Voting for India’s Vice Presidential election is set for September 9. The ruling NDA has nominated former Maharashtra Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan, while the opposition has fielded former Andhra Pradesh judge B. Sudarshan Reddy.

On the eve of the vote, Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM party declared support for Reddy. Owaisi said, “At the request of Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, we are backing the opposition candidate to strengthen the fight against the Centre.”

Reddy already has backing from Congress, DMK, Trinamool Congress, Samajwadi Party, Shiv Sena (Uddhav faction), AAP, and NCP (Sharad Pawar faction). Though parliamentary arithmetic favors the NDA candidate, analysts say the opposition’s campaign is more about sending a political message than securing victory.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has criticized the recent Alaska meeting between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, calling it a fulfillment of Putin’s long-standing wish to meet the former U.S. president.

“Putin doesn’t want to meet me, but he is eager to meet the U.S. president and flaunt the pictures. Excluding Ukraine from the August 15 meeting was deeply disappointing,” Zelensky said.

He praised Washington’s move to impose tariffs on countries continuing trade with Russia, describing it as “the right step” to intensify pressure on Moscow. He also criticized certain European states for still purchasing Russian energy.

Zelensky reiterated he would not visit Russia during wartime but suggested Putin could come to Kyiv—while acknowledging such a scenario was virtually impossible, as Moscow does not recognize his legitimacy.

A legal notice has been served demanding the ban of Jatiya Party’s political activities, accusing the party of perpetuating military rule, engaging in corruption, and undermining democracy.

Supreme Court lawyer Salah Uddin Regan issued the notice Sunday on behalf of NCP activist Hossain Mohammad Anwar, naming the Election Commission and other authorities as respondents.

The notice warns that if no action is taken within three days, a writ petition will be filed with the High Court. It alleges Jatiya Party has repeatedly corrupted Bangladesh’s political process since its inception and turned elections into farces.

The move follows earlier appeals submitted to the Election Commission seeking the party’s disqualification from politics in the interest of protecting the nation’s democratic future.

A case has been filed against seven people, including Lohagara Upazila NCP chief coordinator Md. Zahir Uddin, for allegedly abducting and torturing Jubo Dal leader Mohammad Faruk, and attempting to frame him in a drug case.

According to the complaint, Faruk was returning home with his father after medical treatment on Thursday when Zahir and his associates forced him onto a motorcycle from outside a local hospital. He was taken to a house, brutally assaulted, and coerced into giving a false confession labeling him as a yaba dealer.

Police later rescued Faruk in critical condition following family complaints. He is now undergoing treatment at Lohagara Upazila Health Complex.

Zahir has denied the allegations, while OC Md. Arifur Rahman confirmed an investigation is underway and legal action will follow.

BNP leader Rumeen Farhana has slammed rival parties for insisting on proportional representation (PR), saying they are only doing so because they know they cannot secure even 10 seats in a direct election.

“Such parties are trying to disrupt the election,” she said, “but BNP believes that if the polls are free and fair, no force can stop the wave of victory for the paddy sheaf (BNP’s election symbol).”

Highlighting her party’s struggle, Rumeen added:
“No political party has demanded justice for Awami League’s tyranny more than BNP, because it is BNP that first spoke of reform and accountability. The majority of oppression in this country has been inflicted upon our leaders and activists.”

She stressed that the people of Bangladesh have never abandoned Khaleda Zia, Tarique Rahman, or BNP activists. “A mass wave will rise in the 2026 elections,” she declared.

Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) general secretary candidate Meghmallar Basu has urged students to exercise their voting rights on September 9, stressing that a high voter turnout will prevent anti-liberation elements from securing any position.

Criticizing BNP-Jamaat activists for allegedly intimidating and pressuring voters, he said:
“The way they are seeking votes across districts and police stations is disgraceful. But complaining won’t help — nothing can be expected from the election commissioners. It’s the ordinary students who must take charge. If 35,000 Dhaka University students cast their votes, every equation will collapse.”

Meghmallar further stated:
“You may vote for anyone you wish, but please make sure you come to the polling booths. If you vote, anti-liberation forces won’t win a single post. No matter the result, the resistance council has already won.”

Reflecting on his absence from campaigning due to surgery, he credited his fellow activists for keeping the movement alive and expressed confidence that students would not deprive him of votes.

Sheikh Tanvir Bari Hamim, contesting for the General Secretary post in the upcoming DUCSU polls, accused rival groups of spreading fear about vote manipulation.

