The United Kingdom may formally recognize Palestine as an independent state this Sunday afternoon, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer expected to make the announcement.
The Starmer administration had earlier signaled in July that recognition would be considered if Israel failed to commit to a ceasefire in Gaza and to a long-term peace framework under a two-state solution.
Tel Aviv has strongly criticized the move. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said such recognition would “reward terrorism.”
Meanwhile, France, Canada, Australia, Portugal, and Luxembourg have already declared their intention to recognize Palestine.

Police have arrested a former army member in connection with an attack on a July Uprising rally in Feni.

The arrest was made early Saturday in the Muhuri Project area with the help of locals, said Jorarganj Police Station officials.

The accused, retired soldier Anwar Hossain (50), was named in a case filed by a Chhatra Dal activist, Sayeedur Rahman, following an attack on a rally in Feni’s Mohipal area on August 4 last year.

OC Saiful Islam confirmed that Anwar faces four additional cases in Sonagazi Police Station, including charges of land grabbing and attempted murder. He has also been sentenced to one year in prison in a separate case in Jashore.

Police have shown him arrested in these cases and produced him before court on Saturday afternoon.

The National Consensus Commission has held another round of discussions with legal and policy experts on implementing the July Charter.

Participants included Supreme Court Appellate Division Justice M.A. Matin, Justice Moinul Islam Chowdhury, Dhaka University Law Faculty Dean Mohammad Ikramul Haque, senior advocate Dr. Sharif Bhuiyan, Barrister Tanim Hossain Shawon, and Barrister Imran Siddiq.

The session reviewed previous consultations with political parties, summarizing their suggestions, concerns, and recommendations. Experts then provided detailed opinions on methods and strategies for implementation.

Based on these inputs, the commission plans to evaluate party positions and outline a future roadmap for the charter’s execution.

Environmental adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan urged stronger institutional capacity, transparency and accountability in pollution control and law enforcement, saying erroneous environmental clearances are unacceptable. “Law enforcement is not simply about fines,” she said, adding that transparency, alternative measures and public participation must accompany enforcement.

Rizwana called for priority action against major polluters such as dyeing factories, cement plants and brick kilns, and urged authorities to identify the worst offenders and take planned, budgeted measures against them. “Publish the names of polluters. If information is open, the public will help resist political pressure,” she said.

She strongly criticized grants of clearance to establish waste-disposal centres in flood-flow zones or environmentally sensitive areas, calling such permits illegal and irresponsible. “Even under political pressure, objections must be raised. If you cannot perform your duties, be transferred — but never compromise the environment,” she said, citing an instance where a polluting ceramic factory received a national award as an example of misplaced rewards. “Polluters should be punished, not rewarded.”

Three police officers have been withdrawn from their posts following allegations that they failed to perform field duties — opting instead to eat and rest — while deployed to stop a march by the activity-banned Awami League.

The officers are: Assistant Commissioner (Mohammadpur) Mehedi Hasan, Inspector Abdul Alim, and Duty Officer SI Masudur Rahman. The decision followed an inspection by DMP Additional Commissioner Nazrul Islam on Friday, who recommended administrative action. DMP Commissioner Sheikh Md. Sajjat Ali signed the withdrawal order.

According to police sources, prior intelligence had warned of the Awami League’s programme across the city and officers were instructed to remain on duty. Inspectors later found four to five police vehicles parked at a station, with officers absent from their posts — some away for lunch and others reportedly resting. DMP spokesman Talebur Rahman said, for administrative reasons, the assistant commissioner has been transferred to DMP headquarters while the inspector and duty officer have been attached to the Central Reserve Office.

Heavy rainfall upstream and flash floods have caused water levels in the Jamuna River and other internal rivers, including Baral, Hurasagar, Fuljor, Kartoa, and Ichamoti, to rise in Sirajganj. Low-lying riverine areas and wetlands are inundated, putting winter vegetable crops at risk. Over the past six days, water levels have increased significantly but remain below danger levels. Authorities have assured there is no immediate flood risk, though water levels may continue rising for the next few days.

The U.S. Department of State has provided eight key recommendations aimed at improving financial transparency in Bangladesh. According to its financial transparency report, the current Bangladeshi government largely follows the budget framework set by its predecessor, though it has taken some important reform measures to enhance economic transparency.

The recommendations include:

Publishing year-end financial statements within a reasonable timeframe.

Preparing budget documents in line with international standards.

Separately presenting executive office expenditures.

Providing a comprehensive picture of government revenue and spending in the budget.

Ensuring the independence of the supreme audit authority according to international norms.

Granting the audit office full access to budgetary information.

Timely publication of audit reports with detailed proposals and explanations.

