The anti-graft watchdog says the information received about the land and apartments in the name of Masud in parts of Dhaka will be investigated. On Sept 25, the ACC announced a probe against Masud after receiving allegations of “money laundering and acquisition of huge wealth" through irregularities and corruption. The agency also formally launched an investigation into the allegations against Masud following the development. Despite having "confirmed information" about money laundering against Tanaka Group, SA Group, and Anwar Group, Masud did not send the complaints to law-enforcing agencies and registered them by "taking personal advantage”, the complaints said. There are several other allegations of money laundering against Masud.

The chief advisor urges action on the individual level instead of depending on the government to push the country forwardThe power of the people is greater than that of the government, says YunusChief Advisor Muhammad Yunus says the power of the people is greater than that of the government and urged people to take action on the individual level instead of depending fully on the government to push the country forward. Yunus made the remarks while inaugurating the Walkathon and Social Service Conference organised by the Department of Social Services on the occasion of National Social Service Day-2025. The chief advisor reached the venue at Manik Mia Avenue adjacent to the National Parliament at 9:30am on Thursday. The chief advisor called for developing a habit of working for the public good in everyone’s daily lives. The event featured speeches by Sharmeen Murshid, advisor to the Ministry of Social Welfare, and three student representatives from the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement.

The commission, led by Badiul Alam Majumdar, now has until Jan 15 to submit its findingsThe interim government has extended the deadline for the Election Reform Commission by two weeks, allowing the body to submit its report by Jan 15. A gazette notification from the Cabinet Division on Thursday confirmed the extension for the commission headed by Badiul Alam Majumdar. The commission was formed on Oct 3 as part of the interim government's state reform initiative, which includes 11 such commissions tasked with various reforms. On Wednesday, Badiul indicated that the report would be handed over to Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus by Friday. Attempts to contact Badiul and commission member Abdul Alim for comments on the extension were unsuccessful.

Then, on Monday, it was also announced that spectators could purchase tickets in person at the Swimming Complex booth next to the stadium. "We received word at 12:07pm that the BPL ticket counter at the Swimming Complex had been set on fire. The glass of the reception room outside the main gate of the Swimming Complex had been broken. They gathered in front of the counter of the Swimming Complex and kept shouting various slogans criticising the BCB. Tickets worth Tk 200 taka were being sold for Tk 600, Tk 800.

Injured protesters from the Anti-discrimination Student Movement have blocked the road over medical treatment concernsInjured activists from the Anti-discrimination Student Movement, receiving treatment at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, or BSMMU, have staged a road blockade at Dhaka’s Shahbagh, demanding better medical treatment. The protesters had clashed with the BSMMU authorities over treatment quality, Shahbagh Police Station chief Mohammad Khalid Mansur told bdnews24.com. "After receiving the news, Anti-discrimination Student Movement leader Sarjis Alam came to Shahbagh. On Nov 14, injured protesters had blocked a road outside the Pangu Hospital in Dhaka. The student movement, which began as a protest against the quota system, intensified into a government-overthrow movement in July 2024.

Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus says the power of the people is greater than that of the government and urged people to take action on the individual level instead of depending fully on the government to push the country forward. Yunus made the remarks while inaugurating the Walkathon and Social Service Conference organised by the Department of Social Services on the occasion of National Social Service Day-2025. The chief adviser reached the venue at Manik Mia Avenue adjacent to the National Parliament at 9:30am on Thursday. The chief adviser called for developing a habit of working for the public good in everyone’s daily lives. The event featured speeches by Sharmeen Murshid, adviser to the Ministry of Social Welfare, and three student representatives from the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement.

Bangladesh court denies bail to Chinmoy Das in sedition caseDhaka, Jan 2 (UNI) A Bangladesh court denied bail to former ISKCON monk Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari on charges of sedition, media reports said on Thursday. Chattogram Metropolitan Sessions Judge Saiful Islam issued a bail order on Thursday, based on a December-filed bail petition by his lawyers. “The court denied the bail petition after the hearing concluded.”Chinmoy was not brought to court for the hearing. “If anyone is aggrieved, they can take the matter to the High Court.”“The court has denied the bail petition,” said Chinmoy’s lawyer Apurbo Bhattacharya. On December 3, another bail hearing was held, but when no lawyer stood to represent Chinmoy, the hearing was deferred to Jan 2.

Bangladesh Hindus Erupt: India Fumes As Dhaka Puts Priest Krishna Das Behind BarsA court in Bangladesh on Thursday once again denied bail to Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das in sedition case as the state argued that giving him relief "could create anarchy".Das, formerly with the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (Iskcon), was arrested at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka on November 25.“He faces serious charges like sedition and others involving the security and sovereignty of our country," public prosecutor Mofizul Haque Bhuiyan told The Associated Press by phone. "We argued in the court that if he gets bail it could create anarchy as we saw in the past that he triggered violence on the court premises by calling thousands of his supporters to protest. So, we moved against his bail plea as we believed that he could misuse his bail,” he added.At the hearing, “the state objected to the bail, saying that it was a sedition case and the highest punishment was life in prison,” Nazim Uddin Chowdhury, president of the Chattogram District Bar Association, was quoted as saying by BDNews24.com.Meanwhile, Apurba Kumar Bhattacharjee, lawyer representing Das, said that they would appeal the decision in high court.The judiciary had dismissed a previous bail petition when Das lacked legal representation. Lawyers who attempted to defend him during that session reported threats and intimidation, with several facing charges connected to a Muslim attorney's death during confrontations near the courthouse. These incidents occurred when Das made his initial appearance following his arrest in Dhaka in November.At the latest hearing on Thursday, eleven legal representatives journeyed from Dhaka under protective escort for both their arrival and departure.

