Eight parties, including Jamaat, to stage protests for ‘order’ to implement July Charter
Eight parties, including Jamaat, to stage protests for ‘order’ to implement July CharterEight like-minded political parties, including the Jamaat-e-Islami, have announced a three-day protest in the fourth phase of their ongoing movement to demand an official ‘order’ for the implementation of the July Charter and a referendum by November. At a media briefing on Sunday afternoon, Khelafat Majlis Secretary General Ahmed Abdul Kader announced the programme on behalf of the eight parties. As part of the plan, the alliance will hold rallies and marches in Dhaka on Oct 20, in all divisional cities on Oct 25, and in district towns on Oct 27. Abdul Kader said: “If our demands are not met by Oct 27, we will call for a broader nationwide movement, God willing.”Since Sept 30, Jamaat, Islami Andolan Bangladesh, Khelafat Majlis, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis, Bangladesh Nezam-e-Islam Party, Bangladesh Khilafat Andolan, Jatiya Ganatantrik Party–JAGPA and Bangladesh Development Party have been pressing five key demands:Issue an order to implement the July National Charter and hold a referendum on it by NovemberIntroduce proportional representation (PR) in both parliamentary houses in the next national electionEnsure a level-playing field for all to guarantee free, fair and acceptable pollsBring to justice all acts of oppression, genocide and corruption by the ‘fascist" governmentBan the activities of the “autocratic” regime’s ally, the Bangladesh Jatiya Party, and the 14-party coalition
Source:bd News24
October 19, 2025 13:18 UTC
17 shops gutted in Faridpur fire
Dhaka, Oct. 19 -- A fire has ravaged at least 17 shops at Boalmari upazila of Faridpur. The incident took place at Kadirdi market around 10:15 pm on Saturday, according to Khalek Sheikh, station leader at Boalmari Fire Service and Civil Defence. The affected shops include a beauty salon, medicine shop, tailor shop, seed store, shoe store, and a restaurant, situated across four markets, reports bdnews24.com. Firefighters from Madhukhali and Boalmari brought the blaze under control after an effort of one and a half hours. Monir Hossain, a retired Army member, said: "As the traders had closed their shops and left, there were not many people present in the market except for the guards.
Source:bd News24
October 19, 2025 13:15 UTC
Fire at Shahjalal airport doused after 27 hours of relentless firefighting
The fire at the Cargo Village of Shahjalal International Airport has been completely extinguished 27 hours after it broke out. Lt Col Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury, director of the operations and maintenance of the Fire Service, confirmed it at a media briefing on Sunday. He said, “Upon receiving news of the fire on Saturday, 37 units worked tirelessly, and by 9:18pm on Saturday, we contained the fire. At 4:55pm on Sunday, we officially declared it fully extinguished.”Tajul said the affected sections of the cargo village were divided into numerous compartments, many constructed of steel. Two separate investigation committees have been formed by the Internal Resources Division of the finance ministry and the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism.
Source:bd News24
October 19, 2025 12:36 UTC
MPO teachers forced to abandon ‘Hunger March’ to ministry for police blockade
MPO-registered teachers and staff campaigning for a 20 percent basic salary increase, higher house rent allowances, and the nationalisation of all private educational institutions have been prevented from carrying out a “Hunger March” by law-enforcing agencies. On Sunday, as the march moved towards the education ministry, they were stopped at the High Court’s Mazaar gate. Earlier, at 3:30pm, teachers and staff took out a march towards the ministry from Shaheed Minar. Under the banner of the MPO Teachers and Staff Nationalisation Alliance, the protesters have been demanding since last Sunday:A 20 percent house rent allowance based on basic salary;Increase of MPO teachers’ medical allowance from Tk 500 to Tk 1,500;Festival allowance for MPO staff from 50 percent to 75 percent of basic salary;On Thursday, they added the demand for the nationalisation of all private educational institutions. While the government set house rent allowances at 5 percent of basic salary or a minimum of Tk 2,000, teachers remain adamant about the 20 percent demand and have vowed to continue their movement.
