Former U.S. President Donald Trump is set to be briefed within the next two weeks on the progress of ongoing talks aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine war.

Commenting on Russian strikes that damaged U.S. factories in Ukraine, Trump said: “I am not happy about it. In fact, I am unhappy with everything about this war.”

He added that he is weighing a “very important decision”—whether to impose massive sanctions, huge tariffs, both, or declare the conflict to be solely Russia and Ukraine’s war.

On the prospects of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky working together, Trump remarked: “It’s like oil and vinegar. Clearly, they don’t get along, but we’ll see.”

Nobel laureate economist Amartya Sen has criticized attempts to disenfranchise citizens in the name of revising India’s national voter list. Speaking at an event, Sen asserted: “The right to vote cannot be taken away under the pretext of voter list correction. This is non-negotiable.”

Referring to reports that Bengali speakers could be sent to Bangladesh, he said wryly: “If I knew French, would I be sent to France? It’s absurd.”

He further added: “Many citizens lack proper documents. That doesn’t mean they can be stripped of their voting rights. Somewhat improving a process should not come at the cost of causing enormous damage.”

Jokingly, Sen remarked that he would not object to being sent to Bangladesh, as his family roots were there and they once had a house in Dhaka. The event also marked the reprint of his grandfather Kshitimohan Sen’s book “Joint Endeavors of Hindus and Muslims in India.”

Dutch Foreign Minister Kaspar Feldkamp has resigned after failing to secure consensus on imposing tough sanctions against Israel for its military aggression in Gaza and expansion of illegal settlements in the West Bank.

Feldkamp said he faced strong resistance within the cabinet and could not achieve meaningful measures. However, he did ban visits by Israeli ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir and canceled three export permits for naval ship components.

Warning that the situation in Gaza is rapidly deteriorating, he expressed concerns that exported weapons could be misused. Following his resignation, all ministers and state ministers from his party also stepped down in solidarity.

The opposition in the Dutch parliament had long been pressing for strict sanctions. Feldkamp’s proposal to suspend the EU–Israel trade agreement was blocked by Germany, leading to calls for unilateral Dutch action.

At least nine members of the same family suffered burn injuries early Saturday after a fridge compressor exploded due to an electrical short circuit in Siddhirganj, Narayanganj.

The injured were rushed to the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery. They include Tanzeel Islam (40), his wife Asma Begum (35), their children Tisha (17) and Arafat (15), Hasan (35), his wife Salma Begum (32), and their children Muntaha (11), Jannat (4), and one-month-old Imam Uddin. Their mother, Tahera Khatun (60), was also injured.

Locals said the two sisters, Asma and Salma, lived with their families in adjacent rooms. The explosion occurred around 3:30 a.m., after which neighbors rushed to rescue them.

Tasnia (15), a student of Milestone School and College who sustained severe burns in the Bangladesh Air Force jet crash at the institution, has died after 33 days of treatment.

Doctors at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery confirmed that she passed away at 8 a.m. on Saturday while under intensive care. Tasnia had suffered burns on 37 percent of her body.

She was an eighth-grade student and hailed from Madhukhali in Faridpur.

The National University of Bangladesh has launched several initiatives aimed at improving the skills and quality of its affiliated college teachers to better prepare students for the challenges of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Vice-Chancellor Prof. MASM Amanullah announced that training programs for accounting teachers and divisional-level workshops will be arranged. Plans are also in place to introduce high-quality audits to ensure good governance and transparency.

Highlighting the problem of graduate unemployment, he said: “Every year, at least one million students graduate from the National University, but 40 percent fail to secure jobs. The main reason is an outdated curriculum.”

To address this, the university is focusing on curriculum reforms, integrating advanced information technology—particularly Artificial Intelligence—and encouraging students to learn multiple languages. “Despite our large population, we face a severe shortage of skilled manpower due to insufficient investment in education,” the Vice-Chancellor noted.

A fire broke out on the seventh floor of a 10-story residential building in Keraniganj Model Town around 2 a.m. Friday night.

Fire service officials said they reached the site shortly after receiving the call and brought the blaze under control by 2:45 a.m. It was fully extinguished by 3:30 a.m.

Keraniganj Fire Service officer Hasanul Alam estimated property damage at around Tk 10 lakh. While the exact cause remains unknown, residents suspect an air-conditioner explosion triggered the fire.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Sheikh Md. Sajjat Ali has said that the upcoming national election is an opportunity for police to erase the stigma attached to the force after the controversial 2018 polls.

“This election will be widely accepted both at home and abroad. The police will work with utmost sincerity to maintain law and order during the polls,” he said.

