Fakhrul says BNP will build ‘Rainbow Nation’ representing all groupsBNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said his party will build a “Rainbow Nation” embracing all ethnic communities if it comes to power. Fakhrul said the party’s Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman had announced a 31-point reform plan in 2022, which clearly pledged to build a “Rainbow Nation” -- a nation where every community can contribute equally. The discussion was organised by the Dhaka Wangala Committee on the occasion of “Dhaka Wangala Festival 2025”, held at Banani Bidyaniketan School and College grounds. Fakhrul said the ethnic communities must align with the country’s broader national identity and rise as citizens of Bangladesh. Fakhrul said the BNP has always recognised the Garo community and worked to preserve their traditions, adding that improving their economic conditions remains crucial.

According to a list compiled by the Chattogram Industrial Police, around 22 factories across the city and the Chattogram EPZ have ceased operations in the past year. SM Abu Tayyab, former first vice-president of BGMEA, said survival has become “very difficult” for garment factories in the current global context. He pointed out that Chattogram factories are particularly affected because they produce more goods for the American market. 30 OTHER FACTORIES CLOSEThe Industrial Police data shows that 50 factories of different categories, including the 22 garment factories, have shut down permanently in Chattogram over the past year. More than 8,000 workers have lost their jobs in the permanently shut factories, while around 43,000 workers have been affected by temporary closures.

India will not rush into signing any trade agreements and will reject conditions from partner countries that restrict its trading choices, Trade Minister Piyush Goyal said on Friday. The country is negotiating a long-pending free trade agreement with the European Union, with differences remaining over market access, environmental standards and rules of origin. Trade talks with the United States, which has imposed 50 percent tariffs on Indian exports, and several other countries are also underway. "India will not sign any trade deal in a hurry," Goyal said while speaking at the Berlin Global Dialogue during an official visit, referring to European concerns over India's continued purchases of Russian oil. The EU, United Kingdom and the United States are pressuring New Delhi to scale back imports of discounted Russian crude, which the Western nations argue help fund Moscow's war effort in Ukraine.

The interim government has condemned Israel’s plan to impose its laws on the occupied West Bank, calling the move “a violation of international law and a threat to regional peace.”In a statement on Friday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs criticised the Israeli Knesset’s preliminary approval of draft legislation to assert so-called Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank. Palestinians regard the West Bank, occupied by Israel since 1967, as part of their future independent state. Following preliminary approval, the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the measure, saying Israel has no sovereignty over Palestinian land. Israel has built roughly 160 settlements and 700,000 housing units in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, where 3.3 million Palestinians live. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the West Bank annexation could backfire and threaten the peace process.

Former chairman of the capital development authority Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK) Siddiqur Rahman Sarker has died. He was visiting a friend in Faridpur.”Siddiqur was appointed chairman of RAJUK on contract for two years on Apr 4, 2024. His contract was cancelled on Sept 17 the same year, removing him from the post. However, on Sept 22, that cancellation order was revoked and he was reinstated as chairman. On Apr 17 this year, the court imposed a travel ban on him and his wife following an ACC petition.

At least 25 passengers have burnt to death after a private bus crashed into a motorcycle in India’s Andhra Pradesh before catching on fire, according to local media reports. The private sleeper coach carrying 40 passengers was travelling from Hyderabad to Bengaluru when it collided with the motorcycle travelling in the opposite direction around 3:30am local time on Friday, reports Indian daily The Hindu. Reports say that immediately after the crash, flames erupted on the front of the bus and spread quickly, causing the fuel tank to explode. The bus was then engulfed in flames in a matter of seconds. Since it was an AC bus, passengers had to break open the windows.

The Bangladesh Coast Guard have rescued 44 people, including women and children, from a “secret lair” in the remote hills of Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar, where they were allegedly confined for trafficking to Malaysia. He said the Coast Guard received information at midnight that a group of people, including women and children, were being gathered for illegal immigration by sea. The 44 individuals were later found at the traffickers’ “secret shelter” on the hilltop. “Several organised criminal groups are active in maritime human trafficking,” Lt Com Tanvir said. The Coast Guard says it has rescued 186 people during similar operations in the Teknaf hill areas over the past two months.

The Bangladesh Coast Guard have rescued 44 people, including women and children, from a “secret lair” in the remote hills of Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar, where they were allegedly confined for trafficking to Malaysia. He said the Coast Guard received information at midnight that a group of people, including women and children, were being gathered for illegal immigration by sea. The 44 individuals were later found at the traffickers’ “secret shelter” on the hilltop. “Several organised criminal groups are active in maritime human trafficking,” Lt Com Tanvir said. The Coast Guard says it has rescued 186 people during similar operations in the Teknaf hill areas over the past two months.

