Industrial and Housing Advisor Adilur Rahman Khan visited the victims of the devastating fire at Srinagar Bazar. He assured that government financial aid would be provided to those affected. The fire, which occurred late Thursday night, destroyed over a hundred shops and caused losses estimated at around Tk 30 crore. Khan reaffirmed the government's commitment to standing by the victims during their recovery.

Ben Cohen, co-founder of ice cream brand Ben & Jerry’s and a prominent activist, was arrested at the U.S. Senate during a protest against the killings in Gaza. He was later released. Police charged Cohen with a misdemeanor, while six others were also detained and face more serious charges. The protest occurred during a budget hearing where Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was presenting his proposal. Cohen shouted slogans, accusing Congress of funding bombs that kill children in Gaza while cutting healthcare for the poor in the U.S.

Indian security forces have killed 31 Maoists during a major operation in the Karriguttalu Hills along the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border. Home Minister Amit Shah reported that over 26,000 personnel were involved in the operation, which resulted in the destruction of 214 Maoist hideouts and bunkers. Hundreds of explosives were recovered. The Naxalites have long fought for the rights of indigenous tribal populations in the region. Shah expressed satisfaction that no security personnel were injured in the operation.

Current and former students and teachers of Jagannath University have begun a sit-in protest at Kakrail intersection to press home their three-point demand. The gathering started around 10 a.m. near the northeastern side of the Kakrail Mosque, with a mass hunger strike planned after Friday prayers. Former Jagannath University student and Jamaat-e-Islami leader Shahin Ahmed Khan urged the interim government to promptly accept the demands. Maksudur Rahman, former VP of the Jagannath University Chhatra Dal, stated that these are longstanding and legitimate demands.

The government has restructured a committee to oversee the proper management of Qurbani-related matters, appointing Commerce Adviser Sheikh Bashir Uddin as its convener. The committee includes advisers for home, industry, roads, environment, local government, livestock, religion, and information, among others. Key responsibilities include ensuring proper collection and preservation of animal hides, maintaining an adequate supply of salt, and guaranteeing fair pricing. The committee will also issue guidelines for efficient waste management during Eid, humane animal transportation, and protection of funds generated from hide sales for the benefit of religious institutions.

As of now, 47,420 pilgrims from Bangladesh have arrived in Saudi Arabia for Hajj. Among them, 4,583 traveled under government arrangements, and 42,837 under private management, across 119 flights. A total of 86,678 visas have been issued. Sadly, seven pilgrims—six men and one woman—have passed away during the pilgrimage so far.

ABM Rowshan Kabir reported that shortly after takeoff from Cox’s Bazar Airport, one of the aircraft’s rear wheels fell off. An engineering team was stationed near the runway at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport as the flight was declared an emergency. Experts confirmed the aircraft could land safely even with one rear wheel missing. The plane later made an emergency landing in Dhaka without incident. The runway was temporarily closed, with ambulances and fire service vehicles on standby.

From 10 AM Friday, Jagannath University teachers and students began gathering at the northeast corner of Kakrail Mosque, preparing for a mass hunger strike following Friday prayers. A student said, “We’ve been protesting for three days with valid demands, but the government has yet to respond. Instead, we’ve faced police brutality. We won’t leave the streets until our demands are met.” Professor Dr. M. Belal Uddin stated, “We’re demanding an annual budget of 306 crore taka for our university—is that too much? Supporting education only strengthens the state.” He also noted they requested only 3,000 taka in stipends per student, which would benefit even the most remote villages.

Students surrounded Shahbagh Police Station demanding justice for the murder of Chhatra Dal leader Shahriar Alam Samya. They issued a 48-hour ultimatum to arrest all perpetrators. So far, three individuals—Tamim Hawlader (30), Samrat Mallik (28), and Palash Sardar (30)—have been arrested and sent to jail. Protests and demonstrations have continued for the past three days, led by Chhatra Dal and fellow students.

Farzana Ahmed Nipa recounted how a domestic dispute over loan repayments led her to contact a friend in Kolkata who promised a high-paying parlor job. She decided to cross the border illegally via Comilla but was caught upon arrival in Tripura and sent to Gomati District Jail the next day. “There are at least 10 Bangladeshi women imprisoned there,” she said. “Traffickers often send young girls to states like Maharashtra and Kolkata, sometimes selling them into brothels under the guise of employment.” Nipa added, “I never imagined I’d be rescued from that hell. I had lost hope of ever seeing my husband and daughter again.”

Jagannath University professor Rais Uddin stated that students have been protesting under the open sky for three days, demanding their rights, yet the government has made no effort to resolve the issue. “This could have been resolved on the first day if the authorities had the will,” he said. “Jagannath University is oppressed and deprived. We’ve reached a point of no return. If our demands are not met, Kakrail will become a new center for realizing public demands.” He warned that if the government established through the people’s blood resorts to threats, they will resist. Following earlier announcements, teachers and students are set to begin a mass hunger strike after Friday prayers.

Legal expert Tuhin Malik wrote, “The July Declaration aims to dismantle the fascist state structure, which is why political parties, civil-military bureaucracies, and elite civil society members oppose any change.”

He questioned, “Why wasn’t the declaration issued despite the government’s formation post-August 5, under the pretext of constitutional continuity?” Malik asserted that the draft of the July Declaration includes provisions to amend or even annul the 1972 Constitution if necessary — a key reason for elite resistance to change.

Adviser Mahfuz Alam issued a statement saying he has no official link to the JnU movement, but as a stakeholder in the broader uprising, he was interested in resolving the situation. He explained that the “bottle incident” left him frustrated and disheartened.

“I vented my frustration in front of the teachers, who were also shocked by the events. Due to consistent online threats from a particular group, I assumed they were behind it,” Mahfuz said. “If my frustration hurt anyone, I sincerely apologize.” He added that he supports the just movement and has advised the DMP to avoid any sabotage.

Following a request from the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), a Dhaka court has ordered the seizure of a 10-story building and land in Uttara registered under the name of Mohammad Solaiman, father-in-law of former DB chief Harun-or-Rashid. Five of Solaiman’s bank accounts have also been frozen.

Additionally, two bank accounts belonging to Harun’s brother ABM Shahriar have been blocked. Earlier, on February 19, the court ordered the seizure of 130 bighas of land and the freezing of 21 bank accounts under their names, along with shares in three companies.

Bangladesh Bank Deputy Governor Dr. Habibur Rahman has said the central bank will intervene if the USD exchange rate increases excessively. “We’ve taken preemptive measures to prevent banks from inflating the rate. Any manipulation will be met with strict action,” he warned.

Economist Anisuzzaman Chowdhury added, “Economic reform doesn’t require drastic changes. Countries like Japan turned their economies around in just 15 years.” He emphasized the importance of coordinated policy implementation. Notably, since allowing market-based dollar pricing two days ago, the market has remained stable with most banks trading around BDT 122 per dollar.