Jamaat-e-Islami leader Abdullah Mohammad Taher has stressed that free and fair elections are not possible without introducing a proportional representation (PR) system. “Those who depend on black money and muscle power are the ones opposing PR,” he said.

Taher also hinted at a possible political consensus excluding the BNP, accusing anti-democratic forces of siding with fascism. He urged for inclusive, transparent, and festive elections that reflect people’s opinions.

Meanwhile, Jamaat Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar dismissed the July declaration as illegitimate, warning that an election without legal reforms could “create another Sheikh Hasina.” He added that most people support PR, as confirmed by multiple surveys, but alleged that some parties are misleading the public by conflating PR with EVMs.

The National Consensus Commission has finalized the draft of the July National Charter 2025, outlining presidential election, pardon, and impeachment procedures. The charter grants the president significant powers, including appointing key commission members, while ensuring impeachment is possible for treason, serious misconduct, or constitutional violations through a two-thirds parliamentary majority. Political parties have until August 20 to submit feedback before finalization. The draft also establishes the charter’s legal supremacy, with interpretation disputes reserved for the Supreme Court’s Appellate Division.

Eight Nordic and Baltic countries have reaffirmed their steadfast support for Ukraine following the Trump-Putin meeting in Alaska. In a joint statement, leaders of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, and Sweden emphasized that any steps toward a just and lasting peace must involve Ukraine directly. They called for credible security guarantees, continued arms supplies, and strengthened European defenses to prevent future Russian aggression, underlining that no decisions about Ukraine should be made without Ukraine’s participation.

U.S. President Donald Trump is planning a trilateral summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky by August 22. The move follows Trump’s three-hour meeting with Putin in Alaska, where he reportedly proposed a peace plan involving a Donbas concession and ceasefire. Zelensky confirmed he will meet Trump in Washington on Monday. European leaders have also been invited, though Russia has not publicly committed. Reports suggest the talks aim to ensure security guarantees for Kyiv and Europe.

Md. Sarwar, 33, allegedly posed as a coordinator of the National Citizen Party (NCP) to secure government contracts worth crores of taka and arrange officials’ transfers for bribes. He used multiple identities and even worked on projects under rented licenses. Locals recall he was once a teacher accused of raping a student in 2022, leading to his dismissal. Student leaders confirm there is no central NCP leader named Sarwar, calling him an impostor exploiting people for personal gain.

A delegation from the National Cooperation Party (NCP) held a meeting with Palestinian Ambassador Yusuf S.Y. Ramadan at his residence in Baridhara. The NCP delegation included Convener Nahid Islam, Nahida Sarwar Chowdhury Niva, and Alauddin Mohammad.

During the meeting, Nahid Islam reaffirmed the commitment of Bangladesh’s younger generation to the cause of an independent Palestinian state. He also expressed the party’s determination to create more opportunities for Palestinian students in Bangladesh.

BNP leader Dr. Rafiqul Islam has strongly criticized political analyst Dr. Asif Nazrul for labeling doctors as “agents of pharmaceutical companies” and questioning their professional integrity. “Such sweeping accusations are not only baseless but also a direct attack on the dignity and professionalism of the medical community,” Rafiqul said.
While acknowledging that Nazrul’s past statements have sometimes contributed to positive debate, Rafiqul warned that exaggerations like this breed confusion and mistrust. He urged resolving weaknesses in the healthcare sector through reforms and dialogue rather than branding the entire profession with derogatory terms.
He further noted that promoting overseas treatment by discrediting local doctors is deeply harmful. Rafiqul demanded that Nazrul withdraw his offensive remarks and show respect to a medical community that feels deeply hurt.

BNP leader Salahuddin Ahmed has raised concerns over the final draft of the “July National Charter 2025,” stating that several sections contain inconsistencies and have not been presented accurately. He confirmed that BNP will formally provide its opinion by August 20 after reviewing the draft.
The draft, prepared by the National Consensus Commission, has already been circulated among political parties. It notes areas of agreement through collective dialogue, but acknowledges that not all parties have consented to every recommendation.

