United News of Bangladesh

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) arrested 482 people and filed 32 cases during its regular anti-crime drives across the capital in the 24 hours until Saturday morning. Of the total, 119 were arrested by Mirpur division, 59 by Uttara, 57 by Motijheel, 56 by Tejgaon, 55 by Wari, 44 each by Ramna and Lalbagh, 39 by Gulshan and nine by the Detective Branch, according to a DMP statement. During the drives, police recovered 13,914 Yaba tables, 913 grams of heroin and 32 kilograms of cannabis, a gold jewelry, and fake notes of worth Tk 16,000, nine mobile phone sets, three laptops, two CPUs, two tablets, 55 SIM cards and Tk 2.68 lakh in cash.    

Two people were killed when a bus rammed a human hauler on Natore-Rajshahi highway at Ramaigachi in Sadar upazila of Natore district on Saturday. The deceased were identified as Syed Mia, 45, a human hauler driver, and Sabbir Hossain, 23 of the upazila. The accident occurred in the afternoon when a Dhaka-bound bus from Rajshahi hit the human hauler, leaving two people dead on the spot, said Mansur Rahman, Officer-in-Charge of Sadar Police Station. On information, a firefighting unit rushed to the scene and recovered the bodies. The bodies were later sent to the Sadar Hospital morgue for autopsy.

Shoriful Islam dragged Bangladesh back into the second Test with a six-wicket burst on Saturday. His six-wicket haul left Australia 151 for 8 after the home side bowled Bangladesh out for 64. Australia led by 87 runs at the end of the third session, but their innings began to unravel late in the day. Shoriful took five of his six wickets after tea, including the key wickets of Steve Smith, Beau Webster, Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc. Smith was the first of the late casualties, trapped lbw for 16 at 118 for 4. He reviewed the decision, but ball tracking showed the delivery clipping the outside of off stump. Shoriful then struck twice in the 31st over. Webster was given out lbw for a golden duck after playing down the wrong line, and Cummins fell for a duck two balls later, fending a short delivery onto his glove for Litton Das to catch. Two overs later, Shoriful bowled Starc for 1, finding the top of off stump with a delivery that straightened sharply off the pitch. His first two wickets came earlier, when Travis Head chopped on for 28 and Marnus Labuschagne was bowled for a duck. Shoriful's figures stood at 6 for 34 from 10 overs, his best in Test cricket. Australia looked in control when Head and Labuschagne put together a steady start after Matt Renshaw fell for 13. But Bangladesh kept finding wickets, and Shoriful's spell turned the innings on its head. Cameron Green was unbeaten on 32 at the close, with Alex Carey on 20. Earlier, Bangladesh were dismissed for 64, with Mitchell Starc taking 6 for 12. Four of Bangladesh’s top six made ducks, while Shoriful earlier joined Taijul Islam for a 25-run last-wicket stand – the innings’ best partnership.

Georgia has decided not to join the latest sanctions imposed by the European Union on Iran, saying its foreign policy decisions are based solely on the country’s national interests, Georgian media says.Tengiz Sharmanashvili, a lawmaker from the ruling Georgian Dream party, said Georgia would not back any international policy that conflicts with its own priorities.“Whether Georgia will join any resolution or take steps related to international politics is determined by only one criterion: whether it is in Georgia’s interests at that moment or not,” Sharmanashvili said.“If a decision is against those interests, we do not care at all whose interests it serves afterwards,” Sharmanashvili said, according to media.With inputs from Al jazeera

An 18-year-old man armed with a sword attacked a school in central Sweden on Friday, killing one person and seriously injuring at least two others, police said. Police Chief Tommy Alriksson said the suspect was arrested after the attack at Brinell School in Fagersta, a town northwest of Stockholm. Police fired shots while apprehending the suspect. Authorities did not immediately say whether he was wounded, but confirmed that he remained in police custody and was not taken to a hospital. The attack occurred while classes were underway at the school, which had around 400 to 500 students at the time. Authorities have not disclosed a possible motive. "We have no reason at this time to believe that there are multiple perpetrators," Alriksson told reporters, adding that the investigation was continuing. National police said investigators had conducted two searches of properties linked to the suspect and planned to question a large number of witnesses. Alriksson said authorities were withholding some details to avoid affecting witness accounts as the investigation progresses. According to Sweden's TT news agency, Vastmanland County officials said the two seriously injured victims were boys aged between 12 and 17. Authorities did not immediately release information about the person who died. Police spokesperson Pelle Vamstad told TT that officers received an emergency call shortly after noon Friday. A large area around the school was sealed off as police responded to the incident. Several nearby schools were also placed under lockdown, while roadblocks were established in the area, officials said. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson expressed sorrow over the violence in Fagersta, which occurred shortly after students returned from their summer break. "We do not yet know what lies behind the act, but we know that the police are working very intensively," Kristersson said in a post on X. He added that his thoughts were with everyone affected. Fagersta's municipal authorities opened a crisis center at a nearby sports hall to provide support following the attack. Vastmanland County officials said many people had been affected by the incident, with police, firefighters and health care workers involved in the emergency response.

The Bangladesh Jeweller's Association (BAJUS) has once again raised gold prices in the local market, increasing the rate of 22-carat gold to Tk 2,46,110 per bhori. BAJUS announced the new rate in a notice on Saturday morning, effective from 10am the same day. The trade body said the price of pure gold has increased in the local market, prompting the revision of gold prices, inclusive of VAT. According to the new rate, 21-carat gold will now cost Tk 2,35,030 per bhori (11.664 grams), while 18-carat gold will be priced at Tk 2,01,846 per bhori. Traditional gold will cost Tk 1,64,812 per bhori. BAJUS said the new prices will remain effective at all jewellery shops until further notice, though making charges will vary depending on ornament design. Since VAT is already included in the sale price of gold and silver ornaments, jewellers cannot charge VAT separately from customers. The association's existing rules for ornament exchange and purchase, excluding specified VAT, making charges and stone costs, will remain unchanged. BAJUS last adjusted gold prices on August 20, when the rate of 22-carat gold, including VAT, was raised by Tk 3,849 to Tk 2,40,628 per bhori. At that time, 21-carat gold was priced at Tk 2,29,781 per bhori, 18-carat at Tk 1,97,355 per bhori, and traditional gold at Tk 1,61,196 per bhori, rates that had also come into effect from 10am that day. With Saturday's adjustment, BAJUS has revised gold prices 106 times so far in 2026, raising rates 54 times, lowering them 51 times, and adjusting VAT once. Silver prices were also raised alongside gold. The price of 22-carat silver, including VAT, was increased by Tk 175 to Tk 5,482 per bhori. The new rate for 21-carat silver stands at Tk 5,249 per bhori, 18-carat at Tk 4,491 per bhori, and traditional silver at Tk 3,383 per bhori. BAJUS has adjusted silver prices 64 times in 2026, with 34 upward revisions and 30 downward revisions.

President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday paid tribute to the martyrs of the Liberation War at the National Martyrs’ Memorial in Savar. The newly elected president arrived at the memorial at 10am and laid a floral wreath at the altar in honour of the martyrs. He then stood in solemn silence for some time as a mark of respect. During the ceremony, a smartly turned-out contingent of the three armed forces presented a state salute, while a bugle played the Last Post.

The bodies of six Bangladeshi nationals killed in a devastating fire at a hotel in Kolkata of West Bengal will be brought back home this (Saturday) afternoon. Five of the bodies will enter Bangladesh through the Benapole land port in Jashore, while another will be brought home through the Bhomra port in Satkhira. The bodies of journalist Debashis Dutta, his wife Afsana Sharmin, their three-year-old son Swarnashish Dutta, his father-in-law Akram Hossain and Ahmed Babu of Aminbazar in Savar will be brought home through the Benapole border, while the body of Satkhira's Alimuzzaman Saju will be brought back through the Bhomra border. All necessary legal and administrative procedures for repatriating the bodies were completed on Friday night. The bodies are expected to leave Kolkata between 1pm and 2pm Bangladesh time. Following completion of all formalities on Friday night, the bodies were kept at the morgue of Peace World in Kolkata. Meanwhile, the funerals and burials of Debashis and his family members will be conducted separately according to their respective religious traditions, in line with the family's decision. The bodies of Debashis and his son Swarnashish will be cremated at Kushtia Crematorium. Preparations have been made for the cremation around 8pm today. The bodies of Debashis's wife Afsana Sharmin and father-in-law Akram Hossain will first be taken to Debashis's residence. They will then be taken to Akram’s house in the Thanapara area of Kushtia town before being buried at Kushtia Municipal Graveyard according to Muslim rites. The burial is scheduled to take place after Esha prayers, although the timing may change depending on when the bodies arrive in Bangladesh, said Debashis's father Dilip Dutta and other relatives. Family sources said Debashis married Afsana Sharmin around nine years ago. Although they belonged to different religions, their religious differences did not stand in the way of their marriage. They had two children -- Mahima and Swarnashish. Bangladesh's Deputy High Commissioner in Kolkata Md Khaled told reporters at his office on Friday afternoon that the bodies would be repatriated to Bangladesh at government expense. Meanwhile, the body of another Bangladeshi victim, Reboti Sarker of Satkhira, will reportedly remain in India at the family's request, with a relative there arranging the funeral. A total of nine people, including seven Bangladeshis and two Indians, died from suffocation after a fire broke out at Shikha Inn on Mirza Ghalib Street in Kolkata late Tuesday night. Autopsies of the victims were completed at Kolkata Medical College Hospital on Thursday, after which the bodies were kept at the hospital morgue. Debashis travelled to Kolkata on August 3 with his wife Afsana and their younger son Swarnashish for medical treatment. His father-in-law Akram Hossain joined them several days later.

A federal judge in Manhattan has overturned a Trump administration policy that halted the issuance of immigrant visas to applicants from 75 countries, ruling that the measure went beyond the legal authority of Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Judge Jeannette Vargas of the Southern District of New York ruled Friday that the policy was unlawful and inconsistent with federal immigration law. She said the law does not give the secretary of state the authority to control how consular officers make decisions on immigrant visa applications. Vargas said the policy’s blanket ban on immigrant visas based solely on an applicant’s nationality directly conflicted with the statutory framework established by Congress. The judge, who was appointed by former Democratic President Joe Biden, issued the ruling in a case brought by immigrant advocacy groups, including the Catholic Legal Immigration Network and African Communities Together. The plaintiffs also included visa applicants and US citizens seeking to sponsor relatives from the affected countries. The suspension, introduced in January, applied to applicants from 75 nations. The list included Brazil, Colombia and Uruguay in Latin America; Bosnia and Albania in the Balkans; Pakistan and Bangladesh in South Asia; as well as numerous countries across Africa, the Middle East and the Caribbean. The State Department had justified the policy by arguing that applicants from the affected countries were more likely to become dependent on public assistance and use government resources at the local, state and federal levels. Trump has made tougher immigration enforcement a major focus of his presidency, saying the measures are necessary to strengthen national security. The Center for Constitutional Rights said the immigrant visa freeze was part of a series of immigration restrictions introduced by the administration in quick succession. These included a wider travel ban covering 39 countries that came into effect on Jan. 1 and a suspension of diversity visa processing in late December. Immigrant rights organizations have criticized the administration’s broader immigration policies, arguing that some of the measures threaten constitutional protections, including due process and freedom of speech. They have also raised concerns that the policies could disproportionately affect racial and ethnic minorities. The State Department had not immediately issued a response to Friday’s ruling. Source: Al Jazeera

Excitement is building around Rajinikanth’s upcoming film Jailer 2, with the full version of its song “Ala Bolelo” receiving a strong response from fans online. The sequel to the 2023 blockbuster Jailer is scheduled to hit cinemas on October 15, 2026. A 32-second promo of “Ala Bolelo” was released earlier and drew criticism from some social media users over the pronunciation of Malayalam words in the song. However, the full track, released on Friday, has received considerable attention from fans. One user reacted to the song on social media, saying, “Theatre gonna be blast,” comparing its energy to “Kaavaalaa,” “Tiger” and “Muthuvel Pandian Investigation.” Song sparks Malayalam pronunciation debate The promo featured Rajinikanth and Shamna Kasim, with Kasim dancing in a traditional kasavu saree. The clip ended with a brief appearance by Rajinikanth. The song contains several Malayalam words, but some Malayalam-speaking users objected to their pronunciation. One social media user urged the filmmakers to avoid using Malayalam in songs or dialogues unless it is pronounced correctly, saying that incorrect pronunciation could feel disrespectful to the language. Another user suggested hiring a lyricist and singer familiar with Malayalam. Despite the criticism, the song’s promo also received plenty of positive reactions from audiences. The music for Jailer 2 has been composed by Anirudh Ravichander. Arunraja Kamaraj wrote the lyrics along with Niranjana Raman, Aparna Harikumar and Deepthi Suresh. The film has been written and directed by Nelson Dilipkumar and produced by Kalanithi Maran under the banner of Sun Pictures. Jailer 2 is set to release in theatres on October 15, 2026. Source: NDTV

A cleaner of a Cineplex outlet in Chattogram was arrested for secretly recording a video of a woman inside a washroom at the Cineplex at Finlay Square in the Nasirabad area of Chattogram port city on Friday. The arrestee was identified as Jitu Pal, 23, a resident of Anwara upazila. He had been working as a cleaner at the Cineplex for the past seven to eight months. Witnesses said the woman went to the Cineplex with family members to watch a movie. At one point, when she entered the washroom, she allegedly noticed someone attempting to record her using a mobile phone. She then reportedly confronted and caught Jitu at the scene. People nearby subsequently checked his mobile phone and allegedly found a video of the woman recorded inside the washroom. They also reportedly found videos of several other women allegedly recorded secretly at different times. Cineplex authorities informed police, who rushed in and arrested Jitu. Police said the incident was under investigation and that the videos found on the mobile phone were being examined. Officer-in-Charge of Panchlaish Police Station Zahedul Islam said legal action will be taken after investigating the allegations.  

The annual District Correspondents' Conference-2026 of United News of Bangladesh (UNB) got underway at the news agency's conference room in the capital's Malibagh area on Saturday morning, bringing together around 100 journalists from across the country for a daylong programme on journalism and contemporary issues. Immediate past Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapon inaugurated the conference as the chief guest. UNB Editor-in-Chief Enayetullah Khan welcomed the participants and thanked the district correspondents for attending the annual gathering despite their busy schedules. He said he believes the conference will be a valuable one for UNB and its correspondents.

Once largely used as open river chars for seasonal cultivation and other activities, stretches along the Bishkhali River in Bagerhat are gradually turning green as 50,000 saplings planted by the Forest Department take root. The plantation, covering about 50 kilometres along both banks of the river in Morelganj and Kachua upazilas, is already creating a striking green landscape amid the monsoon. Neem, sissoo, mahogany, babla, jam, wood apple, amla, haritaki, wax apple, tamarind, guava, olive, arjun, casuarina and acacia are among the species planted on the river chars. The saplings have been planted in rows, about two feet apart, with each one supported by a stake. Many have already sprouted fresh leaves, while regular rain has helped them grow vigorously.

A suspected cattle lifter was killed in a reported lynch-mob attack in Badurgachha village in Kaliganj upazila of Jhenaidah district early Saturday. The identity of the deceased could not be known immediately. Kabir Hossain, Officer-in-Charge of Kaliganj Police Station, said two people entered the house of one Nilufa Begum around 3am in an attempt to steal cattle. Sensing the presence of the cattle lifters, the woman raised an alarm for help. At one stage, local people chased them and caught them. Later, local people beat them up mercilessly, leaving one dead on the spot and another injured. The injured was taken to Jhenaidah Sadar Hospital.  

Detectives arrested two armed drug dealers on Friday with a foreign pistol, ammunition, and a large quantity of narcotics during a raid in Savar. Saidul Islam, Dhaka District North Detective Branch (DB) Inspector, confirmed the drive in the Rajashon Palwanpara area under Savar municipality. The arrestees were identified as Russel Babu,22, son of the late Abdul Ghaffar of Dinajpur, and Sajib Sarkar,20, son of Jahidul Sarkar of Gaibandha. The duo had been residing as tenants in Poschim Rajashon. During the operation, DB officers seized a foreign pistol, six rounds of ammunition, a shotgun cartridge, a foreign dagger, 300 grams of heroin, five bottles of Fairdil, and 200 grams of marijuana. They also confiscated two CCTV cameras and a DVR from the suspects' hideout. The suspects had long been using firearms to establish dominance, execute criminal acts, and run local drug networks, Police said. A case has been filed against them under the Arms and Narcotics Control Acts at Savar Model Police Station.

The Ebola outbreak spreading rapidly in Congo has yet to reach its peak and could be several times larger than currently reported, according to data from Congolese health authorities and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). The World Health Organization says the outbreak is advancing at an unprecedented pace and could eventually surpass the 2014-2016 Ebola epidemic in West Africa, which killed more than 11,000 people. The latest outbreak has so far resulted in 2,516 deaths among 5,290 confirmed cases in Congo’s vast eastern region. The spread has been fueled by a highly mobile population, including people displaced by armed conflict, as well as widespread mistrust of health authorities. Only about 10% of current cases are linked to known contacts, far below the 90%-95% level considered necessary to bring an outbreak under control, according to Yap Boum, head of emergency preparedness and response at the Africa CDC. Boum told reporters Thursday that authorities may be detecting only 30%-40% of the actual cases. Rapid spread raises alarmBy the 13th week after the outbreak was officially declared, Congo had recorded about 10 times as many cases and seven times as many deaths as the West African Ebola outbreak had recorded at a comparable stage, according to Africa CDC data. The 2014-2016 outbreak eventually caused more than 28,000 cases and over 11,000 deaths. Congo’s previous deadliest Ebola outbreak, from 2018 to 2020, recorded about 3,400 cases and more than 2,200 deaths. The current outbreak is progressing much faster, with confirmed cases increasing at roughly 18 times the previous rate and deaths at about 13 times the rate. Experts are particularly concerned that the outbreak may have started in the mining town of Mongbwalu as early as February, months before authorities officially declared it on May 15. Contact tracing remains limitedAfrica CDC data from the past three weeks shows that health workers have traced 82% of the 19,630 contacts already identified. However, the agency estimates that nearly 100,000 contacts should have been identified based on an average of 60 contacts per confirmed case. That means the actual contact-tracing rate is only about 16% of what was expected. The outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, a strain for which there are no approved vaccines or treatments. Its symptoms can also be milder than those associated with the more common Ebola virus, potentially leading some patients to delay seeking medical help. Outbreak reaches new provinceThe number of affected health zones has expanded from three at the beginning of the outbreak to 56 across six provinces. Bas-Uele province, which had previously reported no cases, has recorded two cases in separate locations during the past week and a half, according to government data. There are signs of improvement in some areas, however. South Kivu province, for example, has gone 79 days without reporting a new case. Most deaths occur outside treatment centersCommunity deaths, meaning those occurring outside Ebola treatment centers, have increased steadily. They accounted for 97% of reported deaths on Aug. 17, according to Africa CDC figures. Yet only about 20% of health alerts are coming from communities, highlighting the challenge of persuading people to report suspected cases. The overall case fatality rate stands at 46.7%, but it is considerably higher in some areas. In North Kivu, one of the country's most populous provinces, the fatality rate has reached 68.2%. Health officials say people are often delaying or avoiding treatment because of misinformation, reliance on traditional remedies, fears of isolation and concerns about being quarantined for symptoms that may turn out to be caused by other illnesses. The relatively mild early symptoms of the Bundibugyo strain may also discourage people from seeking care quickly.

