The Appellate Division on Wednesday stayed the High Court order allowing Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader to perform the duties of his post. Chamber Judge of the Appellate Division M Enayetur Rahim passed the order following an appeal against the HC order. The Appellate Division stayed the HC order till Monday (Dec. 5) for hearing by a full bench. With this order, the restriction on the activities of GM Quader as party chairman has been upheld, said plaintiff's counsel Barrister Sayed Ahmed Raja.

Just a day earlier, the HC cleared the way for GM Quader to perform his duties as Jatiya Party Chairman by staying the lower court embargo till January 3 following a revision petition. Jatiya Party's suspended leader and former lawmaker Ziaul Haque Mridha filed the case against GM Quader on October 4. On October 30, Dhaka Joint District Sessions Judge court-1 issued a temporary embargo on the political activities of GM Quader.

The courts will take steps if BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia attends the party's December 10 rally in Dhaka, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said. "Khaleda Zia is out of jail on condition, and if she joins the public rally, the court will take steps," the minister said while speaking at an annual training programme of Bangladesh Police Women Network in Dhaka's Rajarbagh area. There is still a cloud hanging over the location of the rally though.

BNP initially sought permission to hold the rally at either Suhrawardy Udyan or Manik Mia Avenue. They got permission to hold the event at Suhrawardy Udyan as Manik Mia Avenue, where the National Parliament is located, is a restricted area, said the home minister. The DMP eventually gave permission to the BNP to hold its rally at the Suhrawardy Udyan on 26 conditions. Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, senior joint secretary general of the party, told The Daily Star after receiving the letter from the DMP: "I got a letter from the DMP. But we will hold our rally in front of the Nayapaltan office."

The Power Development Board (PDB) proposed to increase the price of electricity at retail level within two days of the tariff increasing at bulk level. The organisation has proposed an average price increase of 19.44 percent. Earlier, Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) increased the power tariff at the bulk level by 19.92 percent on Monday. BERC said retail prices will not be affected at the time. Then PDB was the first to submit the request for increased prices at the retail level.

Taking into consideration the government's subsidy of Tk 170 billion, the price has been increased by an average of 19.92 per cent this time. The price of electricity per unit has increased from Tk 5.17 to now Tk 6.2. It will be effective from December. Before submitting the proposal, the BPDB received a nod from the government's highest policy level, the media release from BERC said. Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) vice president Shamsul Alam termed the BERC's decision without any public hearing as an arbitrary act and violation of the BERC Act.

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) extended the income tax return submission deadline to 31 December, considering application of trade bodies. NBR chairman Abu Hena Md Rahmatul Muneem officially announced the time extension at a seminar organised on the occasion of National Income Tax Day 2022 on November 30, at the conference hall of Rajaswa (revenue) Bhaban in the capital's Segunbagicha.

The NBR chairman said around 2.2 million returns were submitted till Tuesday (Nov. 29). Many new taxpayers are willingly submitting income returns this year and a good number of taxpayers sought time extension, he said. He said the income tax return submission process is being simplified so that people can pay tax in a hassle-free atmosphere. Those who have taxable income must submit returns, otherwise, relevant law will be enforced, he said.