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.

Controversy erupted after a polling agent of Islami Chhatra Andolon Bangladesh was reportedly denied entry to a polling center despite holding a valid card.
General Secretary candidate Khairul Ahsan Marzan accused election officials of bias, alleging that while five agents from the Chhatra Dal panel were admitted early at the ULAB center, none from Islami Chhatra Andolon were allowed in.
Marzan warned that attempts to taint the DUCSU election would not be tolerated, adding: “If transparency is not ensured, students will give a united response.”

Abidul Islam Khan, a DUCSU vice president candidate, faced accusations of violating election rules after being spotted at the Jagannath Hall polling center just before 9 a.m.
Khan, however, dismissed the claims, stating: “I entered the polling station with the returning officer’s permission. I want this election to be celebrated, not marred by complaints.”
He urged students not to sit at home but to come forward and exercise their voting rights: “Today marks a historic democratic moment on Dhaka University’s soil.”

The Tetulia BNP unit has strongly protested allegations of extortion made by Sarjis Alam during a views-exchange meeting in Panchagarh.
Party leaders accused Sarjis of spreading “false and fabricated statements” against the unit president and general secretary. His remarks claimed that Tk 1,000 was collected per stone-laden truck in Bhajanpur, amounting to daily extortion in the lakhs, with laborers’ wages partly siphoned off.
BNP leaders rejected the allegations, saying licensed leaseholders legally collect fees of Tk 300–500 per truck, and their leaders are not involved in any such dealings. Local business leaders and the Banglabandha Land Port C&F Association also condemned Sarjis’s remarks, saying BNP leaders were engaged in development work, not extortion.

Sarjis Alam urged students to vote with conscience, reminding them of the stakes involved in the DUCSU elections.
"Today you are not electing an academician but a leader—the future leadership of Bangladesh," he wrote.
Sarjis emphasized that true leadership is about courage, accountability, and the ability to confront power without compromise.
"There’s a vast difference between making promises and turning them into reality. The justice you uphold today with your DUCSU vote is the justice you can expect from tomorrow’s Bangladesh. Let DUCSU win," he declared.

Meghmallar Basu, candidate for General Secretary of the Resistance Council, issued a strong statement against alleged manipulation in the election process.
"If you think I am unworthy, don’t vote for me. But if you deny me your vote based on artificial calculations engineered by state agencies—that’s betrayal," he wrote.
He further alleged that those positioned as “alternatives” to stop Shibir have long-standing ties with the Islamist group.
"Win or lose, I will fight for marginalized people. Whether you empower me in that fight is your choice. If you believe in me, I will return victorious," he added.

Sadiq Kayem, vice-presidential candidate from the Jamaat-e-Islami backed panel, temporarily deactivated his Facebook account after a day-long cyber attack.
Upon reactivating it at night, he declared:
"Tomorrow’s DUCSU election is the largest step toward building a fascism-free Bangladesh on the foundation of our martyrs’ blood. I call upon all students—come to the polling centers and cast your valuable votes for the most deserving candidate. Together, we will build the campus of our dreams."

Anti-government demonstrations in Nepal have taken a new turn as the Rastriya Swatantra Party has called for the resignation of Prime Minister K. P. Sharma Oli and the announcement of early elections.
Party Secretary Kabindra Burlakoti stated:
"These protests prove that the ruling alliance of Nepali Congress and Communist Party of Nepal has completely failed to govern. The judiciary must form a high-level commission to investigate the killings during the protests and the widespread corruption under this government."
He also demanded the arrest and prosecution of the Home Minister and ministry officials over the shooting deaths of student protesters.
So far, at least 20 people have been killed and many more injured in clashes in Baneshwar and other parts of Kathmandu. Nepal’s Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak has already resigned. Now pressure is mounting on Prime Minister Oli to step down as well.

United Nations Resident Representative’s Human Rights Advisor, Huma Khan, paid a courtesy call on Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman. She was accompanied by Barrister Tajrian Akram Khan during the meeting.

Huma Khan inquired about Dr. Rahman’s health condition and wished him a full recovery. She also expressed her gratitude for his address at the UN Human Rights Council’s commemorative event on July 29, which focused on remembrance and accountability.

The discussion covered a wide range of issues, including the current human rights situation in Bangladesh, enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and the demand for justice. When asked about Jamaat’s proposed reform programs, Dr. Rahman provided a detailed briefing.

As a gesture of goodwill, the Jamaat chief presented the UN delegation with the 12-volume English edition of the party’s publication commemorating the “July Martyrs.”

BNP leader Amanullah Aman has said that national elections will be held in February as scheduled, despite conspiracies to derail the process.

“The fascist Awami League government has done nothing meaningful in 17 years—except change names and loot in the name of development. People couldn’t vote or speak freely,” he alleged.

Aman added: “The people know that true development means Ziaur Rahman and Khaleda Zia. Tarique Rahman stands as a shining example of patriotism, and the country is ready to welcome him back soon.”

On the eve of the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) elections, Ridwan Mansur, a student of the Arabic Department (2022–23 session), has stepped down from the race for Central Literary and Cultural Secretary. In a written statement, Ridwan announced:
"I am withdrawing my candidacy for the position of Central Literary and Cultural Secretary and extending my full support to Mosaddeq Ali Ibne Mohammad bhai for this role."

Krishak Sramik Janata League founder and Bir Uttam Kader Siddiqui has warned that if those who brought victory in 2024 fail now, ordinary people may lose the will to resist future dictatorships.

Speaking in Basail, he said: “If my home is destroyed and it brings peace to the country, I accept it. But the government must restore the rule of law. People confuse Sheikh Hasina’s downfall with the fall of independence, the Liberation War, or Bangabandhu—that is not the case.”

He condemned recent restrictions, including Section 144 being imposed even on freedom fighters’ meetings, calling it an attack on democracy. “If an attack on my house is possible, then everyone in this country is vulnerable,” he warned.