Bangladesh police used teargas, batons, and stun grenades on Friday to disperse protesters near the National Parliament, as tensions rose over the signing of the July Charter. Bangladesh police on Friday (Oct 17) fired teargas, used batons, and deployed stun grenades to disperse protesters who refused to leave the area near the National Parliament, amid uncertainty over the signing of the July Charter. The incident occurred shortly after 1 pm at the South Plaza of the National Parliament Building, where the signing of the July Charter was scheduled. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS ADThe “July National Charter”, named after the uprisings of July 2024, sets out plans for constitutional amendments, legal reforms, and new laws. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party, led by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, and eight allied parties said they would sign the charter.

On the day several political parties of Bangladesh came together to sign a new political charter heralded by the chief advisor of the interim government, Muhammad Yunus. Protests took place outside Bangladesh's national parliament building, after which tear gas and stun grenades had to be used to disperse the crowd, news agency Associated Press reported. Check out images from the protest here:Protesters set fire to a kiosk outside Bangladesh's national parliament complex in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Friday, Oct. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Mahmud Hossain Opu)Protesters run away from the police outside Bangladesh's national parliament complex in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Friday, Oct. 17, 2025. "The signing of the July Charter by a few political parties does not constitute national unity," NCP convener Nahid Islam was quoted by Reuters as saying.

Mumbai Police have arrested a Bangladeshi transgender woman who had allegedly been living in India for nearly three decades using forged identity documents, reports NDTV. The suspect, identified as Babu Ayan Khan, alias Jyoti or “Guru Maa”, was arrested on Thursday. She is accused of trafficking more than 200 Bangladeshi nationals into India, a figure authorities believe could increase as the investigation progresses. Authorities allege that her network trafficked Bangladeshi nationals into India through the Murshidabad border in West Bengal. NDTV claimed that Guru Maa coerced some illegal immigrants into sex work, deploying them to different highways across the state.

Mumbai Police have arrested a Bangladeshi transgender woman who had allegedly been living in India for nearly three decades using forged identity documents, reports NDTV. The suspect, identified as Babu Ayan Khan, alias Jyoti or “Guru Maa”, was arrested on Thursday. She is accused of trafficking more than 200 Bangladeshi nationals into India, a figure authorities believe could increase as the investigation progresses. Authorities allege that her network trafficked Bangladeshi nationals into India through the Murshidabad border in West Bengal. NDTV claimed that Guru Maa coerced some illegal immigrants into sex work, deploying them to different highways across the state.

Jamaat-e-Islami chief Shafiqur Rahman has condemned the interim government after police allegedly attacked participants of the July Movement, describing the incident as “shameful” and “deeply painful”. Speaking at a workers’ rally at Mirpur Dhaka on Friday, Shafiqur said: “We have repeatedly demanded constitutional recognition and dignity for the July fighters. If they were beaten by police of the interim government, it is truly shameful.”He urged the government to act “responsibly and fairly”, warning against treating the July warriors like ordinary protesters. The rally, organised by the Bangladesh Workers’ Welfare Federation at the Pabarta Eidgah ground in Dhaka-15 constituency, comes as Shafiqur prepares to contest the parliamentary elections from the area. The Jamaat leader accused the authorities of failing to restore stability after last year’s uprising that toppled the Hasina administration.

Bangladesh police clash with protesters near Parliament ahead of July Charter signing Demonstrators demand recognition and rehabilitation before the July Charter is signedPTIBangladesh police on Friday fired teargas and used batons and sound grenades to disperse protesters gathered near the Parliament after they refused to vacate the area, amid uncertainty over the signing of a joint declaration called the July Charter. ADVERTISEMENTThe protesters reportedly entered the Parliament premises by scaling its main gates in the morning before gathering in front of the stage. The National Citizen Party (NCP), a key ally of Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, has said it would not sign the document. NCP's convenor Nahid Islam earlier said that some political parties are signing the document in the name of (national) consensus, "frauding" the people. According to the government, the charter drafted by the National Consensus Commission incorporated over 80 recommendations for running the country.

Dhaka condemns killing of three Bangladeshis by mob in India’s TripuraBangladesh has strongly condemned the killing of three of its citizens in India’s north-eastern state of Tripura, calling the incident a “brutal” and “unacceptable” act that violates human rights and the rule of law. In a statement on Friday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the men were beaten to death by a mob in Tripura on Oct 15. “This heinous act is an unacceptable and grave violation of human rights and the rule of law,” the statement said. The three victims, identified as Pandit Mia, Sajal Mia, and Jewel Mia, were residents of Habiganj's Chunarughat Upazila. The bodies were handed over to the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) by India’s Border Security Force (BSF) on Thursday through the Kedaraghat border.