Disclosing key information on natural resource contracts and government procurement.

The report also noted that while the previous government made budget proposals and approved budgets publicly available online, they were not published within a reasonable timeframe. Although the information was generally reliable, it did not fully comply with international standards, such as disclosing the government’s debt levels in the budget.

Home Affairs Adviser Jahangir Alam has said that those who opposed the July uprising and its symbolic graffiti will never return to power.

Visiting a graffiti mural at the Mawa end of the Padma Bridge, Jahangir emphasized that the sacrifices made during the uprising would not be forgotten. “Future governments will honor the July sacrifices in their governance,” he said.

According to him, the murals—“July Heroism” and “July Sacrifice”—aim to remind the younger generation of how students and ordinary citizens gave their lives for democracy and justice. “The uprising was not just a movement, but a struggle for truth against injustice,” he added.

After inspecting the mural, the adviser observed a minute’s silence in memory of those who were killed during the July student-led mass movement.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is expected to significantly expand global trade over the next 15 years. According to the World Trade Organization (WTO), AI could lower business costs and increase productivity, potentially raising trade in goods and services between countries by 34–37%. WTO Deputy Director-General Johanna Hill described AI as a “bright opportunity” for global commerce but cautioned that without proper policies, it may worsen economic inequality worldwide.

Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus is scheduled to depart Dhaka late Sunday night for New York to attend the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

According to Senior Assistant Press Secretary Fayez Ahmed, Yunus will arrive in New York on September 22 and deliver his address to the General Assembly on September 26. He is expected to return to Dhaka on October 2.

Accompanying him on this trip are four political leaders: Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Syed Abdullah Muhammad Taher, Akhtar Hossain, and Humayun Kabir.

Additionally, on September 30, Yunus will join a high-level meeting titled “High-Level Conference on the Situation of Rohingya Muslims and Other Minorities in Myanmar”, chaired by the President of the UN General Assembly.

The Bangladesh Railway has announced that four pairs of special trains will operate on the Dhaka-Cox’s Bazar and Dhaka-Chattogram routes to manage the surge in passengers during the Durga Puja festival. The special services will run from September 30 to October 4, 2025.

Among these, three pairs of “Puja Special” trains will run on the Dhaka-Cox’s Bazar route, and one pair will operate on the Dhaka-Chattogram route. Each special train will have 18 coaches, offering 834 seats for daytime trains and 789 seats for nighttime services.

Ticket prices will align with those of regular services such as Subarna Express, Sonar Bangla Express, and Cox’s Bazar Express. However, passengers will need to pay an additional 30% for AC seats and 20% for non-AC seats during this period.

The railway authority urged passengers to book tickets in advance to ensure smooth travel during the festive rush.

The United Arab Emirates has not officially announced any suspension of work or tourist visas for Bangladeshi nationals, Bangladesh’s Ambassador to the UAE, Tarek Ahmed, said in response to viral reports. He noted that the website which circulated the story is not an official UAE government site.

News first appeared on a website called “UAE Visa Online” on 17 September and, after coverage in several Bangladeshi outlets on Saturday, went viral on social media. The Bangladesh embassy said it will contact UAE authorities after the weekly holiday and asked people not to pay attention to visa-related rumours until an official statement is issued.

A fire at the Power Grid’s T-3 transformer in Binerpota, Satkhira, caused a two-hour nationwide blackout in the district on Saturday after 11 a.m.

Sanat Kumar Ghosh, General Manager of Satkhira Rural Electricity Cooperative, reported that the fire was contained within 20 minutes by the fire service. Power supply has now been restored. Swab Hossain, Executive Engineer of Satkhira OJOPADIC, confirmed that the cause of the fire remains unknown. “The entire district experienced a two-hour power disruption. Any remaining minor outages will be restored shortly,” he said.

Chinese tech giant Huawei aims to build the world’s most powerful AI computing cluster within two years, relying on lower-power domestic semiconductors due to U.S. export restrictions. At its Shanghai conference, Huawei revealed timelines for Atlas 950 and Atlas 960 SuperPods, set for 2026 and 2027, which will combine into SuperClusters capable of running advanced AI models. Analysts see this as a major push for self-reliance, with Huawei’s roadmap including Ascend 950, 960, and potential 970 chips to strengthen its computing architecture.

Financial advisor Salehuddin Ahmed stressed that children should grow up with proper education and strong ethical values. Highlighting the growing influence of billionaires, he expressed concern over Brahmanbaria’s underdevelopment and the reluctance of doctors to work outside Dhaka. He called on local leaders to prioritize collective progress, urged district associations to focus on community interests over personal gains, and encouraged awareness to prevent conflicts among locals, emphasizing that holistic education and honesty are essential for future generations.