Rajshahi University Central Students’ Union vice president Mostakur Rahman Jahid has rejected media allegations that RAKSU withdrew Tk 12.9 million for 42 programmes and failed to submit vouchers for Tk 6.1 million. In a Facebook post published after the report, he said RAKSU’s accounts had not yet been formally closed and accused critics of trying to make the student union controversial using incomplete information.

Jahid called the reported Tk 12.9 million withdrawal figure false. He said every withdrawal requires signatures at several stages, including from the RAKSU president and treasurer, and said documents containing those signatures were available. He also said elected RAKSU representatives receive no personal remuneration and work voluntarily.

He said a government audit would be conducted after the student union’s term and its report would be presented to students and journalists. Jahid said any spending found by the audit to be outside RAKSU’s authority would have to be repaid. He added that his Tk 500,000 office-expense allocation resulted in withdrawals of Tk 350,000, while no RAKSU funds were used for a Tk 1.2 million iftar programme.

Abhijit Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), demanded the resignation of Maharashtra School Education Minister Dada Bhuse, alleging that government school students lack basic facilities. Speaking after visiting a school under the party’s “Fix Schools” campaign, which began last week, Dipke said many schools lack adequate classrooms, benches, toilets and safe access roads.

Dipke said students were being denied essential services and claimed that ministers’ dogs received better facilities. He urged political leaders to address school problems before seeking votes and called on people to prioritise their children’s education over political, caste and community identities. He also criticised politics centred on religion, saying children’s education and future require greater attention.

He said ministers and legislators should send their own children to government schools to understand their actual condition. Dipke alleged that students still study under leaking tin roofs and without enough benches, while some walk several kilometres to school without safe transport. He also cited alleged snake-bite deaths and waste behind a visited school as signs of unsafe conditions. Dipke claimed some authorities began work after CJP visits and warned of wider village-level protests if conditions do not improve.

Bangladesh Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman said the prolonged Rohingya crisis is placing significant pressure on the country’s environment, law-and-order situation and economy. He made the remarks on Thursday at the closing ceremony of a three-week Capstone Course at the National Defence College in Mirpur Cantonment. He said the long-term presence of Rohingyas has effects extending beyond the humanitarian sphere.

The army chief said there are risks that a section of the Rohingya population could become involved in environmentally destructive activities, drug smuggling and other crimes. He said Bangladesh’s long-standing provision of shelter has also created major economic pressure, while the crisis has implications for environmental conditions and security.

NDC Commandant Lieutenant General Md Faizur Rahman delivered the welcome address and said the course aimed to expand knowledge-sharing and leadership capacity on important national and international issues. Thirty-seven participants from military, academic, medical, government, private-sector, diplomatic, media and corporate backgrounds attended. Experts discussed national security, geopolitics, the Rohingya issue, the Chittagong Hill Tracts, energy, investment, education, health, justice and media, while participants presented research papers.

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed congratulated the opposition after it took part in the presidential election through the constitutional process, he told journalists on Thursday night. The remarks were published on August 20, 2026, in an article by Amar Desh Online. He said the opposition’s participation carried constitutional significance under the existing framework.

Ahmed said that if the opposition participated while accepting the continued existence of Article 70, it had acknowledged that its members’ oath as members of the constitutional reform council was not constitutionally valid under the current constitution. He said this was why he again congratulated and thanked the opposition.

The minister said the opposition’s participation effectively gave constitutional recognition to the process under the existing constitution. He added that constitutional amendments would come in the future, including changes to Article 70, in line with agreement on the July National Charter. However, he said the constitution has not yet been amended, and future presidential elections after such changes would follow the amended Article 70.

BNP candidate Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir won Bangladesh’s 23rd presidential election with 255 votes, defeating Jamaat alliance candidate Oli Ahmad, who received 88. Voting was held on Thursday in the National Parliament session chamber, and Chief Election Commissioner A M M Nasir Uddin announced the result after the ballot concluded.

The chief election commissioner said 349 ballot papers had been printed for the election. Of those, 343 ballots were cast and all were deemed valid. The figures indicate that six of the 349 eligible voters did not cast ballots.

