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Capital Market’s Role in Industrial Financing Continues to Shrink as Bank Dependence Rises

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DHAKA: Despite the continued expansion of Bangladesh’s economy and industrial sector, the capital market has yet to emerge as a significant source of long-term financing. Banks are increasingly shouldering the burden of financing industries, infrastructure and large investment projects, while direct capital raising through the stock market remains extremely limited. The growing dependence on bank financing is placing greater pressure on the banking sector and raising questions about the balance and resilience of the country’s overall financial system. Economists and market stakeholders say excessive reliance on banks for long-term financing can increase risks within the banking sector while limiting the development of a more diversified financial system. Wide Financing Gap in Industrial Investment The weakness of the capital market is particularly evident in the country’s failure to attract new companies through initial public offerings (IPOs). According to Bangladesh Bank’s annual re...
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Tensions Escalate in Ujjain Over Partial Removal of Historic Shahi Masjid

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UJJAIN, India — Tensions escalated in the central Indian city of Ujjain on Monday after authorities began removing a portion of the Shahi Masjid as part of a road-widening project ahead of the 2028 Simhastha religious gathering. The development triggered clashes between police and local residents who had gathered near the mosque to oppose the removal. Police used tear gas after protesters allegedly threw stones at security personnel, according to reports. The dispute centres on a section of the mosque that falls within the proposed alignment of a road being widened to about 15 metres. The project is linked to preparations for Simhastha 2028, a major Hindu religious gathering expected to draw large numbers of pilgrims to Ujjain. Overnight Protest Turns Into Confrontation Members of the Muslim community had gathered at the mosque on Sunday and remained there overnight, opposing the proposed removal. Representatives of the mosque and local administration held discussions during the night...
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Congress Protest Intensifies Against India’s Chief Election Commissioner

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New Delhi, September 28, 2026 — Political tensions over the functioning of India’s Election Commission intensified on Monday as Congress supporters protested outside the ancestral residence of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar in Agra and spray-painted slogans including “Gyanesh Gaddar” and “Vote Chor” on the property. The demonstration came as Congress and other opposition groups stepped up nationwide protests demanding Kumar’s resignation amid a growing political dispute over the Election Commission’s handling of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Congress workers and members of affiliated organisations gathered outside Kumar’s residence in Vijay Nagar, Agra, on Monday morning, raising slogans and displaying posters and pamphlets. Some protesters used black spray paint on the main gate and an exterior wall of the house. Images and videos of the incident were subsequently circulated widely on social media. The Indian Youth Congress also shared footage ...
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BNP Dragged Into ECB Chattar Attack Despite Claims of Jamaat-AL Rivalry, Says Student Leader

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Dhaka, September 28, 2026 — A Dhaka University Chhatra Dal leader has accused content creator Salman Muqtadir of unfairly linking the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) to an attack on his studio at ECB Chattar, arguing that the incident appears to have stemmed from a land dispute involving individuals associated with other political groups. Abidul Islam Khan Abid, joint general secretary of Dhaka University Chhatra Dal, criticised Muqtadir’s comments in a video statement posted on social media. He alleged that Muqtadir had attempted to associate the BNP with extortion allegations without sufficient evidence. The comments followed an attack on BrownFish Studio , founded by Muqtadir, at the New Gini Properties housing project in Dhaka’s ECB Chattar area late on September 26. The studio was among several properties reportedly vandalised and looted during the incident. Police have said the violence was linked primarily to a dispute over land possession and control. According to Abid, the...
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Students Reject New Vice-Chancellor at Dhaka Central University, Raise Six-Point Demands

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Dhaka | September 27, 2026 Students of Dhaka Central University staged a protest on Sunday against the appointment of the university’s new vice-chancellor, while also demanding urgent action to resolve what they described as prolonged academic uncertainty. The protesters marched through the capital before holding a press conference, where they presented a six-point set of demands focused on academic migration, the introduction of a semester and schooling system, curriculum reform, faculty recruitment and the development of modern educational infrastructure. The demonstration began at around 12:30 p.m. from the main gate of Dhaka College. The students marched towards the Science Lab intersection before returning to the college premises, where they addressed reporters. During the protest, students chanted slogans including “No lobbying, only the streets”, “Break the Dhaka University syndicate”, “Action, direct action” and “We reject the Dhaka University vice-chancellor.” Students questio...
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Kolkata Journalist’s ‘Fundamentalist’ Claim Over Salman Muqtadir Studio Attack Sparks Debate

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Dhaka | September 27, 2026 The attack and vandalism at popular Bangladeshi content creator Salman Muqtadir’s BrownFish Studio in Dhaka’s ECB Chattar area have triggered reactions beyond Bangladesh, including in neighbouring West Bengal. A social media post by Kolkata-based journalist and former Republic Bangla presenter Mayukh Ranjan Ghosh has, however, drawn particular attention after he described those behind the attack as “fundamentalists”, even as Bangladeshi police have so far linked the incident to a land dispute. In a post on his verified Facebook page, Ghosh praised the design of Muqtadir’s studio, saying he liked the studio’s set and that, had it been located in Kolkata, he would have considered renting it himself. He also expressed concern over the attack, saying he was disturbed by the fact that such an incident had occurred in Dhaka, which he described as being only about 400 kilometres from Kolkata. He warned that a rise in what he called “fundamentalists” in Kolkata could...
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Student Protest Erupts at Punjab University Over Rape Allegation; Students Climb on Fighter Jet and Tank

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Phagwara, Punjab | September 27, 2026 A major student protest erupted at Lovely Professional University (LPU) in Punjab’s Phagwara after allegations emerged that a female student had been sexually assaulted by an outsider, triggering overnight unrest, clashes and property damage on the university campus. Hundreds of students joined the demonstration, which began around midnight and intensified in the early hours of Sunday. The protest later spilled beyond the campus, with students blocking part of the Jalandhar-Phagwara national highway and disrupting traffic. Dramatic scenes were reported from inside the university grounds, where students climbed onto military equipment displayed on campus. Videos circulating on social media showed one student sitting on an Indian Air Force MiG-23UM fighter aircraft, while around 10 students were seen standing on top of a military tank installed as part of a campus display. Protest intensifies amid allegations According to police, the initial protest ...
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