Bangladesh Railways has undertaken a master plan for bringing the three hilly districts under the rail network in order to improve connectivity in the Chittagong Hill Tracts area. The information was disclosed at the 11th meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs Ministry, held with its chairman Md Dabirul Islam in the chair at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban.

The meeting discussed the development of the railway network and setting up a small airport in the CHT area to develop the tourism industry there. The committee also asked the ministries concerned to take steps for bringing 100% areas of the hilly districts under the electricity coverage, construction of houses and quarters for the government officers and employees in the three districts, and taking planned housing projects. the committee about the present status of the leased lands of the three hill districts which have been leased for individual afforestation but have not been afforested so far.

At least 35 people were injured in sporadic clashes between activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League and Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal in the Central Shaheed Minar area in Dhaka on Tuesday, reports our sister newsagency UNB. "Some 35 people have received first aid for injuries from the clash at Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) but none has been admitted as yet," said Bacchu Mia, inspector in-charge of DMCH police outpost.

According to witnesses, the JCD members were going towards Dhaka University at around 9.30am. At that time, some BCL activists attacked them near the Shaheed Minar area, resulting in a chase, a counter-chase and throwing of brick chips between the two student wings of ruling Awami League and de facto opposition, Bangladesh Nationalist Party, before they dispersed near the campus. The JCD activists were forced to leave the area at around 12:00pm after they faced stiff resistance from BCL activists.

A baseline survey by Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF) found that 99% of domestic workers of Dhaka are not interested in using mobile financial services (MFS) to avail their salaries at the end of the month, as they heavily rely on cash payments. MJF launched "Shuchona" - a pilot project supported by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation − to empower female domestic workers through a formal national financial digitisation system. The findings of the baseline survey were released on Wednesday at the capital's Cirdap conference hall.

The study was conducted on 250 women domestic workers and women employers in Dhaka city. The survey found that 67% of domestic workers had personal mobile phones. Of them, 91% used feature phones. Domestic work in Bangladesh is estimated to employ more than 10 million people - with 90% being women - having mainly migrated from rural to urban areas. However, only 19% of domestic workers had any sort of MFS account and 36% of them didn't use those accounts at all.

The High Court handed over four North South University (NSU) trustees to the police, turning down their applications for anticipatory bail in a money laundering lawsuit. The accused are: Rehana Rahman, MA Kashem, Mohammad Shahjahan and Benazir Ahmed.

While conducting the hearing, the HC observed that money laundering and corruption are more egregious than murder due to the multifarious nature of their impact.

The Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) lodged the case against six of the trustees, including the chairman, on charges of laundering over Tk 3.03 billion in the name of purchasing land for NSU campus. Four of them appealed for anticipatory bail. Following the HC order, they were handed over to the police.The case states that over 9,088 decimal land was bought in the name of campus development of NSU with the consent of some members of the Board of Trustees - bypassing the University Syndicate, University Grants Commission and the Education Ministry. Their interrogation has been set at the jailgate.