Bangladesh police on Friday (October 17, 2025) fired teargas and used batons and sound grenades to disperse protesters gathered near the Parliament after they refused to vacate the area, amid uncertainty over the signing of a joint declaration called the July Charter. The protesters reportedly entered the Parliament premises by scaling its main gates in the morning before gathering in front of the stage. Officers chased them out of the Parliament compound, beating several demonstrators with batons and firing tear gas and sound grenades, it added. NCP's convenor Nahid Islam earlier said that some political parties are signing the document in the name of (national) consensus, "frauding" the people. According to the government, the charter drafted by the National Consensus Commission incorporated over 80 recommendations for running the country.

Seven Pakistani soldiers were killed in a suicide attack near the Afghan border on Friday, Pakistani security officials said, amid a fragile ceasefire between Islamabad and Kabul that paused days of intense fighting between the former allies this month. The soldiers were killed in an attack by militants on a Pakistani military camp in north Waziristan, which also left 13 injured, five security officials said. The Taliban denies the charge and accuses the Pakistani military of spreading misinformation about Afghanistan, provoking border tensions, and sheltering ISIS-linked militants to undermine its stability and sovereignty. Although the Islamic nations have clashed in the past, the fighting this month is their worst in decades. It has drawn the attention of Saudi Arabia and Qatar, who have mediated and sought to stop the fighting.

The signing ceremony for the July Charter, which sets out commitments to state reform, is under way at the South Plaza of Parliament. Political parties are expected to sign the charter in the presence of Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus.

The National Consensus Commission has announced changes to the fifth clause of the July Charter just before the signing ceremony. The “urgent amendment” was made in response to the demands of the July fighters, a press release from the commission said. The July Warriors had taken up positions in front of the stage of the July Charter signing ceremony on Friday to demand state recognition, legal protections, and rehabilitation. Riaz came to the stage and announced that amendments would be brought to the July Charter to fulfil their demands. The July Charter signing ceremony, which is to be attended by several political parties as well as Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus, was scheduled to begin at 4pm.

National Citizen Party (NCP) leader Nahid Islam has accused several political parties of deceiving the public by signing a document under the banner of “national consensus”. His remarks came hours before the scheduled signing of the July National Charter 2025 at the South Plaza of the National Parliament. Most political parties are expected to take part in the ceremony. “Some people believe that if a few political parties come together, it automatically signals national unity,” Nahid said. “Today, several parties will gather to sign a document called the July Charter and label it as national consensus.

The Fire Service says the factory building gutted in a fire in the Chattogram Export Processing Zone (CEPZ) did not have a fire safety performance certificate. “They applied for [a safety certificate for] this building. They had to do the safety NCO and get the performance certificate. The performance certificate is given after seeing whether the fire safety conditions given in the NOC have been implemented. It took us a while, but no one was hurt.”He said, “Apart from this building, another building also suffered some damage.

-Md Mostafijur RahmanThe pass rate for the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and equivalent examinations has dropped sharply to 58.83 percent, the lowest in the past two decades. In 2024, 77.78 percent of students passed the HSC exams and 145,911 received a GPA-5. This means the pass rate fell 18.95 percent year-on-year, while the number of GPA-5 recipients fell by 76,814. The pass rate for the exams, held on a few subjects with an abbreviated syllabus, was 95.26 percent and 189,169 got a GPA-5. She hinted to bdnews24.com on Wednesday that the HSC pass rate and GPA 5 numbers may drop this time if "grace marks" are not given.

CID seizes three flats of BSB Global Chairman BasharThe Criminal Investigation Department has seized three flats belonging to MK Khairul Bashar, chairmanof BSB Global Network, who was arrested in a money laundering case. The Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judges’ Court issued the order on Thursday following a petitionfiled by the CID, the agency said in a media statement issued in the evening. The combined value of the seized flats is nearly Tk 40 million, the statement added. The CID said Bashar is under investigation for amassing a large volume of assets through “fraudulent”activities. The CID press note read: “Under the cover of being an educationist and businessman, Bashar used thename BSB Global Networks to operate as part of an organised fraud ring.