Dental services at Cumilla Medical College Hospital are being severely hampered by shortage of essential equipment, forcing many patients to return without treatment or seek care at private facilities. Although the dental department has 10 doctors, a shortage of necessary equipment and manpower has limited the number of dental surgeries that can be performed each day to 20. Patients who fail to secure a place on the daily list are often turned away. Mohammad Abu Jafar travelled from Muradnagar with his son for a tooth extraction but was unable to get treatment after arriving late and finding that all 20 surgery slots for the day had already been filled. “I came from far away to have my son’s tooth extracted. I requested the doctors several times, but they said the quota for the day was already full,” he said. Similarly, Kamrunnahar, who came from Mudaffarganj for dental treatment, was advised to have a root canal procedure at a private facility after being examined at the hospital. According to department sources, up to 20 patients can undergo dental surgery each day because of a shortage of surgical instruments. Complex dental surgeries are performed twice a week. A total of 522 patients underwent dental surgery at the department in the past six months, the sources said. One of the department’s major problems is the absence of an oral panoramic X-ray (OPG) machine. As a result, at least 20 patients a day have to undergo X-rays at outside diagnostic centres, increasing their costs and wasting time. The hospital also lacks an adequate supply of local anaesthetic used during tooth extraction, forcing many patients to purchase the medicine from outside. The department also lacks adequate equipment for dental fillings and root canal treatment, officials said. The shortage of dental chairs is another major obstacle. Although the department is supposed to have five chairs, only two are currently available, limiting the number of patients who can receive treatment simultaneously. The department is also operating without the staff it is officially supposed to have. Although two employees are sanctioned for the department, neither post is currently filled. The department has reportedly hired two workers with its own funds to assist patients. Doctors said they are unable to provide the expected level of treatment because of the shortage of equipment and are often compelled to refer patients elsewhere. Although the hospital has a designated dental ward, no patients are currently admitted there. Dr Rokeya Zaman, head of the dental department, said two beds had been allocated to the department but claimed that the beds were being rented from the ENT department. She said the dental ward could not be made operational because there are no sanctioned posts for maxillofacial surgery. However, Prof Dr Shajibur Rashid, head of the ENT department, disputed the claim, saying there is no provision for renting or leasing beds between departments at a government hospital. “No beds from the ENT ward have been rented to the dental department,” he said. Asked whether the dental department has submitted a requisition for the necessary equipment, Dr Rokeya said a demand was submitted in July 2025. She said no fresh requisition was submitted afterwards because the hospital director’s office did not ask the department to submit one. Cumilla Medical College Hospital’s acting Director Prof Dr Md Shahjahan confirmed that a requisition for the required dental equipment was submitted in July 2025. He said arrangements will be made to ensure the supply of necessary equipment, dental chairs and manpower, as well as to make the dental ward operational.

The four new ministers and two state ministers who were inducted in the cabinet on Friday, received their respective portfolios late last night. Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan was conferred with the Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Ministry, while Andaleeve Rahman Partho was appointed as the new Information and Broadcasting Minister. Rashiduzzaman Millat has been put in charge of the Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry, while Saching Prue is now the CHT Affairs Minister. Afroza Khanam, previously Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister, was appointed as Food Minister. Besides, Prime Minister's Foreign Affairs Adviser Humaiun Kobir was appointed as State Minister for Foreign Affairs, and Gaibandha-4 lawmaker Mohammad Shamim Kaiser Lincoln was appointed State Minister for Religious Affairs. Earlier on Friday evening, President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir administered the oath to them at the Darbar Hall of Bangabhaban at 7:45pm. With this, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman expands his cabinet six months after forming the government, bringing five new members into the Council of Ministers. Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Gani conducted the oath-taking ceremony. Tarique Rahman took oath as prime minister on February 17 following the victory of his party in the February 12 election. Tarique Rahman formed the incumbent government with a 49‑member cabinet, including himself as 25 other ministers and 23 state ministers took oath on the same day. With the induction of five new faces, the number of cabinet members now stands at 52, which include 27 ministers and 24 state ministers.    

For children starting at a new school, the first day can bring many worries: Will they know anyone? Who will they sit with at lunch? Who will they play with during breaks? “I’m this much nervous,” said 5-year-old Iman Fair-Seldon, holding her hands about 10 centimetres apart. Iman will begin first grade next month at a new school in southern New Jersey, near Philadelphia. Despite feeling nervous, she is excited about making new friends. Starting at a new school or moving from elementary to middle school can be difficult for children. Parents often want to help but may not know the best way. Experts and students who have experienced such changes offer some simple advice. Arrange playdates and attend partiesParents have a strong influence on young children's social lives, experts say. Taking children to parks, playgrounds, birthday parties and other activities can give them chances to meet others. Parents can also decide when their children are ready for activities such as sleepovers. “Initially, parents have a huge impact when it comes to the friends that children have,” said Dr Asha Barber Sutton, a licensed marriage and family therapist and associate dean of academic affairs at National University in San Diego. Iman’s mother, Amira Fair, said she normally prefers to keep to herself but makes an effort to help her daughter build friendships. “I make it my business to exchange numbers and try to schedule monthly playdates,” she said. She also attended birthday parties at Iman’s previous school to meet other parents and families. Let children build their own friendshipsParents cannot choose or manage every friendship their children have. Instead, they can help children understand what makes a good friend, such as kindness, honesty and being able to feel comfortable around someone. Difficult experiences can also teach children how to deal with disagreements and what qualities they value in friends, Sutton said. Parents can ask questions such as: What do you like about your friends? Who makes you feel comfortable being yourself? Fourteen-year-old Jaiden Journet, who is starting at a new high school in North Carolina, suggested parents ask their children whether they have found anything in common with another student. Encourage children to get involvedJoining clubs, sports teams and other activities can help children meet classmates who share their interests. Parents can encourage shy or nervous children to try something new. Shia Watts, 16, said joining a theater production at Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, California, helped her make new friends. “I’d never done that before, but I met so many amazing people,” she said. When Jamir Gonzalez transferred to Uncommon Camden Prep High School in New Jersey last year, he joined the baseball and debate teams. “If you have any hobbies, find out if they have that at your school, and if they do, talk to the people that are there,” said Jamir, now 16. Once children find an opportunity to connect, experts say they can start with a smile, a compliment or a simple question. Iman remembers meeting her best friend after complimenting her shirt. “I think I said, ‘I like your shirt,’ and then she said, ‘Thank you.’ And I said, ‘So what’s your name?’” she recalled. Encourage some screen-free timePhones, headphones and other devices can sometimes make it harder for students to start conversations. Parents can encourage children, especially teenagers, to put their devices away at certain times and interact with people around them. Some teachers and experts also suggest parents avoid constantly texting their children while they are at school. However, parents should avoid imposing overly strict technology rules on older children because this could make them feel socially isolated, Sutton said. Families should instead discuss reasonable limits on phones, social media and gaming and talk about who children interact with online. Technology can also help children maintain friendships when they move away. Video calls, for example, allow children to stay in touch with old friends. One good friendship can be enoughHaving a sense of belonging at school can make an important difference to a child’s well-being. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, students who feel supported by school staff and classmates are less likely to experience poor mental health, substance use or violence. They are also more likely to have better attendance and grades. But children do not need a large group of friends to feel connected. “Even if you only have one really strong friendship or one strong trusted adult, one strong sense of belonging, that can be enough to really positively affect your well-being and your trajectory through school and life,” said Nicole Hockley, co-founder and CEO of Sandy Hook Promise, a nonprofit focused on preventing gun violence in schools. For children who are nervous about starting at a new school, Hockley said it may help to remember that other students are likely looking for friends, too. “There’s also someone else just like you in that same space who’s also saying, ‘I would like to meet someone. I’d like to make a friend,’” she said. Starting a conversation may feel difficult at first, but with practice, making new friends can become much easier.

For generations, the yellow school bus has been a familiar sight across the United States. Although early school buses came in different colors, the distinctive yellow shade eventually became the national standard because it was easy to see on the road. The color was not chosen by Congress. In 1939, transportation officials from all 48 US states selected the yellow shade, which has a slight orange tone, as an early safety measure. At their peak in the 1980s, yellow school buses carried more than 60% of US students to school. The school bus has its roots in rural America. In Georgia, car dealer Albert Luce designed a metal bus to transport cement workers. When his company rejected the idea, he began marketing the vehicle to schools. The timing was right. School districts were replacing small, one-room schools with larger schools located farther away, creating a growing need for school transportation. “I don’t think you could’ve had one without the other,” said Matt Anderson, head transportation curator at the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation in Dearborn, Michigan, which houses Luce’s 1927 bus. School buses later played an important role in desegregating US schools by carrying Black and white children across racial boundaries. However, the practice of using buses for desegregation has largely ended, and many US schools have since become more segregated. Carl Fisher spent 66 years driving school buses before retiring in 2012 at the age of 86. The Guinness Book of World Records recognized him as the longest-serving school bus driver. His first bus was a modified Dodge truck that carried about 20 children in Pleasant Hope, Missouri. A family friend converted the vehicle by adding benches, stools and windows. Over the years, features such as padded seats and folding stop signs became standard, along with other safety improvements. Brad Beauchamp of electric bus maker Blue Bird said school buses remain among the safest forms of road transportation per passenger and mile, even without seat belts. Today, however, driver shortages and other challenges mean many students no longer have access to a yellow school bus. This has put additional pressure on families to find other ways to get their children to school. Jim Oppegard, who drove school buses for more than two decades in Brooklyn Park, a Minneapolis suburb, retired at 94 as the oldest recorded school bus driver. He said the job was rewarding because it allowed him to help children and contribute to the wider community. “You’re helping the kids and helping the overall society,” Oppegard said. “You’re doing an important job.”

President Donald Trump on Friday urged South Carolina voters to support Sen. Darline Graham in next week’s Republican Senate runoff, saying she needs their votes to secure the party’s nomination for a full term. Speaking to thousands of supporters in Myrtle Beach, Trump asked voters to turn out on Tuesday and back Graham against Rep. Ralph Norman. “You have to get out and vote,” Trump said, urging what he called every South Carolina patriot to support Graham. Graham is serving the remainder of the term of her late brother, Sen. Lindsey Graham, who died unexpectedly in July. She was appointed interim senator by Gov. Henry McMaster and entered the Republican primary with Trump’s strong backing. Trump also acknowledged that Republican voters can be less interested in elections when he himself is not on the ballot. As he is serving his second and final presidential term, he asked supporters to act as if he were running. “Pretend, please, that I’m on the ballot,” Trump said. “Just come and vote. It’s so important.” Trump has repeatedly endorsed Graham, encouraging her to run before she officially launched her campaign. He again called her to the stage near the end of Friday’s rally, where she led supporters in chants of “U.S.A.” Trump visits friendly territoryTrump began his remarks in a cheerful mood after Chief Justice John Roberts allowed construction to continue for now on a $400 million ballroom he is adding to the White House. The project is being challenged in federal court. He also spoke about illegal immigration, reading lyrics from the 1960s song “The Snake,” a campaign tradition he has used to warn against unauthorized immigration. Trump brought several Republican figures to the stage, including South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott and outgoing White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. He later urged voters to support Graham, saying her victory would help protect tax cuts and would also honor her late brother, who was a close ally of the president. The rally was notable because Trump has made fewer campaign-style appearances this year than during previous midterm election cycles. His strong support for Graham highlights the importance he places on her winning the Republican nomination. South Carolina remains a stronghold for Republicans. The state has not elected a Democrat to statewide office in decades, while only one Democrat represents the state in the House. Graham stresses outsider imageGraham has presented herself as a political newcomer and sought to distinguish herself from Norman, who has served in the U.S. House since 2017. “I am many things: a problem solver, a mother, a leader, but I am not a career politician,” she said. Graham has repeatedly highlighted Trump’s endorsement and said she would work to advance his agenda if elected. She has identified border security and passage of the SAVE Act voting bill among her priorities. She has also focused on issues affecting household budgets, including fuel prices and the cost of living, rather than foreign policy. Earlier this week, Graham acknowledged during a debate that she was not fully informed on some national security issues after being asked about US interests in Taiwan. She said she was “not a polished politician.” Trump defended her remarks on Friday, saying Graham was “being honest.” “She’s surrounded by very good people, and she said that she’s totally for the military,” Trump told reporters before traveling to South Carolina. The Republican runoff will determine whether Graham or Norman becomes the party’s nominee for the US Senate seat in the November election.

Dhaka ranked 7th among the world's most polluted cities on Saturday morning, recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 153 at 10:06 am. The air quality was classified as ‘unhealthy’, indicating potential health risks for the general population, according to the AQI scale. Malaysia’s Kuching, Uganda’s Kampala and India’s Kolkata occupied the top three positions on the list, with AQI scores of 192, 172 and 163 respectively. According to AQI standards, a reading between 101 and 150 is considered ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’, 151 to 200 ‘unhealthy’, 201 to 300 ‘very unhealthy’, while levels above 301 are deemed ‘hazardous’, posing serious health risks. The AQI, which reports daily air quality, informs residents how clean or polluted the air is and highlights potential health effects. In Bangladesh, the AQI is calculated based on five key pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and ozone. Dhaka has long struggled with air pollution. Air quality usually deteriorates in winter and improves during the monsoon season. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that air pollution causes about seven million deaths worldwide each year, primarily from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections.  

Mitchell Starc took 6 for 12 as Bangladesh were bowled out for 64 in 34 overs on Saturday, giving Australia a commanding start to the second Test in Mackay. Bangladesh lost five wickets for 12 runs after Australia opted to field, with four of their top six batters dismissed without scoring. Shadman Islam was out to the first ball, edging Starc to Cameron Green at gully. Tanzid Hasan followed for a duck in Starc’s second over, and two balls later Najmul Hossain Shanto was trapped lbw. Mominul Haque made 9 before edging Starc to Green, while Litton Das was given out lbw after Australia successfully reviewed the decision. Mushfiqur Rahim, the other batter among the top six to score, made 5 before Pat Cummins bowled him. Bangladesh were 35 for 6 at lunch. Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who made 11, and Hasan Mahmud added some resistance before Australia’s attack finished the innings in the afternoon. The only partnership of more than 20 came at the end. Taijul Islam and Shoriful Islam put on 25 for the 10th wicket, the best stand of Bangladesh’s innings. Shoriful made 14 from 19 balls, with three fours, while Taijul was unbeaten on 11. Starc returned to dismiss Shoriful caught behind for his sixth wicket. Cummins took 3 for 25 and Josh Hazlewood 1 for 18. Starc bowled 10 overs, six of them maidens. Hazlewood said there was movement in the air and off the pitch early in the innings, with the breeze helping the swing. He also felt the surface became flatter later in the innings. Australia, beaten by nine wickets in Darwin, now have a chance to take a firm grip on the match and level the two-Test series.

Two people were killed and another injured on Thursday after unidentified gunmen opened fire on their vehicle on the island of Mindanao in the southern Philippines, according to local media reports on Saturday. The shooting took place in Maguindanao del Sur province, and the victims were traveling to Cotabato City when motorcycle-riding suspects shot them in Datu Saudi Ampatuan town, local media GMA News cited the Police Regional Office Bangsamoro Autonomous Region as saying. The 56-year-old driver and his 40-year-old companion died at the scene, while a laborer traveling with them was taken to a hospital for treatment. Police are investigating the incident.

TikTok has agreed to pay $400 million to resolve a lawsuit brought by the U.S. Department of Justice over alleged violations of federal laws protecting children’s online privacy. Under the agreement announced Friday, TikTok will provide $300 million upfront, while the remaining $100 million will be paid after an earlier consent order involving the company’s predecessor, Musical.ly, is formally withdrawn. U.S. Associate Attorney General Stanley E. Woodward Jr. described the agreement as an important achievement for children and their parents. He said the settlement reinforces the government’s efforts to ensure that companies handling children’s personal information comply with federal requirements. The case dates back to a 2024 DOJ lawsuit. Since then, TikTok has experienced significant changes, particularly concerning the ownership of its U.S. operations. In January, the company reached agreements with investors including Oracle, Silver Lake and Abu Dhabi-based MGX to establish a new joint venture for TikTok’s American business. TikTok did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Friday. The lawsuit alleged that TikTok and its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, breached the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). The federal law requires websites and apps aimed at children to obtain parental permission before collecting personal information from users younger than 13. Federal officials also accused the companies of failing to properly respond when parents asked for their children’s accounts to be removed. In some cases, the government alleged, TikTok continued maintaining accounts even after learning that they belonged to children under 13. The settlement comes amid increasing scrutiny of social media companies over the safety and privacy of young users. Governments in several countries are introducing restrictions on children and teenagers accessing social media platforms, while technology companies face a growing wave of legal challenges. Meta Platforms, the parent company of Instagram, is also facing a federal trial in Oakland, California. That case involves allegations that Meta violated COPPA and several state laws related to children’s privacy.    

As the war with Iran approaches six months and U.S. supplies of some critical weapons continue to decline, the Trump administration is increasingly emphasizing economic pressure as a way to force Tehran to surrender. President Donald Trump has described the planned campaign as an “economic D-Day,” despite Iran’s long experience surviving nearly 50 years of severe American sanctions. Trump said this week that Washington would impose an unprecedented level of economic pressure and international isolation on Iran. The objective, according to the administration, is to compel Iranian leaders to abandon their nuclear ambitions and fully reopen the strategically important Strait of Hormuz to oil and gas shipping. The shift comes as Trump confronts a costly and increasingly unpopular conflict that remains unresolved ahead of crucial U.S. midterm elections. With control of Congress at stake, the president appears to be placing greater emphasis on economic warfare in an effort to weaken Tehran and bring the conflict to an end. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded Friday on X by recalling the long history of U.S. sanctions against his country. He suggested that Iran has faced similar pressure before and remains familiar with Washington’s tactics. Some Iran hawks have welcomed Trump’s latest approach, arguing that it should be given time to work. Others, however, say the administration is repeating mistakes made by previous U.S. governments. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent provided some indication of what could come next during a CNBC interview Thursday. He warned that Washington could impose secondary sanctions on countries and companies that continue doing business with Iran. Bessent did not identify which countries or businesses might be affected under the next stage of the administration’s “Operation Economic Fury.” The campaign has previously targeted individuals and organizations involved in purchasing Iranian oil or conducting financial transactions with Tehran. China and India are among the major purchasers of Iranian crude. Bessent said countries that continue trading with Iran should understand that the U.S. Treasury is prepared to use its full economic power against them. Some analysts believe Iran could face unprecedented pressureAlthough Iran has lived under American sanctions for decades, Trump’s team argues that the combination of economic restrictions, military strikes and pressure on Iran’s trade routes could eventually push the government toward collapse or capitulation. Richard Goldberg, who helped develop pressure against Iran during Trump’s first administration, argued that recent U.S. attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities, this year’s war and the naval blockade of Iranian ports have created circumstances that could be far more damaging to Tehran than previous sanctions campaigns. Goldberg acknowledged, however, that the current situation is difficult to predict because the United States is entering unfamiliar territory. The United Arab Emirates’ recent decision to suspend trade with Iran following an alleged Iranian missile attack could further isolate Tehran. The UAE has historically served as an important commercial and re-export hub for Iranian businesses, helping the country cope with the effects of sanctions. Expanding sanctions to U.S. partners could have consequencesMuch of Iran’s energy, banking and transportation infrastructure is already subject to American sanctions. As a result, Trump’s latest strategy appears increasingly focused on secondary sanctions against countries and companies that maintain economic ties with Tehran. The approach resembles Trump’s first-term “maximum pressure” campaign, but this time it is being combined with military force. Enforcing secondary sanctions, however, can create difficulties for Washington. During Trump’s first administration, the U.S. sometimes had to grant exemptions to countries that depended heavily on Iranian oil. Similar measures could become necessary again if sanctions begin damaging American relationships with important allies and trading partners. The administration’s broader objective appears to be cutting Iran off from international financial networks and limiting its ability to participate in the global economy. Achieving that goal would require Washington to make Iran a more significant issue in its relations with European and Asian governments. Tehran says sanctions will not force surrenderIranian officials argue that Washington is returning to sanctions because it has failed to achieve its objectives through diplomacy. They say decades of economic restrictions have already demonstrated that Tehran will not simply surrender under financial pressure. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said recently that the repeated U.S. reliance on sanctions has produced little success. He warned that continuing the same strategy could leave Washington with fewer opportunities for a diplomatic solution. Ali Vaez, Iran director at the International Crisis Group, said Trump’s decision to combine maximum economic pressure with military action appears to overlook years of U.S. foreign-policy experience. Rather than forcing Iran to compromise, he argued, the latest pressure campaign may have made Tehran even less willing to negotiate. According to Vaez, Iranian leaders consider accepting U.S. demands to be potentially more dangerous than enduring sanctions. Years of unsuccessful negotiations have also weakened trust between the two sides, particularly because Iranian officials doubt whether Trump and his representatives would honor an agreement. Iran’s leadership may fear that even if it accepts American demands under severe economic pressure, Washington could later impose additional conditions. For that reason, Vaez argues that economic pressure without a credible diplomatic path forward is unlikely to produce a lasting settlement.   

