Prime Minister’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Humayun Kabir said Tarique Rahman could visit India only after an appropriate environment is created through mutual trust, respect for sovereignty, diplomatic dialogue and a respectful invitation. In an August 17 interview at his official residence on Minto Road in Dhaka, Kabir said Bangladesh would not rush into a high-level visit before the BRICS summit scheduled in New Delhi on September 12-13.

Kabir described Indian media reports about the prime minister’s possible visit as speculative and unfounded. He said New Delhi needed to understand the reality of Bangladesh’s July uprising and clarify the basis on which it seeks relations with the elected government. He also objected to what he described as political or media space in India for Sheikh Hasina and other convicted or fugitive accused persons, saying Dhaka had lodged a diplomatic protest.

The adviser said Bangladesh is pursuing a “Bangladesh First” and balanced foreign policy. He cited possible engagement with a Saudi Arabia-Pakistan-Turkey framework, planned progress on a Riyadh visit, stronger trade diplomacy with the United States and European Union, and deeper strategic ties with China. He also said efforts were under way to reopen Malaysia’s labour market for Bangladeshi workers.

Emigration from Israel is rising rapidly ahead of the next election, with studies indicating that many of those leaving are young, highly educated and relatively high-income citizens. An Israeli tax authority study found departures increased in 2023 and 2024 compared with previous years. Tel Aviv University estimated that about 270,000 Israelis left over the past three years, including 86,500 in 2023 and about 91,500 in 2024, with a similar figure in 2025.

Analysts link the trend to uncertainty over the future among educated and liberal Israelis, citing the right-wing policies of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, efforts to reduce judicial independence, political polarization and prolonged war. Large protests were held in 2023 against the government’s judicial reform initiative. Demographer Sergio Della Pergola said concerns about long-term insecurity and the country’s political direction appear to be the main drivers.

Experts warn that the loss of young and skilled citizens could pose economic risks, particularly for technology, research and development. Researcher Lilakh Lev Ari said the situation is worrying but not yet cause for panic. Opposition politician Gilad Kariv called it a “tsunami,” while analyst Shir Hever said attention should also include nurses and other essential workers leaving the country.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami central executive council member Advocate Shishir Monir said there was no celebration surrounding Thursday’s presidential election because its result was already known to everyone. In a Facebook post published on August 20, 2026, he described the election as lacking the atmosphere of a public occasion despite the presidential vote taking place.

Monir said the situation was not supposed to unfold this way. He said there had been an expectation that Article 70 would be reformed and that everyone would be able to exercise their voting rights independently. His remarks focused on the electoral process and the absence of what he described as a meaningful sense of participation.

The statement by the Jamaat central executive council member was also published on the Facebook page of the party’s media wing. The source identifies his comments as a reaction to the presidential election but provides no further details about the vote, its candidates, or the declared result.

Acting President Major (retd) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed Bir Bikram left Bangabhaban at 1:25pm on Thursday, August 20, 2026, according to a video sent from the presidential residence. Officials at Bangabhaban bid him farewell with flowers as his motorcade departed under strict protocol.

Before leaving, Ahmed received a guard of honour from a smartly turned-out armed forces contingent. He inspected the guard and received its salute, then exchanged farewell greetings and courtesies with those present. The chiefs of the three services, the president's military and civil secretaries, and senior government officials attended the farewell ceremony.

Ahmed wished for peace and progress in the country and success for the government as he departed. Voting to elect a new president was scheduled to begin at 2pm the same day, with BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and opposition alliance candidate Oli Ahmed contesting. Ahmed had assumed acting presidential duties under Article 54 of the constitution after President Md Shahabuddin resigned on July 24 for health reasons.

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said Bangladesh’s Constitution will be amended to change Article 70, and the next presidential election will be held under the revised provision. He made the remarks while speaking with journalists on Thursday, August 20. He said the country is holding a constitutionally competitive presidential election after about 35 years.

Ahmed said the current election includes a candidate from the opposition party and that presidential elections should be conducted in this manner. In his view, such a contest will give people in the country an opportunity to see the democratic practice they expect.

The minister said the opposition has not yet joined the committee formed to work on constitutional amendments, but changing Article 70 remains part of the process. Under the current provision, a member of parliament loses their seat if they vote against their party’s decision. The article has recently prompted political and constitutional debate around the presidential election.

