On Friday evening, the National Party’s Kakrail office experienced another round of vandalism and arson. Both the ground and first floors were set ablaze, and furniture in multiple rooms was destroyed. Fire services later controlled the fire.

Party leaders blamed the incident on leaders and activists of the Ganadhikar Parishad, reportedly in retaliation for an attack on Nurul Haque Nur. They criticized the government for failing to provide adequate security for political offices.

Apu Biswas, once active in election campaigns for the Awami League, was recently seen at a BNP stage supporting the party. The actress attended the anniversary event of the BNP in Khoksa, Kushtia, at the invitation of former Khoksa Municipal BNP organizational secretary Ripon Hossain.

Actor Nirab Hossain also joined the program. On stage, Apu Biswas expressed her appreciation: “I am from Bogura. I have visited Rajbari before, but never Khoksa. I thank my dear elder brother Ripon Bhai for bringing me here. Ripon Bhai is committed to serving you, and I hope you will give him the opportunity. I believe there is no greater person than someone who values your trust. I hope your support helps him achieve his goals, and that you continue to support Bengali cinema as well.”

It is worth noting that during the Awami League government, Apu Biswas had sought nomination for a reserved seat.

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that Western troops deployed in Ukraine, even after a peace agreement, would be targeted by Moscow. Speaking at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, he criticized Western plans for an international force to guarantee Ukraine’s postwar security. French President Emmanuel Macron had earlier said 26 countries pledged such commitments. Putin insisted that NATO expansion attempts sparked the war and argued that troop deployment after peace talks would undermine any agreement.

Thailand’s parliament has elected Bhumjaithai Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul as the country’s new prime minister, succeeding ousted Paetongtarn Shinawatra. Backed by the liberal People’s Party, Anutin defeated Pheu Thai’s Chaikasem Nitisiri with over 247 votes, securing a parliamentary majority. He pledged to call general elections within four months, a move that helped win smaller parties’ support. Paetongtarn, Thailand’s youngest-ever premier, was dismissed last month after a court ruled she prioritized personal interests in a leaked call with Hun Sen.

An elderly woman in West Khujihura village of Durgapur, Netrokona, has been handed the keys to a newly built semi-pucca house, gifted on behalf of BNP leader Tarique Rahman.

The house was constructed under the direction of Barrister Kaiser Kamal after Rahman learned of Sukuri Begum’s plight of living without shelter. The project was completed and formally handed over by local BNP leaders.

The CID has filed a money laundering case against former Land Minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury, alleging that he laundered Tk 1,200 crore to the UAE, purchasing 226 flats in Dubai.

Investigators revealed the flats are worth over 335 million dirhams, alongside two properties under his wife Rukmila Zaman’s name worth 2.25 million dirhams. Authorities also traced four bank accounts linked to the couple, with transactions totaling over Tk 311 crore.

According to CID, the funds were funneled through various business ventures, in violation of Bangladesh’s Money Laundering Prevention Act, 2012 (Amendment 2015).

As Syria tries to return to normalcy after 14 years of civil war, the country is facing the worst drought in decades, severely affecting its agricultural sector and threatening food security. Rivers and lakes have dried up, crops have failed, and water supply is disrupted in major cities. Wheat production this season is less than half of the usual yield. Farmers, already economically weakened by the war, are struggling to survive. The government may need to import more wheat to feed 23 million people.

The UK government is set to ban the sale of energy drinks to anyone under 16, covering purchases in shops, restaurants, cafés, vending machines, and online. About one-third of British children currently consume these beverages, though most supermarkets have already restricted sales. Health and Social Care Minister Wes Streeting said parents, teachers, and children had urged the government to act, prompting this legislation aimed at protecting young people from potential health risks linked to energy drinks.

Nine export-oriented industrial organizations, led by the Bangladesh Employers’ Federation (BEF), have raised concerns over a proposed labor law amendment allowing unions with just 20 workers. They argue the measure ignores industrial realities, risks workplace stability, and could undermine investor confidence. The organizations warn that it may empower external interest groups and create disorder in factories, ultimately harming both workers and employers. They urge the government and international partners to ensure reforms are realistic, balanced, and consultative.

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi, presenting four major demands: a separate All India Service cadre for the state, inclusion of Khasi and Garo languages in the Constitution’s Eighth Schedule, implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP), and naming a Delhi road after late leader P.A. Sangma. Analysts view the meeting as reflecting both Meghalaya’s cultural-political aspirations and the BJP’s strategic vigilance in the Northeast. Sangma expressed optimism about quick central action.

A BJP leader has lodged a complaint with the Cyber Crime Police against Anirban Bhattacharya and members of his Bengali rock band Hooliganism, accusing them of hurting religious sentiments through a recent satirical song.

The nine-minute political satire, which went viral on social media, pokes fun at voter list revisions ahead of elections, temple–mosque disputes, TMC leader Kunal Ghosh’s temper, and BJP figures Rudranil Ghosh and Dilip Ghosh. BJP leader Tarunjoyti claimed the band sought publicity by offending people’s faith, warning that legal action would follow in court if the police fail to act.

Interestingly, TMC’s Kunal Ghosh praised the song, while BJP leaders faced online mockery for their lawsuit announcement.

Jamaat-e-Islami Amir Dr. Shafiqur Rahman criticized the tendency of politicians to seek medical treatment abroad, saying it erodes public trust in Bangladesh’s healthcare system. Speaking at a free medical camp at Manipur School and College ground, he stressed that ordinary citizens, who cannot afford treatment overseas, rely on domestic healthcare.

“Where ordinary people cannot go abroad for treatment, how can I?” he said, emphasizing his confidence in Bangladesh’s medical facilities. Dr. Rahman urged politicians to receive care domestically to strengthen public faith in national healthcare and called on citizens to make informed decisions for a fearless, humane, independent, and sovereign nation.

BNP leader Zainul Abedin Faruk has warned that anyone attempting to sabotage the elections through collusion with the ruling Awami League will be firmly resisted. Faruk stated that conspiracies are still underway, alleging that there are ongoing attempts, allegedly instigated from Delhi, to derail the electoral process through various schemes.

Addressing Jamaat-e-Islami, he urged the party to seek forgiveness from the public for past mistakes and to abandon demands such as proportional representation, nationwide referendums, or boycotting the elections.

Faruk expressed confidence that if citizens are allowed to vote freely, the BNP would secure a decisive victory.

U.S. President Donald Trump has reduced tariffs on Japanese car imports from 27.5 percent to 15 percent, cutting them by nearly half. The deal, reached after months of negotiation, also includes Japan committing $550 billion in U.S. investments and gradually opening its markets to American products, including cars and rice. The 15 percent tariff will apply to almost all Japanese imports, including vehicles and pharmaceuticals, easing uncertainty for major automakers like Toyota, Honda, and Nissan.

NCP Member-Secretary Akhtar Hossain has paid tribute to student activist Qader, recalling his fearless role in campus politics.

In a statement, he wrote: “During the 2022 commemoration of Abrar Fahad, Chhatra League attacked us. Even as I was injured and taken to Dhaka Medical, Qader gave me courage. He dreamed of ending oppression and overthrowing Hasina’s rule.”

Akhtar noted that while many students chose silence for safety, Qader consistently stood up against threats:
"Last year, when eight demands were introduced to weaken the movement, Qader boldly declared nine demands, which paved the way for the one-point movement. After the victory of August 5, he embraced the entire campus."

He added that Qader once considered running for VP in 2019 and is now contesting in the upcoming 2025 DUSU election:
"May Allah bless him—my prayers are with Qader."