“Those who doubt their popularity are the ones alleging vote engineering and scaring students,” he said.

Hamim criticized alleged bias among some advisers toward specific candidates but urged students not to be disheartened:

“Your presence will change the situation. Let’s not ruin the festive spirit of the election.”

Despite a ban on political activities, Awami League activists staged another rally in the Parliament area on Sunday, a day after their previous protest.

Police confirmed the arrest of Sirajul Islam, a former Chhatra League leader from Shibchar, Madaripur, who was carrying a banner during the demonstration.

The rally began under the Bijoy Sarani metro rail station and ended at Khamarbari. Tejgaon Police OC Mobarak Hossain said law enforcement acted swiftly to disperse the gathering.

Earlier on Friday, Awami League supporters had also held a rally in Nabisco area after Friday prayers.

Jamaat leader Masud Saeedi has said every citizen in Bangladesh, regardless of religion or ethnicity, deserves equal rights and full freedom to practice their faith.

He criticized political groups for what he described as a decade-long attempt to mislead people through rhetoric, adding:

“Those who incite communal violence in the name of religion are the real minorities. We want a Bangladesh where Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists, and Christians live in peace, free of divisions.”

Saeedi also decried poor infrastructure and collapsing schools despite five decades of independence, arguing that people are looking to Jamaat for leadership to build a prosperous, just, and peaceful nation.

NCP leader Hasnat Abdullah has vowed to end politics driven by muscle power, saying,

“The days of ‘10 motorbikes, 20 thugs’ deciding leadership are over. True leadership must come from qualities, not hooliganism.”

Speaking to supporters, he stressed that the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) stands firmly for justice and truth.

“If you stand for justice, you are with the NCP. There is no room in our party for injustice.”

He called on people across villages and unions to unite against “evil forces,” warning that local political patronage often turns activists into criminals. A united stand, he said, would strip offenders of courage.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has dismissed fears of election delays, saying,

“Some political parties are trying to postpone the polls. But I believe elections will be held on schedule. We are not anxious.”

His comments came in Thakurgaon, where the city has taken on a festive look ahead of the BNP’s long-awaited district council after eight years. The conference, set for Monday at Thakurgaon District School ground near Fakhrul’s ancestral home, will elect new leadership and revitalize party activities.

Party sources confirmed that there was no contest for the president’s post, with Fakhrul’s younger brother, former mayor Mirza Faisal Amin, being formally chosen as district president.

Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman met with Palestinian Ambassador Yusuf Saleh Y. Ramadan for a courtesy call and exchange of views.

During the meeting, the envoy prayed for the Jamaat leader’s recovery. In response, Dr. Rahman condemned ongoing Israeli aggression, claiming:

“In more than two years of relentless bombardment, nearly 65,000 Palestinians — including women and children — have been martyred, with around 170,000 seriously injured. Entire families, such as 2,700 in Gaza, have been wiped out.”

He urged the UN, OIC, and global peace-loving nations to compel Israel to halt what he described as a plan to seize Gaza and forcibly displace nearly one million Palestinians.

Ambassador Ramadan expressed gratitude, saying he was honored to meet Dr. Rahman and deeply appreciated the solidarity of the Bangladeshi people.

Shabana Mahmood, a British-born politician of Pakistani heritage, has made history by becoming the UK’s first Muslim woman to serve as Home Secretary. Prime Minister Keir Starmer appointed her after a cabinet reshuffle following Deputy PM Angela Rayner’s resignation. Mahmood, previously Justice Secretary, pledged to prioritize citizens’ safety. Born in Birmingham in 1980, she studied law at Oxford and worked as a barrister before entering politics. Elected MP for Birmingham Ladywood in 2024, she has been rising steadily within Labour ranks.

Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian has sent a message of congratulations to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on the occasion of the DPRK’s founding anniversary. Reported by KCNA, the message conveyed warm greetings, expressed hope for stronger Iran–North Korea relations, and wished Kim good health and success. Pezeshkian also extended best wishes for the happiness and prosperity of the North Korean people, underscoring Tehran’s intention to strengthen bilateral ties based on mutual goodwill and cooperation in the future.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) and a Japanese consortium have started final negotiations on operating the newly built third terminal at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. The three-day talks, held with advisors including the IFC, aim to resolve unresolved issues, mainly revenue sharing. Built with JICA funding, the terminal is ready for operation, increasing passenger capacity from 8 million to 24 million. Delays in finalizing an operator may raise costs, but the government is prepared to consider alternative international operators.