A college teacher who was brutally hacked by a local drug and online gambling syndicate for protesting social crimes, died Friday night while undergoing treatment at a hospital in Dhaka. The deceased, Ariful Islam, 35, was a teacher at Lalmonirhat Government Technical School and College. He was the son of Abu Bakar Siddique from Gandhamarua, a village bordering India under the Durgapur union of Aditmari upazila. To curb drugs, gambling, and child marriage, Disaster Management and Relief Minister Asadul Habib Dulu had initiated a social movement named "Alokito Lalmonirhat." Led by the Deputy Commissioner (DC) and Superintendent of Police (SP), the committee of this movement includes civil society members and teachers from the ward level to the central committee. Following the movement's objectives, Ariful had recently warned a large online gambling and drug ring in his village led by Rohidul Islam (son of the late Anwar Hossain), along with Hasan Ali, Mehedi Hasan, Parvez, Momin Mia, and Hridoy Mia, telling them he would inform law enforcement if they did not stop. In retaliation, on August 1, Rohidul's gang ambushed Ariful on his way home from college, hacking him on the head with sharp weapons. Locals rescued the bleeding teacher and took him to Lalmonirhat Sadar Hospital, which immediately referred him to Rangpur Medical College Hospital. As his condition deteriorated, he was transferred to the ICU of Evercare Hospital in Dhaka, and later to Dhaka Medical College Hospital. He succumbed to his injuries after a 21-day battle for survival across multiple hospitals. Tragically, on August 6, Ariful’s pregnant wife gave birth to a baby boy via C-section, meaning the teacher passed away without ever seeing the face of his newborn son. Following the attack, Ariful’s father filed a case against 10 people at Aditmari Police Station on August 2. While eight of the suspects secured bail from the court, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested the fleeing prime accused, Rohidul, on the night of August 12 from the Hatirjheel Nayatola area in Dhaka. Upon hearing the news of Ariful's death, angry villagers vandalized and set fire to the houses of the accused on Friday night. Nazmus Sakib Sajib, Aditmari Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC), said police personnel have been deployed to the area to restore order.

A Russian "double-tap" drone strike on a shopping mall in President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's hometown of Kryvyi Rih on Friday killed 14 people and injured 121, including 22 children. Zelenskyy condemned the strike, which targeted responding rescuers, as a "terrorist act" and vowed a response. Local administrator Oleksandr Vilkul said rescues are ongoing in the city, where a previous peak attack in April 2025 killed 20. The incident occurred 24 hours after a nighttime strike on Kyiv killed 16, as Russia exploits Ukraine's Patriot interceptor shortages. Earlier Friday, drone strikes in Kharkiv killed two women, aged 73 and 66, while Ukraine intercepted 107 of 135 drones overnight. Meanwhile, Ukrainian drone strikes hit a Belgorod car, killing one and wounding four, struck a Volgograd military airfield, and set ablaze a Perm oil refinery 1,600 kilometers away. Russia claimed to intercept 536 Ukrainian drones overnight, including over annexed Crimea. Analysts state that long-range strikes are escalating as troop movements on the 1,250-kilometer front remain restricted by drones and ground robots.

Maldivian President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has extended his congratulations on behalf of the government and people of the Maldives to newly elected Bangladeshi President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. In a congratulatory letter, President Muizzu highlighted that the election—marking Bangladesh's first contested presidential vote in 35 years—represents a significant milestone in the nation's democratic journey and reflects the deep trust placed in the new president. Mirza Fakhrul takes oath as 23rd President The Maldivian leader emphasized that the enduring relationship between the Maldives and Bangladesh is built on solid historical ties and a shared commitment to regional stability and development. He expressed strong confidence that under President Mirza Fakhrul’s leadership, bilateral cooperation will continue to expand in depth and scope, bringing the two nations even closer in the years ahead. Muizzu concluded his letter by conveying his hopes for Bangladesh's continued path toward lasting peace, progress, and prosperity during the new president’s tenure.

Contemporary art collective Art Nest has formally begun its journey with a group exhibition titled "Humanity and Hope'', bringing together the works of nine contemporary artists at The Illusions Gallery in Lalmatia, Dhaka.

Reiterating his commitment to safeguarding the country’s interests, newly appointed State Minister Humaiun Kobir on Friday night said that there is no country in the world with which he cannot speak “eye-to-eye” if he has the support of the people. “Pray for me so that I am not compromised in any way. My belief is that there is no country in the world that I can not speak to eye-to-eye with if the people support us,” he told reporters soon after taking oath as State Minister. Kobir, who previously served as an Adviser to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman before and after the formation of the government, said the new assignment reflects the Prime Minister’s confidence in him. “I feel proud. It’s a new opportunity to work for the country. I will perform my responsibilities with the utmost sincerity and commitment, safeguarding the national interest,” Kobir said. He said the position carries executive responsibilities and that he would fulfil his role with the utmost commitment, regardless of the portfolio assigned to him. “Wherever I am placed, it’s a great opportunity to work for the government,” Kobir said. He is expected to be appointed State Minister for Foreign Affairs, even as State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam continues in her current role.

The Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police recovered the motorcycle used in the sensational Tk 1.21 crore robbery at a filling station in the capital's Uttara area on Friday noon. Detectives recovered the Pulsar motorcycle around 10:30 p.m. on Thursday from a building garage on Hafiz Uddin Master Road in the Nandipara area of Khilgaon, following information extracted from arrested suspect Sagar Barai during remand interrogation. Case filed over looting of Tk 1.21cr from petrol pump staff on way to bank in Uttara Md. Elias Kabir, Deputy Commissioner of DB Uttara Division, said the DB has prioritized the investigation into the high-profile robbery since its occurrence. As part of ongoing operations, law enforcers have conducted raids across various areas in Dhaka and Narayanganj, arresting five suspects, including Sagar Barai. Police also seized four firearms, a portion of the looted cash, and other crucial evidence from the possession of the arrestees. Drives are currently ongoing to apprehend the remaining suspects and recover the rest of the weapons used during the heist, officials added.

At least 30 people, including the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Moglabazar Police Station and seven other police officers, were injured in a violent clash between two factions over the control of a shrine and mosque donation box in Sylhet on Friday noon. The clash erupted around 1 p.m. in the Silam Choker Bazar area near the Hazrat Shah Tayyab Sailani (R.) Jame Mosque and Eidgah. The long-standing dispute over the management of the Hazrat Shah Tayyab Sailani (R.) Waqf estate, its 40 shops, and committee formation escalated into a two-hour battle involving bricks and local weapons, temporarily halting traffic on the Chandipul-Balaganj road. Responding police officers, including Moglabazar OC Md. Monir Hossain, were attacked during the chaos. Around 25 injured individuals, including mosque Mutawalli Fazlu Mia, Shueb Ahmad, and Ariful Haque Roni, were hospitalized at South Surma Upazila Health Complex and Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital. Manzurul Alam, Sylhet Metropolitan Police Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC), said a dispute-resolution meeting with local elders is scheduled for Saturday night to restore order, while extra police remain deployed to maintain peace.

The Buriganga River came alive on Friday as traditional boat racing was held to mark the 416th anniversary of Dhaka, drawing large crowds to both banks of the river. Organised by Dhaka South City Corporation, the event attracted people of all ages, including women, men, children and teenagers, who gathered along the riverbanks, nearby roads and other vantage points to enjoy the centuries-old tradition.

Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury has called for aligning higher education with employment and entrepreneurship opportunities, urging authorities to consider national priorities, labour-market demand and the potential for job creation when establishing new universities or introducing new departments and subjects. He also advised the University Grants Commission (UGC) chairman against recommending the approval of universities in an unplanned manner. Economy suffering from ‘overregulation’, says Amir Khosru The minister made the remarks on Friday while speaking at an interaction session with higher education policymakers on the first day of a two-day vice-chancellors’ dialogue organised under the Higher Education Acceleration and Transformation (HEAT) project being implemented by the UGC. The dialogue began at BRAC CDM in Savar.

Indian President Droupadi Murmu on Friday congratulated his Bangladesh counterpart Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir who took oath as the 23rd President of the People's Republic of Bangladesh. "I look forward to working with you to further strengthen the partnership between our two neighbouring countries. Please accept my best wishes for your continued good health and happiness, for the successful discharge of your responsibilities, as well as for the continued progress and prosperity of the people of Bangladesh," she said in a message issued soon after the oath taking ceremony held at Bangabhaban in the evening. The Indian President extended to the Bangladesh President her warm congratulations on his assumption of office as the President of the People's Republic of Bangladesh. "I am confident that your long experience of public life and political leadership heralds a successful tenure in service of the people of Bangladesh," she said. The Indian President said Bangladesh share a unique relationship, rooted in a shared history of sacrifices, close cultural ties and warm bonds of friendship. In recent times, she said the bilateral ties have steadily expanded to several areas such as energy, technology, connectivity, youth affairs, health and education. Meanwhile, Nepal's President Ramchandra Paudel has sent a congratulatory message to President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on his election as the 23rd President of the People's Republic of Bangladesh. In his message, the President wished the newly elected President of Bangladesh success in his new responsibilities. He reaffirmed Nepal's commitment to further strengthening the long-standing friendly ties between Bangladesh and Nepal, including the deep-rooted people-to-people connections that bind the two nations together.

U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social Wednesday that the U.S. will launch "unprecedented" economic warfare against Iran, following months without a military outcome or diplomatic progress.  Trump termed the campaign "an Economic D-Day," warning that any nation offering Iran a "lifeline" will face crushing consequences as he urged allies to "isolate, and defeat" the threat. On Thursday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told media the strategy is a "one-two punch" combining blockades with historic sanctions, noting maximum pressure makes a "kinetic restart" unlikely; he will share details Monday. Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi dismissed the plan on X as a failed policy and "economic terrorism" threatening global sovereignty, claiming it diverts from America's soaring debt and interest crises. However, Financial Times analysts suggest Tehran has a high pain threshold after enduring decades of sanctions, including Trump's first-term "maximum pressure" campaign. Sanam Vakil of London’s Chatham House stated Trump underestimates Iran, which has resisted pressure since 2011 as its sole survival path. Former Middle East envoy Dennis Ross added that Washington lacks long-term foresight, warning, "They're playing checkers. They're not playing chess."

Four new faces – BNP Standing Committee member and Narsingdi-2 lawmaker Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, BJP chairman and Bhola-1 MP Andaleeve Rahman Partho, Bandarban MP Saching Prue and State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism Rashiduzzaman Millat-- were sworn in as new ministers on Friday. Besides, Prime Minister's Foreign Affairs Adviser Humaiun Kobir and Gaibandha-4 lawmaker Mohammad Shamim Kaiser Lincoln were sworn in as new state ministers. New President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir administered the oath to them at the Darbar Hall of Bangabhaban at 7:45pm. With this, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman expanded his cabinet six months after forming the government, bringing five more members into the Council of Ministers. Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Gani conducted the oath-taking ceremony. BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman took the oath as prime minister on February 17 following the victory of his party in the February 12 election. Tarique Rahman formed the incumbent government with a 49‑member cabinet, including himself as 25 other ministers and 23 state ministers took oath on the same day. Later on June 1, Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs Minister Dipen Dewan resigned from his post, citing health reasons. With Mirza Fakhrul becoming President, the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives will also fall vacant. With the induction of five new faces, the number of cabinet members now stands at 52, which include 27 ministers and 24 state ministers.

Veteran politician Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir was sworn in as the 23rd President of Bangladesh on Friday evening. The oath-taking ceremony was held at the Darbar Hall of Bangabhaban at 7:30pm. Acting Speaker Barrister Kayser Kamal administered the oath of office to the President at 7:37pm. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, cabinet members, and hundreds of distinguished guests attended the event conducted by Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Gani. The ceremony began with the national anthem, followed by recitation from the Holy Quran. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, accompanied by his wife Dr Zubaida Rahman, sat in the front row of the Darbar Hall. Former interim government Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus, Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad, Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Shafiqur Rahman attended the event.   Besides, Mirza Fakhrul’s spouse Rahat Ara Begum, his two daughters Mirza Shamaruh and Mirza Safaruh accompanied by their spouses, as well as his two brothers Mirza Faisal Amin and Mirza Ruhul Amin were present. BNP candidate Mirza Fakhrul was elected the President defeating his lone rival Col (retd) Oli Ahmad, the candidate of the 11-party opposition alliance led by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, in the presidential election held on Thursday. Out of all 343 valid votes, Mirza Fakhrul secured 255, while Oli Ahmad got 88. Among the 349 voters, six lawmakers did not vote in the presidential election. The six voters who did not turn up include BNP lawmakers Mirza Abbas, Mostafa Kamal Pasha and Dr Muhammad Osman Farruk, independent lawmaker Rumeen Farhana and Jamaat lawmaker Gazi Nazrul Islam. The Election Commission (EC) later issued a gazette notification declaring Mirza Fakhrul elected as the President of Bangladesh.

Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari has congratulated Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on his election as the President of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh. He expressed confidence that, under his leadership, Bangladesh would continue to make progress and advance the well-being of its people. President Zardari said Pakistan and Bangladesh enjoyed close bonds rooted in their shared history, faith and cultural ties. He welcomed the positive momentum in bilateral relations and expressed hope that cooperation between the two countries would continue to grow in areas of mutual interest. He said he looks forward to working with President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir to further strengthen Pakistan-Bangladesh relations and promote greater exchanges and cooperation between the two peoples. The President also invited the Bangladeshi President to visit Pakistan at a mutually convenient time, expressing confidence that his visit would provide an opportunity to further strengthen bilateral ties and deepen cooperation. President Zardari conveyed his best wishes to President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir for the successful discharge of his responsibilities and for the continued peace, progress and prosperity of the people of Bangladesh.

Bangladesh has not yet taken any decision regarding Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s visit to India, as Dhaka awaits a response from New Delhi to concerns recently raised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “No decision has been made yet [regarding the PM’s visit],” Prime Minister’s Press Secretary Abu Abdullah M Saleh (Saleh Shibly) told UNB on Friday. PM’s first India visit should be bilateral; no hurry: Adviser Humaiun Kobir The Indian Express, an Indian daily newspaper,  reported on Friday that the Prime Minister is likely to visit New Delhi between August 23 and 25. Meanwhile, shortly after issuing a statement indicating preparations at Rashtrapati Bhavan for a possible visit by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, India withdrew it on Friday. In a press release issued on Friday afternoon, the Indian President’s Secretariat said the Change of Guard Ceremony at the Forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan would not be held on Saturday (August 22) due to a full rehearsal for the ceremonial welcome of the Bangladeshi prime minister. The statement was posted by India’s Press Information Bureau at 2:25pm but was later recalled. On August 16, Bangladesh requested the Indian authorities to expeditiously act on its request to extradite Sheikh Hasina and other fugitive criminals, and to hand over to Bangladesh the accused killers of Shaheed Sharif Osman Hadi in compliance with their bilateral extradition treaty. "We are awaiting their response," said A.K.M. Shahidul Karim, spokesperson at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Officials of Bangladesh and India have been in touch with each other for several weeks on the possibility of a bilateral visit by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to India. However, MoFA spokesperson Karim said, this process was “vitiated” by the open press interaction in New Delhi on 5th August by Sheikh Hasina who has been convicted by the International Crimes Tribunal for committing crimes against humanity. "We have made our position clear on this matter," he said while reading out a written statement. The spokesperson, however, did not take any question. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s first visit to India should be a bilateral visit rather than a meeting on the sidelines of multilateral platforms such as BRICS or the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), PM’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Humaiun Kobir said on Thursday. “The first visit should be bilateral. We should invite each other to our homes, understand?” he said, describing Bangladesh and India as two important countries. Talking to private TV channels at his office, Adviser Kobir said any visit should have a clear outcome, with mutual respect and engagement in place. “There are issues related to the interests of the two countries and these are not something to rush into,” he said. “When we see that the timing is right, we are willing to visit.” He said groundwork needs to be done on several issues before the two sides can reach a consensus. The Adviser said that in recent days, Bangladesh has seen a fairly positive conversation from India, along with a strong realisation on the Indian side that the events of August 5 have deeply affected the sentiments of the people of Bangladesh. “If India truly means resetting relations, then it must realise today’s Bangladesh,” Kobir said, noting that “in today’s Bangladesh, a terrorist like Sheikh Hasina or her party does not exist.” “So, by recognising this reality, we have to take the relationship forward,” the Adviser said. India’s promise to give the Prime Minister Tarique Rahman an “honourable welcome” during his visit makes New Delhi’s intent unmistakably clear, Indian media The Print reports, noting that the ball is now in Dhaka’s court. Acknowledging that there are issues between the two neighbours, Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi on Tuesday night called on Bangladesh and India to move beyond their differences and work together to build a relationship based on “mutual and unconditional trust,” saying such differences can be resolved through engagement and dialogue. “I can tell you I fully understand there are issues, but these issues can definitely be sorted out once the Prime Minister of Bangladesh (Tarique Rahman) and our Prime Minister Narendra Modi meet,” he said. The Indian envoy also conveyed what he described as an assurance from Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding a future visit by the Bangladesh Prime Minister to India. “After meeting the Prime Minister here, I went straight to Delhi and had a great meeting with our Prime Minister. He (PM Modi) just mentioned one thing: we need to meet,” he said. “You can tell them on my behalf that you have the Prime Minister of India’s assurance that when the Prime Minister of Bangladesh visits India, he will have such an honourable reception as he deserves,” he added, quoting the Indian Prime Minister. The visit, Trivedi said, would be “a memorable visit” whose benefits would ultimately reach people and businesses on both sides. On Hasina’s extradition request, the Indian government has recently said that the matter is being examined as part of ongoing judicial and internal legal processes. Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told reporters in New Delhi on Friday evening that they have extended an invitation to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh for a bilateral visit. “We've also extended an invitation to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh for a visit to India for the outreach session of the BRICS Summit. So, these invitations have been extended, and I shall keep you updated if there is any progress in this regard,” he added.