Source:bd News24
October 19, 2025 12:18 UTC
Gono Forum signs July Charter after initial reservations
The Gono Forum, led by Kamal Hossain, has signed the July National Charter, two days after refusing to do so at a ceremony held in the Parliament complex due to disagreements over constitutional wording. Although Gono Forum representatives attended the signing event on Friday, they declined to sign at the time. “We are pleased that the Consensus Commission has decided not to abolish Article 150(2) entirely, but to retain the Seventh Schedule. That is why we are signing today.”Mizanur said the Gono Forum had worked in full cooperation with the consensus panel. After the signing, Ali Riaz, vice-chairman of the Consensus Commission, urged the parties yet to sign to do so.
Source:bd News24
October 19, 2025 10:08 UTC
Smoke still rising 20 hours after fire at Dhaka airport
Smoke is still rising from the cargo complex of Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, 20 hours after a fire broke out there. The fire had started around 2:15pm on Saturday in a courier warehouse within the import complex of the airport’s cargo village. Flights bound for Dhaka were diverted to Sylhet and Chattogram. One passenger, Mahmudul Islam, who was travelling with US-Bangla Airlines from Chattogram to Dhaka, said: “I had a family event in Dhaka. Sheikh Bashiruddin, advisor to the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism, visited the site to inspect the damage on Saturday night.
Source:bd News24
October 19, 2025 08:59 UTC
Airport engulfed in flames: Questions mount over security, accountability, compensation
As part of mandatory airport safety measures, Shahjalal airport conducts annual fire drills, using mock aircraft to simulate emergencies. They claim that by the time the Fire Service arrived, flames had already spread extensively. The import cargo warehouse is a large hall divided into smaller cages for various firms, with separate storage areas for different product types. But everyone agreed that the blaze had already spread significantly before Fire Service units arrived. Khairul Alam Vuiya Mithu, vice-president of the Shahjalal Airport C&F Agents Association, said:“At 2pm, when the fire started, many workers and Ansar personnel were present.
Source:bd News24
October 18, 2025 21:47 UTC
IRD forms 5-member committee to assess damage from Dhaka airport fire
The interim government has formed a five-strong committee to assess the extent of damage caused by the fire at the Cargo Village of Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka. The committee is headed by IRD Joint Secretary Mohammad Mahbubur Rahman Patwary, with Deputy Secretary Pankaj Barua serving as member secretary. The IRD statement added that the committee will prepare a detailed report and submit it to the government “as soon as possible”. The NBR has also taken special measures to ensure the continuation of import-export activities at Dhaka Custom House despite the incident. The fire broke out at Cargo Village around 2:15pm Saturday and was contained by 9:15pm, grounding flights at the country’s main airport.
Source:bd News24
October 18, 2025 20:24 UTC
Flights resume at Shahjalal International Airport six hours after major fire
Flights resume at Shahjalal International Airport six hours after major fireFlights have resumed at Dhaka’s Shahjalal International Airport six hours after a fire forced operations to halt. The first flight departed at 9:06pm on Saturday, said Group Captain SM Ragib Samad, the airport’s executive director. Officials at Shah Amanat International Airport in Chattogram said that with the runway in Dhaka reopening at 9pm, diverted flights would return to the capital as soon as possible. More to follow
Source:bd News24
October 18, 2025 19:40 UTC
Biman opens investigation into Shahjalal airport cargo complex fire
Biman Bangladesh Airlines has formed a seven-strong committee to investigate the fire at the import cargo complex of Shahjalal International Airport. As the ground handler at Shahjalal, Biman has instructed the committee to file its report within five days, according to an office order issued on Saturday night. Headed by the director of flight safety, the panel includes a representative of the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB), Biman’s general manager (GM) (Corporate Safety & Quality), chief engineer (Quality Assurance), DGM (Security), DGM (Cargo- Export), and a DGM from the Insurance Department. As ground handler, Biman is responsible for loading and unloading import-export cargo and for overall cargo handling at the airport. The fire is believed to have started around 2:15pm on Saturday in the courier section of the import cargo complex, employees said.
