The Election Commission (EC) has directed field officials to submit updated inventories of ballot boxes by August 25. According to an EC circular, officials must send details of usable ballot boxes to the Election Management-1 wing within the deadline.
The commission also instructed local offices to request necessary allocations for relocating materials to free up warehouse space ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections. Procurement for the 13th general election is already underway, with the EC aiming to complete all purchases by September.

Archaeologists have uncovered the remains of a more than 2,000-year-old city off the coast of Alexandria, Egypt. Believed to be an extension of the ancient city of Canopus, the underwater ruins include broken statues, limestone buildings, industrial complexes, artifacts, and dockyards.
The city flourished for centuries under Ptolemaic and Roman rule before sinking due to earthquakes and rising sea levels, along with the nearby port city of Heracleion. Egypt’s tourism and antiquities minister Sherif Fathy confirmed that while some items have been retrieved, most will remain as part of the country’s submerged heritage. Notable finds include royal sculptures and a pre-Roman sphinx, though many statues are damaged or headless.

To minimize public suffering during political events ahead of the national elections, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Sheikh Md. Sajjat Ali has urged political parties to hold rallies in alternative venues instead of congested city roads. He highlighted 91 designated venues, including 15 in Motijheel, 12 in Tejgaon, 17 in Lalbagh, and others across Dhaka.
He stressed that blocked roads prevent pregnant women and critical patients from reaching hospitals on time and disrupt students heading to exams. The commissioner assured maximum police deployment during the election period and appealed for cooperation from political leaders.

Colombo: Former Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe has been admitted to the ICU at Colombo National Hospital after falling ill in prison.
The 76-year-old leader was remanded on August 22 over allegations of misusing state funds. A day later, his health condition worsened due to severe dehydration, compounded by diabetes and high blood pressure.
Opposition MPs who visited him in prison last week said he appeared in good spirits at the time. Doctors now say his condition requires intensive monitoring.

Turkey’s First Lady Emine Erdoğan has written to former US First Lady Melania Trump, urging her to raise her voice for the children of Gaza.
Recalling their meeting at the White House six years ago, Erdoğan praised Melania’s compassion for children affected by the Ukraine war and called for the same empathy toward Gaza.
“Thousands of children are being buried unidentified, with their coffins marked ‘unknown child.’ UNICEF has described Gaza as ‘hell on earth above and a graveyard for children below,’” she wrote.
“As a mother and a woman, I share your emotions. I hope you will extend the same message of hope to Gaza’s children,” Erdoğan added.

The Engineers’ Rights Movement has announced a nationwide boycott of classes and exams on August 24, 25, and 26, demanding implementation of a three-point charter and protesting alleged conspiracies by the “Diploma Syndicate.”
Their key demands include:

Entry to 9th-grade (Assistant Engineer or equivalent) positions only through competitive exams and exclusively for BSc engineering graduates.

No quota-based or alternative-title promotions.

Strict legal action against individuals using the “engineer” title without a BSc degree.
Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology has expressed solidarity with the protest.

Keraniganj: The Naval Police have recovered the bound bodies of a man and a woman floating in the Buriganga River.
The victims, estimated to be around 30 years old, were discovered Saturday evening near Madaripur Ghat. The man was dressed in a red check shirt and trousers, while the woman wore a red salwar and gray t-shirt.
Authorities believe the deaths occurred two to three days ago. The bodies have been sent to Mitford Hospital morgue for autopsy, while forensic teams from CID and PBI are working to identify the victims.

Police have arrested Mahmudur Rahman Jony, former Jahangirnagar University teacher and ex-president of the university’s Chhatra League unit, in connection with a murder case tied to the recent mass uprising.
Jony, who had previously been dismissed from the university for moral misconduct, is accused in multiple murder and attempted murder cases. He was detained on Friday night from Bank Town area in Savar. On Saturday, Savar Model Police Station sent him to court, seeking a 10-day remand.

The autopsy of veteran journalist Bibhuranjan Sarkar, whose body was recovered from the Meghna River, has been completed.
Dr. Sheikh Md. Ehsan, who conducted the post-mortem, confirmed: “There were no signs of injury, either internal or external.”

