The first-ever “Election Officers’ Conference” is set to take place, with both central and field-level officers participating. The conference comes at a time when the government has given its consent to amending the law to launch a dedicated “Election Commission Service” for the EC’s own officers. Ahead of the 13th general election, the gathering will provide a platform for officials to raise their demands while also receiving guidance on election preparations. Mohammad Monir Hossain, convenor of the Bangladesh Election Commission Officers’ Association (BECOA), said: “For the first time, a conference of election officers is being organised at the initiative of the association. The conference will not only allow them to present their views but also receive directives from the EC ahead of the polls.”

Three rival factions of the Jatiya Party (JaPa) have begun wrangling over the right to use the election symbol “plough”, amid demands to ban the party. Raushon, widow of Jatiya Party founder Hussain Muhammad Ershad, initially remained silent after breaking away before the 12th parliamentary election. But Secretary General Shameem Haider Patwary, from the GM Quader-led group, said no one else could be allocated the plough. Now political disputes [over JaPa] are ongoing, let us see what happens.”The GM Quader-led faction remains the only registered version with the Election Commission. The leadership split has now left the Election Commission uncertain about which faction is entitled to the symbol.

Bangladesh sea ports on alert as low pressure turns into depressionA well-marked low over the northwest Bay of Bengal has intensified into a depression near the coast of southern Odisha and northern Andhra Pradesh, prompting authorities to issue Local Cautionary Signal No. The special bulletin from the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) on Friday night said the system had moved west-northwest and developed into a depression. The sea remains rough near the depression centre. Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, Mongla and Payra ports have been put on alert, with fishing boats in the northern Bay told to stay close to shore and proceed cautiously. It intensified into a well-marked low by Friday morning and turned into a depression by evening.

Speaking once again in Bangla, wearing his trademark Grameen check kurta and waistcoat, Yunus underlined his connection to ordinary citizens. Their recommendations were then discussed by a National Consensus Commission, which brought together more than 30 political parties and alliances. “Thus, whoever receives the people’s mandate in the forthcoming election, there will be no uncertainty about implementing the reforms,” Yunus said. PRESSURE ON MYANMAR URGEDIn his address highlighting the eight-year-long Rohingya crisis, Yunus drew global attention to the need for action, saying: “The ongoing conflict in our neighbouring country Myanmar has created a deeply worrying situation for the entire region. “However, it is important to remember that the Rohingya crisis is not a bilateral issue between Myanmar and Bangladesh.

Former state minister for home affairs Tanjim Ahmad Sohel Taj, has been stopped at Shahjalal International Airport while attempting to travel to the United States. He was scheduled to fly on Wednesday afternoon, but immigration authorities prevented his departure, a close associate of Sohel told bdnews24.com. Speaking to bdnews24.com on Friday night, the associate said: “When Sohel bhai went to the airport to travel to the US, the immigration police stopped him. Son of Bangladesh’s first prime minister Tajuddin Ahmad, Sohel Taj was elected to parliament from Gazipur-4 (Kapasia) on an Awami League ticket in 2001. He was re-elected from the same constituency in 2008 and appointed state minister for home affairs in the cabinet formed on Jan 6, 2009, under Awami League’s leadership.

Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam has rejected Transparency International Bangladesh’s (TIB) claim on the size of Chief Advsior Muhammad Yunus’s delegation to the 80th UN General Assembly, describing it as “incorrect”. Shafiqul revealed that the delegation this year has 62 members, which is far below the figure TIB claimed. He noted that last year’s delegation had 57 members, excluding six high-profile politicians who later joined at Yunus’s invitation. He added that about one-third of this year’s delegation are security officers tasked with protecting Yunus and other senior officials. Shafiqul said their mission is to represent Bangladesh’s interests on the global diplomatic stage.

Rizvi warns national election at risk if ‘irregularities’ seen in DUCSU, JUCSU votes repeatBNP’s senior leader Ruhul Kabir Rizvi believes that the national election could be jeopardised if “irregularities” like those in DUCSU and JUCSU recur. Jamaat-e-Islami leaders have since claimed that Shibir’s big win in both elections will influence the national vote. On this matter, Rizvi said: “If this form of irregularity continues, the next national election will be extremely risky. People will not let that happen.”The senior joint secretary said, “We have already said the DUCSU election was not conducted rightly. How will the vice-chancellor cover it up?”Rizvi said his party had no objection to the DUCSU election itself, but strongly opposed the way it was conducted.

Albanian President Bajram Begaj holds talks with Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus on the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly in New York on Thursday. Photo: Press Wing, Chief Adviser's OfficeAlbania has expressed interest in recruiting both skilled and unskilled workers from Bangladesh. “We need workers for our country, and several Albanian companies have already submitted applications to hire from Bangladesh,” Begaj is quoted as saying by BSS. He added that bilateral cooperation could expand further, particularly in the tourism sector, and invited Bangladeshi tourists to visit Albania’s southern coast. Begaj also said that Albanian universities were ready to welcome Bangladeshi students under their existing international admission framework.

