On Tuesday, Pakistan’s High Commissioner Imran Haider paid a courtesy call on Jamaat-e-Islami chief Dr. Shafiqur Rahman. He was accompanied by Political Counsellor Kamran Dhangal.

According to Jamaat, the meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere, where both sides discussed issues of mutual interest. They expressed optimism about further strengthening Bangladesh-Pakistan relations.

BNP leader Ruhul Kuddus Talukder Dulu highlighted women’s role in politics, claiming:
“Half the population are women, and the majority of them love BNP’s ‘sheaf of paddy’ and Khaleda Zia. If women decide, they can bring change in power.”

He pledged that under BNP rule, all families needing assistance would receive family cards.
Dulu also condemned the Awami League for establishing “fascist control” across state institutions, saying, “The only way out is under Tarique Rahman’s leadership.”

BNP leader Abdus Salam Pintu blamed the past government for the rise of mob violence.
“This menace started earlier. We are united in trying to suppress it,” he said.

Pintu argued that quick elections are vital for stability. Referring to the DUCSU polls, he said:
“The festive environment shows vibrant competition. I am confident the Chhatra Dal panel will secure a major victory.”

Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) GS candidate Abu Bakar Majumder alleged that Mirza Abbas, who has no connection with the DUCSU polls, entered the campus—sending a “wrong message” to the nation.
“Mirza Abbas has no right or reason to be here. His presence raises the biggest question—why did he enter?” said Majumder.

Responding sharply, Mirza Abbas rejected the claim.
“I just came from my Tejgaon office and am now heading to Gulshan for a standing committee meeting. What can I say? Pure fiction! This is how baseless stories spread in this country,” Abbas said.

Sarzis Alam, a leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), has strongly criticized Dhaka University Chhatra Dal President Ganesh Chandra Roy Sahas for his behavior toward the university’s Vice-Chancellor.

In a Facebook post, Sarzis wrote:

“The way Ganesh Chandra Roy Sahas treated the honorable Vice-Chancellor today was outright insolent. Someone who doesn’t even know how to speak respectfully to a teacher doesn’t deserve to be called a student, let alone a student leader.”

He further condemned recent gatherings of Jamaat-Shibir activists around the university as “provocative,” accusing BNP and Chhatra Dal of following suit.

“But for a student leader to scold a teacher in front of the media, bang on the table, and speak in a derogatory tone is a disgrace for all of us. Shame on him,” Sarzis concluded.

Veteran politician Fazlu Rahman has alleged a massive conspiracy to cancel his election candidacy, claiming it is orchestrated by “collaborators across Bangladesh.”

“Whenever I speak the truth, they go against me. This group will even spend Tk 500 crore to revoke my nomination,” Rahman said.

Recalling his decades-long political journey, Rahman described himself as “a son of Itna-Mithamain-Austagram” and a freedom fighter who has been engaged in activism for 17 years.

He said he was stunned after suddenly receiving a letter suspending him for three months on charges of making anti-religious remarks and offensive comments against political parties.

Rahman also recalled his independent candidacy in 1996, which ended in defeat, and later joining the BNP on the advice of Zafrullah Chowdhury. Since then, he claimed, certain Islamist groups have continuously run smear campaigns against him.

“This is my last election. Please keep me in your prayers,” he appealed.

DUSU Vice President candidate Sadiq Kayem has alleged serious irregularities in polling centers and warned that attempts to destabilize the campus would be met with consequences harsher than those faced by Sheikh Hasina.

“At ULAB Center, polling agents and observers were barred for over two and a half hours,” Sadiq said. “Reports of manipulation have also surfaced at Ekushey Hall and TSC centers. Those trying to derail the election must be arrested immediately. A free and fair DUSU election is the dream of our martyrs.”

He criticized the DU JCD president’s behavior toward the Vice Chancellor, calling it disrespectful. GS candidate Forhad also condemned the politicization of the election, saying, “DUSU is for students, not a rehearsal ground for national political parties.”

Central leaders of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) met Dhaka University Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Niaz Ahmed Khan at the Senate Bhaban to lodge complaints over alleged irregularities in the DUSU election.

The meeting quickly turned tense as JCD leaders raised their voices, slammed the table, and even scolded the DU JCD president while addressing the VC.