A case has been filed against a clinic director for allegedly raping a schoolgirl in Kaliganj upazila of Lalmonirhat. The victim’s mother filed the case with Kaliganj Police Station on Friday morning against Yusuf Ali, 45, son of the late Ashmat Ali of Kanchanshwar Kana Bazar area under Tushbhandar union. Yusuf is the director of Rangpur New Rupsi Bangla Clinic. Man gets life in prison for violating schoolgirl in Lalmonirhat According to the case statement and local residents, Yusuf became acquainted with the family of a garment worker after treating the family members at his clinic. The garment worker lives in Dhaka for work, while his wife and children stay at their home in the area. On Thursday, the girl’s mother and aunt went to Lalmonirhat Sadar Hospital with another child of the family who had fallen ill. As a result, the schoolgirl was alone at home. Police said Yusuf allegedly knew that the girl was alone. He went to the house around noon on the pretext of taking her mother’s phone number. After entering the house, he allegedly shut the main gate and the room door, restrained the girl and raped her. When she tried to raise an alarm, he allegedly assaulted her and threatened to kill her. The girl was later found injured and subsequently informed her mother about the incident over the phone after her condition worsened. She was initially taken to Kaliganj Upazila Health Complex and later admitted to Lalmonirhat Sadar Hospital for treatment. The girl’s mother, who filed the case, demanded the accused’s punishment. She also alleged that her family was financially struggling and that she could not afford some of her daughter’s medical tests and medicines. Officer-in-Charge Kaliganj Police Station Abu Siddique said the complaint had been registered as a regular case and police were conducting drives to arrest the accused.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Assistant Secretary General Dr AHM Hamidur Rahman Azad on Friday criticised what he described as the government's "narrow-minded" assessment of the opposition's participation in the presidential election. In a statement, he said the government is viewing the opposition's participation through a politically “narrow-minded” perspective instead of assessing it from a liberal and democratic lens. Referring to a recent remark by a cabinet member that the oath taken by opposition members to the Constitution Reform Council could no longer remain valid because they participated in the presidential election while retaining Article 70 of the Constitution, Hamidur questioned the logic behind the argument. "If this argument is acceptable, then how can the oath taken as Members of Parliament remain valid? Because no parliamentary election was held through a constitutional process in 2026," he said. He said their position is "very clear", adding that the opposition's participation in the presidential election was a symbolic protest against the limitations of the government's desired reform process and an effort to introduce a new form of democratic practice. "We already knew what the outcome of the election would be. Even so, we participated to make our position clear to the people and strengthen the demand for democracy," the Jamaat leader said. He said the people have once again realised why constitutional reform is essential to make democracy in Bangladesh effective, accountable and sustainable. Hamidur urged the government not to interpret the opposition's participation in a narrow manner and instead understand its underlying democratic message. "The government must respect the people's expectations by implementing the verdict of the referendum and taking effective initiatives for necessary constitutional reforms," he said. "No government can run the state in the long term by ignoring the aspirations of the people," the Jamaat leader added.

Bangladeshi women can enter the 2027 Nagoya Women’s Marathon, with international entries opening on August 11 for the race to be held on March 14, 2027 in Japan. The Nagoya Women’s Marathon is recognised by Guinness World Records as the world’s largest women-only marathon. Organisers have raised the race capacity to 22,000 runners for 2027, 2,000 more than the previous limit.The race is open to women of all levels, from those running their first marathon to experienced runners chasing a personal best. All participants will run the same 42.195-kilometre course, with seven hours to finish. For those who complete the race, there is a more unusual reward – a crystal tumbler made by French luxury brand Baccarat. The design of the 2027 tumbler will be shown at the Marathon EXPO on the day before the race. The organisers have also designed the race around runners who may not have elite-level experience. The course is relatively flat, the time limit is generous and both the start and finish are at Vantelin Dome Nagoya, a covered baseball stadium. Medical support, changing facilities and toilets will be available for runners. The arrangements appear to have helped produce a high completion rate. In the 2026 race, 96.6 percent of participants reached the finish line. The marathon is part of a wider race weekend in Nagoya. The Marathon EXPO begins Friday and will feature events including the “GO RUNWAY” fashion show and a live performance. Men can also compete on race day in events held alongside the women’s marathon. The Nagoya City Marathon offers a half marathon and the 8.5-kilometre Nagoya RUN. International entries for the 2027 Nagoya Women’s Marathon opened on August 11.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is expanding his cabinet six months after forming the government, bringing five more members into the council of ministers. Those who are going to be inducted into the cabinet are BNP Standing Committee member and Narsingdi-2 MP Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, Prime Minister's Foreign Affairs Adviser Humaiun Kobir, Chairman of Bangladesh National Party (BJP) and Bhola-1 MP Andaleeve Rahman Partho, Bandarban MP Saching Prue Jerry and Gaibandha-4 lawmaker Mohammad Shamim Kaiser Lincoln. Besides, State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism Rashiduzzaman Millat will take the oath as minister. They will take the oath of office at Bangabhaban this evening. Five of them have already taken their seats at the Darbar Hall of Bangabhaban ahead of the swearing-in ceremony. They will take the oath following the oath-taking of newly elected President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. Mirza Fakhrul will be sworn in as Bangladesh’s 23rd President at the Darbar Hall of Bangabhaban at 7:30pm. Acting Speaker Barrister Kayser Kamal will administer the oath of the office of the President, according to Bangabhaban. After taking the oath, the new President will administer the oath to the new ministers. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, cabinet members, and over 1,200 invited guests are expected to attend the event. The cabinet expansion is expected to bring a major reshuffle, including changes in ministerial portfolios. BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman took the oath as prime minister on February 17 following the victory of his party in the February 12 election. On the same day, 25 ministers and 24 state ministers also took the oath. However, Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs Minister Dipen Dewan resigned from his post on June 1, citing health reasons. With Mirza Fakhrul becoming President, the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives will also fall vacant.

Three children died with measles-like symptoms in 24 hours until 8:00am on Friday, bringing the country’s combined tally of confirmed and suspected measles-related deaths to 928 this year. The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has classified all three latest fatalities as suspected measles deaths. With these, the total number of suspected measles deaths has reached 829, while confirmed deaths from measles have remained the same at 99. A total of 876 new suspected measles cases were reported during the 24-hour period, bringing the cumulative number of suspected cases nationwide to 147,591. Meanwhile, 64 new confirmed measles cases were recorded, bringing the total number of laboratory-confirmed infections to 18,208. Since March 15 this year, a total of 128,825 patients with suspected measles have been hospitalised across the country, of whom 124,558 have recovered, according to DGHS data.

A woman and her nine-year-old daughter were killed when a truck hit the motorcycle they were riding on the Dinajpur-Gobindaganj regional highway in Ghoraghat municipality of Dinajpur on Friday. The deceased were identified as Shampa Begum, 35, wife of Selim Sarker of Fulhar village in Gobindaganj upazila of Gaibandha, and their daughter Nusaifa Akhter. Selim, who was riding the motorcycle, sustained minor injuries in the accident. Officer-in-Charge of Ghoraghat Police Station Shahidul Islam said Selim, along with his wife and daughter, was going to attend a wedding at Hamidpur Chittipara in Ghoraghat. On the way, a truck hit the motorcycle from behind near Ghoraghat Filling Station in the municipality around 11:30am, he said. The impact threw Shampa and Nusaifa onto the road, where they were run over by the same truck, killing them on the spot. Police were trying to trace the truck and arrest its driver, the OC added.

Bangladesh will go into the second Test with fewer selection worries than they appeared to have 24 hours earlier, after both Mushfiqur Rahim and Tanzid Hasan returned to batting practice on Friday. Mushfiqur was struck on the finger during Thursday’s session and had to leave the practice wicket briefly. He returned to bat later that day and again trained Friday, though his workload was reduced. Tanzid’s recovery was more closely watched. The opener, who made a century in Bangladesh’s nine-wicket win in Darwin, sat out batting practice on Thursday because of neck stiffness. He had a scan Friday before returning to the nets. Captain Najmul Hossain said the final call on Tanzid will come on Saturday morning. “Tanzid’s situation today was positive,” he said. “Hopefully, he will be fine. We have all kinds of options, so I do not think there will be much of a problem.” One of those options is Soumya Sarkar. Left out of the XI in Darwin, he spent an extended period batting in the nets Friday, giving Bangladesh a ready alternative should Tanzid not recover fully. The uncertainty over the batting line-up comes against a backdrop of a much bigger shift in the series. Bangladesh arrived in Australia without a Test win in the country and left Darwin with a nine-wicket victory, putting them one win away from a series triumph. Australia have responded by bringing Matt Renshaw into the opening position for Jake Weatherald, while keeping the rest of their squad intact. Bangladesh, meanwhile, have spent two full days preparing for a Test in conditions unlike Darwin. Mackay is cooler and windier, and the team has used the sessions to adjust to the change. Najmul said the Darwin result should not dictate how Bangladesh approach the next five days. “A win will certainly give you confidence,” he said. “But for professional players, it is important to come back from that very quickly.” The second Test begins on Saturday at Great Barrier Reef Arena, with Bangladesh seeking a series victory and Australia trying to force a draw in the two-match series.

Grocery stores in Tehran remain stocked, but rising prices and job losses are making it increasingly difficult for many Iranian families to afford basic necessities. Ahmad Karimi, a 52-year-old taxi driver and father of two, said he now works about 15 hours a day just to support his family. "We have virtually given up on many things," Karimi said, adding that his family has stopped buying fruit and protein and has cut back on leisure activities. He also works on weekends to earn enough money. Nearly six months into the war involving Iran, the United States and Israel, Iran's economy has come under growing pressure from sanctions and a naval blockade that has made it harder for the country to export oil, its main source of income. It remains unclear whether the economic pressure will force Iran to make military or political concessions. Some experts doubt it will happen soon. Since the war began, Iran has attacked oil-producing countries and US bases in the region and disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for global energy supplies. Iran hopes the pressure, which has contributed to higher global energy prices, will help it secure better terms for ending the conflict. It is seeking sanctions relief and greater control over the Strait of Hormuz, including the ability to demand payments from ships carrying energy and other goods. The Trump administration, meanwhile, has threatened even tougher sanctions to put more pressure on Iran. But experts say the US may be underestimating Iran's ability to withstand the economic strain. Iran has faced Western sanctions for years and has developed ways to reduce their impact. It has increased domestic production, relied on informal trade networks, purchased restricted goods through third countries and used a shadow fleet to export oil. "Iran's resistance capacity not only avoids collapse, it also prevents the economic pain from translating into the political pressure and changes that the U.S. expects," said Hadi Kahalzadeh, an Iran economy expert at Brandeis University. Rising prices add to pressure Tehran's Grand Bazaar remains busy as shoppers look for cheaper essential goods. Prices have risen sharply, with rice now costing about 60% more and beef 150% more than before the war. A 41-year-old mother of two from northern Iran recently posted on X about spending 89 million rials, about $65, on milk, eggs, toilet paper and a few other items without buying meat. She spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because she feared possible retaliation. "Buying basic necessities has become our main priority, and our shopping basket has gotten smaller and more limited," she said. She also described the emotional strain of having to repeatedly tell her children that the family cannot afford things they want or activities they would like to join. The International Monetary Fund expects Iran's inflation rate to approach 70% by the end of the year. The country's economy, already badly damaged by years of sanctions, is expected to shrink by more than 5%. Gasoline remains relatively cheap because of government subsidies, but even that could change as fuel supplies become tighter. An aide to the Iranian president told state television last week that the country is consuming more gasoline each day than it produces and may have to increase prices. Previous fuel price increases have triggered widespread protests. Economic anger amid war Iran's leadership was already facing public dissatisfaction over economic conditions before the US and Israel began the war on Feb. 28. Protests had spread across the country earlier this year but were violently suppressed, with thousands killed and tens of thousands reportedly arrested. Hassan Golmoradi, an economist based in Tehran, said some Iranians now blame countries imposing sanctions and carrying out attacks that have damaged factories and key infrastructure and killed civilians. "Despite the hardships and difficulties, they have shown considerable patience in putting up with the resulting economic pressures," Golmoradi said. Iranian authorities have warned that taking part in anti-government protests is treason and can carry the death penalty. Mohammad Farzanegan, a professor of Middle Eastern economics at the University of Marburg in Germany, said many people were suffering but did not believe violent protests would improve their situation. Trump threatens tougher sanctions US President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he would launch the "most crushing economic operation ever taken against any country" against Iran. He also threatened secondary sanctions against countries and companies that continue to trade with Tehran. The United Arab Emirates, which has long been an important route for Iran to obtain goods and avoid sanctions, announced this week that it was suspending all trade with Iran. The announcement came a day after Trump spoke with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said his elected government supports negotiations to end the war. "What concerns us is people's livelihoods and their economic situation, and we are doing everything we can to deal with it," he told reporters last week. However, the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps remains a major force in Iran. The group has grown stronger after surviving US and Israeli airstrikes that killed senior Iranian leaders at the start of the war. The Revolutionary Guard is seeking greater concessions from the US, including Iranian control over the Strait of Hormuz and financial compensation for the damage caused by the war. With peace talks stalled, hard-liners in Iran believe the country can withstand the economic pressure longer than its opponents. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei this month appointed a former Revolutionary Guard commander to lead the Supreme National Security Council, signaling continued support for a tougher approach. Jobs losses deepen hardship Official figures put Iran's unemployment rate at 9.1%, although state-linked media say the actual rate could be much higher. A Labor Ministry official said more than 1 million jobs had been lost by late May, only three months after the war began. The government has also eased enforcement of mandatory hijab rules, suggesting that authorities remain concerned about public opinion. For many Iranians, however, the biggest concern now is the growing cost of maintaining their daily lives. Karimi, the taxi driver, said the government needs to act quickly to ease the financial burden. "The people won't be able to continue living like this," he said. "We're simply breathing, surviving, and trying to make it from one day to the next."  

Manchester City have agreed to sell Brazil winger Savinho to Tottenham for 85 million pounds ($115 million), making it the English club's record sale, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press on Friday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the details of the transfer have not yet been made public. Neither Manchester City nor Tottenham has officially commented on the deal. Savinho's expected departure comes just days after City sold Spain midfielder Rodri to Barcelona for a reported 76.5 million euros ($88.5 million). City have also moved on from midfielder Tijjani Reijnders and defender Nathan Ake, while John Stones and Bernardo Silva have left the club. Their only senior outfield signing this summer has been England midfielder Elliot Anderson, reportedly for a club-record 116 million pounds ($155 million). City are expected to remain active during the final week of the transfer window as newly appointed coach Enzo Maresca reshapes the squad following Pep Guardiola's departure. City were beaten 3-0 by Arsenal in the Community Shield on Sunday. Savinho struggled at City Savinho joined City from sister club Girona for 40 million euros ($43.6 million) in the summer of 2024 amid high expectations that he could become a future star. However, he struggled to make a major impact, scoring only two goals in 53 Premier League appearances. His final passes and decision-making often frustrated both teammates and supporters. Savinho was also left out of Brazil's squad for this year's World Cup. Tottenham spending heavily The move would add to Tottenham's major spending spree this summer. The London club signed Italy midfielder Sandro Tonali from Newcastle last month for a reported club-record 100 million pounds ($133 million), shortly after paying 85 million pounds ($113 million) for midfielder Mateus Fernandes from West Ham. Tottenham have also signed center backs Jan Paul van Hecke and Marco Senesi, along with former Liverpool left back Andy Robertson. Manager Roberto De Zerbi is rebuilding the squad after Tottenham narrowly avoided relegation last season, finishing 17th in the Premier League. A deal for Savinho would put Tottenham among Europe's biggest spenders this summer, alongside Chelsea. It marks a major change for a club that has traditionally spent less than many of its Premier League rivals. Two consecutive 17th-place finishes, just one place above relegation, appear to have prompted Tottenham's leadership to change course. In an open letter after last season, chairman Peter Charrington acknowledged that "football success had not been driving our decisions."

China has congratulated Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on his election as president of Bangladesh, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Friday. Lin told a daily news briefing when responding to a query on the fact that Alamgir, candidate of the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party, was elected as Bangladesh's 23rd president on Thursday. "China attaches great importance to developing China‑Bangladesh relations," said Lin, adding that China stands ready to work with the Bangladeshi government to earnestly implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, advance the high‑quality Belt and Road cooperation, expand exchanges and cooperation across various fields, and steadily advance the building of a China‑Bangladesh community with a shared future in the new era.    

Indonesia and China on Friday discussed expanding defense cooperation and strengthening food and energy security as senior officials from the two countries held talks in Jakarta. Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono said the two sides wanted their new bilateral dialogue to produce progress in key areas, including politics, the economy, security, maritime affairs and people-to-people ties. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Indonesia and China also agreed to improve coordination on development and security issues to support the modernization of both countries. "We will jointly oppose unilateral bullying and power politics," Wang said in a joint statement. He also called for vigilance against efforts to challenge the outcome of World War II and urged both countries to defend international fairness and the legitimate interests of developing nations. Sugiono said the talks covered ways to improve food, energy and mineral security by developing industries that can strengthen national resilience. Future cooperation could include artificial intelligence, joint development of communications satellites and other advanced technologies, he said. The two countries also agreed to promote trade by exploring new markets and expanding access for Indonesia's key export products, Sugiono said. Wang said the new bilateral dialogue would "send a clear signal to the world of solidarity and cooperation between our two major emerging-market countries." The defense ministers of the two countries also held separate talks on expanding military cooperation, including defense equipment, personnel exchanges and cooperation between their defense industries. Indonesia's Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin said Jakarta had invited Chinese armed forces to take part in joint exercises, including the Heping Garuda exercise. Indonesia's economic ties with China have grown rapidly in recent years, with bilateral trade reaching about $167 billion in 2025. China is Indonesia's largest trading partner and has invested billions of dollars in major infrastructure projects, including the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway and the Cirata floating solar power project in West Java, Southeast Asia's largest floating solar facility. The projects have faced disagreements over costs and timelines, but China has remained committed to them as part of President Xi Jinping's Belt and Road Initiative to develop infrastructure across the region.

Newly elected President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Friday visited the graves of BNP founder and Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia before heading to Bangabhaban for his swearing-in. After offering Jummah prayers at the Staff Quarters Jame Mosque on Bailey Road, Fakhrul went directly to the graves of Zia and Khaleda at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, arriving at 1:46pm. He placed two floral wreaths at the graves, stood silently for some time, offered Fateha and joined a munajat there. During his long political career, Fakhrul had visited the graves many times as BNP secretary general, accompanied by party leaders, activists and supporters. BNP MP Quamruzzaman Ratan and newly elected President’s Assistant Private Secretary Yunus Ali were present during the visit. Party leaders, activists and supporters gathered outside the security cordon and greeted Fakhrul by waving at him. Fakhrul was elected the country’s President through a parliamentary vote on Thursday. Meanwhile, the veteran politician will be sworn in as Bangladesh’s 23rd President in the evening. The oath-taking ceremony will be held at the Darbar Hall of Bangabhaban at 7:30pm. Acting Speaker Barrister Kayser Kamal will administer the oath of office of the President, according to Bangabhaban. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, cabinet members, and hundreds of distinguished guests are expected to attend the event.

