A Bangladesh Enterprise Institute survey across 12 districts found that just 2.5% of respondents reported being satisfied with the interim government’s fulfillment of public expectations. More than half — 54% — described the administration’s performance as “average” in meeting those expectations.

On political-party reforms, the survey reveals broad public demand for change: 96% want democratic practices established within parties, and 94% expect parties to ensure financial transparency and accountability. While 19% prioritize internal reform, 24% say they want elections first. Meanwhile, 78% of respondents want the option to abstain on the ballot in the next parliamentary elections.

Celebrated Lalon singer Farida Parveen has been placed on life support after her health sharply deteriorated, her son Imam Jafar Nomani confirmed on Thursday.

“Her natural breathing has completely stopped, and her blood pressure collapsed. Doctors are keeping her alive with maximum medication and ventilator support,” Nomani stated.

He added that while chances of recovery are slim, the family is continuing treatment under doctors’ advice. Nomani also warned against fraudulent fundraising scams circulating under his mother’s name, stressing that the family needs no financial assistance.

He urged everyone to keep the iconic singer in their prayers.

The Election Commission has released a draft list of polling centers for Chuadanga’s two parliamentary constituencies—Chuadanga-1 and Chuadanga-2.

According to the draft, the district will have 349 polling centers with 1,853 booths to serve 993,680 registered voters. Objections and claims can be filed until September 25, with final decisions due on October 12. The final list is expected on October 20.

Chuadanga-1 constituency includes 179 centers serving 507,481 voters, while Chuadanga-2 will have 170 centers serving 486,199 voters.

Dr. Muhammad Yunus, Chief Adviser of Bangladesh’s interim government, has congratulated Sushila Karki on her appointment as Nepal’s interim Prime Minister.

In a congratulatory message, Dr. Yunus hailed her leadership during a “critical and challenging time” as a reflection of the trust placed in her by the Nepali people. He expressed confidence that under her guidance, Nepal will continue advancing toward peace, development, and stability.

He also extended condolences for recent casualties during political unrest in Nepal and reaffirmed Bangladesh’s commitment to strengthening bilateral ties.

Although vote counting for the Jahangirnagar University Central Students’ Union (JUCSU) and hall union elections concluded by noon, results will not be published until 7 PM, Chief Election Commissioner Prof. Md. Moniruzzaman confirmed on Saturday.

Election officials said the delay aims to prevent any controversy, given that this is the first such election in 33 years. Counting has been completed in 18 of the 21 halls, with the remaining three still underway. The delay has sparked frustration among both candidates and students.

Around 50,000 demonstrators joined a pro-Palestinian march in Auckland, New Zealand—one of the largest rallies since the Gaza war began, organizers claimed. Police estimated the turnout closer to 20,000.

Protesters carried Palestinian flags and banners, demanding that New Zealand impose sanctions on Israel. Organizers had planned to block a key city bridge but abandoned the move due to stormy weather. Police confirmed that no arrests were made.

The Palestinian Authority says at least 64,756 people have been killed in the Gaza conflict so far. New Zealand’s government is reportedly considering whether to officially recognize Palestine as a state.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump hosted a private dinner in New York with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani. Trump’s top adviser, Steve Witkoff, also attended the dinner.

The meeting came just two days after Israel launched airstrikes in Doha targeting Hamas leaders. Trump reportedly expressed displeasure over the strikes in a call with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and assured Qatar that such actions would not be repeated.

Before the dinner, Al-Thani met with U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio for nearly an hour. On social media, a Qatari envoy described the dinner as “fantastic.”

A massive 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck off the eastern coast of Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula, according to the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ). The quake’s epicenter was 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) beneath the surface.

However, the U.S. Geological Survey reported a slightly stronger magnitude of 7.4 and placed the depth at 39.5 kilometers (24.5 miles). The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has warned of a possible tsunami threat, though no alerts have been issued for Japan, located southwest of Kamchatka.