BNP leader Amir Khosru has called for a united, inclusive Bangladesh built on equality, rejecting the notion of “minorities.”

“There is no word called minority. We are all Bangladeshis, and it is the duty of any government to ensure equal rights for all,” Khosru said.

He stressed that people of all faiths must freely practice their religions and celebrate their festivals, insisting that communalism has no place in society. “Ordinary people despise sectarianism with all their hearts,” he added.

Revolutionary Workers Party General Secretary Saiful Haque hailed the July uprising as unprecedented in global history.

“Elderly parents, mothers, and fathers came out of their homes to fight tyranny. People took to the streets, ready to sacrifice their lives. No power could defeat them,” he said, crediting mass resistance with forcing Sheikh Hasina to flee after 16 years of repression.

Haque compared her escape to that of Lakshman Sen centuries ago, adding that ministers, senior officials, and university vice-chancellors also fled following her departure.

Jamaat leader Masud Sayedee has alleged that the war crimes trials were politically motivated executions aimed at halting Jamaat’s rise, rather than genuine justice for 1971 atrocities.

Speaking at a religious gathering, Sayedee challenged the legitimacy of the trials, questioning why alleged crimes had gone unprosecuted for decades. “If our leaders truly committed crimes, were only six individuals responsible for the deaths of millions and mass rapes? The government has no answers,” he said.

He insisted that imams and clerics must continue to speak the truth despite repression, describing their role as a divine duty rather than a profession.

Jamaat-e-Islami leader Helal Uddin has warned that free and fair elections cannot take place in Bangladesh without justice and reforms addressing past mass killings. “If perpetrators are not brought to trial, the same situation will recur in the future, and the people will not accept the next election,” he declared.

He noted that the current political space emerged from a people’s uprising, and emphasized that the sacrifices of wounded student activists must never be forgotten. Helal also urged for immediate reforms alongside the proposed February elections and demanded that the incomplete July Declaration be finalized and incorporated into the constitution.

“If Islamists unite, no force can stop us,” he said.

BNP Standing Committee member Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal has accused sections of the media of publishing misleading reports regarding BNP’s attempts to reclaim homes and businesses allegedly seized during the previous Awami League government.

Speaking at an event, Alal revealed that in the past year, over 3,000 party members at different levels were disciplined for violating party rules. “After the fall of the autocratic Hasina regime, many BNP members disregarded party discipline. Where violations were visible, actions have been taken,” he said.

He further alleged that a section of political actors is trying to pin blame for nationwide extortion and unrest on BNP, which he dismissed as “baseless.”

At the same program, Bangladesh Arm Wrestling Association president Zakir Hossain criticized the spread of false or exaggerated news reports, reminding journalists of their accountability before God.

Jamaat-e-Islami leader Mia Ghulam Parwar has declared that regardless of political parties’ stance, the next parliamentary election in Bangladesh will be held under the Proportional Representation (PR) system.
He emphasized that the people of the country will also embrace this system. “The PR method is not something Jamaat is demanding anew. Our former leader, Professor Ghulam Azam, had earlier suggested two mechanisms for free and fair elections: a caretaker government and the PR system. Just as the caretaker system was once established to ensure neutrality, the PR system will also be implemented. InshaAllah, the next parliamentary polls will be held under this method,” Parwar said.
He further noted that the PR system is widely recognized as the most acceptable and neutral model for fair elections, currently practiced in 91 countries.

Islami Andolon leader Yunus Ahmad has expressed frustration over the failure of political parties to reach consensus on electoral reforms, particularly on the proportional representation (PR) system.
He said the public had expected a shift toward fairness after the July uprising, but instead, old patterns of violence and mistrust are reappearing. Ahmad noted that for nearly every election in Bangladesh’s 54-year history, fraud, ballot-stuffing, and violence have undermined public will, pushing the country toward authoritarianism, most starkly visible in the last 15 years.
He vowed that Islami Andolon will actively resist electoral malpractice: “If anyone tries to cast illegal votes or use muscle power, they will be stopped. Our organizational branches must prepare responsibly.”