and privileges of my career. His leadership inspires millions globally and is reshaping the global conversation on inclusive development." During her term, the UN and the Bangladesh government jointly worked to implement the Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (2022–2026), which is aligned with the country's 8th Five-Year Plan.

Ahead of the parliamentary polls, former election officials have recommended that the Election Commission swiftly take control of field administration and law enforcement to ensure equal opportunities for all political parties. The recommendation came during a meeting between the EC, led by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Nasir Uddin, and former officials on Tuesday. The former officials also urged the government to make necessary administrative changes to build public trust by maintaining a “neutral” stance in election-related matters. On Tuesday, the EC convened at the Nirbachan Bhaban, where CEC Nasir Uddin and four other commissioners, alongside other officers, listened to the insights and experiences of the former officials. Nasir Uddin said, “The advice from former staff will provide valuable input.

The National Citizen Party has informed the Election Commission that it will not choose any symbol from the commission’s list. NCP Convenor Nahid Islam expressed hope that one of three variations: Shapla, White Shapla or Red Shapla, would be allocated to the party. The EC has already decided not to allocate the Shapla symbol to any party. Despite granting NCP registration, the commission said the party could not be assigned that symbol as it was not included in the official list of election symbols. As part of that process, on Sept 30, the EC sent a letter to NCP asking it to select a symbol from the approved list within a week.

The prosecution has stopped defence lawyers from questioning an investigator about police killings during the trial of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan, and former police chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, who are facing charges of crimes against humanity. The exchange took place on Tuesday during the questioning of investigating officer Md Alamgir. State-appointed defence counsel Md Amir Hossain, representing Hasina and Kamal, faced objections when he raised the issue of police killings in several districts. The tribunal, chaired by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder, sided with the prosecution after reviewing the tribunal law. Justice Mozumder initially noted that “there is no limit to cross-examination”, but the prosecution cited legal provisions restricting witness questioning.

Constable claims former officer ordered corpses to be covered during July UprisingA police constable has revealed in court that he was ordered by the chief of Ashulia Police to “cover the bodies” of several victims with banners during the July-August protests. The testimony was given by Constable Rashedul Islam, 46, on Tuesday at the International Criminal Tribunal-2, in connection with the case of six bodies being burned in Ashulia. Rashedul, a driver constable at Ashulia Police Station, said he was not on duty that day and was on the fourth floor of the police station building. Rashedul also described taking refuge in an eight-story building on the west side of the station for about an hour. Rashedul, the 12th witness in this case, hails from Medur West Para village in Sarishabari, Jamalpur.

Gwyn Lewis, the United Nations resident coordinator in Bangladesh, has met with Shafiqur Rahman, the chief of Jamaat-e-Islami. Lewis was accompanied by Huma Khan, the human rights advisor to the UN resident representative. According to a statement released by Jamaat, the meeting was conducted in a “sincere and cordial atmosphere”. Discussions focused on the political and human rights situation in Bangladesh, the Rohingya crisis and the country’s upcoming national elections. The meeting also expressed hope for the continued support of the UN in advancing women’s rights, improving workplace skills and contributing to the country’s overall development, the statement said.

All parties reached a unanimous policy decision.”The implementation of key reforms had been “delayed in many ways”, pointing to a "conspiracy", according to Taher. “There were elections held in 2018, 2024 and even in 2014. Did those elections resolve the problems or raise more issues?" “So an election should be held in February because the need for a democratic, representative government is critical. Our past experience says that a free, fair, neutral and participatory election is the only way to resolve problems.”

Reiterating his party's commitment to prioritising Bangladesh’s interests above all else, Tarique insisting that issues such as water-sharing must be addressed with New Delhi. In the interview, BBC Bangla asked Tarique about the differences between the BNP and several other parties, including Jamaat, over proposed political reforms. What kind of democracy is this?” Tarique asked. We, the political parties, have said this together. The same way, many political parties have also spoken of the 31 points together.”

'It went beyond fixing': Former cricketer sounds off on BCB poll 'manipulation'Former cricketer Debabrata Pal, a losing candidate in the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) elections, has alleged widespread government interference and manipulation in the voting process. Mashud had been nominated by the BCB under the former cricketers’ quota, while Debabrata represented Jahangirnagar University. I’ve been part of this election process for years. I just wanted to see how low they could go.”'BEYOND FIXING'Bangladesh legend Tamim had alleged “election fixing” as he withdrew his candidacy. The top figure in sports was directly involved in this election process.

Tarique Rahman confident of BNP victory as he plots return for electionTarique Rahman has said he will return home to take part in the upcoming national elections. He insisted that the student-led movement that toppled Hasina’s “authoritarian regime” would only be fulfilled through a “free and credible” election. “We strongly believe we are in a position to form the government alone.”Tarique added that his return to Bangladesh was imminent. He accused the Awami League of being “fascist” and said the BNP would open its doors to new political forces, including student leaders who spearheaded last year’s uprising. He also pledged a “Bangladesh before all” foreign policy with India, aimed at resetting what he described as a “one-sided” relationship.

Lobbying stalls appointment to public administration secretary’s post vacant for over two weeksMinistry of Public Administration has been without a secretary since Sept 21, with the appointment stalled amid intense lobbying by several political parties for their preferred officers, according to multiple officials familiar with the process. The post fell vacant after a sudden government order removed Senior Secretary Md Mokhlesur Rahman, who had been appointed on a two-year contract following the political change on Aug 5, 2024. A recently retired senior secretary told bdnews24.com the authorities are moving carefully to avoid repeating “hurried appointments” that previously had to be reversed. In another development, the committee that oversees senior bureaucratic postings and transfers met at the finance ministry on Monday. An officer present outside the meeting said the appointment of a new public administration secretary could be among the decisions taken there.

Russian expert claims India will ‘gain’ if Moscow sells fighter jet engines to PakistanSelling fighter jet engines to Pakistan will benefit India, a Russian defence expert has claimed amid growing debate in Delhi over Moscow’s reported plan to supply RD-93 engines for Pakistan’s Chinese-made JF-17 aircraft. Pakistan uses the Chinese-built JF-17 fighter jets and is reportedly seeking to buy engines for them from Russia -- India’s long-time strategic partner. The reports have stirred controversy in India, where questions were raised about why Moscow would agree to military cooperation with Pakistan, a country viewed as India’s adversary. Pyotr Topychkanov, head of the South and Southeast Asia Section at Russia’s state-run Primakov Institute, however, claimed that if Moscow indeed sells the engines, India would actually “benefit”. India and Russia are scheduled to hold their annual summit in December, which Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to attend.