Israeli strikes kill 30 in Gaza, including rescue service official and local journalist
A rescuer walks over rubble to assess damage and look for survivors, in Khan Younis, Gaza, May 23, 2025, in this screengrab taken from video. Palestinian Civil Defence/Handout via REUTERSA rescuer walks over rubble to assess damage and look for survivors, in Khan Younis, Gaza, May 23, 2025, in this screengrab taken from video. Palestinian Civil Defence/Handout via REUTERSIsraeli military strikes killed at least 30 Palestinians across the Gaza Strip on Sunday, including a senior rescue service official and a journalist, local health authorities said. The latest deaths in the Israeli campaign resulted from separate Israeli strikes in Khan Younis in the south, Jabalia in the north and Nuseirat in the central Gaza Strip, medics said. On Friday the Israeli military said it had conducted more strikes in Gaza overnight, hitting 75 targets including weapons storage facilities and rocket launchers.
Source:bd News24
May 25, 2025 13:03 UTC
Petrol pumps shut amid half-day strike over 10 demands
The strike began at 6:00am on Sunday in line with an announcement by the Bangladesh Petrol Pump and Tank Lorry Owners’ Unity Council. During the strike, petrol pumps will only provide fuel to ambulances, Fire Service vehicles, and police transport. The unity council has placed the following 10 demands:Fuel sales commission should be raised to a minimum of 7 percent. The unity council is a joint platform formed by the Bangladesh Petrol Pump Owners’ Association and the Bangladesh Tank-Lorry Owners’ Association. According to unity council leaders, future actions will depend on the outcome of that meeting.
Source:bd News24
May 25, 2025 12:59 UTC
Yunus sits with political parties as second day of discussions commence
Yunus sits with political parties as second day of discussions commenceChief Advisor Muhammad Yunus has sat with political parties to continue what began on Saturday to mitigate the ongoing political discord. Representatives of 11 parties are in a dialogue with Yunus at his official residence at State Guest House Jamuna since 5:50pm in the first phase of Sunday’s meetings. Another nine parties are scheduled to meet the chief advisor at 7pm. The NCP discussed the July Proclamation along with their demands of justice, reforms and Constituent Assembly elections in their meeting. As the political winds grew turbulent, swirling speculation over Yunus’s potential resignation as chief advisor compounded the crisis, prompting key political parties to urge him to stay on and lead the country through the transition.
Source:bd News24
May 25, 2025 12:44 UTC
Yunus to meet with 20 parties in two phases on Sunday amid political discord
Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus is going to sit with 20 political parties in two stages to explore ways to mitigate the ongoing political discord. Jamaat asked for a roadmap for reforms along with the elections, but did not mention a time frame. The NCP discussed the July Proclamation along with their demands of justice, reforms and Constituent Assembly elections in their meeting. They urged the government to scrap results of all elections held during the Awami League era through legal steps. As the political winds grew turbulent, swirling speculation over Yunus’s potential resignation as chief advisor compounded the crisis, prompting key political parties to urge him to stay on and lead the country through the transition.
Source:bd News24
May 25, 2025 12:31 UTC
Muniruzzam warns against constitutional reform by interim govt
Despite backing the interim government’s state reform initiative, ANM Muniruzzaman, chief of the Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies (BIPSS), believes it would be inappropriate for an unelected administration to make changes to the Constitution. “I personally believe the Constitution should not be left untouched,” Muniruzzaman said during a discussion with the National Consensus Commission at the auditorium of Dhaka’s Krishibid Institution on Sunday. “Only elected representatives—those who come to power through elections—should have the authority to amend it. No one else has the right or jurisdiction to make major changes to the Constitution. If such changes are attempted, the resulting complexities may be difficult to overcome.”He stressed the need to set sights on reforms that are “realistically achievable”.
Source:bd News24
May 25, 2025 10:37 UTC
Russia launches war’s largest air attack on Ukraine, kills at least 12 people
An explosion of a drone lights up the sky over the city during a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine May 25, 2025. REUTERS/Gleb GaranichAn explosion of a drone lights up the sky over the city during a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine May 25, 2025. It was the largest attack of the war in terms of weapons fired, although other strikes have killed more people. Russia's Defence Ministry reported that its air defence units had intercepted or destroyed 95 Ukrainian drones over a four-hour period. The Mayor of Moscow, Sergei Sobyanin, said 12 Ukrainian drones had been intercepted on their way to the capital.
Source:bd News24
May 25, 2025 09:09 UTC
Consensus panel to share points of disagreement too, says Ali Riaz
In the interest of transparency, the National Consensus Commission will disclose not only the issues on which political parties have reached consensus, but also the ones where no agreement was achieved, according to its Vice-Chairman Ali Riaz. He made the remarks on Sunday during a dialogue with civil society representatives at Dhaka's Krishibid Institution, reports bdnews24.com. “We invited you [civil society members] here because we value the perspectives of civil society. Emphasising the importance of engaging with civil society, Riaz said: “We have repeatedly said that discussions with political parties alone are not enough to build national consensus. Therefore, there is no scope to exclude the active participation of civil society from any reform initiative.”
Source:bd News24
May 25, 2025 08:53 UTC
Why was Culture Advisor Farooki’s press conference suspended? Bangla Academy explains
Bangla Academy has provided an explanation on why the Ministry of Cultural Affairs’ press conference regarding the reforms to the institution was suspended. Explaining the postponement of the press conference, Bangla Academy said: "Since today's press conference was originally organised for the journalists of the culture beat, we immediately apologised and decided to hold it at a convenient time later." The postponed press conference will be held “as soon as possible after taking appropriate measures”, according to Bangla Academy. This is the second time that the press conference on Bangla Academy reforms has been postponed. At 2:30pm, the Bangla Academy director general told five journalists that the press conference would start at 3pm.
