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Politics and Bureaucracy
Bangla Academy has announced that the Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2027 will begin on January 7 and continue till February 6.
The Dhaka Metropolitan Police arrested 490 people in raids across the capital over the past 24 hours and filed 42 cases.
A British-Bangladeshi teacher has been sentenced to six years in prison by a UK court for secretly filming schoolgirls in sexually intrusive ways and creating explicit deepfake images of them using artificial intelligence (AI).
Spread out a map of the world today, and it looks rather like a sprawling house undergoing renovation. Someone is cutting through mountains to lay railway tracks, someone is building roads across the desert, someone else is connecting one port to another. China is expanding its routes to Europe. India is planning a passage west through the Arabian Peninsula. Kazakhstan, Türkiye and Laos are all busy drawing more trade through their own backyards. Bangladesh stands at a crossroads surrounded by possibilities. Only the destination of our own journey remains unclear.
Two Bangladeshi citizens were detained. An investigation was conducted, charges were filed, the case went to trial, a verdict was delivered, a higher authority upheld it, a royal decree was issued, and the death sentences were carried out. At no stage of this lengthy process, it appears, did the Bangladeshi state know what was happening. It learned of the executions from a statement by Saudi Arabia’s Interior Ministry and media reports—when Nazrul Islam Abdul Bashir and Siti Akter were already dead.
“Definitely corrupt and unskilled authorities ”
Bangladesh made a disappointing start to the tri-nation ODI series in the United Arab Emirates. On Saturday (17 October) at Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, the Tigers lost to Zimbabwe by a big margin of 99 runs. Chasing 272, Bangladesh were bowled out for just 172 in 33.4 overs.
Argentine superstar Lionel Messi starred as Inter Miami beat Atlanta United 3-1 in Major League Soccer (MLS). The match was played on Saturday (17 October) at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Messi scored twice and also contributed to a teammate’s goal. With the assist, he became only the third player to record at least 15 assists in three consecutive MLS seasons, a rare achievement.
Liton Das could not play in the first match of the tri-nation series against Zimbabwe due to injury. This time it has been learnt that the Bangladesh team will not get him in the entire series. This wicketkeeper-batter has been ruled out of the series due to the problem of the right hip joint.
Bangladesh's cricket team begins its mission to fine-tune preparations for the 2027 ODI World Cup. As the first step of that campaign, the Tigers take on Zimbabwe today, Saturday, in the opening match of a tri-nation ODI series in the United Arab Emirates. The match starts in Abu Dhabi at 5:30 pm Bangladesh time.
Bangladesh Under-19 women’s cricket team finished runners-up in the tri-series after suffering a thrilling four-run defeat to Sri Lanka in the final.
Former Bangladesh women’s cricket captain Jahanara Alam has applied to return to the national team after spending nearly two years away from international cricket.
France has become turbulent with intense protests centering on the increase in the cost of living and the crisis of secondary schools. The protests in various cities of the country on Saturday turned into violence at one stage. In the language of the government, about five and a half lakh people took to the streets on the day of extensive deterioration of violence. The police have arrested at least 1,200 people on the allegation of being involved in the violence. British media BBC has informed this news.
United Arab Emirates is preparing to re-engage in efforts to counter the Houthi rebels in Yemen, agreeing to resume funding anti-Houthi forces operating in the country’s south. In return, Saudi Arabia has pledged air support for their military operations, according to sources cited by British newspaper The Guardian.
At least 19 people have been killed in a stampede caused by crowd pressure at a Durga Puja pandal in Kolkata, in India’s West Bengal. At least 25 others were injured. They were rescued and taken to hospital.
Mahfuz Alam, a former adviser to the interim government, has remarked that the country has boarded the far-right train. In his view, the political environment is being shaped through coordinated campaigns and character assassination on social media, pushing many people from the right towards the far right.
Cocktail bombs were thrown in front of the central office of the National Citizen Party (NCP) in Banglamotor, Dhaka.
Police have shown four people arrested in a case filed on charges of anti-state activities over the incident of pouring ink on the graffiti of world poet Rabindranath Tagore on the wall in front of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy in Segunbagicha of the capital.
Dhaka Metropolitan North BNP, Jubo Dal and Metropolitan West Chatra Dal committees have been declared dissolved. At the same time 14 persons of various levels of BNP, Chatra Dal, Swechchhasebak Dal and Sramik Dal have been expelled.
The turn of change has again come on the canvas of nature. Crossing the white cloud rafts in the blue sky of autumn and the swaying of kash flowers, the counting of the days of Hemanta has started on the pages of the calendar. Kartik and Agrahayan—these two months make up Hemanta, the fourth season of the six seasons of Bengal. This season knocks at the door of nature with the arrival message of winter. But with the change of time, is that ever-familiar form of Hemanta gradually fading?
Spread out a map of the world today, and it looks rather like a sprawling house undergoing renovation. Someone is cutting through mountains to lay railway tracks, someone is building roads across the desert, someone else is connecting one port to another. China is expanding its routes to Europe. India is planning a passage west through the Arabian Peninsula. Kazakhstan, Türkiye and Laos are all busy drawing more trade through their own backyards. Bangladesh stands at a crossroads surrounded by possibilities. Only the destination of our own journey remains unclear.
Bangladesh’s ambition to establish sovereign AI capabilities within the next 12 months marks a significant policy commitment, with implications for its technological autonomy, national security and international partnerships. However, translating this ambition into measurable outcomes will require more than a political declaration.
Bangladesh has sought details from Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador Abdullah bin Zafar H. Bin Abiar regarding the two Bangladeshis whose death penalty was executed in Makkah.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaid Islam has commented that the incident of the execution of the death penalty of two Bangladeshis in Saudi Arabia is a big lesson for Bangladesh. She has advised the Bangladeshis staying abroad to abide by the laws of the concerned country.
Dhallywood actress Pori Moni has drawn attention by appearing in the guise of Goddess Durga. Dressed in a red-bordered white sari, a towering crown, a floral garland and jewellery all over, she took on the look of the goddess, a lotus flower in her hand. Since the video of the look was posted on social media, the actress has been showered with praise from fans.
Water, the source of life and a symbol of purity and creation, will take centre stage at this year’s Durga Puja celebrations organised by the Gulshan-Banani Sarbojanin Puja Foundation. The foundation has chosen ‘Jalaj’, meaning ‘born of water’, as its theme for Sharodotsav 1433, placing the importance of water and its connection to life, spirituality and nature at the heart of its pandal design.
Bangladesh is set to sign a new country partnership framework agreement with the World Bank (WB), with a government delegation scheduled to hold talks with the global lender within the next two to three weeks to finalise the terms.