Trump says he would consider relocating World Cup matchesUS President Donald Trump and his granddaughter Kai Madison Trump listen to the national anthem during the 45th Ryder Cup golf competition at Bethpage Black Golf Course in Farmingdale, New York, US, Sept 26, 2025. Mandel Ngan/Pool via REUTERSUS President Donald Trump and his granddaughter Kai Madison Trump listen to the national anthem during the 45th Ryder Cup golf competition at Bethpage Black Golf Course in Farmingdale, New York, US, Sept 26, 2025. Mandel Ngan/Pool via REUTERSUS President Donald Trump said he would consider relocating 2026 World Cup matches from cities he did not deem safe, months before the United States is set to co-host the quadrennial soccer showcase with Canada and Mexico. A reporter at the Oval Office briefing cited two cities - Democratically-controlled San Francisco and Seattle - as possible targets for having World Cup hosting duties revoked. Trump was set to attend the first day of golf's Ryder Cup competition on Long Island, a Republican stronghold, on Friday.

Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus has reiterated his government’s commitment to implementing major labour reforms before the upcoming national elections in February. Yunus told participants that reforming labour laws in line with International Labour Organization (ILO) conventions was critical to attracting foreign direct investment. Humayun Kabir, foreign affairs adviser to BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, echoed support for labour reforms, saying they should be expanded by any incoming government. She argued that reforms must be driven by a focus on worker safety. In his closing remarks, Yunus reaffirmed his government’s resolve to pursue “meaningful and lasting” labour reforms, according to the report.

Shoppers feel the heat as vegetables stay high, fish costs climb in Durga Puja inflationAt Mahakhali’s Saat Tola kitchen market, moments after Friday prayers, van driver Saheb Ali was found grumbling as he walked out of the fish market. Tomatoes were priced at Tk 140-160 a kg depending on quality, while green chillies jumped Tk 40 to Tk 200 a kg. FISH PRICES CLIMBLike the previous week, supplies of small hilsa, weighing 150-500g, were higher, but prices remained steep. A hilsa weighing just over a kg was selling for Tk 2,300 per kg, while an 800-gram hilsa was Tk 1,800. Small hilsa weighing 200-250g sold for Tk 600-650 a kg, depending on market, with even smaller ones priced at Tk 350-500.

India rejected as "incorrect and baseless" remarks by NATO's chief that suggested Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was contacting Russian President Vladimir Putin over the impact of punitive US tariffs on its purchases of Russian oil. India's foreign ministry called the remarks speculative and said on Friday there was no such conversation. "The statement is factually incorrect and entirely baseless," Indian foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told a regular briefing. "At no point has Prime Minister Modi spoken with President Putin in the manner suggested. In response to a request from Reuters, a NATO spokesperson said: "We have nothing further to add to what the NATO Secretary General said."

A vehicle is set on fire during a protest by locals demanding statehood for the federal territory and job quotas for local residents in Leh, in the Ladakh region, India, Sept 24, 2025. REUTERS/StringerA vehicle is set on fire during a protest by locals demanding statehood for the federal territory and job quotas for local residents in Leh, in the Ladakh region, India, Sept 24, 2025. REUTERS/StringerIndian police arrested Ladakh activist Sonam Wangchuk on Friday, two days after New Delhi blamed him for violent protests demanding statehood for the Himalayan federal territory in which four people died, and suspended mobile internet services in its main city of Leh. It had also cancelled a licence granted to his non-governmental organisation, the Students' Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh, alleging violations. Wangchuk had earlier denied the allegations against him, and said the violent protests were a reflection of frustration with the federal government.

Yunus tells international community to step up ‘pressure’ on Myanmar to resolve Rohingya crisisBangladesh’s interim leader Muhammad Yunus has urged world leaders to intensify “pressure” on Myanmar and stakeholders in Rakhine State to secure a lasting political solution to the Rohingya crisis, alongside bolstering humanitarian assistance for refugees. “We must remember that the Rohingya crisis is by no means a bilateral issue between Bangladesh and Myanmar. We have only acted as a responsible neighbour and as a responsible member of the international community in fulfilling our humanitarian duty,” Yunus told the Assembly. CALL FOR POLITICAL SETTLEMENTBeyond humanitarian aid, Yunus called for international pressure on Myanmar and Rakhine actors to bring about “positive change and a swift political solution”. At the same time, a global roadmap and time-bound action plan must be adopted to find a lasting solution,” Yunus said.

A Dhaka court has ordered a lawyer into jail in a case under the Anti-Terrorism Act, in a procession held by leaders and activists of the banned Awami League and its affiliated groups in Dhaka’s Gulistan. Police arrested the lawyer named Rafiqul Alam Chowdhury from outside the Awami League party office in Gulistan on Thursday. The case investigation officer, Sub-Inspector (SI) Md Maksudur Hasan of Paltan Model Police Station, presented him in court and requested his detention. Defendant's lawyer Bidhur Krishna Das applied for bail, but the hearing was delayed due to missing documents, and the court later ordered his jail, according to SI Rokonuzzaman. The case alleges that on Aug 24, around 250 leaders and activists of the Awami League and its affiliates held a procession at Shaheed Motiur Park in Gulistan, raising “anti-state slogans” to disrupt law and order.