Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus has urged policymakers to expand their vision beyond deep-sea port development and focus on building a sustainable Blue Economy.

At a meeting with BIDA, Yunus said:
“This will not just be a facilitating zone. A new city will rise there, connected to the world through the sea—our highway to the globe.”

BIDA Chairman presented a detailed plan for the Maheshkhali-Matarbari project, which will be executed in three phases. Once completed, it is expected to create 2.5 million jobs and contribute $150 billion to GDP.

Yunus also emphasized the need for international expertise, academic research, and conferences on ocean economy, while highlighting environmental protection as a core priority.

Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus has called for a strict international legal framework to prevent the laundering of stolen wealth abroad.

In a meeting with Transparency International chief François Valérian, Yunus criticized global financial institutions for their “double standards,” accusing them of knowingly accepting illicit deposits.

He revealed that during years of autocratic rule, at least $16 billion was smuggled out of Bangladesh annually. Despite knowing the sources, banks often treated these as legitimate transfers, he said.

François praised the government’s efforts but stressed the need for stronger international cooperation. Yunus urged TI to play a more proactive role, including establishing an international forum on illicit finance.

Former minister Abdul Latif Siddique has filed a bail petition in connection with an anti-terrorism case lodged at Shahbagh Police Station.

Six others accused in the same case—Golam Mostafa, Zakir Hossain, Tousif-ul Bari Khan, Amir Hossain, Shafiqul Islam, and Abdullahil Kaiyum—have also applied for bail through lawyer Kayes Ahmed.

Latif Siddique, who was presented in court last Friday, had previously refused to sign legal papers, citing a lack of trust in the judiciary. However, from prison he authorized his lawyers to proceed with the bail application.

Executive Chairman of the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA), Ashik Chowdhury, has unveiled an ambitious vision to transform Matarbari and Maheshkhali into world-class commercial hubs akin to Shanghai and Singapore within the next 30 years.

The project, covering 33,000 acres, will be implemented in three phases—2025 to 2030, 2030 to 2045, and 2045 to 2055. Chowdhury stated that within the next 120 days, all administrative groundwork will be completed.

Once operational, the mega-project is expected to generate 2.5 million jobs and position Bangladesh as a global maritime hub.

Three witnesses have filed complaints with the tribunal, accusing Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and 39 others of coercing them into giving false testimony against Jamaat leader Delwar Hossain Sayeedi.

The complainants—Mahbubul Alam Hawlader, Mahtab Uddin, and Altaf Hawlader—alleged they were tortured and forced to testify. The accused include former tribunal chairman Justice Nizamul Haque Nasim, ex-law minister Shafique Ahmed, former state minister Kamrul Islam, Justice ATM Fazle Kabir, and Pirojpur MP AKM Awal, among others.

Lawyer Parvez claimed that in 2009, MP Awal pressured Mahbubul to file a case against Sayeedi. When he refused, Awami League activists detained him at the then-PP office, tortured him, and held a gun to his head, forcing him to give false testimony linking Sayeedi to war crimes. The other two witnesses reported similar accounts.

This follows a recent complaint by witness Sukhranjan Bali, who accused Hasina and 32 others of abduction and torture in connection with the same case.

Election Commissioner Abul Fazl Md. Sanuallah has announced the abolition of the provision for submitting nomination papers online under the Representation of the People Order (RPO).

He clarified that the presiding officer’s decision at a polling center will now be final, reverting to the earlier system. Previously, election commencement was subject to law enforcement reports, but the amendment has been rolled back, restoring full authority to presiding officers.

Journalists and observers’ access inside polling booths will also be regulated solely by presiding officers.

Sanuallah further stated that candidates may spend up to Tk 10 per voter, with a maximum cap of Tk 25 lakh. The Election Commission has sent the draft RPO (Amendment) Ordinance 2025 to the Ministry of Law for vetting, which includes provisions such as introducing “No” votes in constituencies with a single candidate. Once approved, it will be published in the gazette.

Former US Ambassador to Bangladesh and current Strategic Advisor to LNG company Excelerate Energy, Peter D. Haas, visited Cox’s Bazar on Wednesday morning.

Arriving at 9:30 a.m. with two associates, he traveled to Maheshkhali by speedboat and visited the “Excelerate Hope Hospital,” a joint initiative of Hope Foundation and Excelerate Energy.