The absent lawmakers were BNP MPs Mirza Abbas, Mostafa Kamal Pasha and Osman Faruk; independent MP Rumin Farhana; Khelafat Majlis member Abul Hasan; and expelled Jamaat MP Gazi Nazrul Islam. Mirza Abbas and Mostafa Kamal Pasha were receiving medical treatment abroad, while Abul Hasan was reported to be abroad.

Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis Ameer Allama Mamunul Hossain congratulated veteran politician Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on his election as president and said he expects the new head of state to act above partisan politics. In a statement sent to the media on Thursday, Mamunul said Fakhrul should protect public rights, justice and balance within the state.

Mamunul said the long anti-fascist movement had created expectations not merely for a change of individuals or government, but for fundamental change in the structure of power. He expressed disappointment that constitutional reform had not yet taken place and that the presidential election was held while older arrangements, including the disputed Article 70, remained in force.

He said the July Charter includes proposals for a secret-ballot presidential election by members of a bicameral parliament, a balance of power in key state appointments, consideration of victims' or families' views in pardon applications, and checks and balances between presidential and prime ministerial powers. Mamunul nevertheless said he remained hopeful about Fakhrul and wished him good health and success.

US President Donald Trump said on August 20, 2026, that he plans to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un later this year, seeking to revive the relationship developed during his first term. Speaking to reporters at the White House while inspecting a new helipad, Trump answered “yes” when asked whether he intended to hold a meeting by the end of 2026.

Trump said maintaining a good relationship with Kim was important and claimed North Korea now possesses 57 “very powerful” nuclear weapons. He said such a situation should never have been allowed, while adding that he knows Kim very well and believes he will be fine. Trump also linked his position to his stated aim of preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear bomb amid the war against Iran.

The report said Trump is considering meeting Kim while travelling to Shenzhen, China, for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in November. Kim’s sister, Kim Yo Jong, said she was completely unaware of recent reports from Washington regarding contact between the North Korean and US leaders. She nevertheless said her brother still has good memories and feelings toward Trump, describing the leaders’ relationship as excellent.

Voting for Bangladesh’s 23rd presidential election began at 2 pm on Thursday at the National Parliament. Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed and Deputy Speaker Kaiser Kamal were the first to vote, followed by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, BNP presidential candidate Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Opposition Leader Shafiqur Rahman. Members of parliament were casting ballots in sequence and placing them in designated ballot boxes.

Before polling started, Chief Election Commissioner A M M Nasir Uddin briefed lawmakers on voting procedures and election rules. He said the election was being conducted under the Presidential Election Act, 1991, and the Presidential Election Rules, 1991. He identified Oli Ahmed as candidate number one and Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir as candidate number two.

Election officials were to deliver ballot papers to voters, who were instructed to verify that their names appeared on the ballot cover. Candidates’ names were listed in Bangla alphabetical order, and voters had to write their full names in the designated space beside their preferred candidate. Polling was scheduled to end at 5 pm, followed by counting. The candidate receiving the highest number of valid votes would be provisionally declared elected before publication of results in an official gazette.

Sarjis Alam, chief organizer for the southern region of the National Citizen Party (NCP), congratulated veteran politician Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir after his election as Bangladesh’s 23rd president. The message was posted on Facebook on Thursday, according to a report published by Amardesh Online on August 20, 2026.

In his statement, Sarjis said he was offering sincere congratulations on behalf of the NCP. He expressed hope that Mirza Fakhrul, as head of state in the coming days, would make his utmost effort to establish justice, uphold democracy, and protect the country’s independence and sovereignty.

The statement also conveyed prayers and best wishes for the newly elected president. The source did not provide further details about the presidential election, the election process, or any response from Mirza Fakhrul.

A delegation from the National Citizen Party (NCP) met Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen at the Chinese Embassy in Dhaka on Thursday morning. The delegation was led by NCP spokesperson and head of its international relations and expatriate affairs subcommittee, Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan. The meeting addressed Bangladesh-China bilateral relations, regional developments and matters of mutual interest.

Both sides exchanged views in what was described as a cordial and constructive atmosphere. The discussion included issues connected to regional circumstances as well as areas of shared concern between Bangladesh and China. The source did not report any agreement, decision or specific proposal resulting from the meeting.

