For the first time since 1967, Syrian President Ahmed al-Shara has arrived in Washington to attend the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

Syrian state TV confirmed he is accompanied by four ministers, with expectations that the visit could open dialogue on restoring diplomatic ties with the United States, including reopening Syria’s embassy in Washington.

Al-Shara is scheduled to address the Assembly on September 24. A meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump is also being planned on the sidelines.

Reuters noted that the U.S. once placed a $10 million bounty on al-Shara’s head due to his alleged links with al-Qaeda. However, his meeting with Trump in Riyadh earlier this year was hailed as a diplomatic breakthrough, leading Washington to lift most sanctions on Syria and pledge support for a “unified and stable” Damascus.

Non-stop heavy rainfall since last night has left large parts of Dhaka waterlogged, disrupting daily life. Areas including Mirpur, Green Road, Mohammadpur, and the airport vicinity were severely flooded.

By 7 AM Monday, the city had seen continuous downpour accompanied by thunder and lightning. Stranded commuters, including school and office-goers, faced immense hardship. Vehicles broke down in submerged streets, while rickshaw and CNG drivers were accused of charging inflated fares.

The Met Office forecast cloudy skies with intermittent rain and thunderstorms throughout the day.

A joint operation by the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) in the remote hills of Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar, has uncovered a human trafficking and abduction hub.

At least 80 people—including women, men, and children—were rescued. Authorities said they had been abducted or gathered for trafficking via sea routes to Malaysia. The traffickers resisted the raid, opening fire and hurling stones at the forces.

Lt. Col. Ashiqur Rahman confirmed the recovery of two locally made shotguns, one foreign pistol, and three rounds of ammunition. He added that human trafficking, kidnapping, and ransom extortion are on the rise in Teknaf, but law enforcement agencies remain vigilant.

Bangladesh has warmly welcomed the recent recognition of Palestine by influential Western countries including Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, and Portugal.

Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid described the move as a “step toward eventual independence” for the Palestinian people, while cautioning that “the road ahead remains long.” He also noted that France is expected to extend recognition soon, which would mean Palestine gains recognition from four of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council.

For over 75 years, Palestinians have endured displacement, Israeli aggression, and daily human rights violations. The ongoing conflict in Gaza is expected to be a major point of debate in the upcoming UN General Assembly session.

Shock and anger spread through Damurhuda’s Chitla village when a grieving family was forced to pay alleged interest money before burying their dead relative.

Local sources said mason Harun died recently, but his neighbor, Marzina Khatun, blocked the funeral rites, demanding BDT 15,000 she claimed as outstanding interest. The family, desperate and humiliated, paid after a tense standoff lasting an hour.

Marzina later fled the village amid public outrage. Relatives alleged Harun had borrowed BDT 8,000 but was coerced into paying nearly three times that amount in interest.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared that a Palestinian state will “never be established,” branding international recognition efforts as a reward for terrorism.

In a speech, he said: “Those attempting to impose a terrorist state on us will get their answer when I return from the United States.” Netanyahu boasted that Jewish settlements in the West Bank have doubled under his leadership.

His remarks come after the UK, Canada, and Australia recognized Palestine following Israel’s October 7 atrocities.

Transport workers in Chapainawabganj, Rajshahi, and Natore have suspended bus services indefinitely to Dhaka, Chattogram, and Cox’s Bazar, demanding fair wages and benefits.

Workers said their wages—BDT 1,350 for drivers, 570 for supervisors, and 530 for helpers—have remained stagnant for 15 years. Despite multiple meetings, no agreement was reached with bus owners, prompting the strike. Only Ekota Paribahan buses are currently operating.

Candidates awaiting results from the 18th Teachers’ Registration Exam have ended their hunger strike following assurances from Education Secretary Rehana Parveen.

The protest began on September 17 against alleged discrimination in the final selection process, where nearly 20,600 candidates were dropped despite passing written exams. Protesters argued that, under NTRCA rules, candidates scoring at least 40% in both written and oral exams should qualify. They accused authorities of unfair exclusion that deepens the country’s teacher shortage.

Police in Dubai recovered the hanging body of a Bangladeshi youth, identified as Monir Hossain (28), from his residence on Sunday.

