It feels like a play without a lead,” said Rohingya community leader Syed Ullah, speaking to bdnews24.com from Cox’s Bazar. We only implement decisions.”In the camps of Cox’s Bazar, refugees held a mass rally three days before the summit to project their own message to the world. 13 of Palongkhali Union under the banner “Our Future, Our Voice – Message Ahead of the UN Conference on Rohingya”. Speakers at the rally said despite repeated promises over the past eight years, the international community has “failed” to deliver any tangible progress. He underscored that the special UN conference should forge a firm global commitment and ensure meaningful international support for the Rohingya, with fundraising placed at the highest priority.

A Bangladeshi-origin Labour politician allegedly abused his office to secure UK immigration visas for 41 family members and friends from his native country, an investigation by The Telegraph has revealed. He aimed to ensure that visa applications for his family and friends would be handled “favourably”, it added. These letters, which were dated before he became mayor, included passport numbers and birthdates to expedite processing. The investigation revealed that 13 letters were sent using the official mayoral office team. Some letters were sent months before the event, and others, after the event had already taken place.

JSS urges calm as tensions rise between Hill and Bengali residents in KhagrachhariThe Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti (JSS) has expressed concern over recent violence in Khagrachhari, calling on both indigenous and Bengali communities to remain calm and uphold communal harmony amid rising tensions. It also called on communities to protect communal harmony in view of the current national context and the approaching Durga Puja. Rising tensions between hill activists and Bengali residents prompted the imposition of Section 144 also in Guimara Upazila, banning all gatherings. Clashes erupted between protesters and Bengali residents during the blockade, later spilling into Khagrachhari town with renewed chasing between the groupsIn its statement, the JSS condemned the violence as “communal unrest”. It also called on the administration to take appropriate measures to prevent any recurrence of such violence in the region.

The controversy surrounding a photo of Muhammad Yunus and his daughter with US President Donald Trump has sparked significant debate on social media. On Saturday, Shafiqul Alam, the chief advisor’s press secretary, responded to the issue, accusing some individuals of spreading false information about the photo. Yunus, along with his delegation, arrived in the United States on Monday to attend the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly. The photo, which was posted on Yunus’s official Facebook page on Saturday, shows Trump smiling with First Lady Melania Trump to his left. On the right of Trump stands Yunus, also smiling, while his daughter, Dina Yunus, is seen beside him.

Hill activists and Bengali residents in Khagrachhari have faced off over the alleged rape of a Marma schoolgirl, prompting authorities to impose Section 144 in Guimara, banning all gatherings. The Guimara Upazila administration enforced the same measure for similar reasons. Although tension remained high, Khagrachhari town saw relative calm through the morning’s blockade. With road communication cut, much of the hill town stood “disconnected”. Around 1:30pm, tension flared again near the Upazila complex road at Narankhila when hill protesters and Bengali residents confronted one another briefly.

The Election Commission (EC) has published a notice registering 73 organisations as election observers before the parliamentary polls. EARLIER REGISTRATIONS• Registration of observer organisations was introduced for the first time before the 9th national election, initially for one year, later extended to five years under a new policy. • In 2008, the then ATM Shamsul Huda-led commission registered 138 organisations with a one-year validity period. • Ahead of the 2018 election, 199 organisations applied, and KM Nurul Huda’s commission registered 119. • Kazi Habibul Awal-led commission initially shortlisted 68 applicants from 210 for observer registration before the 12th national election.

A case has been filed over the controversial incident in which an elderly man, Fakir Halim Uddin, was forcibly held and had his hair and beard cut in Tarakanda, Mymensingh. The victim's son, Mohammad Shahid Akand, initiated the case on Saturday afternoon, according to Tarakanda Police chief Mohammad Tipu Sultan. The case names several individuals from the organisation Human Service Bangladesh and some local associates, though officer Tipu refrained from revealing the names of the accused for investigative reasons. Since the incident, Halim has confined himself almost entirely to his home. Officer Tipu said the incident took place nearly four months ago, but the video prompted widespread criticism.

Man lynched on suspicion of theft in NarsingdiA man has been beaten to death by a “mob” on suspicion of theft in Narsindi’s Shibpur Upazila. The incident took place around midnight on Friday outside the Upazila health complex at Monowar Hossain Rana’s pharmacy, said Shibpur Police chief Afzal Hossain. Passers-by heard noises inside and called the shop owner to alert him. On arrival, the shop owner raised the alarm. He was first taken to Shibpur Upazila Health Complex and later transferred to Narsingdi Sadar Hospital.