Participants stressed the importance of continued diplomatic communication, mutual respect and cooperation for regional stability and shared development. Other members of the NCP delegation included subcommittee members Alauddin Mohammad, Mahbub Alam, Navid Nawroz Shah and Manjila Jhuma.

Bangladesh’s Election Commission on Thursday issued a gazette declaring Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir elected as the country’s 23rd president. The notice, signed by Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed, said he had been elected president under the President Election Act, 1991, and the President Election Rules, 1991. The report was published on August 20, 2026.

Chief Election Commissioner A M M Nasir Uddin announced that 343 votes were cast from a total electorate of 349. Mirza Fakhrul received 255 votes, while his opponent, retired Colonel Oli Ahmed, received 88 votes. Fakhrul was the candidate of the BNP and like-minded parties, while Oli contested as the candidate of the 11-party alliance and president of the Liberal Democratic Party.

The Election Commission announced the election schedule for the vacant post on August 6. The vacancy arose after the 22nd president resigned on July 24, citing illness. The gazette formally records Fakhrul’s election to the office of president.

The Prime Minister’s Office has directed ministries, divisions, directorates and agencies to reconstitute and update all existing committees operating at divisional, district and উপজেলা levels. A letter issued by the office on Tuesday, signed by Director-2 Md Ashraful Islam, instructed authorities to notify the Prime Minister’s Office after completing the work by September 15, 2026.

The directive said committees were formed at different administrative levels to manage and implement government activities. A review found that most had been established several years ago and were no longer updated, while notices and operational information for some committees could not be found. It therefore called for all existing committees to be reconstituted and updated.

Authorities must ensure representation of all relevant stakeholders during the process. Every reconstituted committee must include three respected local people as members, including at least one woman, with nominations to be made by the committee chair or convener. The instruction prioritises 98 committees listed in an attachment, alongside all other existing committees under ministries, divisions, offices and agencies.

The British High Commission in Dhaka and the Chinese Embassy congratulated Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir after he was elected Bangladesh’s 23rd president. The separate messages were issued on Thursday following the announcement of the presidential election result, according to the report published on August 20, 2026.

China said it attaches great importance to Bangladesh-China relations and is ready to work closely with Bangladesh to jointly build a China-Bangladesh community with a shared future in the new era. The Chinese Embassy said stronger mutual cooperation would bring greater benefits to Bangladesh, China and the people of both countries.

The British High Commission said the United Kingdom looks forward to working with President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and the Bangladesh government to further strengthen the close and longstanding partnership between the two countries. Mirza Fakhrul, the BNP candidate, was elected by votes of members of parliament, receiving 255 votes. Oli Ahmed, the candidate of the 11-party alliance, received 88 votes.

Dr Colonel (retd) Oli Ahmad Bir Bikram, chairman of the Liberal Democratic Party and the 11-party alliance’s presidential candidate, congratulated Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on being elected Bangladesh’s 23rd president. The congratulatory message was sent to the media on Thursday.

Oli said he hoped the president-elect would be able to carry out his responsibilities firmly and efficiently as the guardian of the state and constitution. He said those duties should include protecting independence, democracy and justice.

The LDP chairman also wished Mirza Fakhrul good health and a long life. The source did not provide further details about the election or any response from the president-elect.

Natalie Harp, 35, has emerged as one of US President Donald Trump’s closest and most trusted aides, according to the report published on August 20, 2026. Her duties include typing posts for Trump’s Truth Social account, printing news and information for him, and accompanying him on trips. Her proximity to the president has prompted renewed discussion over her influence inside the White House.

Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff recently raised questions about Harp’s closeness to Trump. He criticized Trump’s travel with Harp on what he described as an unprotected “flying palace” gifted by the Emir of Qatar. The report says Harp was among a small group of aides who accompanied Trump when he secretly left Turkey on a smaller aircraft in July because of threats from Iran.

Born in California and raised in a conservative Christian family, Harp gained prominence after saying Trump had saved her life. She received treatment for bone cancer after experimental-treatment access was expanded during Trump’s first term. Harp later joined a 2020 Trump reelection advisory board and his subsequent 2022 presidential campaign. Formally an executive assistant, she is seen as influential over information reaching Trump and his social-media posts.