Following the procedure, Sarkar’s body was handed over to his younger brother, Chiranjan Sarkar. The family departed with the body around 1:15 p.m. in a freezer van bound for their Dhaka residence.

Chiranjan said, “We will wait for the final autopsy report. The body will first be taken to his Siddheshwari home before the last rites are performed at the Boro Deshwari Kali Mandir in Sabujbagh. We have yet to decide on legal action and will take a collective decision as a family.”

Police have stated that any further legal steps will be determined in consultation with the family.

Chattogram police have withdrawn Sub-Inspector Kamal Hossain—recently awarded as the district’s “Best Drug Recovering Officer”—after allegations surfaced of his involvement in drug trafficking. He has now been attached to the police lines pending investigation.

The controversy arose after locals in Lohagara’s Chunati area detained three police informants last Thursday night with 48 bottles of Phensedyl. The suspects claimed SI Kamal had supplied them the contraband and instructed them to transport it to Aziznagar. They further alleged that Kamal was trailing them in another car loaded with yaba pills, but fled when the first vehicle was intercepted.

Notably, SI Kamal had been honored on April 22 this year by the Chattogram Superintendent of Police for his anti-narcotics success. Authorities confirmed an internal probe is underway, assuring that appropriate measures will follow if evidence of wrongdoing is found.

Environmental Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan has stressed that protecting rivers requires more than lip service, as people often support conservation in words but not in practice.

“Although initiatives have been taken to free Dhaka’s four rivers and 63 others outside the capital from encroachment and pollution, waste continues to be dumped into them,” she said.

She warned that banning old vehicles in the capital invites transport strikes, while polythene bags remain in widespread use despite public support for a ban.

“Changing a few individuals won’t change the country—there must be a collective shift in mindset,” Rizwana emphasized.

Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr. Niaz Ahmad Khan has described the upcoming Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (Daksu) election as “challenging under any circumstance.”

Speaking at a discussion marking “Black Day,” he said, “So far, the behavior of student organizations has been encouraging. But if anyone tries to obstruct the election, we will make it clear who did what.”

The VC noted that the entire nation has its eyes on this election and that preparations are being carried out under the commission’s directives. Discussions have also been held with all stakeholders to ensure a fair environment for voting.

“Dhaka University, as a national institution, has always stood against injustice. We must learn from history and continue resisting wrongdoing in any situation,” he said, calling on the army and all other stakeholders to work together for a successful election.

Home Affairs Adviser Jahangir Alam has assured that all necessary preparations for the upcoming national elections in February have been completed, in line with the Chief Adviser’s announcement.

He emphasized that no conspiracy will succeed if the public remains focused on the election process. The adviser also noted that the interim government is actively working to recover looted arms while law enforcement agencies are striving to prevent illegal weapons from entering the country.

“The borders are now far more secure than before,” he stated. Jahangir Alam further highlighted the increasing freedom of expression, saying, “Previously people had no scope to speak freely, but now they can express their views even on social media platforms like Facebook.”

On rising vegetable prices, he attributed the surge to recent heavy rainfall, adding that the government will purchase potatoes directly from farmers at a fixed rate to ensure fair prices.

Police have arrested a mosque imam accused of raping an 11-year-old madrasa student in Mymensingh.

The suspect, identified as Md. Al Amin (30), was captured Thursday in Sylhet Sadar Upazila after a manhunt. According to the case filed at Pagla Police Station, Al Amin lured the child into a classroom on July 31 after dismissing other students and then raped her while threatening to kill her.

RAB used digital tracking to locate and apprehend him. The suspect has since been handed over to the local police for further legal proceedings.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin has stated that the proportional representation (PR) system is not included in Bangladesh’s constitution. “Debates on the matter are political; the Election Commission’s role is not to engage in them. If the law changes, elections will follow the new method,” he said.

Addressing preparations for the upcoming election, he confirmed that voter lists have been updated, constituency boundary drafts published, and hearings scheduled from Sunday through Thursday.

On law and order, he announced that the army will be deployed instead of a striking force, and polling centers seized in the past will face immediate cancellation of votes.

The CEC also confirmed that 5,700 officials under the commission will be deployed, and those previously involved in irregularities will be excluded. “The current government has not pressured us regarding the election. If they do, I will resign,” he added.