NCP vows protests against Election Commission if ‘Shapla’ polls logo denied
Sarjis Alam, the chief organiser of National Citizen Party (North), has warned that the party will take to the streets against the Election Commission if it does not receive the Shapla, or water lily, as its poll symbol. On Sunday, he said the party will simultaneously campaign for the reconstitution of this “arbitrary” Election Commission if the NCP is denied the symbol. Sarjis added that the NCP would not form alliances in the elections simply for a few seats, ignoring the aspirations of the people. “If NCP enters any alliance in line with public sentiment, it will contest using the Shapla symbol under its own name,” he said. NCP will endorse it if the chief advisor issues directives ensuring its full implementation.”
Source:bd News24
October 26, 2025 16:14 UTC
Pakistan reports border clashes during talks with Afghanistan
REUTERS/Fayaz AzizFive Pakistani soldiers and 25 militants have died in clashes near the border with Afghanistan, the military said on Sunday, as delegations from both countries met to try to defuse tensions after the deadliest fighting in years. In Afghanistan, the Taliban government's chief spokesman and the defence ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the reported attacks. Officials from both countries are meeting in Istanbul to prevent a relapse into conflict after clashes between their armies earlier this month - the worst border fighting since the Taliban's 2021 takeover of Kabul. That fighting erupted after Pakistan demanded the Taliban rein in militants it says operate from Afghan sanctuaries, prompting heavy exchanges of fire and Pakistani airstrikes. Pakistan's Defence Minister, Khawaja Asif, said on Saturday the truce was holding and he believed Afghanistan wanted peace.
Source:bd News24
October 26, 2025 15:14 UTC
Sudan's RSF says it captured al-Fashir army headquarters
Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces said on Sunday they had captured the army headquarters in the city of al-Fashir, the Sudanese army's last stronghold in the Darfur region in the west of the country. A video posted by the RSF showed its soldiers cheering in front of a sign for the army's Sixth Infantry base. RSF BESIEGED CITY FOR 18 MONTHSYet some activists have long warned that an RSF takeover of the city would also lead to ethnic attacks, as seen after the capture of the Zamzam camp to the south. A UN-mandated mission said last month the RSF had committed multiple crimes against humanity in the al-Fashir siege. The Popular Resistance, local fighters allied with the army, said they were continuing to fight the RSF and that the takeover of the army base did not mean the takeover of the city.
Source:bd News24
October 26, 2025 15:14 UTC
Bangladesh put on cyclone alert
A low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal has intensified, with the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) warning it may develop into a cyclone by Sunday. The system has remained over the same area while moving west-northwest on Saturday evening. He said the cyclone is unlikely to have a significant impact on Bangladesh. The system is moving west-northwest, gaining strength, and may intensify into a cyclone. A 13-country panel, including Bangladesh, India, Iran, Maldives, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, UAE, and Yemen, decides the names sequentially.
Source:bd News24
October 26, 2025 15:06 UTC
Student drowns in Rajshahi University swimming pool
A Rajshahi University student has drowned in the institution’s swimming pool. The incident occurred around 5:30pm on Sunday, said the university’s proctor Mahbubur Rahman. The victim, Sayma Hossain, was a Sociology student from the 2020-21 academic session and a resident of Mannujan Hall. Witness Toufiq Rahman said they were playing outside the gym when they noticed Sayma underwater. “By the time we reached the [swimming pool] and pulled her out, it was too late.
Source:bd News24
October 26, 2025 14:29 UTC
4 dengue deaths, 1,143 hospital admissions recorded in 24 hours
Another four people have died of dengue fever in Bangladesh over the past 24 hours, pushing the nationwide death toll this year to 263. They died in Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Rajshahi Medical College Hospital, Patuakhali Medical College Hospital, and Barguna 250-bed Hospital, aged 58, 18, 80, and 23. In the same period, 1,143 new dengue patients were admitted to hospitals, taking the total number of hospitalisations in 2025 to 65,440. No dengue deaths were reported in March. At the moment, 2,733 dengue patients are undergoing treatment in hospitals across the country -- 930 in Dhaka and 1,803 elsewhere.
Source:bd News24
October 26, 2025 14:26 UTC
Brazil and US to meet 'immediately' in search of tariff solutions, Lula says
Brazil and US to meet 'immediately' in search of tariff solutions, Lula saysUS President Donald Trump and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva talk as they meet on the sidelines of the 47th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Oct 26, 2025. REUTERS/Evelyn HocksteinUS President Donald Trump and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva talk as they meet on the sidelines of the 47th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Oct 26, 2025. "We agreed that our teams will meet immediately to advance the search for solutions to the tariffs and sanctions against Brazilian authorities," Lula said in a message on X following the meeting. Lula previously described the tariff hike as a "mistake", citing a $410 billion US trade surplus with Brazil over 15 years. Brazil's Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira said negotiations will start immediately to work on solutions and a meeting with the US delegation was planned for Sunday.
Source:bd News24
October 26, 2025 13:35 UTC
Five-member probe formed after metro bearing pad fall kills pedestrian
The Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges has formed a five-strong committee to investigate the death of a pedestrian caused by a falling metro rail bearing pad. The committee, headed by Bridges Department Secretary Mohammad Abdur Rouf, includes technical and engineering experts from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) and the Military Institute of Science and Technology (MIST). He died instantly when the heavy bearing pad fell from above. The new committee will also review the investigation report of a previous incident on Sept 18 at the same location, when another bearing pad fell, halting metro service for 11 hours. Elastomeric bearing pads, installed at pier and viaduct junctions to absorb vibration, are made of neoprene or natural rubber.
