Former minister Abdul Latif Siddique and 15 others were produced before a magistrate court on charges under the Anti-Terrorism Act in a case filed by Shahbagh Police Station. Police have requested that all accused be kept in custody.

The other defendants include Dhaka University professor Sheikh Hafizur Rahman (Karzon), Md. Abdullah Al Amin, Manjurul Alam, Kazi ATM Anisur Rahman Bulbul, Golam Mostafa, Md. Mohiul Islam alias Babu, Md. Zakir Hossain, Md. Tousif Ul Bari Khan, Md. Amir Hossain Suman, Md. Al Amin, Md. Nazmul Ahsan, Syed Shahed Hasan, Md. Shafiqul Islam Delwar, Dewan Mohammad Ali, and Md. Abdullahil Kaiyum.

Cox’s Bazar Airport is set to open for international flights by mid-October, announced advisor Sheikh Bashir Uddin. He confirmed that construction work is progressing rapidly, with 80% of the international terminal building already completed.

Speaking after inspecting the airport’s development progress on Thursday afternoon, Bashir said the first international route will launch with a single flight, gradually expanding services over time. “We will also ensure affordable ticket prices to attract passengers,” he added.

Earlier, he held meetings with airport authorities and project officials to review preparations.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has set up a three-member committee to investigate police actions during recent protests led by BUET and other engineering university students.

The committee, headed by Additional Police Commissioner Hasan Md. Shawkat Ali, includes Joint Commissioner Sufian Ahmed and Deputy Commissioner Sadek Ahmed as secretary.

They have been given three days to submit findings based on CCTV footage, eyewitness testimony, and situational analysis to determine whether police use of force was justified and proportionate.

Chief Returning Officer Mohammad Jasim Uddin clarified that the DUCSU election commission had considered seeking assistance from security agencies, including the army, for candidate protection. However, he stressed:
"The plan remains, but we don’t need to contact the army directly. If needed, we will inform the university administration, who will coordinate with law enforcement."

The Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) has confirmed that the government has issued no directive for army deployment in student union polls, nor is such involvement expected.

Earlier, Returning Officer Prof. Golam Rabbani had announced a three-layered security plan for election day, with army presence considered at seven checkpoints.

Mokbul Hossain, father of martyr Abu Sayeed, gave an emotional testimony at Tribunal-2 during a war crimes trial related to his son’s killing.

"I had hoped to live to see my son get a job. That did not happen. Now I only wish to live long enough to see justice for his murder," said Mokbul, breaking down before the court.

Alongside him, journalist AKM Moinul Haque of NTV Rangpur and cameraman Asaduzzaman Arman also testified. On Wednesday, prosecutors opened the case, stressing that the trial was not just about punishment but about establishing justice and strengthening the nation’s foundation for the future.

Engineering students protesting under the “Engineering Rights Movement” blocked traffic at Matsya Bhaban intersection for an hour Thursday afternoon, burning an effigy of DC Masud Alam.
The march began from BUET and passed Shaheed Minar, TSC, Press Club, and the High Court before reaching Matsya Bhaban, where police halted the procession. Students staged a sit-in, halting traffic across the area, though they allowed ambulances to pass.
Later, they moved near IEB, causing further disruptions. Student leader Tasrif demanded: “The Home Affairs Adviser must apologize, DC Masud must be dismissed, and our three-point demands must be implemented immediately.”

For the first time, prisoners will be able to exercise their voting rights during the upcoming national election, Election Commission Secretary Akhter Ahmed announced.
Under the newly declared roadmap, ballot papers will be delivered to prisons two weeks before election day. The roadmap outlines 24 key initiatives in 207 steps, including electoral law reforms, finalizing constituency boundaries, and ensuring voting rights for expatriates and inmates.
Expatriate Bangladeshis will also vote through postal ballots, with registration closing on November 30. Their ballot papers will be sent abroad by January 5 and returned a week before the polls.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Detective Branch (DB) has filed a case under the Anti-Terrorism Act against former minister Latif Siddiqui and 14 others, who were detained from the Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) premises.