Monir, who worked at a carton company in Dubai, lived in a shared room in Jebel Ali with two others. His brother Anwar Hossain told reporters that Monir had returned from work around 10 p.m. on Saturday and briefly spoke with his family over the phone. “He said he was about to cook and would call back after dinner. But when he didn’t, I tried calling, and he never answered,” Anwar recounted.

Later, Monir’s younger brother, who also worked at the same company, asked acquaintances to check on him. They discovered Monir’s lifeless body hanging inside the room. Following the incident, his Pakistani and Indian roommates were reportedly missing from the residence.

State-appointed defense counsel Md Amir Hossain argued before Tribunal-1 that Sheikh Hasina did not resign when she fled to India on August 5 amid mass uprising.
Rejecting witness Nahid Islam’s deposition, Hossain claimed the “one-point movement” launched on August 3, 2024, was a long-planned agenda backed by foreign and domestic forces. He alleged that Nobel laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus was proposed as interim head of government under their influence.
Prosecution lawyers objected to these claims, insisting the trial focus strictly on case facts. Hossain further argued that Hasina never ordered the use of helicopters or lethal weapons against protesters, and that no crimes against humanity occurred in July–August 2024.
Witness Nahid Islam refuted the defense, stating he learned of nationwide killings and torture on August 5 through coordination leaders Hasnat-Sarjis.

The government has appointed two senior officials of the Bangladesh Army as ambassadors. They are Major General Kabir Ahmed and Major General Sheikh Md Sarwar Hossain, chairman of the Bangladesh Tea Board.
According to a government notification, both officers have been deputed to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for ambassadorial assignments. However, their respective postings have not yet been disclosed.

At the upcoming United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus will be accompanied by Dr. Nakibur Rahman Tarek, son of former Jamaat-e-Islami chief Matiur Rahman Nizami, and Dr. Tasnim Zara, senior joint member secretary of NCP.

Also joining the delegation are BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Humayun Kabir, Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher, and Akhtar Hossain. Party insiders from Jamaat and NCP confirmed that since BNP had two representatives, their parties had requested equal representation. Due to the tight schedule, only those with existing U.S. visas were selected for the team.

In a historic move, three influential nations—United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia—simultaneously recognized Palestine as an independent state on Sunday.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the decision in a video message, describing it as part of London’s effort to revive a two-state solution.
Australia confirmed its recognition through a joint statement signed by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong. Canada became the first G7 nation to formally extend recognition.
With this development, the number of countries recognizing Palestine has now reached 150.

Police have arrested Enayet Karim Chowdhury, a man who posed as an intelligence operative and allegedly swindled high-profile individuals by promising to have US sanctions lifted against them.

Enayet was detained while moving suspiciously around Minto Road in Dhaka. Investigators say he targeted former government heavyweights who had come under US sanctions, offering them false assurances that he could use his “connections” to remove the restrictions. He even claimed he could arrange meetings with US President Joe Biden and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Among those he allegedly approached is fugitive former police chief Benazir Ahmed, along with several other influential figures.

According to investigators, Enayet siphoned off hundreds of crores of taka through these schemes, laundering the money abroad via hundi networks. He is believed to have invested the funds in numerous overseas businesses.

Officials describe Enayet as a “cold-blooded conman” whose prime targets were corrupt and compromised government officials as well as vulnerable political leaders. Masquerading as a CIA agent, he lured them with promises of quick solutions to their troubles or the ability to neutralize rivals.

Dhaka — British MP Tulip Siddiq, granddaughter of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, has been identified as the owner of a flat in Eastern Housing, according to documents presented in court.

The records were submitted during the fourth day of witness hearings in the corruption case involving RAJUK plot allocations linked to the Sheikh family. On Sunday, three officials from Eastern Housing Ltd. testified, along with Akhtar Jahan, an administrative officer at the Ministry of Housing and Public Works.

So far, 15 witnesses have testified across three related cases. The next hearing is scheduled for October 6. Earlier witnesses claimed that former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had ordered an irregular allocation of a 30-katha plot in Purbachal under the influence of Tulip Siddiq. The ACC subsequently filed cases against 23 individuals.