Dhaka, Oct. 24 -- Embodying the spirit of the "revolutionary decision" that ushered in digital journalism in Bangladesh, bdnews24.com marked its 19th anniversary amid the warm glow of lights and applause, with a renewed commitment to lead the next revolution in journalism. Editor-in-Chief Toufique Imrose Khalidi declared that the night was not merely to remember the past, but to look boldly toward the era of artificial intelligence and a new struggle for truth in the booming age of hyper-connectivity. Amid the warm glow of lights and applause, the event on Thursday brought together representatives from every spectrum of society. Every shade of opinion found a place - left, right, and centre alike. Business leaders and entrepreneurs joi...To read the full article or to get the complete feed from this publication, please Contact Us

Dhaka, Oct. 24 -- bdnews24.com has celebrated its 19th anniversary, highlighting its role in ushering Bangladesh's news to the digital world. The event, held on Thursday at Radisson Blu Dhaka Water Garden, welcomed guests from every sector of society. Editor-in-Chief Toufique Imrose Khalidi delivered the keynote address. Here is the full text of the speech:23 October 2025Commemorating the Day We Opened The GatesVenue: The Grand Ballroom, Radisson Blu Water Garden Hotel, DhakaThere's a certain magic in this room tonight. The minds that shape our policy, drive our economy, steward our institutions, and inspire our nation.

Dhaka, Oct. 24 -- A low-pressure area has formed over the southeast Bay of Bengal, which may intensify into a depression before potentially developing into a cyclone, according to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD). In a special weather bulletin issued on Friday, the Met Office advised fishing boats and trawlers operating in the northern Bay of Bengal not to venture into the deep sea until further notice. "The low may intensify into a depression or a cyclonic storm," Meteorologist Omar Faruk told bdnews24.com around noon. On whether the system could affect Bangladesh, he said: "Its current trajectory is towards Andhra Pradesh in India. As a result, ther...To read the full article or to get the complete feed from this publication, please Contact Us

India will not accept limits on its trading choices or rush to sign agreements, Trade Minister Piyush Goyal said on Friday, even as a senior government official said a bilateral trade deal with Washington was "very near". "India will not sign any trade deal in a hurry," Goyal said during a speech at the Berlin Global Dialogue, referring to European Union and the US concerns over India's continued purchases of Russian oil. Alongside ongoing EU free trade pact negotiations, India is in trade talks with the United States, which has imposed 50 percent tariffs on Indian exports. US President Donald Trump said this week he spoke with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi mainly about trade, and that Modi had assured him India would limit its oil purchases from Russia. But India could consider allowing some corn and soymeal imports, trade and industry sources said.

Eight months after its formation, the Bangladesh Ganatantrik Chhatra Sangsad (BGCS) has renamed itself "Jatiya Chhatra Shakti", unveiling a new motto as part of its reorganisation strategy. Alongside its new name, the group has adopted a new motto, replacing “Shikkha, Oikko, Mukti” (Education, Unity, Liberation) with “Student First, Bangladesh First”. Now, they say they are reorganising under the name of the NCP’s former student wing, Chhatra Shakti. He added that during the Awami League’s rule, the Chhatra League had created a "culture of fear" on university campuses. Akhter urged student leaders of the Chhatra Sangsad to remain vocal so that no one could again establish “guest rooms” or “mass rooms”.

Police have recovered the body of a freedom fighter a day after he went missing in Nabiganj Upazila of Habiganj. Manik Lal Das, 75, was found floating in a waterbody of Shaulagor Haor at Chargaon in Boro Bhakoir (West) Union on Thursday evening, said Nabiganj Police chief Sheikh Mohammad Kamruzzaman. According to police, Manik went out for his usual morning walk on Wednesday but did not return home. Later on Thursday evening, local fishermen spotted his body floating in the waterbody and informed the authorities. Police recovered the body and sent it to Habiganj Sadar Modern Hospital for a post-mortem examination.

Two people have been killed and several others injured after a truck ploughed into a bus that had just been involved in a collision with another truck in Faridpur’s Bhanga Upazila. The injured passengers were taken to Bhanga Upazila Health Complex for treatment. Habibur said a “Jamuna Line” bus travelling from Dhaka to Satkhira first struck the back of a truck, damaging the front end of the bus. “A short while later, a goods-laden truck hit the Jamuna Line bus from behind, seriously injuring 10 to 12 passengers who were standing there. The bus and the truck have been taken to the Shibchar Highway Police Station, according to police.