Source:bd News24
May 25, 2025 04:53 UTC
Bangladesh’s interim government warns of full public disclosure if duties are obstructed
In a rare and strongly worded statement on Saturday, the Advisory Council, which oversees the functioning of the transitional administration, said the government continues to fulfil its duties “despite numerous obstacles and narrow interests”. The statement stressed that the transitional government’s legitimacy stems from the mass uprising of July, not from partisan interests. Saturday’s developments came on the heels of an Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC) meeting at Planning Commission in Dhaka’, followed by the impromptu Advisory Council meeting. Tensions have risen sharply in recent days, fuelled by Yunus’s reported contemplation of resignation and stark disagreements between the interim administration and the military, particularly over the timing of national elections. The Advisory Council concluded by reiterating its intent to continue engaging political parties and to clarify the government’s position in response to ongoing demands and challenges.
Source:bd News24
May 24, 2025 23:18 UTC
As key parties stand firm on demands, how will CA Yunus play his hand?
As key parties stand firm on demands, how will CA Yunus play his hand? Amid swirling speculation over Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus’s potential resignation, the key political parties have urged him to stay on and lead the country through its turbulent transition. On Saturday evening, the chief advisor held back-to-back meetings, first with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), then Jamaat-e-Islami, and finally National Citizen Party (NCP). ‘GOVT UNDER PRESSURE, RELIEF EXPECTED THROUGH POLLS’Following meetings with three major political parties, Yunus received unequivocal backing for his continued leadership, according to Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam. She noted that the interim government had made decisions on corridor and port issues without consulting political parties and stakeholders.
Source:bd News24
May 24, 2025 21:41 UTC
Ukraine says 15 people hurt in 'massive' Russian attack on capital
Flames burst from an apartment building damaged during a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine, May 24, 2025. REUTERS/Thomas PeterFlames burst from an apartment building damaged during a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine, May 24, 2025. By daybreak, government officials reported damage in six districts of the Ukrainian capital, and a total so far of 15 people wounded. The strikes followed several days of Ukrainian drone strikes - some 800 attacks - on targets inside Russia, including the capital Moscow. In his own post on Telegram, Zelensky said the Russian attacks were evidence to the rest of the world that Russia is the obstacle to peace.
Source:bd News24
May 24, 2025 20:04 UTC
Jamaat delegation begins meeting with Chief Advisor Yunus
Amid growing political unease, Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus has sat with a Jamaat-e-Islami delegation as part of his consultations with political parties. The head of the interim government met the Jamaat delegation following his discussion with the BNP on Saturday night. The Jamaat delegation is led by party chief Shafiqur Rahman, with its deputy chief Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher accompanying him. Before joining the meeting, Taher told journalists: “We have come to meet the chief advisor to discuss the country’s overall circumstances.”Earlier in the evening, around 7:45pm, Yunus met a four-strong delegation from the BNP, led by the party’s Standing Committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain. After the meeting with Jamaat, he is scheduled to meet with the newly formed National Citizen Party (NCP) later that night.
Source:bd News24
May 24, 2025 15:39 UTC
BNP calls for removal of controversial figures from Advisory Council
The BNP has called for the removal of “controversial figures” from the interim administration’s Advisory Council and demanded a complete reconstitution of the body. The demands were placed during a meeting with Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus at the State Guest House Jamuna on Saturday evening. On elections, Mosharraf said the BNP urged the interim administration to outline a concrete roadmap by December. Standing next to him, Moyeen said announcing an election roadmap would help restore calm in the country. Following the talks with BNP, the chief advisor held separate meetings with Jamaat-e-Islami and the National Citizen Party (NCP).
Source:bd News24
May 24, 2025 14:16 UTC
NBR staff to continue work stoppage
The NBR Reform Unity Council, a platform of tax officials, has announced plans to continue the full-scale work stoppage demanding the cancellation of the ordinance that dissolved the National Board of Revenue (NBR) and created two Revenue Management and Revenue Policy divisions. On Sunday, the council said the protest would occur in all tax, customs, and value-added tax (VAT) offices, other than the customs houses and LC stations, bdnews24.com reports. However, at the customs houses and LC stations, the work stoppage will be held from 9am to 5pm. They also announced a full-scale work stoppage starting Monday in all tax, customs, and VAT departments, except international passenger services. On May 12, the interim government issued the "Revenue Policy and Revenue Management Ordinance, 2025," dissolving the NBR.
Source:bd News24
May 24, 2025 14:14 UTC
Igniting debate over Army is risky for nation, says Jamaat chief
Engendering controversy over the Army will ultimately bring nothing good for the nation and the “pride of the institution” must be protected so that it can serve the people, Jamaat-e-Islami chief Shafiqur Rahman has said. “The Army is our pride; it has many prestigious contributions at different important points of Bangladesh’s history. “Inciting controversy about the Army may plunge the nation into grave risks. Shafiqur urged everyone to keep the Army in a position of pride and defend the dignity of the institution so that it continues to serve the people. He said, “It will not be appropriate under any circumstances to push the nation further into uncertainty through conflict and tear gas.
Source:bd News24
May 24, 2025 14:07 UTC