Source:bd News24
October 26, 2025 13:15 UTC
Advisory Council to close work in November: Advisor Mahfuj
The Advisory Council of the interim government will wrap up its meetings within November, Information Advisor Mahfuj Alam has said. Now, Advisor Mahfuj has hinted at a change in the government’s approach. We are trying to bring online content under regulation. “I believe in strengthening the media by reducing the number of publications and raising advertisement rates, but circulation figures must be accurate. “Those who cannot compete in the market will eventually drop out.”Chief Advisor’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam said at the event, “The information advisor has consistently called for decent pay for journalists.
Source:bd News24
October 26, 2025 13:13 UTC
‘I never wanted to bid him farewell today’, laments metro accident victim’s wife
The atmosphere at Dhaka’s Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital has turned sombre with grief as relatives of Abul Kalam mourned his sudden death from a metro rail bearing pad. Inconsolable, Irin Akhter Pia, Kalam’s wife, collapsed several times outside the morgue on Sunday. Holding one of their young sons in her arms, she broke down saying: “I never wanted to bid him farewell today. He lived in Narayanganj with his wife and their two sons, aged 3 and 4. Earlier, on Sept 18, a bearing pad fell off at Khamarbari area on the same route, halting the service from Agargaon to Motijheel for 11 hours.
Source:bd News24
October 26, 2025 12:57 UTC
What are bearing pads and why are they installed on bridges and metro lines?
What are bearing pads and why are they installed on bridges and metro lines? The repeated fall of bearing pads from Dhaka’s metro line -- twice within five weeks -- has stirred widespread curiosity about what they are and how they function. On Sunday, a pedestrian died after being hit by a bearing pad that fell from the Dhaka Metro Rail line in Farmgate. Used in bridges and flyovers to absorb vibration, elastomeric bearing pads are made from neoprene or natural rubber and are installed between the pier and viaduct joints. Kamrul Hasan, an engineer at the Roads and Highways Department, explained: “These rubber pads are used to create elasticity between a bridge’s pier and girder.
Source:bd News24
October 26, 2025 12:15 UTC
Metro rail fatality reignites safety concerns after similar pad collapse in September
Metro rail authorities have gone on high alert after a pedestrian was killed when a bearing pad fell from the elevated rail line in Farmgate -- barely a month after a similar collapse disrupted train services for hours. The accident occurred around 12:30pm on Sunday when the heavy rubber pad dropped from above the Farmgate Metro Station. Sunday’s tragedy follows a similar incident on Sept 18, when a bearing pad fell in Khamarbari, forcing authorities to suspend metro operations between Agargaon and Motijheel for about 11 hours. When reporters asked whether the recommendations of the previous probe committee had been implemented, Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) Managing Director Faruque Ahmed said: “All measures were taken as per the previous committee’s report. The new committee will also review the earlier report.”A five-member probe committee, led by Bridges Department Secretary and former Metro Rail MD Abdur Rouf, has been tasked with submitting its findings within two weeks.
Source:bd News24
October 26, 2025 11:35 UTC
Grameenphone CEO, two officials get bail in fraud case filed by former employee
Grameenphone CEO, two officials get bail in fraud case filed by former employeeGrameenphone Chief Executive Officer Yasir Azman and two senior officials have been granted bail after surrendering before a Dhaka court in a case filed by a former employee alleging fraud and theft. The court granted their petitions following a hearing, according to defence lawyer Ehsanul Haque Shomaji. The two others granted bail are Fazlul Haque, acting chairman of the Grameenphone Trustee Board, and Sayeda Tahya Hossain, the company’s chief human resources officer. The case was filed on Sept 26 by Rakibul Azam, a former Grameenphone employee. After the hearing, the court granted bail to all three accused on a bond of Tk 5,000 each.
Source:bd News24
October 26, 2025 11:20 UTC
Metro rail service from Agargaon to Motijheel suspended for now
Under the circumstances, it is not possible to resume the metro rail service along this section for now. The metro rail will run from Agargaon to Diabari for the moment. At 2pm, the Facebook page of Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited said: “The metro rail service is temporarily suspended due to technical/mechanical faults. The metro rail authorities sincerely apologise for the temporary inconvenience caused to the esteemed passengers. “Later, if an able-bodied member in the family of the victim applies, they will be given a job in the metro rail.
Source:bd News24
October 26, 2025 10:31 UTC
Dhaka Metro authorities to support family of pedestrian killed by falling object: advisor
The metro rail authorities will take full responsibility for the family of a man who was killed after being hit by a bearing pad that fell from an overhead section of the urban train line, according to Road Transport and Bridges Advisor Fouzul Kabir Khan. “We will take full responsibility for the victim, meaning the metro rail authorities will do so. A five-strong investigation committee has been formed to look into the incident, headed by Abdur Rouf, the former managing director of the metro rail and now secretary of the Bridges Division, said Fouzul. Following the accident, metro rail service was suspended. The Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL), which operates the metro rail, later said it expected operations between Agargaon and Diabari to resume on Sunday but could not say when service on the Motijheel section would restart.
Source:bd News24
October 26, 2025 10:30 UTC