Voting has begun for Bangladesh’s 23rd presidential election on Thursday, August 20, 2026. Under the Election Commission’s schedule, voting started at 2pm in the parliamentary chamber at the National Parliament Building and will continue until 5pm. The election process was initiated after President Md Shahabuddin resigned, leaving the office vacant.

The Election Commission has prepared a list of 349 members of parliament eligible to vote. Lawmakers will cast their ballots from their respective seats using ballot papers, with three transparent ballot boxes arranged for the vote. Chief Election Commissioner A M M Nasir Uddin is serving as the returning officer for the presidential election.

The commission said preliminary results will be announced in the parliamentary chamber after voting ends, followed later by publication of an election gazette. The election schedule was announced on August 6, setting August 13 for nomination submissions, August 16 for scrutiny and August 18 as the deadline for withdrawal of candidacy. Until the new president takes office, the Speaker of Parliament is serving as acting president.

Bangladesh’s 349 members of parliament are scheduled to vote on Thursday from 2pm to 5pm in the parliamentary chamber to elect the country’s 23rd president. The election marks a presidential vote after 35 years, according to the report. BNP and like-minded parties have nominated Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, while a Jamaat-led 11-party alliance has nominated Dr Oli Ahmad Bir Bikram.

The winner, chosen through direct voting by lawmakers, is due to take the oath at Bangabhaban at 7:30pm on Friday. Deputy Speaker Barrister Kaiser Kamal, serving as speaker, will administer the oath. Acting President Hafiz Uddin Ahmed is expected to formally hand over responsibilities to the new president immediately after the ceremony, in keeping with convention.

The Election Commission says preparations have been completed. Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin, the returning officer, said campaigning would not be permitted during the election. Voting will be counted immediately after polls close at 5pm, and the candidate receiving the highest number of valid votes will be declared elected. The Election Commission will subsequently publish a gazette of the result.

Bangladesh’s Election Commission has issued nine instructions for members of parliament voting in the presidential election on Thursday, August 20. Voting will run continuously from 2pm to 5pm in the National Parliament. BNP-nominated Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Colonel (retd) Dr Oli Ahmad Bir Bikram, nominated by the 11-party alliance, are contesting the election.

Lawmakers must carry identification cards supplied by the Parliament Secretariat, collect ballots after taking their seats, and write their full names on the ballot counterfoil before returning it to an assisting official. To cast a vote, they must write their full names in the specified blank space opposite their preferred candidate’s name and place the ballot in the designated box.

No campaign activity, speeches or statements will be allowed during the meeting for voting. Damaged ballots must be shown to the election officer before being placed in the box. Counting will begin immediately after voting ends, with valid, invalid and unused ballots first recorded. The candidate receiving the most valid votes will be declared elected, followed by publication of the result in an Election Commission gazette.

Former education minister Dr Dipu Moni was released on parole from Munshiganj District Jail and sent to Dhaka on Thursday morning, according to jail superintendent Md Jannat-ul Farhad. The parole was granted for 12 hours, with the authorised period set from 6am until 6pm.

Her daughter, Tani Dipabali Nawar, submitted an application to the district administrator seeking her mother’s parole, the jail superintendent said. The application resulted in the temporary release of the former minister. The source did not specify the purpose of the parole request.

Dipu Moni left Munshiganj District Jail for Dhaka at 6:15am under police escort and tight security, following prison procedures, Farhad said. She is scheduled to be returned to the jail after the authorised parole period ends.

Acting Speaker Kaiser Kamal will administer the oath of office to Bangladesh’s newly elected president, according to the Law Ministry’s interpretation of relevant constitutional provisions. Voting for the country’s 23rd presidential election is scheduled for Thursday from 2pm to 5pm at the Jatiya Sangsad, marking the first presidential election by vote in 35 years.

The Cabinet Division sought the Law Ministry’s opinion on who should administer the oath. The ministry said Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed Bir Bikram is serving as acting president under Article 54 of the constitution. Under Article 74(3), the deputy speaker is therefore carrying out the speaker’s duties and is constitutionally the appropriate authority to administer the oath.

