India’s average fertility rate has fallen to 1.9, below the replacement threshold of 2.1, indicating a future population decline. The UNFPA’s State of World Population 2025 report highlights that improved education, reproductive health, and women’s empowerment have reduced fertility rates worldwide, including India. Economic pressures, job insecurity, and family influence shape fertility decisions. India’s population is projected to peak around 1.7 billion in 40 years before declining. Despite greater rights, many women are still not fully empowered to determine their desired family size.

BNP leader Syed Emran Saleh Prince has emphasized that holding a free, fair, neutral, and credible election is the most crucial reform needed for the country. He said that elected representatives will play the key role in fulfilling the people's aspirations for democratic governance and a society free from inequality.

Prince also noted that the entire nation is now focused on the upcoming meeting in London between the interim government’s chief adviser and BNP’s top leadership. He suggested this meeting could be a turning point in resolving the ongoing political crisis.
He further warned that delaying the election for anyone’s advantage would not be accepted by the people and that any postponement would ultimately harm the country.

Los Angeles police have begun mass arrests after several days of protests against immigrant detentions. A curfew, effective from 8 PM to 6 AM, was imposed covering a downtown area of about one square mile. The curfew aims to control rising tensions and protect lives and property following increased illegal and dangerous activities. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump criticized protesters as “professional agitators” and “animals.” Around 4,000 National Guard troops have been deployed to manage the unrest.

A growing conflict between Donald Trump and Elon Musk is threatening NASA’s future. As Musk’s SpaceX remains vital to NASA’s missions, Trump has warned of terminating government contracts. A proposed budget cut could slash scientific funding by half, risking 40 missions. Though Moon and Mars programs are prioritized, long-term exploration and global collaborations are in doubt. Experts fear a shift from scientific goals to political motives. Reduced support for private players like SpaceX and Blue Origin may further destabilize U.S. space research and international partnerships.

A nighttime curfew has been enforced in downtown Los Angeles following ongoing protests against immigration raids in California. Mayor Karen Bass announced the curfew from 8 PM to 6 AM, covering about one square mile of the downtown area. Police report increased unrest and dangerous behavior. Meanwhile, President Trump compared protesters to "professional agitators" during a military speech, sparking controversy. About 4,000 National Guard troops and Marines have been deployed to maintain order, with local officials seeking to limit military involvement in law enforcement.

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has instructed senior party leaders to maintain a responsible approach regarding the next national election. Following Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus’s announcement of a possible election date in early April, BNP leaders held discussions, showing a shift from a previously hardline stance to a more flexible position. Khaleda Zia emphasized avoiding direct conflict with the government and resolving differences privately. Tarique Rahman is set to negotiate with Dr. Yunus on election timing, reforms, and justice issues.

A local BNP activist, Liton Hossain (30), was brutally hacked to death in Jessore’s Sharsha upazila on Tuesday night due to longstanding political enmity. According to locals, Liton was having tea at a market around 9 PM when two individuals, identified as Selim and Ramzan, launched a sudden attack with locally-made weapons. Severely injured, Liton was rushed to Sharsha Upazila Health Complex by his relatives, but doctors declared him dead on arrival. Liton’s father, Azgar Ali, claimed that his son had an ongoing political conflict with local Awami League leader A. Momin, along with Selim and Ramzan, which ultimately led to the murder.

Detectives have arrested Mohammad Shamim Mia, President of Magura District Muktijoddha Projonmo League, in connection with the murder of two students, Ahad and Sumon, during the recent mass uprising in Mohammadpur, Magura. Officer-in-Charge Md. Russel Munshi confirmed that Shamim Mia was a named suspect in the case. He had been on the run since the fall of the Awami League government. Acting on a tip-off, police arrested him near his home on Tuesday afternoon. He has since been sent to the Magura District Court.

A BNP student leader, Imtiaz alias Akul Mia (25), tragically died after jumping into water from an observation tower at a recreational park in Jamalpur. Imtiaz was a member of the convening committee of Sarishabari town’s Chhatra Dal. The park’s owner, Rahool Amin, stated that while security measures were in place, the youth managed to climb the tower unnoticed before jumping. “I was not present at the park when the incident occurred,” he added.

Shakil Uzzaman of Gana Odhikar Parishad criticized the government’s proposed election timeline, citing risks of natural disasters, extreme heat, and overlapping with major public exams. “January or February would be the ideal time for the next general election,” he suggested. Referring to past movements, he mentioned that VP Nur of Gana Odhikar Parishad was the key figure in the quota reform protests and that their supporters faced killings, enforced disappearances, torture, and imprisonment under Sheikh Hasina’s regime. “We demand swift trial for the war criminal Hasina,” he added. Shakil further complained that extortion at CNG stations, bus and truck stands has increased even after the fall of the autocratic regime and called for immediate government action to stop these practices.

Jamaat-e-Islami leader Rafiq ul Islam Khan has stressed the need for essential electoral reforms before holding the national elections. Speaking at a public event, he warned that without such reforms, many would attempt to replicate the ‘Awami-style’ elections. “If we wanted that, people wouldn’t have sacrificed their lives in the July uprising,” he said. Rafiq claimed that the people of Bangladesh would vote in favor of Islam in the next election and vowed not to let fascism return. He also demanded visible justice for those involved in the July massacre and urged the identification and prosecution of individuals within the government who are allegedly conspiring to bring back authoritarian rule.

BNP leader Mahbuber Rahman Shamim has urged the government to arrange national elections by December this year. Speaking at an Eid reunion event, he referenced Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus’ proposed election roadmap for the first week of April 2026, but warned that the period is prone to storms and heavy rains. Shamim said, “Dr. Yunus has already assured that elections will be held by December. From this event today, we reiterate that call. If elections are delayed, we will have no choice but to launch a mass movement to compel the government to hold the polls on time.”

At the UNDP Rule of Law Conference in New York, Bangladesh’s Chief Justice Dr. Syed Refat Ahmed praised the youth-led protests during the July-August 2024 revolution for their courageous stand against injustice and repression. He revealed that their sacrifice inspires his judicial reform agenda aimed at restoring equality and independence in the justice system, despite challenges like case backlogs and political influence. He thanked UNDP and UN agencies for their ongoing support in judicial and human rights reforms.

During Professor Muhammad Yunus’s UK visit as head of Bangladesh's interim government, three anti-corruption organizations—Transparency International Bangladesh, Transparency International UK, and Spotlight on Corruption—called on the UK government to take urgent steps to freeze and return illicit funds laundered from Bangladesh. They demanded sanctions against corrupt individuals, asset recovery efforts, and stronger enforcement. Investigations revealed at least £400 million in UK assets linked to allies of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The UK was urged to support Bangladesh's push for democratic reform and accountability.

GOP leader Abu Hanif has accused the Awami League of committing mass killings during the July uprising, claiming that many of those responsible are still roaming freely. “Some people are even providing them shelter,” he said, adding that this situation exists in Kishoreganj as well.

Hanif alleged that leaders from both new and old political parties are protecting those who opened fire on students and civilians, often making deals involving large sums of money to shield these individuals from justice. “We demand that these killers be arrested without delay,” he asserted.

He further accused a section of the party’s advisory council of being agents of Western interests, emphasizing that the July uprising was not only against the Awami League but also against India’s influence in Bangladesh.