Chinese technology giant Alibaba reported a 75% fall in quarterly profit on Thursday as the company increased spending on artificial intelligence infrastructure, despite strong growth in its AI-related services. Alibaba, which is listed in Hong Kong and the United States, said its profit for the April-June quarter fell to 10.5 billion yuan ($1.6 billion), from 43.1 billion yuan ($6.4 billion) in the same period last year. The company’s quarterly revenue, however, rose 9% to nearly 269 billion yuan ($40 billion). Revenue from its AI cloud and computing services jumped 45% to 48.4 billion yuan ($7.2 billion). The sharp increase in investment weighed on profits. Alibaba’s capital spending, including investment in AI infrastructure to meet rising customer demand, surged 75% to 67.7 billion yuan ($10 billion) during the quarter. Alibaba said the higher spending was driven by several factors, including changes in procurement cycles, increased computing capacity ahead of growing demand for AI "agents" and higher prices for chip components. "As we continue to ramp up our supply, our AI and Cloud revenue growth will accelerate further in the coming quarters, alongside continued improvement in profitability," Alibaba CEO Eddie Wu said in prepared remarks during an earnings conference. Alibaba's US-listed shares fell more than 3% on Thursday. The company, one of China's largest technology firms, announced last year that it planned to invest at least 380 billion yuan ($56 billion) over three years in cloud computing and AI infrastructure. Alibaba has made significant progress with its Qwen AI platform and has introduced AI agent services for business customers. In July, the company previewed its Qwen3.8-Max AI model, which it said ranked just behind Anthropic's Claude Fable 5. Alibaba has also set an ambitious target of generating more than $100 billion in annual revenue from AI and cloud services within the next five years.

The body of a young man was recovered from Dhanakusha Beel in Nakla upazila on Friday, about 25 hours after he went missing while fishing. The deceased was identified as Rashed Mia, 24, son of Zamir Uddin of Bashkanda village in Dhanakusha. Rashed went missing while fishing in the water body around 9:00am Thursday. Police said local residents and a Fire Service and Civil Defence rescue team conducted a daylong search in the waterbody on Thursday but failed to locate him. The rescue team called off the operation in the evening. Local people resumed the search on Friday morning. Around 10:00am, they found Rashed’s body floating in the water and recovered it, police said. Officer-in-Charge of Nakla Police Station Ripon Chandra Gupe said an unnatural death case was filed over the incident.

India’s tour of Bangladesh remains uncertain with less than two weeks to go before the proposed start of the six-match white-ball series. BCB President Tamim Iqbal on Thursday said the two boards were still discussing the schedule, raising the possibility of another change to the dates. “Both boards remain in discussion about the India series. The dates may be shifted here or there,” he said. Bangladesh are due to host India for three ODIs and three T20Is from September 1 to 13, with the first ODI scheduled for September 3. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has yet to publicly confirm the tour. The BCB’s decision to schedule the Game Development Trophy in Mirpur from August 28 to September 9, overlapping the proposed India series, has further added to the uncertainty. Tamim said the tournament will not stand in the way of the India matches. It could be moved to the Bashundhara ground if the tour is confirmed. The India series was originally scheduled for August 2025 but was postponed by the BCCI amid strained relations between the two countries. The BCB announced the revised schedule in January, but the BCCI has not made a similar announcement. India’s schedule adds another complication. They are currently playing a two-Test series in Sri Lanka before hosting Afghanistan for three matches on September 13, 15 and 17. Relations between the BCB and BCCI have improved since Tamim took over as president. Earlier this month, he visited the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru in what was seen as an effort to repair ties between the boards.

Meta is defending its efforts to protect children online as it faces a growing number of lawsuits accusing the social media company of harming young users. In the latest case, Meta is fighting allegations in a California federal court that it helped fuel the youth mental health crisis by deliberately designing Instagram and Facebook features to keep children engaged for long periods. Four US states are seeking billions of dollars in damages and major changes to the way Meta operates the platforms. "Meta takes seriously" issues involving children's mental health and what they see and do on social media, the company's lawyer Paul Schmidt said in opening arguments this week. Critics, however, say Meta's safety measures have not gone far enough and that many of them do not work properly. Marc Berkman, executive director of the Organization for Social Media Safety, said Meta introduced many of its safeguards mainly in response to public pressure rather than genuine concern for children's safety. Measures targeting harmful content Many of Meta's safety changes have focused on bullying, harassment and offensive content. Instagram has long allowed users to block others. Over the years, both Instagram and Facebook have added tools to report problematic accounts and inappropriate content. In 2016, Instagram introduced options to delete or filter offensive comments. It later added warnings encouraging users to think twice before posting potentially harmful content, as well as controls for limiting comments and tags. Meta says adults who are not already connected with teenagers are prevented from starting private conversations with them. The company has also increased efforts to prevent children under 13 — the minimum age for Facebook and Instagram accounts — from using the platforms. Schmidt acknowledged that some users still provide false birth dates when signing up but said Meta takes its age restrictions seriously. The company also displays warnings and support information when users search Instagram for topics such as suicide, self-harm and eating disorders. Meta points to its "Teen Accounts", introduced in 2024, as another major safety measure. The accounts limit the type of photos and videos teenagers can view, broadly following restrictions similar to those of a PG-13 movie unless parents give permission for wider access. Critics say such measures are more about public relations than effective protection. A September 2025 report by former Meta employee and whistleblower Arturo Béjar and four online safety groups accused the company of failing to take meaningful action on child safety. Haley Hinkle, policy counsel at Fairplay, which helped prepare the report, said researchers reviewed 47 of Meta's 53 teen safety features on Instagram and found that 60% were either unavailable or did not work as advertised. Meta rejected the report's conclusions as "misleading" and "dangerously speculative." Concerns over endless scrolling Researchers also question whether Meta has done enough to prevent children from becoming overly dependent on social media. Ashley Shea, a Cornell University Ph.D. candidate who studies social media and online spaces, said features such as endless scrolling, pull-to-refresh designs, frequent notifications and algorithm-based recommendations can keep users engaged. She said these features can take advantage of vulnerabilities in young people's developing brains, particularly their desire for rewards. Shea acknowledged that Meta has taken important steps to deal with harmful content, cyberbullying and sexual predators. But she said she has not seen similar efforts to reduce the addictive effects of features designed to capture users' attention. Time limits and parental controls Meta also points to parental controls and other time-management tools as evidence that it is addressing concerns over excessive social media use. Schmidt said some teenagers struggle to control how much time they spend on social media and highlighted tools such as parental supervision and in-app reminders that encourage teenagers to take a break after repeatedly viewing similar content or using the platforms late at night. Hinkle said these tools are voluntary and difficult to set up, making them inadequate. Béjar also criticized Meta's "Take a Break" feature during testimony Wednesday, saying it is "designed to fail" because users must activate it themselves and few choose to do so. Berkman said technology companies are built to increase revenue, which for social media platforms often means encouraging users, including children, to spend as much time as possible on their services. Shea said the lawsuits are significant because they focus on whether social media platforms are harmful because of the way they are designed, rather than only because of the content users encounter. She added that growing pressure from lawmakers and lawsuits could force broader changes across the technology industry. "The momentum only continues to grow," Shea said, adding that companies driven by profit are likely to respond more quickly as they face greater financial pressure from legal action.  

A leader of Islami Jubo Andolan was hacked to death by members of a local teen gang over a long-standing dispute in Bandar upazila of Narayanganj on Thursday night. The deceased was identified as Bulbul Ahmed, 35, joint secretary of the Bandar (West) unit of Islami Jubo Andolan, the young wing of Islami Andolan Bangladesh, and son of Raja Master of the Shahi Mosque area. Mufti Masum Billah, president of Islami Andolan’s Narayanganj city unit, said members of a teen gang, led by Sheikh Sifat alias “Kata Sifat,” had attacked and looted Bulbul’s garage during the July 2024 uprising. Bulbul later filed a case over the incident, naming Sifat and members of his group as accused. Masum Billah alleged that the killing was carried out in retaliation for the case. Police said Sifat and his associates attacked Bulbul with sharp weapons and hacked him after they found him alone at Salehnagar around 10:00pm on Thursday, leaving him critically injured. He was first taken to Bandar Upazila Health Complex and later shifted to Narayanganj General Hospital, where doctors declared him dead. Officer-in-Charge of Bandar Police Station Jamal Uddin said the killing appeared to have stemmed from previous enmity. “The family of the deceased has alleged that members of a teen gang were involved. We are looking into the matter,” he said. Locals alleged that Sifat leads a local juvenile criminal gang and had previously been a close follower of Khan Masud, a Jubo League leader accused of involvement in drug trading and criminal activities. They also alleged that Sifat’s group had been involved in several incidents of assault and looting. Meanwhile, agitated locals set fire to Sifat’s residence following the murder. On Friday morning, Islami Andolan supporters blocked the Dhaka-Chattogram highway in Madanpur in protest against the killing.

A jury in Alabama on Thursday awarded $9.25 million in damages to a college basketball player after finding that The New York Times defamed him by incorrectly reporting that he was at the scene of a fatal shooting in Tuscaloosa. Kai Spears, a former player for the University of Alabama men's basketball team, sued the newspaper in 2023 over a report that said he was a passenger in a car linked to the shooting. The report cited a person familiar with the investigation who spoke anonymously because of the sensitivity of the case. The Times acknowledged the mistake several days later, publishing an editor's note and correcting the report. The eight-member jury reached its verdict after a nine-day trial in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama. Matt Glover, an attorney for Spears, welcomed the verdict, saying he believed it would help improve journalism across the country. The Times said it was reviewing its legal options following the verdict. "We're disappointed the jury found The Times liable for an honest mistake," spokesperson Charlie Stadtlander said in a statement Thursday. "We thank the jury for its service, but believe the verdict and award of damages are contrary to law and not supported by the evidence." Three other Alabama basketball players were at the January 2023 shooting, in which a 23-year-old mother was killed. Spears said in his lawsuit that the inaccurate report caused him emotional distress and permanently associated him with the killing. In a report on Thursday's verdict, The Times said it had not lost a defamation lawsuit in the United States over one of its articles in more than 50 years.

Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan was taken back to prison early Friday after doctors examined him at a hospital in Islamabad and declared him medically fit. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said Khan was examined by a team of qualified doctors, including an eye specialist, a heart specialist and a physician. The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered that Khan be taken to hospital within 48 hours for a medical examination after his lawyers raised concerns about his health. The order was one of the biggest legal reliefs Khan has received since he was jailed in 2023 on corruption charges. Khan has rejected the charges as politically motivated. The court also ordered that Khan be allowed to meet his family, whom he had been unable to see for months. His sister, Azma Khan, visited him in prison on Tuesday night and remained present throughout his medical examination, Tarar said. The area around Shifa International Hospital was heavily guarded, with police barriers, officers and vehicles deployed around the facility. The BBC reported seeing vehicles being removed from nearby streets as police and armoured vehicles patrolled the area. The Supreme Court also directed Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party not to hold news conferences outside the hospital, warning against politicising his hospital stay. Khan's lawyers have said he suffers from several health problems, including poor eyesight, and has not received proper specialist treatment in prison. In February, one of his lawyers claimed that Khan had only 15% vision remaining in his right eye because prison authorities had failed to provide timely treatment. The government rejected the allegation. In its Tuesday order, the Supreme Court said it had a constitutional and legal duty to protect the prisoner's "life, health, dignity and security". The judges also directed that an eye specialist be involved in Khan's treatment. The court and PTI leaders urged Khan's supporters not to gather outside the hospital, warning that doing so would violate the court order. Khan, 73, a former captain of Pakistan's national cricket team, served as prime minister from 2018 to 2022. He was jailed in August 2023 and has faced more than 100 cases, including allegations involving state secrets and the sale of state gifts. Khan has denied wrongdoing and described the cases as politically motivated. Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, were both sentenced to 17 years in prison late last year. His imprisonment sparked large protests by his supporters, followed by a government crackdown. Despite being behind bars, Khan remains a major political figure in Pakistan and continues to command strong support. Source: BBC

Members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) recovered a shooter gun, one bullet and around 1.850 kg of gunpowder, along with other bomb-making materials, from a mango orchard in Shibganj upazila of Chapainawabganj. The items were recovered from the Fasitola area near a Padma River embankment under Ghorapakhia union on Thursday night, Chapainawabganj camp of RAB-5 said in a press release on Friday noon. Acting on a tip-off, a team from the camp conducted a raid on the orchard around 11:45pm. During the operation, the team found the firearm, ammunition, gunpowder and other bomb-making materials abandoned at the site, the release said. The seized items were handed over to Shibganj Police Station for further action.

An elderly woman died soon after learning that her son was killed allegedly by muggers for his battery-powered rickshaw in Kapasia upazila of Gazipur on Thursday night. The deceased were identified as Ataur Rahman Ata, 50, and his mother Johura Khatun, of Batna village in the upazila. Police said they recovered the body of Ata from Shimultali near Mirzanagar Girls' High School following a call through the national emergency national service 999 after evening. The body bore marks of injury, apparently caused by a sharp weapon. According to Ata's relatives, a group of alleged muggers hired his auto-rickshaw and took him to isolated Shimultali, where they killed him and fled with the vehicle. Family members said Johura Khatun died shortly after being informed of her son's death around midnight. The deaths of the mother and son within hours of each other cast a pall of grief over the area. Officer-in-Charge of Kapasia Police Station Mohammad Nasir Ahmed said they sent the body to Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmad Medical College Hospital morgue for autopsy. Police were investigating the circumstances surrounding the killing and working to identify those involved, he said, adding that legal proceedings were underway.

An old Fair & Lovely advertisement featuring Bollywood actresses Aishwarya Rai and Mahima Chaudhry has resurfaced online, sparking nostalgia among viewers and debate over Aishwarya’s voice in the commercial. The advertisement, reportedly made in the 1990s before both actresses became major stars, shows the two meeting at an airport. In the commercial, Mahima compliments Aishwarya on her glowing skin and suggests that marriage could be the reason behind her appearance. Aishwarya then reveals that she has been using Fair & Lovely for two months. The old commercial has once again gained attention on social media, with many viewers reminiscing about advertisements from the 1990s. The ad was directed by filmmaker Kailash Surendranath. Internet reacts to Aishwarya’s voice The video has drawn mixed reactions, particularly over Aishwarya’s voice, which appears to have been dubbed. A caption accompanying the resurfaced video said the advertisement “deserved Aishwarya Rai’s real voice.” Comments on the video posted on Surendranath’s YouTube page praised both actresses for their looks. “Wow, Mahima and Aishwarya — both of them are looking so pretty. Both of them are my favourite actresses,” one user wrote. Another commented, “Fun fact: After all these years, everyone knows the reality.” Some viewers questioned the voice used for Aishwarya, with one writing, “No way in hell that’s their voice.” Others focused on the actresses’ beauty, with one viewer saying Aishwarya’s looks had nothing to do with the fairness cream featured in the advertisement. Aishwarya Rai’s recent work Aishwarya Rai’s most recent film was Mani Ratnam’s ‘Ponniyin Selvan: Part II’, released in April 2023. She played the dual roles of Nandini and Oomai Rani in the film. Source: NDTV

Carew & Company (Bangladesh) Ltd, the nearly 90-year-old state-owned industrial enterprise in Darshana of Chuadanga, is on course to post its highest-ever net profit, despite continued losses in its sugar production unit. According to the company's potential profit and loss account for the 2025-26 financial year, Carew's combined net profit from all its units could reach 165,24 31,000. If achieved, the figure will surpass its previous record profit of Tk 129,44,74,000, posted in 2024-25. The projected profit highlights a striking contrast within the company: while its traditional sugar factory continues to make losses, its distillery and other sugarcane by-product-based businesses are generating strong returns. Distillery drives record profit Carew's distillery unit is expected to remain the main source of profit in 2025-26. The unit is projected to earn Tk 2,23,79,32,000. Other profitable units are also expected to contribute to the company’s earnings, with the bio-fertiliser unit projected to earn Tk 1,47,84,000, the commercial farm Tk 5,47,000, the Akandbaria unit Tk 7,62,000 and the distillery pharmaceuticals unit Tk 3,79,000. After accounting for the losses of the sugar factory, the company's combined projected net profit still stands at Tk 1,65,24,31,000. Sugar factory remains a major burden The sugar factory, however, continues to weigh heavily on Carew's finances. Its projected loss for 2025-26 is Tk 60,19,73,000. The factory recorded a loss of Tk 62.35 crore in 2024-25, when Carew posted a record overall net profit of Tk 1,29,44,74,000. In the same year, the distillery earned Tk 1,90,26,77,000 in profit. Carew's net profit in 2023-24 was Tk 1,12,79,10,000. It rose by Tk 17,36,83,000 in 2024-25. If the latest projection is achieved, Carew's net profit will have increased by more than Tk 53 crore in just two years. Old sugar plant, strong by-products  

A woman died of dengue and 11 new patients were admitted to hospitals with dengue symptoms in Faridpur district in the 24 hours till Friday morning. The deceased was identified as Nasrin Sultana, 30, of Chowdhurykanda area in Bhanga upazila. Nasrin Sultana, a mother of two sons, was admitted to Faridpur Medical College Hospital on August 18 after developing dengue symptoms. She died around 1:00am on Friday while undergoing treatment, said Faridpur Civil Surgeon Dr Mahmudul Hasan. He said 163 people were treated for dengue at government hospitals during the period, while 25 patients are currently receiving treatment. Nasrin's husband Miraj Sheikh alleged that she was first admitted to Bhanga Hospital after developing a fever. Although doctors advised several tests, she was not tested for dengue at that stage, he claimed. As her condition worsened, the family consulted another doctor, who advised a dengue test. After the test came back positive, she was taken to Faridpur Medical College Hospital. “If we had known earlier that my wife had dengue, perhaps we could have arranged treatment sooner and made greater efforts to save her,” Miraj said. With dengue cases rising in hospitals across the district, the Civil Surgeon urged people with symptoms, particularly fever, to seek medical advice and get tested without delay.

Prince Harry and his wife Meghan are preparing to return to the United Kingdom from California within weeks, raising questions about whether Harry can repair his strained relationship with his elder brother, Prince William. The couple have already enrolled their children, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, in British schools for the autumn term. The unexpected decision has sparked debate over where the family will live, who will cover their security costs and whether Harry and Meghan could ever return to royal duties. The biggest challenge, however, may be Harry’s relationship with William, heir to the throne. Their ties have deteriorated following Harry and Meghan’s public criticism of the royal family, including allegations of mistreatment by palace staff, racism and problems within the monarchy. Royal experts also say there could be concerns about Harry and Meghan drawing attention away from William and his wife, Catherine, when they are again in Britain. Craig Prescott, an expert on the UK constitution and monarchy at Royal Holloway University of London, said the palace would have to consider how the couple’s return could affect the work of the royal family. Harry wants his children to grow up BritishHarry and Meghan are expected to live in a private home outside London and will not resume their royal duties, which they gave up after moving to California six years ago, British media reported. Their return comes as King Charles III, Harry’s 77-year-old father, continues cancer treatment. Harry has previously spoken about wanting his children to spend more time with their grandfather. Royal historian Ed Owens said several recent developments may have paved the way for the family’s return. Harry has spoken about reconciliation, while he, Meghan and their children reportedly had a positive meeting with Charles at his Highgrove estate in western England last month. Harry has also said he wants his children to grow up British. Owens noted that the UK may also appear safer to the family amid growing divisions in US society. Royal experts expect Charles to forgive HarryOwens said he expects Charles to forgive his younger son, partly because of his position as supreme governor of the Church of England and the Christian value placed on forgiveness. He said William may find it harder to forgive Harry, although he could eventually do so publicly. “Privately William never fully forgives his younger brother” may be possible, Owens told The Associated Press, but traditional Christian values could encourage a public reconciliation. Charles was informed about Harry and Meghan’s plans on Sunday. The issue was not discussed during their recent UK visit. Relations remain strainedHarry and Meghan’s relationship with the royal family has been tense since they stepped down from royal duties and moved to California in 2020 to become financially independent. The rift grew after the couple gave a series of interviews and Harry published his memoir, “Spare.” They said they left Britain because of the pressures of royal life and accused palace officials of failing to support Meghan’s mental health. They also alleged that a member of the royal family had made a racist comment about their unborn child. Meghan has described herself as biracial. In a widely watched 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, Harry said the reasons for leaving Britain were “lack of support and lack of understanding.” Security and legal disputes remainHarry’s tensions with the UK media have also added to the difficulties. He has been involved in a long-running legal battle with British tabloid publishers, accusing them of illegally accessing his phone and invading his privacy. Harry and other plaintiffs lost a lawsuit against the publisher of the Daily Mail last month, leaving them facing potentially millions of pounds in legal costs. Associated Newspapers has said its costs were 34.5 million pounds ($47 million). Harry has also challenged a UK government decision not to provide him and his family with police protection whenever they visit Britain. Prime Minister Andy Burnham said Thursday that the couple’s security arrangements were a private matter for Harry and Meghan. Harry lost his legal challenge over the security decision in May 2025. At the time, he said he hoped to reconcile with his family but remained critical of those in Britain whom he believed had mistreated him and Meghan. Royal historian Owens said the focus could now shift from the family’s disputes to efforts to rebuild their relationships. “Time is a great healer,” he said, suggesting that reconciliation between Harry and his father could eventually lead to a possible reconciliation between the two brothers.

