A catastrophic landslide struck Sudan’s southern Marra mountain region on August 31, killing more than 1,000 people and erasing an entire village. Only one resident reportedly survived. The Sudan Liberation Movement confirmed the tragedy, appealing to the UN and international groups for help in recovering bodies. Many victims had sought refuge in the remote mountains to escape the ongoing civil war between Sudan’s army and paramilitary forces. The disaster highlights the deadly mix of conflict, displacement, and natural calamity in the region.

The chairman of First Security Islami Bank (FSIB), Abdul Mannan, has accused S. Alam Group of siphoning off nearly Tk 38,000 crore through anonymous loans from the bank.

Speaking after a meeting with the Bangladesh Bank governor, Mannan said multiple audits confirmed the embezzlement, with much of the money already laundered abroad. He named Saiful Alam, chairman of S. Alam Group, as the prime beneficiary.

The massive loan default has pushed FSIB into a severe crisis. Bangladesh Bank is reportedly planning to merge five weak banks, including FSIB, raising concerns over job security for employees and deposit safety for customers.

Chief Prosecutor Tazul Islam has said that whether former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun receives clemency will be determined by the court, not the prosecution.

He revealed that Mamun admitted his crimes out of “conscience” and even applied to testify as a state witness. His testimony, Tazul said, is an irrefutable document against enforced disappearances and killings spanning the last 15 years in Bangladesh.

Earlier, Mamun gave statements before the tribunal implicating Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and two others in the July killings case.

Students of Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) lifted a six-hour-long rail blockade on Tuesday evening after receiving assurances from the university administration. Train services on the Dhaka–Mymensingh route resumed around 5 p.m.

Earlier in the day, at around 11 a.m., defying the order to vacate dormitories, students gathered at Jabbar’s Mor and blocked the railway tracks, halting train operations. They also locked the offices of the university treasurer and Pubali Bank’s campus branch in protest.

In response to the unrest, the BAU administration has formed a six-member inquiry committee to investigate the recent attacks on students.

Police have so far filed charge sheets in 34 cases linked to incidents during the July uprising across the country. These include 13 murder cases and 21 under other charges.

According to police headquarters, the murder cases were filed in Sherpur, Feni, Chandpur, Cumilla, Dhaka, and Kurigram, while the remaining 21 cases cover Bogura, Chapainawabganj, Sirajganj, Pabna, Naogaon, Mymensingh, Jamalpur, and multiple metropolitan areas.

In total, 1,390 individuals stand accused in the murder cases and 777 in other cases. Police said they are working to complete investigations into the remaining cases to bring perpetrators to justice.

The Appellate Division will tomorrow hear Dhaka University’s appeal against the High Court order postponing the DUCSU elections.

On Tuesday, Chamber Judge Justice Farah Mahbub upheld the stay order until Wednesday’s hearing. The High Court had earlier postponed the polls until October 30, but the chamber court suspended that order within an hour of DU’s appeal.

Environmental lawyer and adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan has stressed that combating the climate crisis requires not just financial but also technological assistance.

“International support is crucial for climate-vulnerable countries like Bangladesh. However, even if aid does not come, we must fight on—for this is about our survival,” she said.

Hasan urged that, in absence of external help, Bangladesh must rely on the traditional knowledge of farmers, fishermen, and rural communities. She pointed to community-driven solutions in coastal regions, such as affordable desalination for water supply, while warning that long-term issues like Bhobadah and Beel Dakatia require sustained international intervention.

She added, “The people of Bangladesh have never abandoned one another in times of disaster. We have always seen extraordinary unity in the face of crises.”

Defying hall eviction orders for the second day, students of Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) continued their protests, blocking the Dhaka–Mymensingh rail route indefinitely from 11 a.m. today. Rail services have since been suspended.

The agitating students locked the university treasurer’s office and Pubali Bank branch gate while pressing their six-point demand. Their demands include:

Withdrawal of eviction orders by 2 p.m.

Uninterrupted access to dormitory facilities

Resignation of the proctorial body within 24 hours

A public apology from the vice chancellor over recent attacks, vandalism, and harassment

Punishment of teachers and outsiders involved in violence

Immediate issuance of combined degree certificates

Former IGP Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, testifying as a prosecution witness in the July killing case against Sheikh Hasina and two others, claimed that directives for RAB to abduct, detain, or kill individuals came directly from the Prime Minister’s Office via Tarique Siddiqui.

He alleged that ahead of the 2018 elections, then-IGP Javed Patwary instructed police to pre-fill 50% of ballot boxes the night before voting—officers involved were later rewarded with medals. After the 2014 elections, he said, police officers from the Gopalganj belt gained unprecedented influence.

Mamun further testified that RAB officers Alep Uddin and Mohiuddin Faruqi became notorious for abductions, torture, and killings. He claimed that from July 19 onward, nightly core committee meetings were held at Kamal’s residence, where decisions were made to detain opposition coordinators, who were later coerced into withdrawing movements and making public statements under duress.

The High Court has declared unconstitutional the provisions of the 15th and 4th constitutional amendments that vested control over lower court judges with the President. From now on, supervision, transfers, promotions, and disciplinary authority over judges will rest with the Supreme Court.
Under the current amended Article 116, control of subordinate court judges was vested in the President. However, in the original 1972 Constitution, Article 116 entrusted such powers to the Supreme Court. The latest ruling restores that original intent, strengthening judicial independence.

The government is considering forming a third tribunal to fast-track trials of the July–August massacre cases, said International Crimes Tribunal advisory committee member Asif Nazrul during a visit Tuesday morning. He stressed that the government is giving the trials “highest priority” and is “satisfied with the pace of proceedings.” He was accompanied by adviser Adilur Rahman Khan, Attorney General Mohammad Asaduzzaman, and Chief Prosecutor Advocate Tajul Islam.

A Dhaka court has granted bail to Said Sheikh, a speech-impaired man arrested under the Anti-Terrorism Act. Additional Metropolitan Magistrate Md Zakir Hossain delivered the order on Tuesday after a hearing. With no other charges pending against him, there are no further barriers to his release from prison.

The United States has stationed eight warships and 1,200 missiles in the Caribbean, officially citing anti-narcotics operations. However, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro claims Washington is preparing to overthrow his government through military intervention.
Maduro has reinforced troops along Venezuela’s coasts and borders while urging civilians to join paramilitary groups. The U.S. has accused Maduro of running drug operations and authorized military action against narcotics trafficking. Reports suggest more ships and up to 4,000 sailors and Marines could join the deployment in coming days. Though no ground invasion has been announced, Washington has offered a $50 million reward for Maduro’s capture on drug trafficking allegations.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, during his visit to Greenland, declared that the territory “is not for sale.” His remarks came as the U.S. has repeatedly suggested Greenland should be incorporated as American territory.
Barrot stressed: “In the face of growing global instability, Russia’s war in Ukraine, and competition for influence in the Arctic, France is sending a clear message: Greenland is not for sale, and Greenland is not for seizure.”
France will be the first EU country to open a consulate in Greenland in early 2026 and will also establish a partnership dialogue committee. Barrot added, “Greenland is a European territory. No nation builds its glory by subjugating neighbors. Greenland and Denmark are not alone—France and Europe stand with them today and tomorrow.”

The Chittagong University administration has lodged a case with Hathazari Police Station following Sunday’s violent clash between students and locals. The university registrar said further details of the case will be shared later. Meanwhile, Section 144 remains in effect across Jobra village and nearby areas. All departmental examinations have been suspended until Thursday. To determine the next steps, the vice-chancellor has called an emergency syndicate meeting at 3 PM today.