Shamim Ahmed, 40, a firefighter critically injured in the Tongi chemical warehouse explosion, has died from his burns.

He was among four fire service personnel severely injured while battling the blaze at Sahara Market in Gazipur’s Tongi BSCIC industrial area on Monday. Doctors earlier reported that two had suffered 100% burns, one 42%, and another 5%.

Shamim succumbed to his injuries on Tuesday, leaving three colleagues still fighting for their lives.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul has condemned the attack on NCP Member Secretary Akhtar Hossain and others at New York airport, blaming the ruling Awami League.

“What happened proves again that Awami League feels no remorse for its injustices,” Fakhrul said in a statement. He vowed that all past wrongs committed by the party will be brought to justice through law, urging BNP supporters to remain patient “for the sake of the party and the nation.”

NCP leader Sarjis has demanded that the Election Commission grant the party its requested lotus symbol, warning of consequences otherwise.

“The EC Secretary admitted there is no legal barrier, only that the lotus is not on their symbol list. But NCP clearly applied for it during registration. Whose responsibility was it to update the list?” Sarjis questioned.

He accused the EC of acting under external influence and warned, “Since there is no legal obstacle, NCP must get the lotus symbol—there is no other option. If denied, we too will see how elections are held and who dreams of coming to power to enjoy its fruits.”

Jamaat-e-Islami leader Mia Golam Porwar has strongly rejected BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul’s claim that Jamaat pressured BNP over proportional representation after being denied 30 seats.

Calling the remarks “false and vindictive,” Porwar challenged Fakhrul to present evidence. “If Jamaat indeed demanded seats, let him show proof to the nation,” he said, adding that Jamaat functions under its own leadership and has “no involvement with seat-bargaining politics.”

Porwar demanded that Fakhrul either prove his claim or apologize to the public for tarnishing Jamaat’s image. He urged BNP leaders to refrain from making “baseless and misleading statements” in the future.

Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam has described the egg attack on NCP Member Secretary Akhtar Hossain in New York as “unfortunate,” adding that Bangladesh’s Consulate and Foreign Ministry will look into the matter.

He highlighted Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus’s engagements in New York, including his speech at an IMF meeting on social business and receiving the prestigious SDG Award. Yunus also held discussions with U.S. officials, including Ambassador to India and Special Envoy for South and Central Asia Sergio Gore, where topics ranged from reviving SAARC, strengthening ties with Nepal and Bhutan, ASEAN membership, and expanding U.S.-Bangladesh trade relations.

Alam noted that Gore, a close associate of President Trump, will directly convey these issues to him.

BNP leader Dr. AZM Zahid Hossain has firmly rejected the idea of imposing constitutional or presidential mechanisms that bypass direct voting. “The people of Bangladesh are accustomed to voting directly under the constitution. They have never practiced proportional representation voting, not in 54 years of Bangladesh, not in 24 years of Pakistan, nor during British rule,” he said.

He warned, “If such a system is imposed through constitutional orders or presidential decrees, the people will not accept it. BNP will never agree to it.”

Zahid reaffirmed that the interim government must ensure elections are held strictly in line with the constitution, the supreme law of the land.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has revealed that Jamaat-e-Islami demanded 30 parliamentary seats from BNP, but the party showed little enthusiasm for the proposal. Speaking to India’s Ei Samay, Fakhrul said, “We proposed a much smaller number, which Jamaat did not accept. In reality, Jamaat is not as powerful as it is often portrayed. We have given them undue importance in the past.”

Fakhrul stressed that Jamaat is preparing for elections independently, already announcing candidates in various constituencies. He noted that people across the country are strongly demanding elections. “The army wants it, Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus wants it, and the polls will be held in February without doubt,” he said.

On the role of student protests, Fakhrul remarked, “It was the students who ignited the flame against Sheikh Hasina. But now NCP has nothing left. They never demanded seats from us—only Jamaat did. The NCP’s sole agenda now is to prevent BNP from forming a government.”

Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) has strongly condemned the attack on Nobel laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus’ delegation in New York, allegedly carried out by banned “Awami terrorists” linked to the July massacre.

In a statement, Daksu said the assault on former Social Welfare Secretary and prominent anti-fascist activist Akhtar Hossain was not only a blatant attack on democratic values and human rights but also a warning sign for anti-fascist forces.

The organization criticized the government’s failure to deliver justice for past atrocities, warning that such incidents tarnish Bangladesh’s global image and create unrest in the expatriate community. DUCSU demanded immediate punishment for the perpetrators and urged both the Bangladesh government and U.S. authorities to take effective measures to prevent future attacks.

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has said that the party has not given the green signal or nomination to any candidate for the upcoming national elections.

He explained that nominations will be given strictly according to the party’s constitution. BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman has urged aspirants to be “people-friendly,” stressing that those who have been active in party and public service will be prioritized. Rizvi further accused the government of fostering conspiracies as elections approach, alleging attempts to exploit “fallen fascism” for political gain.

A section of teachers, officials, and staff at Rajshahi University continued their third consecutive day of complete shutdown, demanding punishment for students who assaulted a teacher and reinstatement of the ‘offspring quota.’

All classes, exams, and administrative activities remain suspended. Protesters have demanded the expulsion of the involved students and legal action against them. They also called for restoring quota privileges for staff children.

Meanwhile, Jamaat-affiliated teachers withdrew from the shutdown yesterday. Amid the unrest and mounting pressure from different groups, the university election commission has decided to postpone the long-awaited RUCSU polls.

Election Commission Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed has clarified that NCP will not be allowed to use the ‘Shapla’ (water lily) as its electoral symbol, as it is not included in the EC’s official list of 115 approved symbols.

He urged the party to propose an alternative symbol from the existing list. Meanwhile, NCP remains adamant, having twice requested the Shapla symbol in its registration applications. The EC will begin dialogues with political parties participating in the national polls from September 28, with schedules adjusted around Puja holidays.

Religious Affairs Adviser A.F.M. Khalid Hossain has assured that the government is taking all possible steps to ensure peaceful celebrations during the upcoming Durga Puja. During a visit to Golpahar Kalibari temple in Chattogram on Tuesday, he said, “Every year, isolated incidents occur during Puja. We must all remain vigilant to prevent any untoward events.”

He also announced that the government has allocated Tk 5 crore in grants to temples and Puja celebration committees across the country.

Police in New York have arrested Mizan Chowdhury, the man accused of attacking NCP Member Secretary Akhtar Hossain. He is scheduled to be produced before a court on Wednesday.

Mizan, identified as an Awami League activist from Jakiganj, Sylhet, allegedly threw eggs and hurled abuses at Hossain upon his arrival at the airport with the Chief Adviser’s delegation for the 80th UN General Assembly. The incident has sparked outrage within NCP and beyond.

The government has approved the purchase of 40,000 body cameras for use in the upcoming national election, confirmed Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed. The procurement, estimated at Tk 400 crore, was cleared by the relevant purchase committee.

The adviser said the Election Commission will allocate the budget, and the cameras will be procured through UNDP to ensure transparency. Notably, the final voter list will be published on November 18, including all citizens who turned 18 by October 31.

The Nationalist Citizen Party (NCP) has announced a protest rally in Dhaka over the attack on its Member Secretary Akhtar Hossain and other politicians in New York. The rally will take place at 4 p.m. in front of the National Museum at Shahbagh, organized by NCP’s Dhaka South and North units.

The party said the demonstration is aimed at protesting the “attack by Awami terrorists,” criticizing the interim government for failing to ensure security, and demanding justice for the ruling Awami League. NCP has also instructed all its district and upazila branches to organize similar protest marches nationwide.