A ninth-grade female student was rescued from a school washroom in Digholia upazila with her hands, legs and mouth tied, nearly five hours after classes ended on Thursday. The incident took place at Gazirhat Hazi Naimuddin High School. According to school authorities and local residents, classes ended around 4:00pm, after which teachers, staff and students left the school premises. Around 9:00pm, workers engaged in construction work at the school heard unusual sounds coming from a locked washroom. Suspecting that someone might be inside, the workers went to the washroom and heard a girl moaning. They broke open the lock and found the student lying inside with her hands, legs and mouth tied. The workers rescued her and took her to the chamber of local physician Mofizur Rahman Shafin, where she received first aid. She was later shifted to a private hospital in Khulna after her condition deteriorated. The girl's mother alleged that someone struck her daughter on the head from behind when she entered the washroom after classes. She claimed the attackers then tied the girl's hands, legs and mouth and left her inside. She also alleged that the girl was injected with an unidentified substance and sustained blade-like cuts on different parts of her body. Police said the details of the incident and the identities of those responsible have yet to be established. Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Digholia Police Station Hawlader Sanwar Hossain Masum said an initial investigation suggested that two people remained near the washroom after school hours. Police suspect they may have taken advantage of the empty school premises and struck the girl on the head and tied her up inside the washroom. The OC said the girl later regained consciousness and began making noises, which alerted the construction workers. He said the girl later told her relatives that she did not know the attackers. Police were also investigating whether the incident was linked to a possible money dispute dating back to the time when the girl's father ran an NGO several years ago. “We are investigating who committed the incident and why. Those responsible will be brought to justice as soon as possible,” said OC Masum.

A charter plane carrying eight people crashed near a remote radar site in western Alaska on Thursday, killing everyone on board, the US military said. The crash occurred at the Cape Newenham Long Range Radar Site Airport, about 450 miles (725 km) west of Anchorage. “This is a devastating loss for our military family and the communities we serve,” said US Air Force Lt. Gen. Robert Davis, commander of Alaskan Command, the Alaskan North American Aerospace Defense Command Region and Eleventh Air Force. Earlier, Clint Johnson, chief of the National Transportation Safety Board’s Alaska region, said two pilots and six passengers were aboard the aircraft. He said the plane had departed from Anchorage and was believed to have crashed early Thursday afternoon while approaching Cape Newenham. Johnson said the information available at the time was preliminary. The Alaska Rescue Coordination Center said it launched a search-and-rescue operation after receiving a report of an “aircraft incident” near the Cape Newenham Long Range Radar Site. The center said it would provide more information as it became available.

Veteran politician Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir will be sworn in as the 23rd President of Bangladesh this evening. The oath-taking ceremony will be held at the Darbar Hall of Bangabhaban at 7:30pm. Acting Speaker Barrister Kayser Kamal will administer the oath of the office of the President, according to Bangabhaban. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, cabinet members, and hundreds of distinguished guests are expected to attend the event. BNP candidate Mirza Fakhrul was elected the President defeating his lone rival Col (retd) Oli Ahmad, the candidate of the 11-party opposition alliance led by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, in the presidential election held on Thursday. Out of all 343 valid votes, Mirza Fakhrul secured 255, while Oli Ahmad got 88. Among the 349 voters, six lawmakers did not vote in the presidential election. The six voters who did not turn up include BNP lawmakers Mirza Abbas, Mostafa Kamal Pasha and Dr Muhammad Osman Farruk, independent lawmaker Rumeen Farhana and Jamaat lawmaker Gazi Nazrul Islam. The Election Commission (EC) later issued a gazette notification declaring Mirza Fakhrul elected as the President of Bangladesh.

Asian shares were mixed Friday after Wall Street suffered losses, as a US Treasury Department plan to increase purchases of government debt offered only limited relief to financial markets. US stock futures edged higher in early trading. Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 0.2% to 66,080.25, while South Korea’s Kospi rose 0.9% to 6,914.09. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng gained 0.7% to 25,888.36, while the Shanghai Composite was little changed at 3,903.81. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 dropped 0.3% to 9,053.90. Taiwan’s Taiex gained 0.4%, while India’s Sensex slipped 0.1%. The Treasury Department said Wednesday it would at least double planned purchases of longer-term government bonds. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Thursday that the buyback programme could be expanded further. The announcement briefly pushed bond yields lower. Yields had risen amid concerns over high inflation, partly linked to the war in Iran, and growing US government debt. Higher yields can increase borrowing costs and put pressure on economic growth and stock prices. However, analysts said the impact was likely to be short-lived. The yield on the 10-year US Treasury note stood at around 4.71% early Friday, up from nearly 4.64% Thursday and back near its level before the Treasury announcement. The 30-year Treasury yield also rose to about 5.26%, from 5.18% Thursday. Bond yields in Asia also moved higher. Japan’s 10-year government bond yield rose to 2.88% from around 2.83% Thursday, after recently reaching levels not seen in about 30 years. Rising bond yields have put pressure on stocks. On Thursday, the S&P 500 fell 0.9%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 1.3% and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite lost 1%. Oil prices edged lower early Friday despite increased US economic pressure on Iran and limited progress in reducing tensions between Washington and Tehran. Brent crude, the international benchmark, fell 0.2% to $93.64 a barrel. It was trading at around $72 before the war began. US benchmark crude fell 0.3% to $86.59 a barrel. The US dollar slipped to 159.01 Japanese yen from 159.05 yen. The euro rose to $1.1694 from $1.1678.

Four people, including two Fire Service personnel, were injured when a fire ripped through six oil warehouses and two shops in Daulatkhan upazila of Bhola district on Thursday evening. The injured were identified as Fire Service personnel Md Al Amin and Khalil, and locals Amjad and Tariqul Islam. They were later admitted to Daulatkhan Upazila Health Complex. Daulatkhan Fire Service Station Officer Mokhlesur Rahman said the fire originated at an oil depot around 7:00pm and quickly spread to nearby warehouses and shops. Two firefighting units rushed to the scene and brought the fire under control around 9:00pm, he said. The blaze gutted six oil warehouses and two shops, while the authorities were assessing the extent of the damage, the official added. Locals said the fire started at the warehouse of oil trader Shahabuddin. As the warehouse stored oil, the flames quickly spread to the adjacent warehouses and shops. Daulatkhan Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Abdul Matin Khan visited the scene shortly after the incident.

Dhaka ranked 15th among the world’s most polluted cities on Friday morning, recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 98. The city’s air quality was classified as ‘moderate’, according to the AQI scale. Malaysia’s Kuching topped the list with an AQI of 196, followed by Manama, Bahrain, with 177, and Kampala, Uganda, with 169. Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, was also among the cities with the highest pollution levels. An AQI between 50 and 100 is considered "moderate" with an acceptable air quality while AQI between 101 and 150 is considered ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’, while a score between 151 and 200 is classified as ‘unhealthy’. AQI readings between 201 and 300 are termed ‘very unhealthy’, and anything above 301 is considered ‘hazardous’, posing serious health risks. The AQI is a daily indicator of air quality, showing how clean or polluted the air is and the possible health effects people may experience. In Bangladesh, the AQI is calculated based on five major pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide and ozone. Dhaka has long struggled with severe air pollution. Air quality usually worsens during winter and improves in the monsoon season. According to the World Health Organization, air pollution causes around seven million deaths globally each year, mainly from stroke, heart disease, chronic respiratory diseases, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections.  

Release of International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan for Bangladesh remains stalled due to pending reforms in the financial sector, conditions to cut subsidies and climate resilience issues. The global lender has imposed nearly a dozen conditions, including reforms in the banking sector and banking laws, capacity building of the National Board of Revenue (NBR), single-click access to taxpayer information, removal of subsidies on fuel and electricity, setting a market-based foreign exchange rate and climate resilience issues. The government is seeking US $2.0 billion additional loan as budget support from the IMF along with the remaining tranches of the $4.7 billion loan program. The government is seeking to reactivate the suspended IMF loan program and secure new funding. However, the IMF has made macroeconomic reforms and climate risk management capabilities the primary preconditions for this financing. A high-level delegation from the IMF’s Fiscal Affairs Department recently completed their visit to Dhaka to review progress in key sectors and assess tax policies, which will determine the future of the loan program. According to relevant sources, financial sector reforms and climate resilience will be a major consideration in the IMF’s new credit program. The incomplete reform activities under the previous loan program with the IMF got priority under the new program. As a result, this visit was not limited solely to assessing climate policies, but also played a crucial role in setting the future direction of economic reforms. A six-member high-level delegation from the IMF’s Technical Assistance (TA) mission visited Bangladesh at a time when the country's capacity to address climate risks, economic reforms, and the potential for new international financing are moving in parallel. The main goal of the visit, which ran from July 19 to July 30, was to conduct a full evaluation of Bangladesh’s policies, financial structures, and institutional capabilities in tackling climate change. The findings of this evaluation will also carry significant weight in discussions regarding a potential new loan program. Led by Suphachol Suphachalasai, Senior Economist in the Climate Policy Division of the IMF’s Fiscal Affairs Department, the delegation's primary focus is the 'Climate Policy Diagnostic' (CPD). Through this diagnostic, Bangladesh’s climate change mitigation policies, financing framework, and risk management capabilities will be thoroughly examined. Additionally, the team reviewed the country's overall macroeconomic situation and discussed a potential new loan program with the government. The loan program under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) is another major topic of discussion during this visit. Under the RSF, Bangladesh received a loan facility of 1 billion Special Drawing Rights (SDR), equivalent to approximately $1.4 billion. While two-thirds of the funds have already been released, the remaining portion remains suspended. Steps have now been taken to reactivate the program. Notably, Bangladesh was the first country in Asia to secure this facility. In a report on Bangladesh, the IMF noted that the RSF would complement the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) and Extended Fund Facility (EFF). The fund aims to support measures implemented by the Bangladesh government to counter the impacts of climate change, while also helping build climate resilience and mobilizing additional public and private financing. Meanwhile, the Finance Division recently launched the ‘Public Financial Management Reform Strategy 2025–2030.’ For the first time, this strategy document includes climate-smart public financial management and gender-responsive budgeting. Furthermore, in the FY2025–26 budget, approximately Tk 42,206.89 crore has been allocated across 25 ministries for climate-related expenditures, accounting for 10.09 percent of the total budget. The IMF delegation held a series of meetings with relevant ministries and divisions on economic matters. The mission also meeting with Finance Secretary Dr. Md. Khairuzzaman Mozumder. Then the meeting was also with Bangladesh Bank, Financial Institutions Division, NBR and the Ministry of Power and Energy, Ministry of Forest and Environment and some other ministries. Dr. Md. Khairuzzaman Mozumder told UNb that the IMF held separate meetings with officials from the Macroeconomic Wing and Budget Wing of the Finance Division to review progress on climate and disaster-related initiatives. Discussions covered the current status of the ‘Bangladesh Climate Development Partnership’ and the ‘National Strategy for Disaster Risk Financing,’ alongside a detailed evaluation of how climate risks are being integrated into macroeconomic planning, he said. “We hope that the IMF will consider different difficulties of Bangladesh to meet cent percent of the loan conditions. Despite some challenges, we are expecting the loans will be released in favour of Bangladesh,” said the finance secretary. Meetings with the Ministry of Water Resources addressed flood control measures, delta and coastal management, irrigation policy, and surface and groundwater management—considered key elements in assessing Bangladesh’s readiness to face the long-term impacts of climate change. According to officials, this IMF TA mission is not merely a routine evaluation; it represents a critical stage in shaping Bangladesh’s climate policies, economic reforms, and future international financing framework. The evaluations and recommendations from this visit are expected to play a decisive role in setting priorities for a new loan program. Commenting on the matter, economist Professor Abu Ahmed told UNB that reform measures must continue for the sake of the country's economy. He added that since Bangladesh is one of the countries most affected by climate change, enhancing national capacity to manage these impacts is an urgent necessity.

Iran on Thursday dismissed threats by U.S. President Donald Trump of economic pain and isolation for the country, while six European nations condemned Israel over a settlement project. Doctors Without Borders criticized the decision by Israel's military not to investigate two fatal attacks on the medical humanitarian organization's staff, and in Gaza City, a mass funeral was held for 50 people killed in Israeli airstrikes nearly three years ago but whose remains were just recovered. Here’s a look at the latest developments in the Iran war and the wider Middle East on Thursday. Full coverage can be found here. Iran denounces Trump's economic threat Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has rejected the economic threats made against his country, saying that such “failed policies” will stir more hostility among Iranians and “bring more failures.” Araghchi's comments came a few hours after Trump threatened “crushing economic measures” against Iran. The U.S. president promised “Economic Warfare and Isolation on an unprecedented scale,” but provided few details. In a social media post, Araghchi maintained that the threats aim to divert the attention of the U.S. public from domestic financial problems, saying that U.S. “economic terrorism threatens the global economy and the national sovereignty of countries around the world.” U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Thursday that Iran will face the “greatest coordinated economic isolation in the history of the world." In a CNBC interview, Bessent threatened secondary sanctions on nations and companies that conduct business with Iran, saying it's time for U.S. allies to make a decision on where they stand. China's government and India are major buyers of Iranian oil, though Bessent didn't call them out by name. Doctors Without Borders condemns Israel's military Doctors Without Borders said that the decision by Israel's military not to open a criminal investigation into two strikes that killed four people shows the country won't take responsibility for attacking civilians. The international aid group now wants an impartial investigation into the deaths, but didn't specify who should lead the effort. Doctors Without Borders asked Israel's military to investigate an attack on a Gaza City convoy in November 2023 and a strike on the organization's shelter in Khan Younis in February 2024. Israel’s announcement on Wednesday said that it wouldn't launch criminal investigations into the two cases, in which troops killed the organization's employees. The decision by Israel's military shows “there is no prospect of accountability within the Israeli legal system for the killing of our staff, just as there has been no accountability for Israel’s ongoing genocide against Palestinians,” Doctors Without Borders said in a statement that cited 15 staff and 1,700 healthcare workers killed in Gaza since October 2023. Israel denies accusations of genocide and war crimes and says it's targeting Hamas after the militant group's attack on southern Israel that killed 1,200 people and took 251 hostage on Oct. 7, 2023. Israel blames civilian deaths on Hamas, because it operates in populated areas in the tiny, overcrowded Gaza Strip. UK and others rebuke planned West Bank settlement project Six European countries along with Canada condemned the latest development in a contentious Israeli settlement project near Jerusalem that would effectively cut the occupied West Bank in two. Israel’s Ministry of Construction and Housing issued a tender for constructing several compounds with more than 1,200 homes in total in an open tract of land east of Jerusalem. It’s the latest step in a project under consideration for more than two decades, which critics say would prevent the establishment of a contiguous Palestinian state in the territory. The joint statement from the leaders of the U.K., France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway and Canada said international law is clear the settlement is illegal and noted “unprecedented levels of violence by settlers against civilians.” “We urge the government of Israel to retract these plans immediately and end its expansion of settlements in the West Bank. Not only will they take us further from peace, but they further undermine Israel's international standing,” the countries wrote. Egypt and Jordan also condemned Israel’s move. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar responded on Thursday by defending “the historic right of the Jewish people to reestablish their national home in the Land of Israel — including in the area in question.” Saar criticized the U.K. government for “blaming only Israel while ignoring Palestinian extremism.” Gaza funeral for 50 killed in opening strikes of war A mass funeral Thursday in Gaza City remembered 50 Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes in the opening months of the Israel-Hamas war, but whose remains were only recently recovered from under rubble. Dozens of mourners carried the remains, draped in Palestinian flags, through debris-strewn streets before lowering them into graves. Some held portraits and posters with photos of the deceased. “We were able to recover them after three years of war, after three years of anguish, pain and torture. We were able to recover them, and dignify them in their final resting place. We were able to pray over them and bury them,” said Lina Karam, who lost her father and other members of her family. The 50 bodies were from three families who were killed in airstrikes in November and December 2023. The nearly three-year war has killed more than 73,400 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The ministry, which was part of the Hamas-run government, maintains detailed records viewed as generally reliable by U.N. agencies and international organizations. It doesn’t distinguish between civilians and militants, but says women and children make up around half of the toll. US sanctions network supporting Hezbollah The U.S. announced new sanctions Thursday against a network of people who allegedly funneled cash into Lebanon for the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. The network run by Turkish businessman Yunus Alper Yilmaz uses couriers traveling on commercial flights between Lebanon, Turkey, the UAE and Iran “to move up to hundreds of millions of dollars between jurisdictions, providing an avenue outside the formal financial system” to move funds to Hezbollah, the U.S. Department of Treasury said in a statement. The Treasury also redesignated Hezbollah — which was already sanctioned by the U.S. — as an Iranian proxy acting on behalf of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force rather than a stand-alone operation. The redesignation aims to underscore that Hezbollah “operates with little to no regard for Lebanese sovereignty, the Lebanese people or the Lebanese state,” the Treasury statement said. Turkey denies delegation had visited air base in Syria Turkey has denied that a Turkish military delegation had visited an air base in northern Syria that was hit by Israeli airstrikes, and vowed to continue supporting Syria in its efforts to rebuild its military. The Israeli strikes targeted the Abu Duhur base early on Tuesday, causing damage but no casualties. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said that Israel had attacked the base because Syria was “on the verge of breaching” an agreed-upon “status quo in security matters” by allowing Turkish troops to deploy there. Syrian officials have said that a Turkish delegation visited the base before the Israeli strike to review rehabilitation work underway there. Syria's top diplomat discusses Middle East in Pakistan Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani arrived in Islamabad for talks expected to focus on regional issues, Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. The visit comes days after Israeli airstrikes targeted an air base in northern Syria, causing damage but no casualties. Pakistan's officials say the country's political and military leadership remains in contact with both Iran and the United States over efforts to de-escalate tensions and push for the resumption of talks, after a 60-day deadline under a June memorandum of understanding expired. The agreement was brokered by Pakistan with help from regional countries. Bodies of Pakistani sailors returned after Houthi attack The bodies of two Pakistanis killed in last week’s Houthi attack on a Tanzanian-flagged commercial vessel in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait have been repatriated to Pakistan. Six Pakistani sailors who were wounded in the attack have also safely returned to the country, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said in a post on X.