Then, on Monday, it was also announced that spectators could purchase tickets in person at the Swimming Complex booth next to the stadium. "We received word at 12:07pm that the BPL ticket counter at the Swimming Complex had been set on fire. The glass of the reception room outside the main gate of the Swimming Complex had been broken. They gathered in front of the counter of the Swimming Complex and kept shouting various slogans criticising the BCB. A short while later, only the Tk 500 tickets at the Club House and the Tk 2,000 tickets at the Grand Stand were available on the site.

As many as 222 ‘deprived’ aspirants who were eliminated from the 43rd Bangladesh Civil Service, or BCS have demanded a fresh gazette by Jan 5, and their appointments ensured by Jan 15. On Dec 26, 2023, the Public Service Commission recommended 2,163 candidates for 26 cadres, they said. However, a total of 222 candidates, including 168 mentioned in the second gazette published on Dec 30, were eliminated from the list. “As we have been dropped from the gazette, 222 of us, and our families who depend on us, became extremely frustrated and socially demeaned. However, despite being recommended and mentioned in the gazette, we have been dropped from the re-published gazette for some unknown reason.

A press release from the NBR on Wednesday said that initially, 15 percent VAT had been proposed on 43 types of goods and services. These goods and services currently have VAT rates of 5 percent and 7.5 percent, respectively. The government has also taken the initiative to impose turnover tax based on the annual turnover of business establishments. Currently, turnover tax is only paid when the annual turnover is between Tk 5 million to Tk 30 million. The proposal imposes turnover tax on businesses that have turnovers from Tk 3 million to Tk 5 million as well.

The corruption watchdog says it will also investigate ‘corruption’ allegations over the construction, renovation, and development of Mujib Killa storm sheltersThe Anti-Corruption Commission has decided to investigate allegations of corruption over the construction of sculptures and murals of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman across the country. ACC Director General (Prevention) Md Akhtar Hossain announced the decision to the media on Thursday. “A decision has been made to investigate allegations of waste and embezzlement of government funds by erecting unnecessary sculptures and murals of Bangabandhu across the county at a cost of billions of taka.”The corruption watchdog says it will also investigate ‘corruption’ allegations over the construction, renovation, and development of Mujib Killa - storm shelters set up in parts of the country in memory of Sheikh Mujib during the Awami League government. Akhtar said, “A decision has been taken to investigate allegations of embezzlement of thousands of billions of taka, overbilling, the failure of two-thirds of deep tube wells and various irregularities against the project director of the Mujib Killa construction, renovation and development project across the country.”

Bangladesh court again rejects bail of ISKCON priest Chinmoy Krishna DasA court in Bangladesh on Thursday denied bail to a Hindu priest and a former ISKCON leader in a sedition case. Chinmoy Krishna Das was not brought to court for the hearing and appeared virtually. Das, formerly with the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), was arrested at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka on November 25. Das' lawyer, Apurba Kumar Bhattacharjee, said they plan to appeal to the High Court for bail, it added. Now a spokesperson for the Bangladesh Sammilita Sanatani Jagran Jote organisation, Das' bail was rejected on November 26 by Chattogram's 6th Metropolitan Magistrate Kazi Shariful Islam in the sedition case.

DHAKA, Jan 2: A court in Bangladesh on Thursday denied bail to a Hindu priest and a former ISKCON leader in a sedition case. Chinmoy Krishna Das was not brought to court for the hearing and appeared virtually. Das, formerly with the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), was arrested at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka on November 25. Das’ lawyer, Apurba Kumar Bhattacharjee, said they plan to appeal to the High Court for bail, it added. Now a spokesperson for the Bangladesh Sammilita Sanatani Jagran Jote organisation, Das’ bail was rejected on November 26 by Chattogram’s 6th Metropolitan Magistrate Kazi Shariful Islam in the sedition case.

ETV Bharat / internationalChinmoy Krishna Das Denied Bail By Bangladesh CourtDhaka: A court in Bangladesh on Thursday denied bail to a Hindu priest and a former ISKCON leader in a sedition case. Chinmoy Krishna Das was not brought to court for the hearing and appeared virtually. Das, formerly with the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), was arrested at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka on November 25. “Chattogram Metropolitan Sessions Judge Saiful Islam rejected the bail plea after hearing arguments from both sides for around 30 minutes,” Metropolitan Public Prosecutor Advocate Mofizul Haque Bhuiyan told The Daily Star. Das' lawyer, Apurba Kumar Bhattacharjee, said they plan to appeal to the High Court for bail, it added.