Bangladesh ranked 127th out of 140 countries on the Rule of Law Index 2022, slipping two positions from last year. This year, Bangladesh scored 0.39 out of 1, where 1 indicates the strongest adherence to the rule of law. Last year, the country's score was 0.40. The country's score placed it at the fourth spot out of six countries assessed in South Asia, according to the 2022 World Justice Project (WJP) Rule of Law Index.

Nepal was the top performer in the region with a global ranking of 69, followed by Sri Lanka at 74 and India at 77. Bangladesh, Pakistan (129), and Afghanistan (138th) had the lowest scores in South Asia. For the fifth consecutive year, the rule of law weakened in more countries than those in which it improved (85 versus 54, with one unchanged). More than 4.4 billion people live in countries where the rule of law weakened in the past year. This is equivalent to 56 percent of the world's population.

Saudi Arabia and Bangladesh are going to sign a security cooperation deal during the upcoming visit of the Deputy Interior Minister of Saudi Arabia Dr.Nasser bin Abdulaziz Al-Daoud to Dhaka in the second week of November. Foreign Ministry officials said Bangladesh Home Ministry and Saudi Interior Ministry would sign the agreement.

This agreement will see enhanced cooperation between the two countries in capacity building, skills development and exchange of visits of security personnel between the two countries, and another agreement called Makkah Road Initiative to facilitate the smooth travel of pilgrims by easing procedures. Before the planned visit, the countries will hold the Joint Economic Commission meeting on October 30-31 in Riyadh. Saudi Ambassador to Bangladesh Yousef Essa Alduhailan met Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen at his office in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs this week. Momen expressed readiness and full cooperation from his office in making the visit fruitful.

The High Court extended for three months its earlier order that asked Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) to form a research cell in its office in order to identify the persons who laundered money abroad and to bring the money back. The court also directed the BFIU to submit a report before it within this time after complying with its order and fixed February 5 next year for further hearing and passing an order on this issue.

The HC bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Khizir Hayat Lizu passed the order following a report submitted by BFIU seeking time from the court to comply with its August 31 order during hearing a suo motu (voluntary) rule. BFIU submitted the report through Deputy Attorney General AKM Amin Uddin Manik to the HC saying that it has requested the Bangladesh Bank to appoint manpower for constituting the research cell and the appointment is now under process.

Thousands of leaders and activists of BNP and its associate bodies joined the party's divisional rally in Khulna on Saturday (Oct. 22), defying various obstacles and transport strikes. Ruling party AL pulled out all the stops to foil the occasion, but it all came a cropper, as a sea of BNP supporters descended on the venue on the eve of the rally and took control of the city. Eventually the rally had to start 2 hours earlier than scheduled.

Bus, launch, ferry and boat operators stopped services ahead of the rally. Many walked and travelled by train, autorickshaw or motorcycle to reach the venue. They alleged Awami League operatives tried to stop them on the way. But they all still turned up in a massive show of support to their leadership, who doubled down on the party's demand for an election-time caretaker government. "There will be no sign of the Awami League if the election is held under a caretaker government," Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said as the supporters cheered him.