BNP nominee Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir will contest the election against Colonel (Retd) Oli Ahmed Bir Bikram, candidate of an 11-party alliance led by Jamaat-e-Islami. Of the 349 lawmakers eligible to vote, 50 hold reserved seats for women; the Chattogram-4 seat is vacant. The oath ceremony is scheduled for 7:30pm Friday at Bangabhaban’s Darbar Hall.

Bangladesh Nizam-e-Islam Party Secretary General Maulana Musa Bin Izhar condemned alleged police attacks, baton charges and gunfire involving madrasa students in Brahmanbaria. In a statement sent to the media on Wednesday, he said the clash began after students protested loud music, and described reports of students being injured as deeply regrettable and concerning.

He said complaints raised by students should be addressed through dialogue and responsible conduct rather than the alleged use of state force. Musa said law-enforcement agencies are responsible for protecting people’s lives, property and security, and that any allegations of excessive force must be subject to accountability. No individual or institution exercising state power is above the law, he added.

The party leader called for a transparent and impartial inquiry to establish how the confrontation began, what force was used against students and whether law-enforcement measures were lawful. He demanded treatment for injured students and legal action if wrongdoing is proven. He also urged the administration to act with greater restraint, responsibility and humanity to protect students’ safety and civic rights.

Opposition leader and Jamaat-e-Islami chief Dr Shafiqur Rahman visited the July Uprising Memory Museum with family members on Wednesday afternoon. The unannounced visit took place around 12:30pm as part of a family programme, according to his assistant personal secretary, Nazrul Islam.

Rahman spent about an hour touring the museum and viewing memories connected to the 2024 movement and the July Revolution. His wife, two daughters, a son-in-law and grandchildren accompanied him during the visit.

Museum authorities welcomed Rahman on arrival and assisted the tour under appropriate protocol for an opposition leader, Nazrul Islam said. No media outlets were invited to cover the informal visit, he added.

Brigadier General Syed Mohammad Motaher Hossain has been removed as inspector general of prisons and returned to the army. His service has been placed under the Armed Forces Division, according to a notification issued by the Ministry of Public Administration on Wednesday. No new official has yet been assigned to the post.

The notification said the army officer was being recalled from his current deputation position and his service placed with the Armed Forces Division. Motaher Hossain was appointed inspector general of prisons on deputation on 11 August, amid the political transition following 5 August 2024.

The Prisons Directorate’s media cell said the transfer back to the army was made under an order of the Ministry of Public Administration. It described the move as a regular process and said there was no scope for confusion over the matter.

Jamaat-e-Islami Dhaka North Amir Mohammad Selim Uddin has called for making a September 5 long march from Dhaka to Chattogram successful. He made the appeal at a conference of Jamaat’s Dhaka North thana amirs on Wednesday evening at the party’s metropolitan north office in Baridhara, Dhaka. The programme was announced by an alliance of 11 parties.

Selim Uddin said the march seeks implementation of the referendum verdict, trials of those responsible for genocide, and a non-discriminatory Bangladesh. Addressing the government, he said it must accept the public mandate. He said Jamaat wants the government to complete its term, but warned that ignoring public opinion and causing public dissatisfaction could prevent it from remaining in power.

He also told BNP leaders that reforms have no alternative for saving the country and said they could face public dissatisfaction without visible action to implement the referendum verdict and ensure swift trials. Organisers formed committees and assigned responsibilities to ensure peaceful, orderly and successful participation in the march, which is set to begin at Shapla Chattar and proceed to Chattogram.

Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, BNP’s former secretary general and presidential candidate, became emotional and cried several times while delivering a farewell address to the party’s parliamentary group on Wednesday. The meeting, chaired by Prime Minister and BNP chairman Tarique Rahman, was held in the government party meeting room at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban and lasted about an hour and a half. Fakhrul asked party lawmakers to pray for him and vote for him in Thursday’s presidential election.

Fakhrul recalled late BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia and party founder and former president Ziaur Rahman, while thanking Tarique Rahman. He apologised for any mistakes or unintended hurt during his years serving as senior joint secretary general, acting secretary general and secretary general. He said he would protect the honour and responsibility given by the party and would not compromise on national independence and sovereignty.

Tarique Rahman called the day historic, urged lawmakers to elect Fakhrul and stressed unity and discipline. He also warned MPs against losing contact with local party members ahead of local government elections, which he said would be held without party symbols.