Three others were injured in the accident that occurred around 12pm on Saturday on the Dhaka-Khulna Highway near Majhgati bus stand, according to Sergeant Md Rasel Mia of Bhanga Highway Police Outpost. The injured have been admitted to Kashiani Upazila Health Complex. Police and witnesses said an Imad Paribahan bus heading to Dhaka from Khulna collided head-on with the easy bike travelling in the opposite direction. The impact left the three-wheeler in a crumpled heap, killing two passengers on the spot and two more after being taken to hospital. Rasel said the group was travelling from Madaripur to Majhgati village to attend a wedding ceremony.

A dawn-to-dusk road blockade is under way in Khagrachhari demanding the arrest of those involved in the alleged rape of a Marma teenage girl. Road connectivity between Khagrachhari and Dhaka, Chattogram, and Rangamati has been severed since Saturday morning due to the blockade enforced by the “Jumma students and locals”. Tourists Ashutosh, Saidul, and Rakib had come to visit Khagrachhari, but said they were unaware of the blockade. Khagrachhari Sadar Police Station chief Abdul Baten Mridha said, "The road blockade in Khagrachhari is ongoing. The Jumma students and locals also observed a half-day road blockade in Khagrachhari on Thursday, making the same demands.

Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay has expressed interest in signing a free trade agreement (FTA) with Bangladesh and in linking the special economic zones of the two countries. Welcoming the proposals, Yunus said that bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Bhutan could be taken "to a new level" through increased connectivity, trade and investment. Tshering also suggested connecting Bhutan’s special economic zone, Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC), with the special economic zones in Kurigram allocated for Bhutanese investors, noting that such a move would benefit both nations significantly. He mentioned that Buddhist monks from Bangladesh could visit Bhutan, which would contribute to tourism development. Yunus later invited the Bhutanese PM to visit Bangladesh.

Another firefighter has died from injuries suffered while battling a chemical warehouse fire in Gazipur's Tongi, marking the fourth death linked to the incident. Khondokar Jannatul Naeem, a warehouse inspector with the Fire Service and Civil Defence, passed away around 10am on Saturday while undergoing treatment at Dhaka’s National Burn and Plastic Surgery Institute. The men were severely burnt while trying to extinguish the blaze at the chemical factory near Sahara Market on Sept 22. After a sudden explosion inside the warehouse, people inside fled, but a subsequent blast from a chemical drum injured four firefighters. He joined the Fire Service in August 2016, serving in Manikganj and Narayanganj before being promoted to warehouse inspector in Chattogram and later posted at Tongi Fire Station.

As concrete crowds out nature in Cox’s Bazar, foreign tourists stay awayCox’s Bazar, home to the world’s longest natural sea beach, is one of Bangladesh’s most popular tourist destinations. CONCRETE OVERTAKES NATUREEnvironmental groups warn that unregulated construction is damaging the very asset Cox’s Bazar depends on: its natural beauty. Moazzem Hossain, chairman of Save the Nature of Bangladesh, said: “Unplanned hotel construction seems to have become the norm in Cox’s Bazar. Foreigners will not come to see concrete -- they will be drawn by nature and culture.”Prof Moinul Hasan Palash, head of the Department of Tourism and Hospitality Management at Cox’s Bazar City College, says tourism in Cox’s Bazar has always been unplanned and disorderly. Experts warn that until foreign tourists begin arriving in larger numbers, the sector will struggle to contribute significantly to Bangladesh’s economy.

Passengers suffer as long-haul buses stay off Rajshahi roads for third dayLong-distance bus services from Chapainawabganj, Rajshahi and Natore have remained suspended for a third straight day as drivers, supervisors and helpers press for better benefits. On Saturday, no buses left or entered these districts, leaving passengers heading to Dhaka, Chattogram, Sylhet, Cox’s Bazar and other distant destinations facing severe hardship. Bus owners said they stopped long-haul services from 10pm on Thursday after workers raised fresh demands despite recent increases in wages and allowances. “We already raised wages this month. Workers stopped services twice earlier in September to press their demands, and services resumed after a settlement in Dhaka.

Chief of Army Staff Gen Waker-uz-Zaman has returned to Bangladesh following a four-day official visit to Malaysia. He landed in Dhaka on Friday night after attending the 14th Indo-Pacific Army Chiefs Conference in Kuala Lumpur, bdnews24.com reported citing a statement of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Saturday. From Tuesday to Friday, army chiefs from across the Indo-Pacific region met to discuss strengthening friendship and cooperation, addressing common challenges, and coordinating responses to regional crises. At the conference, Gen Waker stressed partnership and cooperation over competition in tackling the Indo-Pacific region’s multifaceted challenges, the ISPR said. During his visit, Gen Waker also paid courtesy calls on Gen Ronald Patrick Clark, commanding general of the US Army Pacific Command, and Gen Tan Sri Dato' Sri Muhammad Hafizuddeain bin Jantan, chief of the Malaysian Army.