Their allegations included:

The university administration being influenced by Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Shibir.

Jamaat-Shibir activists gathering outside DU gates during polling.

Widespread rigging in the election process.

Responding to the claims, the VC said, “We were informed of gatherings, but these only began after 4 p.m. Adequate security forces are deployed across eight points of the campus. Personally, I have never been affiliated with any political party, nor is the administration influenced by Jamaat—or any other political organization.”

DUSU General Secretary candidate S.M. Forhad has alleged that a BNP-leaning staff member was caught stuffing ballot boxes in favor of the full Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) panel at Amar Ekushey Hall.

“We saw the staff openly casting votes for the entire JCD panel and dropping them in the ballot box,” Forhad said. “After we obtained video footage and other evidence, he was relieved from duty.”

Forhad further accused rivals of fabricating cross-mark allegations to cover up this major incident. “If ballots had truly been marked against us, they should have been shown instantly. Instead, he stalled for a minute and checked other ballots—none bore such marks. No earlier voter raised any complaints either. This proves internal involvement—whether from a teacher, student, or official. Whoever it is must be expelled.”

He added, “DUSU is not meant to serve political parties. It is the right of DU students to vote for whomever they choose.”

Vice President candidate Abidul Islam Khan has raised serious concerns over alleged irregularities in the ongoing student elections. Abid, who initially intended to celebrate the election peacefully, revealed that a complaint had reached him regarding Rokeya Hall.

“I entered the hall with the returning officer’s permission and confirmed the incident,” Abid said. “A student reported that the ballot they received already had crosses marked beside the names of candidates Sadik and Farhad. In the context of the new Bangladesh, this is a clear ominous sign.”

Abid called for a swift investigation and urged authorities to ensure that non-resident students can exercise their right to vote freely, emphasizing the importance of protecting democratic expression within the campus.

Islamic scholar Mamunul Haque has described the 2013 Shapla Chattar crackdown as a “turning point” in the resistance against fascism. Rejecting claims that protesters had fled, he argued that state forces attacked peaceful demonstrators with live fire and tear gas, making it impossible to stay in the square.
He added that the massacre left a permanent stain on the ruling Awami League and likened it to sacrifices that fueled earlier anti-colonial struggles. Mamunul clarified that the recently published list of “martyrs” was not an official Hefazat document but a personal draft wrongly attributed to the group. He admitted a final, definitive list may never be possible since many bodies were “disappeared.”

In a tragic turn of events, Shankar Saha (40), from Hatiya upazila in Noakhali, allegedly consumed poison after being denied a new loan despite assurances from HEED Bangladesh, a local NGO.
According to his wife, Rinku Saha, “This was not just poisoning—it was murder. He was humiliated and denied the promised loan after repaying installments. Later, we were informed over the phone that he had been hospitalized after drinking poison.”
However, HEED Bangladesh’s area manager, Alok Kumar, dismissed the allegation, stating that Shankar had taken poison before arriving at their office and was rushed to hospital when he began vomiting.

Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal Secretary Nasir Uddin has said that the JCD-backed panel is receiving strong student support in the DUCSU elections. “Students are expressing their views through votes, and the response in our favor has been very encouraging. That’s why we are confident of victory,” he stated.
Nasir highlighted that the panel’s VP and AGS candidates have a long record of activism against authoritarian rule and have consistently stood up for students’ rights. While alleging that some candidates were prevented from entering certain polling centers, he said the overall atmosphere remained festive and peaceful.

BNP leader Gayeshwar Chandra Roy has expressed optimism about the victory of the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD)-backed panel in the ongoing Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) elections. After paying tribute at the grave of Ziaur Rahman, he said, “We have no concerns about these elections—the student community is alert and conscious.” He added that if BNP wins the next national election, the party will build a self-reliant Bangladesh.
Voting for DUCSU and hall unions began at 8 AM Tuesday and will continue until 4 PM.

Home Affairs Adviser Jahangir Alam assured that Bangladesh’s current law-and-order situation poses no obstacle to holding a national election.
Speaking after a high-level meeting, Alam said the DUCSU polls should not be directly compared with national elections, though they serve as a useful model.
He noted that despite higher inflows of narcotics, law enforcement has also increased seizures significantly. On the DUCSU vote, he said polling was proceeding peacefully without major complaints.