At a United Nations Security Council session, US official McCoy Pitt warned that any attack on American citizens, bases, or infrastructure—whether by governments, proxies, or independent actors—would have devastating consequences for Iran. Pitt emphasized the U.S.'s top priority is the protection of its personnel and facilities. He acknowledged the U.S. had prior knowledge of the recent attacks but was not militarily involved. Pitt affirmed that every sovereign nation has the right to self-defense, including Israel.

Iran’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Amir Saeed Iravani, has strongly condemned Israel’s recent strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities. Speaking at an emergency UN Security Council session, Iravani expressed gratitude to Algeria, Pakistan, China, and Russia for supporting the call for this urgent meeting. Describing Israel as a source of instability in the Middle East, he urged global efforts to rid the region of weapons of mass destruction. Iravani accused Israel’s aggression of being deliberate, systematic, and fully backed by the United States. “There is no doubt about America’s direct involvement in these terrorist attacks,” he added.

To curb overcharging of passengers during the post-Eid travel rush, the Bangladesh Army has set up a checkpost at Abdullahpur, the northern entryway into Dhaka. Acting on passenger complaints, the Army conducted inspections on long-distance buses heading to Dhaka, ensuring that any extra fares collected were refunded to passengers.

Almost every long-distance bus was brought under inspection, with soldiers verifying compliance and addressing complaints on the spot. The initiative has been widely appreciated by passengers, many of whom expressed satisfaction with the prompt action against unfair practices.

Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam stated that the prestigious award from King Charles and a 30-minute private meeting with the British monarch mark international recognition of the transformative changes in Bangladesh since last July’s uprising. He described the recent meeting between the interim government’s leader and the head of the largest political party as a “game over” moment for the conspirators. Alam also revealed that the UK’s National Crime Agency has seized 320 properties worth £170 million allegedly linked to a top associate of Sheikh Hasina. He added that the visit brings renewed hope for resolving the Rohingya crisis.

As people return to their workplaces after the Eid-ul-Adha holidays, vehicular traffic across the Jamuna Bridge has surged significantly. In the last 24 hours alone, a total of 38,539 vehicles crossed the bridge, generating Tk 27.96 crore (Tk 279.69 million) in toll revenue.

Of this, 16,380 vehicles crossed the eastern lane heading towards northern districts, contributing Tk 12.92 crore in tolls. Meanwhile, 22,159 vehicles used the western lane heading towards Dhaka, with tolls amounting to Tk 15.04 crore. The Jamuna Bridge continues to play a vital role as the main gateway connecting northern Bangladesh to the capital.

Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus returned to Bangladesh at 9:45 AM on Saturday after completing a four-day official visit to the United Kingdom. According to his press wing, Yunus and his delegation departed London’s Heathrow International Airport at 7:15 PM local time on Friday. During the visit, Professor Yunus held meetings with several influential figures, including the Speaker of the UK House of Commons. He also met with Tarique Rahman, the Acting Chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).

Elite police unit RAB-11 has arrested Sohel Member, widely known as 'Fancy Sohel,' along with his associate Fazlul Haque Fazlu in Araihazar, Narayanganj. Sohel, a notorious criminal and drug dealer in the area, leveraged his influence to become a local council member. RAB officials stated that Sohel had long been involved in narcotics trafficking, extortion, and public displays of armed intimidation.

Multiple accidents involving 4-5 vehicles on the Jamuna Bridge have caused severe traffic congestion stretching approximately 25 kilometers—from the bridge’s eastern toll plaza to Rabna Bypass in Tangail. Passengers traveling between Dhaka and the northern districts are facing extreme hardship. Law enforcement and Jamuna Bridge authorities are working to clear the traffic and restore normalcy.

Two people were killed and at least 10 others injured when a speeding passenger bus rammed into the back of a truck on the Mawa side of the Padma Bridge. One of the deceased has been identified as Rakib, while the other remains unidentified. The accident took place near pillar number 2 of the bridge when a bus operated by Imad Paribahan collided with a stationary truck, leaving the front portion of the bus completely mangled.

Jamaat leader Mujibur Rahman warned that the victory achieved through the student-public movement in July could be lost if anti-fascist forces in Bangladesh fail to unite. “The dream of a new Bangladesh is a just and fair society, and Jamaat-e-Islami is working toward that vision,” he added. Mujibur criticized the country’s 54-year history as one of democratic suppression and injustice, emphasizing that the people of Bangladesh do not want to see oppressive governments anymore. He also condemned Israel’s atrocities in Palestine, calling for an immediate end to the ongoing genocide.

Gazi Ataur Rahman, Joint Secretary General of Islami Andolon Bangladesh, praised Tarique Rahman’s proposal to shift the election from December to February during the meeting, noting that Chief Adviser Yunus also expressed conditional openness to the suggestion. “This move to reconsider positions on logical grounds sets a positive precedent in Bangladesh’s political landscape,” he said. Ataur further stated that the BNP has expressed principled support for reform, justice, and the July Declaration, which will help pave the way for building a democratic future for the country. However, he criticized the repeated mention of a ‘joint statement’ in the press briefing, arguing that issuing such a statement between a political party and a state representative is inappropriate. He also warned that national decisions should not be based solely on one party’s stance.

Ganosamhati Andolon leader Zonayed Saki has welcomed recent discussions among political parties, including a meeting held in London, as a positive step toward political stability in Bangladesh. Emphasizing the need for reforms and fair elections, Saki reiterated the call for the government to engage with all stakeholders on justice, reforms, and electoral matters. He also noted that an April election would be unrealistic and emphasized that the recent discussions should now focus on building national consensus regarding both elections and reforms.

A new 9-credit ICT course is set to be introduced from the next academic year for students under Bangladesh's National University system, aiming to improve their competitiveness in the job market. This announcement was made by Fayez Ahmad Tayyeb, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser, during a discussion event in Paris.

Tayyeb emphasized that no new development projects were proposed in this year's budget. Instead, focus has been placed on eliminating ineffective and unnecessary projects to prioritize sustainable infrastructure.

He also revealed that plans are underway to reintroduce incentives for freelancers starting from the upcoming fiscal year.

In addition, the government is laying down policy frameworks for key technology sectors, including data management, cloud computing, and the electric vehicle (EV) industry, he added.

There is no possibility of new gas connections for residential users—even if one waits till doomsday—said Adviser Fawzul Kabir Khan during his visit to the Sylhet Gas Field. The government’s priority, he stated, is to ensure gas supply for power generation and industrial use, not households.

"Residents will have to rely on LPG (liquefied petroleum gas)," he added.

Explaining the rationale, the adviser said that Bangladesh is losing approximately 200 million cubic feet of gas production annually, while only 60 to 70 million cubic feet are being added from new sources. As a result, gas imports are increasing. To counter this, the government is taking steps to enhance domestic production.

He also noted that, on a trial basis for the past month, two wells—Kailashtila-7 and Sylhet-10—have been contributing a combined 16 million cubic feet of gas per day to the national grid.

A suspected drug dealer, Firoza Khatun (50), has died in police custody following a joint forces operation in Katiadi, Kishoreganj. Inspector Habibullah Khan of Katiadi Model Police Station reported that while Firoza’s husband managed to flee, she was arrested with 11 yaba pills, 22 packets of cannabis, and Tk 32,664 in cash. She was brought to the police station around 3:30 AM. Police claim that she later fell ill in custody and was rushed to Katiadi Upazila Health Complex, where doctors declared her dead. An investigation into the incident is expected.