Police filed three separate cases over the recent violence in Khagrachhari's Sadar and Guimara upazilas following the alleged gang-rape of a schoolgirl last week that left three people dead. Of the total, Sub-inspector (SI) Sohel Rana of Guimara Police Station lodged two cases, while SI Shahriar of Sadar Police Station filed the other case. Guimara Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md Enamul Haque Chowdhury said one of the two cases was filed against unidentified individuals over the killing of three people during clashes that broke out in violation of Section 144.

As the victims' families declined to file complaints, the police became the plaintiff, the police official said. The other case was filed against 250-300 unidentified people on charges of obstructing government duties, injuring officials, vandalism, and arson, the OC said. The case statement said that despite repeated requests from police and army personnel, the protesters continued protesting, chanting slogans. At one point, they tried to take away "government firearms".

The number of confirmed anthrax infections climbed to 17, with four new individuals diagnosed with the disease in three upazilas of Rangpur. Among the new cases, two were identified in Kaunia, one in Pirgachha, and one in Mithapukur upazilas. The northern district's civil surgeon, Shaheen Sultana, said that they have so far received 23 suspected anthrax cases, and 17 of them tested positive. The first 13 anthrax infections were detected in Pirgachha, where two people died in July and September with symptoms of the disease.

The first team from the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) arrived in Pirgachha last month. On September 13 and 14, they collected samples from 18 suspected patients. Of those tested, 13 were found infected with anthrax. Livestock samples collected from the affected areas were also found to be infected, according to sources at the IEDCR. Anthrax spreads to humans through contact with infected animals or their products-meat, blood, hides and bones-but not from person to person.

Bangladesh is set to formally ratify three conventions of the International Labour Organization (ILO). According to the Ministry of Labour and Employment, this will help ensure workers' occupational safety and health protection, while also reducing workplace violence and harassment. However, factory owners hold a different view on the matter. The conventions are Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 1981 (No. 155), Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 2006 (No. 187), and Violence and Harassment Convention, 2019 (No. 190).

Of them, convention no. 155 and 187 are ILO's fundamental conventions, adopted as such in 2022. The decision to ratify the three conventions was taken at the Advisory Council meeting on 24 July, chaired by Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus. The signing is scheduled to take place within this month. Labour and Employment Adviser Brigadier General (retd) M Sakhawat Hossain will sign the conventions in the presence of the chief adviser.

City Bank PLC, a private sector bank in Bangladesh, has secured a $75 million loan facility from two international development banks to boost private sector investment. The loan deal was signed among the City Bank, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), and the New Development Bank (NDB) to boost investment and sustainable infrastructure development in Bangladesh. The total financing package includes $50 million from the AIIB and $25 million from the NDB. The funds will be allocated for investment in Bangladesh's private sector and key development areas, including power, energy efficiency, e-mobility, and digital infrastructure.

The bank officially announced the financing package on Thursday (October 2), confirming the signing of the agreement with the international development institutions. This loan is particularly significant as it is AIIB's first on-lending facility in Bangladesh without a sovereign guarantee to a private commercial bank or institution. The management of City Bank expressed confidence that the partnership will significantly accelerate investment in renewable energy and infrastructure.