DB Additional Commissioner Shafiqul Islam confirmed that the case is being processed at Shahbagh Police Station, with police as complainant. Asked whether the detainees belonged to the Awami League, he said:
"We are not looking at political affiliations. We found evidence of sabotage plans on their mobile devices, which is why legal action is being taken."

The arrests followed a chaotic incident Thursday afternoon when a group identifying themselves as “July Warriors” stormed into a DRU roundtable discussion. Around 12:15 p.m., they handed over 15 individuals, including Siddiqui, to police.

Explosive witness testimonies in three Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) cases allege that Sheikh Rehana, her daughter Tulip Rizwana Siddiq, and Azmina Siddiq Ruponti falsely identified themselves as “homeless, helpless, and poor” to secure residential plots from RAJUK despite owning multiple properties.
One witness claimed Sheikh Rehana herself sought allocations under this pretense for herself and her children. ACC prosecutor Khan Md. Moinul Hasan said the next hearing is set for September 4.
On July 31, charges were formally framed in three cases implicating Rehana, Tulip, Sheikh Hasina, and other family members — with 17 to 18 accused in each case.

The Ministry of Public Administration has revised the holiday for Eid-e-Miladunnabi (PBUH) to September 6 (Saturday) instead of the previously announced September 5.
A government circular issued Thursday confirmed the adjustment after the lunar month of Rabiul Awwal was officially counted from August 26. On this day, all government, semi-government, autonomous, semi-autonomous, and private offices will remain closed.

Engineering students have declared divisional-level “Engineer Assemblies” and a “National Engineer Assembly” to press their three-point demand. They also announced a complete shutdown across all campuses.
In a press briefing, student leaders criticized the advisory council for failing to present concrete decisions. They expressed dissatisfaction with the committee’s composition and denounced attempts to frame protesting students as “troublemakers,” despite police baton charges and attacks against them.
They also condemned the lack of accountability, noting that no investigation committee has been formed and no police personnel punished despite the Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner’s apology.

China is preparing for its grand Victory Day Parade on September 3, commemorating 80 years since Japan’s WWII surrender. This year, President Xi Jinping will share the stage with Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un—marking Kim’s first appearance at an international forum alongside world leaders.
Leaders from 26 nations are expected to attend. The event will feature a 10,000-strong military parade showcasing China’s latest weaponry. While invitations have been extended broadly, South Korea’s President Lee Jae-myung has confirmed he will not attend. However, leaders from Iran, Indonesia, Belarus, and Pakistan are expected to join.

At the UN Security Council, 14 of 15 member states—excluding the U.S.—held Israel responsible for Gaza’s famine. Representatives from the UK, France, Russia, and China issued strong statements against Tel Aviv. Heated exchanges broke out between Israel and Algeria’s envoys.
The Algerian delegate showed photos of malnourished Palestinian children and read a letter from slain journalist Mariam Abu Daggar to her son. Britain’s ambassador Barbara Woodward said, “For the first time in modern Middle Eastern history, famine has been recorded—entirely man-made.”
Israel countered that Palestinian child deaths were caused by illness, not malnutrition. U.S. envoy Dorothy Shea acknowledged Gaza’s hunger crisis but dismissed recent IPC reports as inaccurate.

The Advisory Council has given in-principle approval to the draft “Prevention, Remedies, and Protection Against Enforced Disappearances Ordinance, 2025.”
Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam confirmed that the ordinance—developed with input from BLAST, Human Rights Watch, and other rights groups—defines enforced disappearance as a continuing crime and includes provisions for the death penalty. Establishing or using secret detention centers will be criminalized.
The draft also empowers the National Human Rights Commission to investigate complaints, mandates trial within 120 days of charge framing, and ensures victim protection, compensation, and legal aid. Additionally, the council approved the proposal to mark October 17 each year as a national observance of the mystic bard Lalon Shah’s death anniversary.

Government advisor Faozul Kabir Khan assured that disputes between BSc and diploma engineers would be resolved with neutrality. He emphasized that the government had already taken the demands seriously, making further protests unnecessary.
“A 14-member working group has been formed, including representatives from government and educational institutions, to bridge gaps between conflicting demands,” he said. The committee will hold meetings with protestors, engineers’ representatives, guardians, and relevant ministries to seek a balanced resolution.