Speaking at a program with crime reporters, the commissioner added: “Crime reporters and police share similar responsibilities and must work in cooperation. DMP will always stand beside CRAB.”

He also acknowledged the sacrifices of police personnel during the July uprising, noting the loss of lives, damaged infrastructure, and the blow to police morale. “Through collective effort, we have been able to restore the force’s morale,” he said.

Dr. Wahiduddin Mahmud, Adviser on Planning, has emphasized the importance of reliable statistics, calling them a critical national investment.

Speaking at the inauguration of the 19th National Statistics Conference organized by the Bangladesh Statistical Association (BSA), he said: “Just like infrastructure, a strong statistical system is an investment for the country. The government is working to make this investment.”

Dr. Hossain Zillur Rahman added that in today’s advanced economic era, accurate and reliable statistics should be considered a “factor of production.”

Speakers stressed the need to mainstream diverse datasets and ensure coordination between government and statistical bodies. They also called for a platform where statisticians, data scientists, and professionals can collaborate effectively.

A shocking incident in Fatikchhari’s Kanchannagar Union, Chattogram, has left a community in grief after 15-year-old Md. Rihan Uddin Mahin was beaten to death by a mob in front of his parents over an accusation of theft.

Two of Mahin’s friends, Manik and Rahat, were also severely injured, along with his father, Lokman. Police have since arrested two youths, Md. Noman and Azad, on suspicion of involvement.

According to witnesses, Mahin and his friends returned to the area by CNG auto-rickshaw around 3 a.m. Thursday night when a group of youths ambushed them. Chased and cornered in a building, the boys were brutally assaulted.

Mahin’s aunt, Sukhi Begum, recounted the ordeal: “My nephew begged for water, but they wouldn’t even allow that. They tied him with rope and beat him mercilessly until he died.”

The homeowner, Mobarak, where the boys had tried to take shelter, confirmed: “There was no theft in our house. I woke up to shouting only to see locals dragging away the boys.”

The killing has sparked outrage and calls for justice.

Bangladeshi expatriates in Japan can now access National Identity (NID) services directly at the Bangladesh Embassy in Tokyo, making it easier to obtain essential government services from abroad.

The initiative was formally inaugurated by Election Commission Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed, who acknowledged that many expatriates had faced long-standing difficulties due to the lack of NIDs. “With this service, Bangladeshis in Japan can now complete NID-related procedures at the embassy itself,” he said.

He also noted that the Election Commission is working to enable expatriates to cast votes by mail in future national elections.

Bangladesh’s Ambassador to Japan, Md. Daud Ali, emphasized that the introduction of NID services had been a long-standing demand of expatriates. “This marks the fulfillment of that demand,” he said.

The newly inaugurated Mawlana Bhashani Bridge has been left in complete darkness after thieves stole the electric cables connected to its lamp posts—barely a day after its grand opening.

Local residents allege that miscreants dug up the ground at the Haripur point of the bridge and cut away the cables. As a result, no lights have functioned on the bridge for the past two nights.

Frustrated locals blame the negligence of LGED authorities for the incident. They also recall that even on inauguration day, the bridge remained unlit, leaving thousands of visitors in difficulty. At the time, engineer Ujjal Chowdhury explained that a control machine malfunction had caused the issue, claiming it would take three to five days to fix.

However, after news of Friday’s cable theft broke, attempts to reach him went unanswered.

A 27-year-old man, Durjoy Chowdhury, allegedly committed suicide inside police custody at Chakaria Police Station, Cox’s Bazar, by wrapping his shirt around a cell grille. The incident is believed to have occurred between midnight and 4 a.m. on Thursday.
Durjoy, an office assistant at Chakaria Government High School, had been accused by the headteacher, Rabeya Khanam, of embezzling Tk 2.83 lakh. He was handed over to police by the complainant herself. Family members alleged that the headteacher pressured police to detain him. Local officials confirmed that Durjoy admitted to misappropriating funds before legal action was taken.

Ahead of the upcoming Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) and hall elections, the Chief Returning Officer, Prof. Dr. Mohammad Jasim Uddin, has ordered the removal of all campaign billboards and banners currently displayed on campus.
He stated that candidates may only begin campaigning from the designated date and must strictly follow the electoral code of conduct. The official urged all candidates and their supporters to comply with the guidelines to ensure a fair election process.

Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration Mokhlesur Rahman has vowed stern action against those involved in the looting of white stone from Sylhet’s Sadapathar tourist spot—regardless of political affiliation or official rank.
During a visit to the site, he described the scale of the theft as “plunder, not just looting,” and held nearby security forces partially accountable. He also ordered the entire tourist area to be placed under 24-hour CCTV surveillance to prevent further exploitation.