Nepal’s president has dissolved parliament following the recommendation of interim Prime Minister Sushila Karki. A new election has been scheduled for March 5, 2026. Sushila took office Friday night as head of an interim government, which will serve for six months and is led by a small cabinet.

The appointment followed talks among representatives of the Jan-Jir protesters, the president and the head of the armed forces, after which consensus was reached to make Sushila prime minister. Sushila Karki served as Nepal’s chief justice from 2016 to 2017 — the country’s first woman to hold that post — and is widely regarded for her tough stance against corruption, a stance that has earned her popularity with the Jan-Jir movement.

Adviser Mahfuz Alam was the target of an attempted assault by activists affiliated with the Awami League while leaving a seminar at Swansea University in London on Friday, witnesses reported. According to bystanders, members of the party lay down in front of a vehicle belonging to the Bangladesh High Commission and later threw eggs at the car.

Police intervened promptly to control the situation and to move the vehicle to safety. The High Commission stated that Mahfuz Alam was not inside that particular car; he reportedly left the event by a different route in another vehicle.

Police have arrested the main suspect in the fatal shooting of prominent hardline activist Charlie Kirk, authorities disclosed Friday. Utah Governor Spencer Cox identified the arrested individual as 22-year-old Taylor Robinson.

Local jail officials said Robinson is being held on preliminary allegations including premeditated murder, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and obstruction of justice. Formal charges have not yet been filed; the governor stated prosecutors are preparing an indictment that will detail the potential motives and charges in the coming days.

At least 65 people were killed across the Gaza Valley on Friday in a series of indiscriminate attacks, including 14 members of a single family, according to Gaza’s health authorities. The ministry reported that 48 people were killed in Gaza City and the northern areas alone on that day, with many more wounded.

The strikes included air raids and a ground offensive involving tanks and infantry in Gaza City. Multiple multi-story buildings were destroyed in the attacks, which affected an area populated by nearly one million people. The report noted that roughly two years into Israeli military operations in Gaza, the death toll has reached approximately 63,000.

A large group of local residents blocked the highway on Friday afternoon to demand the withdrawal of the transfer order for Laksam Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Kawsar Hamid and his reinstatement at the workplace. Protesters, led by student activists and locals, staged a road blockade and held a demonstration.

UNO Kawsar Hamid appeared at the site and appealed to the crowd to vacate the road, but protesters rejected her request. Overcome with emotion, the UNO began to cry and embraced several demonstrators, saying, “The love I have received from you all is the greatest treasure of my career. I want everyone in the upazila to be well.” She also explained the realities of government service, noting that transfers prevent permanent settlement in any one place and acknowledging both the support she received from colleagues, elected representatives and community leaders and the possibility that her work may have upset some people. “If I have unknowingly hurt anyone or treated anyone unfairly, I apologize,” she said.

The demonstrators warned they would maintain the blockade and continue protests unless the transfer order was withdrawn. About two hours after the blockade began, at around 6:00 pm, the arrival of military personnel prompted the protesters to disperse.

At a memorial event for student martyr Farhan Faiyaz, Advisor Sharmin S. Murshid paid tribute to the young lives lost during the July 24 uprising.
“We remember Farhan and all the children who sacrificed their lives. They remain eternal in our hearts,” she said.
Sharmin praised children with autism who participated in a football match in Farhan’s memory, encouraging them to dream of reaching international stages like the Olympics.
She added: “Next time, we will commemorate not just Farhan, but all the children of this nation who gave their lives, and rebuild our country with them in our hearts.”

The Bangladesh Rural Electrification Association has suspended its ongoing mass leave program and requested all officers and employees to return to work.
In a statement, the association said its reform movement, launched in January 2024, aimed to eliminate rural-urban disparities in electricity supply and build a sustainable distribution system.
While acknowledging government assurances of a solution, the association said it was unfair to label workers—who serve tirelessly in sun, storm, and rain to light up 140 million homes—as “anti-national.”
The decision to suspend the program follows discussions with the government’s power adviser, who expressed commitment to resolving the issues.