Authorities have formally requested army deployment to ensure security during the 2025 Jaksu (Jagannath University Central Students’ Union) and Hall Union elections.

Election Commission Member-Secretary and University Proctor AKM Rashidul Alam said, “We want to ensure absolute security during the election. A request has already been sent to the Army Chief for deployment on the day before, during, and after the polls.”

To maintain a fair electoral environment, the university has banned all events, rallies, programs, and gatherings of more than 25 people until the elections are completed.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov emphasized that any Russia–Ukraine meeting must be thoroughly prepared and aim for sustainable solutions, rather than being held merely for publicity. He stated that Russia is ready for bilateral and trilateral discussions. On Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and later discussed a potential meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Zelensky called the Washington meeting “an important step toward ending the war” and advancing Ukraine’s security guarantees, though the exact terms remain unclear.

Malaysia has announced that applications for foreign workers will be accepted in 13 sub-sectors, including agriculture, plantations, mining, and selected service industries, until December 31, 2025. Recruitment in construction will be limited to government projects, while manufacturing will prioritize new MIDA-approved investments. Only official sector-specific agencies can apply, with approvals managed by the Foreign Workers Technical Committee and a Joint Committee. The current foreign worker quota stands at 2,467,756, after which recruitment will be capped at 10% of the total workforce.

Brigadier General (Retd.) Dr. M. Sakhawat Hossain, Adviser on Shipping, Labour, and Employment, met with Liu Weimin, Chairman of China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), to review progress on the Payra Port First Terminal and associated facilities project. Funded by the Government of Bangladesh with CCECC’s support, discussions included increasing Chinese investment in shipbuilding, agriculture, transport, and port infrastructure. The meeting also focused on finalizing a G-to-G loan agreement for the project and accelerating the expansion of Mongla Port.

A three-member delegation from the US-based International Republican Institute (IRI) met with leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami at their central office on Tuesday evening.

The delegation included Stephen Sima, Asia-Pacific Regional Director; Deputy Director Matthew Carter; and Senior Program Manager Amitabh Ghosh. Jamaat was represented by Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher.

The discussion focused on Bangladesh’s current political situation, post-uprising developments, judicial processes, state reforms, and progress toward free, fair, and inclusive elections.

Bangladesh is set to receive three LNG cargoes from the UK’s TotalEnergies Gas & Power for October, with unit prices ranging from $11.34 to $11.54. Finance Advisor Salehuddin Ahmad emphasized stable supply and low prices despite pressure to raise gas rates. In the same advisory meeting, the government approved procurement of fertilizers, including MOP from Canada and Russia, TSP and DAP from Morocco, and authorized textbook printing, ensuring steady essential supplies for the upcoming months.

BNP leader Sultan Salahuddin Tuku has criticized young students in first and second years of higher education for getting involved in administrative lobbying alongside secretaries and directors.

“The impact of this involvement will be felt in society after some time. Gradually, society is being corrupted. Many, posing as student representatives, have become entangled in corruption similar to past authoritarian governments,” Tuku said. He added that evidence of embezzlement—ranging from BDT 150 crore to 250 crore—by personal secretaries of officials has already been exposed to the public.

“If state structures are undermined at this early stage, the country’s future governance will suffer. Young people should focus on responsibilities appropriate for their age,” he emphasized.

Gono Odhikar Parishad leader Rashed Khan has alleged that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the Chhatra League retaliated with repeated attacks after Daksu student leaders rejected a proposal to grant Hasina lifetime membership of the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (Daksu).

Writing on social media, Rashed stated that before former Daksu VP Nurul Haque Nur and ex-Social Welfare Secretary Akhtar Hossain joined the meeting, leaders of the Student Rights Council had already decided against Hasina’s lifetime membership. Nur and Akhtar later echoed the same stance. “Hasina and the Chhatra League could not tolerate this ‘insult’ and took revenge through continuous attacks,” Rashed claimed.

He added that although the 2019 Daksu election was dominated by the Chhatra League panel, the Student Rights Council won 11 posts, including VP and GS. “That election sowed the seeds of Hasina’s downfall. Our formal student politics began from there,” he said, pointing to the 2018 quota reform movement and subsequent Daksu election as pivotal moments that shaped the generation’s leadership.

French President Emmanuel Macron has warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin does not yet seem willing to end the war in Ukraine. Macron emphasized that any peace agreement must include strong security guarantees for Kyiv. He also stressed that if negotiations fail, the U.S. and allies should increase pressure on Moscow with stricter sanctions. Macron underlined that Ukraine’s territorial decisions are solely for its people and leadership, and that the conflict’s impact extends beyond Ukraine, affecting Europe’s security and global credibility.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un announced plans to expand his country’s nuclear weapons stockpile while inspecting a naval destroyer. He accused the U.S. and South Korea of including nuclear elements in joint military drills, which Pyongyang views as invasion rehearsals. Seoul and Washington insist the exercises are defensive. South Korea’s defense ministry said live-fire drills will continue despite border tensions. Experts warn of possible North Korean retaliation, while President Lee Jae-myung urged peace and de-escalation on the peninsula.

French President Emmanuel Macron has urged tougher sanctions on Russia if Vladimir Putin refuses a peace deal in Ukraine. Speaking after talks with U.S. President Donald Trump and European leaders at the White House, Macron stressed the need for a strong Ukrainian military capable of resisting aggression. He dismissed reports that Ukraine was pressured to cede territory. Macron also expressed hope that Russia and Ukraine would resume dialogue soon, with a potential trilateral summit involving Trump, Putin, and Zelenskyy within weeks.

A European Union (EU) delegation met with Chief Election Commissioner A M M Nasir Uddin in Dhaka on Tuesday to discuss preparations for the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election. The six-member team, led by EU Ambassador Charles Whiteley, exchanged views on the Election Commission’s plans, political climate, and measures to ensure transparency, security, and inclusivity. They also discussed an EU-funded project. Officials said the EU is holding a series of meetings, and a pre-election observer mission is expected in mid-September.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said the White House meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump, Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky, and European leaders was “very successful,” focusing on security guarantees for Kyiv but not ground troop deployment. Trump revealed he is working to arrange a meeting between Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin after speaking with Putin by phone during the talks. Leaders from the EU, UK, France, Italy, Germany, and Finland joined the discussions aimed at ending the nearly four-year war.

BNP leader Hafiz Uddin Ahmed accused the ruling government of promoting parties with no sacrifices for the nation, including the newly formed NCP, which is still unregistered yet opposing elections.

He said such groups, along with Jamaat, are trying to derail democracy and impose a backward fundamentalist state system.

Hafiz warned that attempts to create confusion around the PR system were aimed at weakening BNP’s role in reforms:

“Only elected representatives in parliament have the authority to amend the constitution—no one else.”

He added that many fear elections in February because BNP would likely return to power.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir rejected the idea of conducting national elections under the proportional representation (PR) system, saying:

“The people of Bangladesh are not accustomed to PR. Such elections will not fully ensure their rights.”

Speaking at the airport on his return from medical treatment in Bangkok, Fakhrul said the nation demands elections, the only solution to its political and economic crises.

He also hoped the upcoming DUCSU elections would be conducted inclusively and fairly.