At 9 a.m. on a scorching Saturday in June, nearly 100 people were already lined up outside Goldee’s BBQ, a small, wooden-shack restaurant. First in line was 30-year-old Thanh Huynh, who had been sitting in a lawn chair on the joint’s rustic porch since 6:30 a.m. “I have, like, a whole list, and I’m going to spend lots of money here. It’ll be worth it,” he said, laughing while rattling off a long order of meats and sides from his phone’s Notes app as a sweet, smoky scent from nearby pits hung in the air. Opened in 2020 by a group of his friends, the restaurant was named the No. 1 barbecue spot in the state by Texas Monthly a year later, and then won a Bib Gourmand award from the prestigious Michelin Guide, given for “great food at a great value.” The restaurant serves classic Texas barbecue like craft pork belly, sausage and ribs. But it also offers halal brisket, turkey and lamb — meat raised and butchered in accordance with Islamic guidelines. At a time when Republican leaders are increasingly targeting the state’s growing Muslim communities, halal barbecue joints like Goldee’s are thriving in Texas. Across the state, Muslim pitmasters are gaining recognition for putting their own spin on one of Texas’ most iconic culinary traditions. At least a dozen barbecue spots now serve halal meats, including Yearby’s Barbecue & Waterice, run by Black Muslim couple CJ and Sabrina Henley, soon-to-be in Plano, and Levant Mediterranean BBQ, a restaurant with locations in Houston and Frisco and whose all-beef menu includes a brisket shawarma sandwich. “Now there are so many options, and for us to have highly rated barbecue, it’s a blessing,” said Haris Ghaffar, who drove an hour from Celina and stood in 90-degree weather for nearly two hours with a friend for the halal options at Goldee’s. Growing up in the 1990s, Ghaffar said a McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish sandwich was one of the few halal meals he could eat while dining out. Back then, halal food was seen as serving a small community. Today, it’s a multibillion-dollar industry that’s part of the American culinary mainstream, said James Beard Award‑winning food writer Farhan Mustafa, who wrote about the rise of American halal barbecue for Bon Appétit magazine in 2025. “Halal food is American food,” said Mustafa, who is based in Seattle. “It belongs on your plate. It belongs in the casual chat. It belongs in hip hop tracks. It’s the most American thing there is.” Mustafa said Muslims are part of a growing list of communities putting their stamp on Texas barbecue. “Whether they’re first, second or third-generation Muslims or Muslim Americans or just Americans, they’re bringing what they know and what excites them,” he said. Texas barbecue is typically defined by salt-and-pepper brisket and pork ribs, but this new crop of halal pitmasters are adding inventive twists, often based on their own family heritages. Zain Shafi, a pitmaster and co-owner of Goldee’s, previously ran Sabar Barbecue, a food truck that offered Pakistani-infused halal dishes, such as brisket with rub that included spices like bay leaf and coriander. He brought tandoori smoked turkey to Goldee’s menu. And sourcing halal cuts, he said, was a natural choice because they are “the highest quality” meats. Goldee’s chef and part owner Nupohn Inthanousay also blends his Laotian heritage, serving a smoked Lao “sai oua” sausage with sticky rice and a fiery, tangy dipping sauce. At Kafi BBQ in Irving, owner Salahodeen Abdul-Kafi brings halal Wagyu beef and Iraqi spices to classic Texas barbecue, challenging what he said is the “traditional old guard of Texas barbecue.” “My goal at Kafi BBQ is to make the best barbecue in Texas,” Abdul-Kafi said. “I have not been shy about that at all, and making the best barbecue in Texas does not necessarily have to include pork.” A former Silicon Valley tech worker, he moved to Texas six years ago in search of a Muslim community. On weekends in his backyard, he smoked brisket for friends. By 2024, he bought a smoker and opened Kafi BBQ. He said he spent months testing and perfecting recipes and finding local producers. Abdul-Kafi attributes his obsession with crafting a stand-out menu to the Islamic concept of “Ihsan”— an Arabic term meaning doing something with excellence for the sake of God. On a Sunday afternoon this summer, the restaurant’s red booths were packed with diners, drawn to menu items like the 13-spice Wagyu brisket, pomegranate-glazed beef belly burnt ends and Iraqi-inspired spicy beef sausage. “That sausage, I’d probably put it at the top sausage I’ve ever had, and we eat barbecue a lot. This place is unique,” said Jonathan Tate, a Fort Worth resident who came to Kafi BBQ with a friend after reading about it on a Facebook foodie group. “I don’t necessarily have to have it halal, but it’s nice to know they took good care of the food, the meat,” his friend Jon Sklar said, before going back in line to order oxtail. Although political rhetoric against Muslims in Texas has become increasingly hostile — some GOP lawmakers even discussed a ban on halal food at a conference this month — pitmasters like Abdul-Kafi see the rise of halal barbecue as an effective counterargument. “It’s an example of exactly the opposite of what the Islamophobes talk about, right?” he said. “They say, ‘oh, Muslims don’t integrate, they stay alone, they don’t help society and all this stuff.’ And it’s like, I’m sitting here contributing to the most well-known cuisine of Texas.” One of the diners at Kafi BBQ, Houston native Muhammad Sohail, 23, said the restaurant reflects who he is — a proud Texan and Muslim. “This place is super important because I can see halal within the culture of Texas, which is my culture at this point,” Sohail said. “We love the food. We love meat. We’re Muslims and we love barbecue.” After finishing a big lunch with 10 relatives, Areeba Ali, a Dallas native of Indian heritage, said the restaurant’s appeal cuts across communities, which she said is evidence that halal barbecue isn’t a niche but resonates broadly with Texans. “If you look around in the restaurant, you see everybody in there — it’s not just one demographic in there,” Ali said. For Mustafa, that success is ultimately a testament to the resilience of Muslim American communities. “No matter how much they try to erase us, our food is here to stay,” he said. “You will see the power of just good food and the fact that most people really seem to understand that this is just as American as anything else.”

At least eight people died and nearly 40 others were taken ill over the past 24 hours after they allegedly consumed spurious liquor mixed with methanol in India's western state of Gujarat, confirmed a local official on Friday. The human casualties were reported from the Bhavnagar area of Gujarat. Those taken ill were admitted to a local hospital. Gujarat is one of the dry states in India, where the consumption and sale of liquor is totally banned. Those found in possession of liquor face heavy legal and monetary penalties, even incarceration. However, some locals take the risk of making their own liquor for self-consumption. Such ill practices have led to human casualties in Gujarat before.  

Tens of thousands of residents in northwest Indiana were in survival mode Thursday as they endured a ninth day without power, throwing out spoiled food, lining up for hot meals and searching for places to charge their phones. In Gary, Indiana, schools remained closed after the deadly Aug. 11 storm downed trees and power lines. Residents turned to social media to find open laundromats and working Wi-Fi, while others sought food, diapers and cleaning wipes for low-income neighbors. Meanwhile, heavy rains in central Ohio brought flash flooding that covered roadways Thursday morning in Columbus, the state capital, where emergency crews rescued motorists from stranded cars and saved a 12-year-old boy who was swept off a bridge. Northern Indiana Public Service Co. said 68,000 customers were still without power as of Thursday morning, the majority of them in Lake County beside the Illinois border. The utility said it has restored power to 306,500 others since Aug. 11. But power is not expected to be fully restored until Tuesday in some places, including Gary. Courtney Page-Tan, an Indiana University Indianapolis professor who studies community resilience, said health concerns grow each day of a prolonged outage. With many people using generators, poor ventilation can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning. In addition, those reliant on medical devices risk having them lose their charge, while refrigerated food once safe to eat could pose health risks as it spoils. “Nine days is a long time for a community to be without power,” Page-Tan said. Residents are exhausted from days without power Shatiya Hardin, a hair stylist in Gary for 25 years, has been unable to open her salon since the storm. She said residents in her lower-income neighborhood initially took the outages in stride. But now patience is wearing thin. “We’re always in survival mode in Gary. And I think that’s probably why it wasn’t so much of an uproar because the first few days, it was like, ‘OK, we’re used to this .... but this is the second week now,” Hardin said. “It’s not OK for us to continually be in survival mode, doing the best that we can.” More than a week after the initial storm, many residents in East Chicago, Indiana, who lost power regained it, but then lost it again. Kevin Mejia, who has a community Facebook page, was in that category Thursday.  

Police have identified the body of an unknown teenage girl found abandoned near Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) and arrested three suspects in connection with the death on early Thursday. The victim was identified as Mim Akhter, 15. The arrestees are A.B.M. Abdur Razzak,47, Md. Faisal Ahmed,35, and Rahema Khatun Reshma,29. A special team from Shahbagh Police Station apprehended the trio from the capital's Demra area around 5:10 AM following a tech-based investigation. According to police, locals spotted the girl's body lying near the DMCH emergency department on August 12 and informed the police. Shahbagh police initially filed an unnatural death case on August 13 and formed a special team to uncover the mystery behind her death. Primary investigations revealed that the suspects abandoned Mim's body at the hospital to cover up the homicide. To evade arrest, they fled from their residence in the Sanarpar area of Siddhirganj, Narayanganj, overnight with their families. Niaz Mehedi, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Media and Public Relations) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police, said a regular case is being filed at Siddhirganj Police Station while the investigation continues.

The Ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) will contest the upcoming local government elections independently, the party’s Acting Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said Thursday. He announced the decision to journalists after an important meeting between BNP Chairman and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and leaders of the Rajshahi division at the party chairman’s office in Gulshan in the evening. At the meeting, the Prime Minister said grassroots leaders should be given priority in selecting candidates after the Election Commission announces the schedule for the local government elections, according to Rizvi. Union and upazila-level leaders, with assistance from district leaders, will sit together and select a single candidate, he said. He urged grassroots leaders and activists to make collective efforts to ensure that no candidate contests the election against the party-supported candidate, Rizvi added. Tarique Rahman particularly warned against multiple candidates contesting for the post of Union Parishad chairman in violation of the party’s decision, saying the party would support only one candidate for each position. Rizvi said everyone must remain fully committed to the party’s decisions and discipline in the local government elections. Prime Minister and BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman has given clear instructions that strict organisational disciplinary action will be taken against anyone who violates party discipline in any way, he said. Earlier Thursday evening, BNP Chairman and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman joined an organisational meeting with leaders of the party’s Pabna and Chapainawabganj district units in Rajshahi division as part of efforts to further organise and strengthen the party at the grassroots level. Tarique Rahman has been holding a series of such organisational meetings with leaders of different district and metropolitan units to strengthen the BNP’s grassroots organisational structure.

Claudio Cordone, deputy special envoy of the UN secretary-general for Syria, has condemned an Israeli air strike on the Abu al-Duhur airbase, calling it a “deplorable escalation” of Israel’s attacks on Syria. In a brief statement on social media, Cordone called for diplomacy and respect for Syria’s territorial integrity. The Israeli strike on Tuesday hit the airbase in Syria’s eastern province of Idlib, damaging its runway and other facilities. No casualties were reported. Israel said it launched the attack after believing that Syria was preparing to violate the status quo between the two countries by allowing Turkish troops to deploy at an airbase near Aleppo, according to the Israeli prime minister’s office. Syria, Turkiye, the United States and several other Middle Eastern countries condemned the Israeli attack. With inputs from Al Jazeera

The election of former BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir as the country’s president has sparked widespread celebrations in his hometown of Thakurgaon, where his name now dominates conversations from urban tea stalls to remote villages. Although Mirza Fakhrul is currently in Dhaka, people continue to gather in front of his residence in Thakurgaon. Residents have been watching television coverage of the parliamentary proceedings and applauding as lawmakers approved his election. Mirza Fakhrul elected Bangladesh’s 23rd President For many in the district, his election is a matter of pride, as the veteran politician rose from the local level to the country’s highest constitutional office. Mirza Fakhrul grew up in Thakurgaon and completed his SSC from Thakurgaon High School in 1963 before studying at Dhaka College and Dhaka University, where he earned a degree in economics. He began his career as a teacher, teaching at Dhaka College and government colleges in Dinajpur and Thakurgaon. He later entered politics after leaving government service in 1988. His political career began with his election as chairman of Thakurgaon Municipality. He later joined BNP and played a key role in strengthening the party’s organisation in the district before moving into national politics. Mirza Fakhrul was elected from Thakurgaon-1 in the 2001 parliamentary election and later served as state minister for civil aviation. He eventually rose through BNP’s central leadership and became the party’s secretary general in 2016. His election as president has been particularly welcomed by local teachers, who remember him as a popular educator. Tapas Debnath, a senior teacher at Thakurgaon Girls’ High School, said the election of a former teacher to the country’s highest constitutional post would enhance the dignity of the teaching profession. He recalled that while teaching at Thakurgaon Government College, students from other departments often attended his classes and even stood in the corridors to listen to his lectures. Mirza Fakhrul has also been associated with sports and cultural activities. He played football and cricket and is the lifetime president of the historic Thakurgaon Town Club. He has also acted in dramas and is known for his recitation skills. Thakurgaon BNP General Secretary Paygam Ali said Mirza Fakhrul was not merely an asset to BNP but an experienced leader who had endured years of political struggle. “After overcoming many challenges, he has reached the country’s highest constitutional position. We believe he will prove himself as a capable guardian of the state,” he said. For the people of Thakurgaon, the president-elect’s journey from a local political leader to the country’s highest constitutional office has become a source of collective pride.

Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal President Abdul Monayem Munnna and General Secretary Mohammad Nurul Islam Nayon congratulated BNP Standing Committee member Advocate Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed on his appointment as the party’s acting secretary general. In a congratulatory message issued by Jubo Dal on Thursday, they extended their greetings and best wishes to Rizvi. Rizvi named BNP acting secretary general The Jubo Dal leaders said Rizvi has played an important and glorious role in Bangladesh’s democratic movement, anti-autocracy struggle and the long journey of nationalist politics. His political acumen, experience, sacrifice and organisational skills have long been considered valuable assets for the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), they said. They said Rizvi’s appointment as acting secretary general is not only recognition of his long political experience and contributions, but also an important opportunity to utilise his experience and leadership on a broader scale in guiding the party’s present and future course. The Jubo Dal leaders expressed hope that under Rizvi’s farsighted leadership, political experience and organisational wisdom, the party’s unity, solidarity and organisational strength would be further strengthened. They also hoped that the ongoing movement to establish the rights of the country and its people would gain further momentum. In the message, Munnna and Nayon wished the newly appointed BNP acting secretary general good health, long life and success.

At least 47 people have died after a boat capsized in a river in northwestern Nigeria’s Sokoto State on Thursday. The boat was carrying laborers who were heading to work on farms in Gorau town, located within the Goronyo local government area of the state. Abdulkadir Yusuf, the Sokoto state manager of the National Inland Waterways Authority, confirmed that the death toll has reached 47 "so far".  Local resident Samaila Garba, 55, shared that his 13-year-old granddaughter, Jamila Usman, was among those who drowned. Garba, who counted at least 42 bodies of victims, noted that most of the deceased were women and children. "You know, during the rainy season, most women and children go to the farm to work," he told to media. Another resident, Aminu Dan Hajiya, who routinely uses the same waterway to reach his farm, expressed relief at not being on the ill-fated vessel. "In fact, almost every household in the community has been affected," Hajiya said. Deadly boat accidents are common in Nigeria, particularly during the rainy season. A lack of enforcement of safety regulations allows faulty boats without life jackets to operate across the country. In January, a similar accident in Yobe State left at least 25 people dead.

Newly elected President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir was warmly greeted with flowers and congratulations by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and ruling party lawmakers after the announcement of the presidential election result on Thursday. Immediately after the result was announced in the Parliament Chamber, Prime Minister Tarique congratulated Fakhrul with a red rose. As they left the chamber, he again presented the newly elected President with flowers on behalf of himself and the party. Tarique Rahman then accompanied Fakhrul to the Parliament lobby, where he greeted him with a large bouquet.

Traders and workers at traditional Kalaiya Port in Patuakhali’s Bauphal closed shops and staged protests on Thursday over alleged extortion attempts, and a subsequent violent attack. The protest, joined by other port traders, included a human chain on Sundari Cinema Hall Road around 12:30 p.m. followed by a march. Md. Shahidul Mollah, owner of Mayer Doa Furniture Mart, alleged Chhatra Dal leader Yasin demanded Tk 2 lakh on Monday and threatened him upon refusal. Shahidul informed Yuva Dal’s Swapon Mridha, Rubel Chowkidar, and Swecchasebak Dal’s Riaz Panchayet. Consequently, an arbitration was organized on Wednesday evening at Sundari Cinema Hall. However, Chhatra Dal leader Ibrahim and his associates allegedly disrupted the session, attacking traders with iron rods and hammers, injuring at least 20 people. Shahin Mollah, Md. Rabbi, and Shahidul were hospitalized at Bauphal Upazila Health Complex. Ibrahim rejected the allegations as a "staged drama" involving Jamaat, vowing to hand Yasin-whose phone was switched off-to police if proven guilty. Arbitrator Swapon Mridha condemned Ibrahim's behavior. Bauphal Police OC Sirajul Islam said police restored order and will investigate once a formal complaint is filed.

Dhaka University held its first meeting on Thursday to prepare for the next Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) election, with the administration deciding to consult students and active student organizations and to assess the situation at the university’s residential halls before finalizing the election process. The meeting was held at around 3pm and was attended by Vice-Chancellor Dr A B M Obaidul Islam, the two pro-vice-chancellors, the proctor and provosts of various residential halls. DU Vice-Chancellor meets Prime Minister at Secretariat The VC said the meeting discussed what needs to be done to hold the election, how it should be conducted and which stakeholders should be consulted. “Students are stakeholders, so we need to sit down with the students and with the various active student organizations. We also need to meet with the disciplinary council,” he said. The administration has also assigned the hall provosts to assess the situation in their respective halls and report back to the university administration. The provosts will hold meetings at the hall level before submitting their reports. The university administration will also hold meetings with different student organizations as part of the preparations. “These are the matters we're currently focused on, and we'll soon begin meeting with the various organizations one by one,” Dr A B M Obaidul Islam said. PM gives guidance on DUSCU election The meeting came hours after the vice-chancellor met Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at the Secretariat on Thursday morning, where they discussed DUCSU and other issues. According to the vice-chancellor, the prime minister gave him instructions on how to proceed with the DUCSU election and asked the university administration to take the necessary steps accordingly. “He is also very keen about student leadership, since the students of today are the future - he gave me guidance on that front as well,” he said. The vice-chancellor said the meeting with the prime minister was primarily held to brief him on the university’s development projects and its 20-year plan, while also inviting him to the university’s convocation scheduled for January. “Our visit was mainly to brief him on the University of Dhaka's various development projects and on the 20-year plan we're working on to move the university forward. And since we'll be holding our convocation next January, we also went to invite him to that - to let him know we'd like him to be with us at the convocation,” he added. Schedule not finalized The university is yet to finalize a schedule for the 2026 DUSCU election. “We haven't made a decision on that yet. We're still reviewing it - that hasn't been finalized yet,” the VC said. Under Article 6(c) of the DUCSU constitution, elected office-bearers of the union hold office for 365 days. If an election cannot be held within that period, they may continue in office for a further period of up to 90 days or until the election is held, whichever comes earlier. After that period, the union is automatically dissolved. The current DUCSU committee assumed office on September 14 last year. Its 365-day tenure is therefore nearing its end, with the constitution allowing it to continue until December 14 if the election is not held within the original term.

Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Chairman Dr Col (retd) Oli Ahmad Bir Bikram on Thursday congratulated Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on being elected as the 23rd president of Bangladesh. In his congratulatory message, Oli Ahmad, the presidential candidate of the 11-party alliance, expressed hope that the newly elected president would discharge his responsibilities with firmness and efficiency as the guardian of the state and Constitution and protect independence, democracy and justice. He also wished Mirza Fakhrul good health and long life.