He was welcomed with flowers by Hope Foundation’s country director and toured the hospital’s facilities.

Earlier rumors had circulated about a secret meeting between Haas and NCP leaders in Cox’s Bazar, though no evidence confirmed the claims.

Garment workers of Eurozone Fashions have withdrawn their road blockade in Kuril after assurances that outstanding wages and allowances will be cleared by September 10.

Workers had blocked the Kuril-Airport road from around 11 a.m., bringing traffic to a halt in both directions. The blockade was lifted at 3:45 p.m., restoring normal movement.

Their primary demand was immediate payment of dues.

Senior Secretary of Public Administration, Mokhlesur Rahman, has announced the recruitment of 4,000 sub-inspectors (SI) to strengthen law enforcement during the upcoming national elections.

Half of the posts will be filled directly, while the rest through promotions. “Officials found favoring any political party or obstructing free elections will face administrative action,” Rahman warned.

He confirmed that seven-member committees are working on DC appointments, and no returning officer or DC involved in the past three elections will be allowed to serve this time.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has arrested Matiur Rahman, a key ringleader in the leak of questions from the Public Service Commission’s (PSC) Thana Assistant Education Officer recruitment exam.

Additional DIG Md. Zahidul Islam confirmed the arrest, stating that Rahman collected large sums via mobile banking and supplied questions disguised as “suggestions” on social media, tarnishing the reputation of the constitutional body. Buyers received leaked questions through private inbox messages and courier services.

Investigators tracked down Rahman by identifying the admin of a suspicious Facebook page and tracing his number through digital forensics, ultimately arresting him in Jamalpur. PSC Assistant Director Sukor Anjan Samajdar has filed a case against him at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station.

In a rare show of unity, North Korea’s Kim Jong-un, Russia’s Vladimir Putin, and China’s Xi Jinping appeared together at a grand military parade in Beijing on Wednesday.

The leaders walked side by side on the red carpet, marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. This was Kim’s second overseas trip in six years, and the first time he joined both Xi and Putin at the same event. His daughter, Kim Ju-ae, was also present.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Myanmar’s military chief Min Aung Hlaing attended as well.

In his speech, Xi said humanity faces a choice between “peace or war, dialogue or confrontation, shared prosperity or mutual destruction.” He stressed that “China cannot be stopped” and called for eradicating the roots of war.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump reacted online, writing: “Best wishes to President Xi and the great people of China. Please also extend my warm regards to Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un when you conspire against the United States.”

Dhaka University authorities clarified that no candidate was disqualified from the DUCSU elections merely for being linked to the Bangladesh Chhatra League.

University lawyer Shishir Monir explained, “It is a misconception. Caesar’s candidacy was cancelled based on specific allegations, not political affiliation.”

The Appellate Division has also ruled that Islami Chhatra Shibir-backed candidate SM Farhad may contest the polls, confirming that DUCSU elections will be held on September 9 as scheduled.

Bangladesh’s Appellate Division has stayed a High Court order that had suspended the DUCSU and hall union elections until October 30.

As a result, voting will proceed as scheduled on September 9, according to the official election timetable. The ruling was delivered on Wednesday by a seven-member bench led by Chief Justice Syed Refat Ahmed.

The U.S. military has destroyed a drug-laden vessel operated by Venezuela’s notorious Tren de Aragua gang, killing 11 people, former President Donald Trump confirmed.

“We just destroyed a drug boat carrying large quantities of narcotics. Many more are coming from Venezuela,” Trump said, sharing drone footage showing the high-speed vessel exploding in flames.

Typically, such boats are intercepted and crews arrested, but this time the U.S. military opted to sink the vessel outright—a move likely to escalate tensions with Venezuela.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has brushed off viral rumors about his death, calling them “fake news” and a reflection of declining media credibility.

“Millions of people were apparently discussing my so-called death. Really? I hadn’t even seen it,” Trump remarked when asked by a journalist. He noted that after holding several press conferences last week, he skipped two days—prompting speculation about his health.

“President Biden could disappear for months, and no one would say a word. Yet with me, they immediately invent stories,” Trump said with a laugh. “I’ve been active with interviews, events, and posts on Truth Social. Clearly, I’m alive and well.”