Source:bd News24
October 18, 2025 17:24 UTC
Nahid asks BNP’s Salahuddin to apologise for comment on July activists
National Citizen Party (NCP) Convener Nahid Islam has asked BNP leader Salahuddin Ahmed to apologise for calling July activists -- who had gathered at the venue of the July Charter signing ceremony -- the “fascist army” of the Awami League. He made the call at a press conference on Saturday at the NCP’s temporary office in the capital’s Banglamotor. “A while ago, we saw that Salahuddin sir called July activists -- who were injured (Friday) – the followers of the ‘fascist’ Awami League,” Nahid said. During the event, several hundred July activists entered the venue, demanding official recognition, legal protection, and rehabilitation for those injured during the July Uprising. There cannot be anyone involved in any real July Uprising here.”Responding to the remarks, Nahid said Salahuddin had likely spoken “by mistake” due to a lack of information.
Source:bd News24
October 18, 2025 15:51 UTC
Jamaat sees risk of 'political crisis' if implementation of July Charter delayed
The Jamaat-e-Islami has warned that a delay in implementing the July National Charter could trigger a “political crisis”. The BNP says the charter will help build a democratic state within “constitutional boundaries”. The reactions came on Friday following the signing of the July National Charter 2025. The ceremony took place in the South Plaza of the parliament, where the Jamaat, BNP, and 23 other political parties signed the Charter. “Within constitutional limits, all state organs will maintain balance to create an effective democratic state.
Source:bd News24
October 18, 2025 14:47 UTC
Fire at Dhaka airport ‘started in courier warehouse,’ say customs agents
An official of the Dhaka Customs Agents Association says the blaze at Shahjalal International Airport’s Cargo Village began in the area where courier operations are handled. The association’s vice-president Khairul Alam Bhuiyan Mithu said regular work continued at the Cargo Village until 2pm on Saturday despite the government holiday. Mithu added that a chemical store sits beside the courier warehouse, holding imported materials for several industries, including the garment sector. He claimed fire service vehicles reached the airport promptly but were stuck outside Gate 8 for a long time due to permit complications. The Cargo Village, roughly 300 metres long, lies in the northeast corner of the airport.
Source:bd News24
October 18, 2025 14:14 UTC
Shahjalal Airport fire: Flight to Dhaka lands at Sylhet airport
Authorities have suspended all flights at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport after a fire broke out in the cargo area. In the aftermath, a flight from Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh, was unable to land in Dhaka and was diverted to Sylhet’s Osmani International Airport. Bangladesh Biman flight BG-340, carrying 396 passengers, landed safely at Osmani Airport at 3:31pm, said the airport’s Director Hafiz Ahmed. Earlier, Fire Service spokesman Talha bin Jashim said reports of the fire at Shahjalal Airport had come in around 2:15pm on Saturday. Airport authorities said flight operations had been temporarily suspended following the incident and have urged everyone to remain "safe and vigilant".
Source:bd News24
October 18, 2025 12:30 UTC
Fire at Cargo Village of Dhaka airport disrupts flight operations
A large fire at the Cargo Village at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal international Airport has disrupted flight operations, causing delays and diversions. The airport authority says that eight flights have been diverted from the Dhaka airport to Chattogram’s Shah Amanat International Airport. Among them is a US-Bangla Airlines flight from Bangkok to Dhaka, and two Air Arabia flights from Sharjah to Dhaka. A Batik Air flight from Dhaka to Malaysia’s Kuala Lumpur (OD-163) and a Dhaka to Mumbai IndiGo flight (6E-1116) are waiting in the flight taxiway. All flight operations at the Dhaka airport are temporarily suspended.
Source:bd News24
October 18, 2025 11:56 UTC