Bangladesh Bank (BB) has formed a Tk 10,000-crore refinance scheme to boost agricultural production, generate employment, and ensure national food security. The three-year scheme came into effect on June 8, 2026, offering credit to end-borrowers at a maximum interest rate of 8 percent. A total of 42 commercial banks have already signed participation agreements with the central bank to disburse loans under this facility. Under the scheme, farmers and rural entrepreneurs can access financing across crops, agricultural machinery, livestock, fisheries, and various rural income-generating activities. According to the central bank guidelines, the maximum loan limit for a single borrower is set at Tk 30 lakh for crop cultivation, Tk 15 lakh for rural income-generating activities, Tk 20 lakh for agricultural machinery, and Tk 1 crore for fisheries and livestock sectors. To support small, marginal, and sharecroppers, the scheme allows collateral-free crop loans of up to Tk 5 lakh per borrower against crop hypothecation alone. Bangladesh Bank expects the initiative to enhance credit flow to the agricultural sector, boost rural incomes, create new employment opportunities, and play a vital role in safeguarding national food security.

A polytechnic student was stabbed to death allegedly by his roommate following a dispute over food and purchasing essentials in a mess in Jhenaidah town on Thursday evening. The deceased was identified as Kawsar, 21, a seventh-semester student of Jhenaidah Polytechnic Institute and son of Matiar Rahman of Chotkabaria village in Harinakundu upazila. Police detained the suspect, aged 16, over the incident. Police and local sources said Kawsar, the suspect, a Class-10 student, and 4-5 other students lived together in a rented mess and cooked their meals collectively. An argument broke out between Kawsar and the suspect at noon after food ran short. The two again became involved in an argument over buying essentials for the mess around 7:30pm. At one point, the schoolboy allegedly attacked Kawsar with a knife. Critically injured Kawsar was taken to Jhenaidah 250-bed General Hospital, where doctors declared him dead. Officer-in-Charge of Jhenaidah Sadar Police Station Asaduzzaman said they arrested the suspect.

Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus has extended his heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on his election as the 23rd President of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh. In a message of congratulations, he said, “Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir's political journey spans more than five decades and is closely intertwined with the political history of Bangladesh. His organisational skills, wisdom, leadership during times of crisis, and extensive experience working closely with people at the grassroots level have established him as a distinctive figure in the country's national politics." The chief adviser of the immediate-past interim government spoke of his admiration for the BNP stalwart, saying: "I believe that, as an academic, a seasoned politician, and man of principle, he will, through his assumption of this new responsibility, further uphold the dignity of the highest constitutional office of the state. "I look forward to Bangladesh advancing towards greater prosperity, justice, and democracy under the leadership of President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. I wish His Excellency good health, a long life, and every success in the discharge of his responsibilities.”

Bangladesh Start-up Investment Company (BSIC) PLC, a startup investment firm backed by 39 domestic banks, has appointed Wise Rahim as its first Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer. The appointment marks a significant milestone in BSIC’s initiative to establish itself as the premier venture capital platform in Bangladesh. Formed recently under the guidance of Bangladesh Bank, BSIC aims to pool domestic institutional capital for high-growth startups while strengthening the country's venture capital and innovation ecosystem. The company has already launched its inaugural fund, 'Ankur', with an initial size of US $35 million. The fund will co-invest alongside local and foreign investors into Bangladeshi startups. Over the next five years, the fund size is expected to surpass Tk 1,000 crore, as operating banks in Bangladesh are mandated by central bank directives to invest 1.0 percent of their annual profits into startup equity funds. Before joining BSIC, Wise Rahim served as Venture Partner for Bangladesh at Sturgeon Capital, a London-based venture capital and private equity firm managing nearly $300 million in assets across Central Asia, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. At Sturgeon Capital, he led deal sourcing, due diligence, and portfolio development. In 2017, Rahim founded Deligram, an omnichannel e-commerce platform that integrated local neighborhood retail stores into an e-commerce fulfillment network. He raised over $2.5 million from institutional investors in Singapore and New York. Rahim holds a degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering from the University of Southern California. Commenting on the appointment, Masrur Arefin, Chairman of BSIC and Chairman of the Association of Bankers, Bangladesh (ABB), said, "The appointment of our first Chief Executive Officer is an important milestone for the company. Wise Rahim brings a rare combination of venture investment experience, entrepreneurial mindset, and institution-building capability."

Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Prof ABM Obaidul Islam met Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at the Secretariat on Thursday, according to a press release issued by the university’s Public Relations Office. DU Sada Dol Convener, Syndicate Member and Professor of the Department of Marketing Dr Md Morshed Hasan Khan was also present during the meeting. During the meeting, the Vice-Chancellor briefed the Prime Minister on the overall security situation on the campus, progress of the university’s major development project and other development initiatives, and the proposed 20-year Academic Development Plan of Dhaka University. He also apprised the Prime Minister of the university’s education and research activities, initiatives to strengthen industry-academia collaboration, joint academic and research programmes with renowned universities around the world, efforts to expand the alumni network, and various recent initiatives undertaken for student welfare. The Vice-Chancellor sought the Prime Minister’s cooperation in securing special status for Dhaka University in recognition of its historic contributions to the Language Movement, the Liberation War, the 2024 anti-discrimination student movement and various democratic movements. He also sought the Prime Minister’s support for increasing the university’s research funding, strengthening industry-academia collaboration and alumni networking, and advancing education and research in artificial intelligence, third-language studies, biology, biotechnology and robotics. He further sought assistance in creating internship opportunities for students in various industries. The Vice-Chancellor said co-curricular activities in residential halls, departments and institutes should be strengthened to foster creativity, ethics, tolerance and humanitarian values among students. He also sought the Prime Minister’s cooperation in this regard. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman assured the university of his overall support for implementing major development projects, granting special status to Dhaka University, and advancing its education and research activities. He said all stakeholders must work together to elevate Dhaka University to a respectable position in international rankings. The university should also move forward with the support of its alumni, he added. The Vice-Chancellor invited the Prime Minister to attend the university’s potential convocation scheduled for January next year. The Prime Minister accepted the invitation and agreed to attend the convocation. The Vice-Chancellor thanked the Prime Minister for his affection for Dhaka University and for his sincere cooperation in the university’s education, research and development activities, as well as other areas.

Four children drowned in a pond in the Khanpara area under Araihazar upazila of Narayanganj on Thursday evening. The deceased were identified as Ozaifa, 10, daughter of Al-Amin; Afsa, 12, daughter of Munna; Riya Moni, 8, daughter of Jahangir; and Rubaiya,8, daughter of Rakib. All of them were students at a local school. According to police and locals, the children went missing at noon, prompting a search by their families. Suspicions were raised when their shoes and sandals were found near a pond next to Munna's house. Family members and locals subsequently rescued the children from under the water. Two of them were rushed to Araihazar Upazila Health Complex, while the other two were taken to a local clinic, where doctors declared all four dead.

Dhaka University's female students, who now comprise a majority of the student body, have once again demanded the complete abolition of the ‘evening curfew’ imposed in their residential halls, rejecting a proposal to relax the restriction by an hour. At a press conference in front of Rokeya Hall on Thursday afternoon, students under the banner of ‘Oborodhbasini’ said ensuring the safety of female students is the responsibility of the university administration, but doing so by restricting their movement in the name of security is not a solution. 'Evening curfew' at DU women's halls: Provost Standing Committee recommends 1-hour extension The students have been protesting for the past several days under the banner of ‘Oborodhbasini’, demanding the withdrawal of the ‘evening curfew’ in female halls and unrestricted access to the halls 24 hours a day. They have been carrying out a continuous movement with three demands since July 30. As part of the campaign, they have distributed leaflets, put up posters, held processions and organised signature campaigns among female students. Their demands include the immediate abolition of the existing “discriminatory evening curfew” from 10pm to 6am in female residential halls and ensuring the overall security of female students while allowing them to move freely 24 hours a day; allowing female students to enter any female residential hall by showing a valid identity card and stay there overnight with proper permission; and ensuring female students have the right to allow their female relatives to enter the halls. At the press conference, Shamsun Nahar Hall student Ishrat Jahan Imu said more than 1,200 female students submitted a memorandum to the Vice-Chancellor on August 9 with their signatures. On August 10, they also issued a specific ultimatum to the administration through a solidarity rally demanding the abolition of the evening curfew. However, she said, the administration ignored all their demands and instead proposed relaxing the curfew by only one hour. According to the students, such a proposal undermines the civil and fundamental rights of female students, and there is no scope for compromise with the administration on the issue. Earlier, a meeting of the Provost Standing Committee proposed extending the entry time for female students by one hour on Wednesday. The proposal is still slated to be placed before the university’s Syndicate meeting. According to the students, if a female student needs to go out at night or return late to the hall for an emergency or academic research, she is required to submit a written undertaking to the administration. The undertaking states ominously that the university or hall administration will not be responsible for the student’s safety. They described the absence of such conditions for male students at the same university as “extreme discrimination.” The students said their programmes would continue until the discriminatory evening curfew is completely abolished and female students are guaranteed unrestricted movement and security at every part of the campus 24 hours a day. They said various hall-based programmes, including sit-ins and street meetings, would be organised as part of the movement. Under the existing rules, female students at the University of Dhaka are not allowed to enter or leave their residential halls between 10pm and 6am. If they need to go out or return late, they are required to obtain prior permission through a late pass from the house tutors, which is not always possible. In emergencies, the hall authorities contact the students’ local guardians before allowing them to leave.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s first visit to India should be a bilateral visit rather than a meeting on the sidelines of multilateral platforms such as BRICS or the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), PM’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Humaiun Kobir said on Thursday. “The first visit should be bilateral. We should invite each other to our homes, understand?” he said, describing Bangladesh and India as two important countries. Talking to private TV channels at his office, Adviser Kobir said any visit should have a clear outcome, with mutual respect and engagement in place. “There are issues related to the interests of the two countries and these are not something to rush into,” he said. “When we see that the timing is right, we are willing to visit.” He said groundwork needs to be done on several issues before the two sides can reach a consensus. The Adviser said that in recent days, Bangladesh has seen a fairly positive conversation from India, along with a strong realisation on the Indian side that the events of August 5 have deeply affected the sentiments of the people of Bangladesh. “If India truly means resetting relations, then it must realise today’s Bangladesh,” Kobir said, noting that “in today’s Bangladesh, a terrorist like Sheikh Hasina or her party does not exist.” “So, by recognising this reality, we have to take the relationship forward,” the Adviser said. India’s promise to give the Prime Minister Tarique Rahman an “honourable welcome” during his visit makes New Delhi’s intent unmistakably clear, Indian media The Print reports, noting that the ball is now in Dhaka’s court. Acknowledging that there are issues between the two neighbours, Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi on Tuesday night called on Bangladesh and India to move beyond their differences and work together to build a relationship based on “mutual and unconditional trust,” saying such differences can be resolved through engagement and dialogue. “I can tell you I fully understand there are issues, but these issues can definitely be sorted out once the Prime Minister of Bangladesh (Tarique Rahman) and our Prime Minister Narendra Modi meet,” he said. The Indian envoy also conveyed what he described as an assurance from Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding a future visit by the Bangladesh Prime Minister to India. “After meeting the Prime Minister here, I went straight to Delhi and had a great meeting with our Prime Minister. He (PM Modi) just mentioned one thing: we need to meet,” he said. “You can tell them on my behalf that you have the Prime Minister of India’s assurance that when the Prime Minister of Bangladesh visits India, he will have such an honourable reception as he deserves,” he added, quoting the Indian Prime Minister. The visit, Trivedi said, would be “a memorable visit” whose benefits would ultimately reach people and businesses on both sides. On August 16, Bangladesh urged India to act expeditiously on its request and help create a “propitious environment” for Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to make a bilateral visit to India. "We are of the view that a propitious environment needs to be created for the visit," said A.K.M. Shahidul Karim, spokesperson at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Officials of Bangladesh and India have been in touch with each other for several weeks on the possibility of a bilateral visit by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to India. However, spokesperson Karim said, this process was “vitiated” by the open press interaction in New Delhi on 5th August by Sheikh Hasina who has been convicted by the International Crimes Tribunal for committing crimes against humanity. "We have made our position clear on this matter," he said while reading out a written statement. The spokesperson, however, did not take any question.  To this end, Bangladesh requested the Indian authorities to expeditiously act on its request to extradite Sheikh Hasina and other fugitive criminals, and to hand over to Bangladesh the accused killers of Shaheed Sharif Osman Hadi in compliance with their bilateral extradition treaty. "We are awaiting their response," said the spokesperson. Bangladesh reiterated that they will continue to pursue their "Bangladesh First" policy to promote friendly bilateral relations with other countries, including their neighbours, on the basis of sovereign equality, national dignity, non-interference in each other's internal affairs and mutual benefit. On Hasina’s extradition request, the Indian government has recently said that the matter is being examined as part of ongoing judicial and internal legal processes. Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told reporters in New Delhi on Friday evening that they have extended an invitation to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh for a bilateral visit. “We've also extended an invitation to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh for a visit to India for the outreach session of the BRICS Summit. So, these invitations have been extended, and I shall keep you updated if there is any progress in this regard,” he added.

Bangladesh will seek a higher share of Ganges water when the water-sharing treaty with India is renewed, as the existing 30-year agreement is set to expire in December, State Minister for Water Resources Forhad Hossain Azad said on Thursday. “We are working to secure a higher share of water than the one secured under the 1977 agreement signed during the tenure of President Ziaur Rahman. We want to renew the treaty accordingly,” he said while addressing a seminar in the city. Nongor Trust, a non-profit organisation, arranged the seminar titled “People-centric River and Water Resource Management: Sustainable Future and Shared Responsibility” at the Jatiya Press Club. Referring to the 1977 Farakka Treaty, Azad said it was the timeliest and more effective water-sharing agreement for Bangladesh, claiming that the volume of water secured under that agreement was never matched in subsequent pacts. “The 1977 agreement signed during President Ziaur Rahman’s tenure was the most appropriate and timely agreement for Bangladesh. The amount of water we received through that agreement was never secured in the same way in any subsequent agreement,” he said. Unlike the 1977 pact, there is no guarantee clause (for ensuring Bangladesh’s required share of water) in the existing Ganges Water-Sharing Treaty signed between Bangladesh and India, the state minister said. Besides, he said the government is working with several major river management initiatives, including the proposed Padma Barrage and Teesta Barrage. “We will, Insha-Allah, implement the Teesta project,” Azad said, adding that China is willing to assist Bangladesh in this scheme. BNP lawmaker Anisur Rahman Khokon, among others, spoke at the seminar presided over by Nongor Trust Chairman Shuman Shams.

Prime Minister and BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman on Thursday visited the graves of BNP founder and Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar after completing the presidential election process. Tarique Rahman went to the grave premises around 6:00pm after leaving Parliament, said Prime Minister’s Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon. PM greets Fakhrul with red rose for being elected Bangladesh's 23rd President “He visited the graves of his father and mother, recited Fateha and offered a munajat seeking their eternal peace,” Rumon said. Before offering prayers, the Prime Minister stood silently alone for a while in front of the graves. He then went to the BNP Chairman’s Gulshan office, where he offered Maghrib prayers before joining an organisational meeting. Tarique Rahman held the meeting with BNP leaders from Pabna and Chapainawabganj districts. Newly appointed BNP acting Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi was also present. The Prime Minister enquired about the organisational situation in each district and gave various directives to further strengthen the party’s organisational activities at the grassroots level, Rumon said.

Four railway workers doing weed control on a track in Japan died Thursday after being struck by an express train as it entered a station north of Tokyo, officials said. The accident occurred at Shin-Kanuma Station on the Tobu Nikko Line and involved the Tokyo-bound Spacia express train, according to the Tochigi prefectural police. The victims—three workers and an on-site supervisor—were rushed to a hospital but later pronounced dead, police and operator Tobu Railway Co. confirmed. Six other crew members assigned to spray herbicide, including three on lookout duty, were unharmed. None of the approximately 50 passengers on board the train were injured. Lookouts are required to warn colleagues of approaching trains using flags, whistles, or microphones. Railway officials said it remains unclear why the workers did not leave the tracks, and they are cooperating with investigators. Takao Suzuki, head of Tobu's railway business division, apologized for the fatal accident, promising strict preventive measures. Services resumed later Thursday after a suspension of several hours.

A Jamalpur court on Thursday sentenced seven people to death and seven others to life imprisonment for the killing of a man and his nephew in Madarganj upazila of the district in 2016. Jamalpur Additional District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Nazam Uddin handed down the verdict in the sensational double-murder case. Two sentenced to death for raping housewife in Jamalpur The seven condemned convicts are Sakhawat, 32, Sohel, 30, Al Amin, 30, Saddam, 30, Ujjal, 30, Antar, 20, and Faizur, 32, while the lifers are Chan Mia, 50, Zia, 45, Shah Alam, 40, Kawsar, 31, Rifat, 31, Sumon, 31, and Mostafa, 50. Each of the death-row convicts was fined Tk 50,000, while each of those sentenced to life imprisonment was fined Tk 20,000. According to the prosecution, Moher Ali, 19, and his nephew Swapon Mia, 16, were taken from their home on May 16, 2016, on the pretext of attending a singing event in nearby Gazaria. When they did not return, their families searched for them and filed a general diary with Madarganj Police Station. On May 19, their bodies were found in a jute field of Kukurmari village. Their faces had been mutilated, allegedly with acid, to prevent identification. Swapon’s father Jahangir Alam later filed a murder case against 22 people. After investigation, police submitted a charge sheet against the accused. The court delivered the verdict after examining statements from 18 witnesses.

Finance Minister and BNP Standing Committee member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury on Thursday said newly elected President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir is the best choice for the country’s highest constitutional office, describing him as a seasoned political leader. Reacting to Fakhrul’s election as Bangladesh’s 23rd President, Khosru said the BNP leader has spent his political life fighting for democracy and enduring repression and imprisonment. “Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir is, through and through, a political personality. There could hardly have been a better choice,” he told journalists in front of Parliament after the election result was announced. “He has gone through a long struggle, endured imprisonment and repression, and fought against authoritarianism, sacrificing and suffering throughout his life,” the minister said. He said Fakhrul’s contribution to the democratic movement had been at the forefront and described him as an honest and competent person. “I am happy that such a person is going to occupy the President’s Office,” he said. Khosru said the presidential election itself reflected the return of democratic practices in Bangladesh. “We have been talking about democracy for so long, and today we are seeing its reflections. I think people had almost forgotten when Bangladesh last had a real presidential election,” he said. “Today, a President has been elected by an elected Parliament. This is also a major achievement for us,” the minister added. He said the democratic process and culture must be sustained to fulfil the vision of building the Bangladesh envisioned by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. The BNP leader said they have fought, suffered and made sacrifices to restore the democratic process, while the people have also sacrificed their lives and endured repression for the cause. “We must continue this democratic journey and sustain the culture of democracy. If this continues, Insha-Allah, we will all be able to build the Bangladesh that our Prime Minister has envisioned,” he said. Asked about his expectations of the new President, Khosru said Fakhrul has long been a torchbearer of democracy and expressed hope that he will continue to play the same role from his new constitutional position. “He is coming here today as a torchbearer of democracy. The role he played in the past in ensuring that democracy continues and will remain the same,” he said. Mirza Fakhrul was elected Bangladesh’s 23rd President after securing 255 votes in the presidential election held in Parliament on Thursday.