Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader has vowed to stand up for the people “even at the cost of my life,” pledging to protest injustice and oppose government wrongdoing despite the risks. “The people have no joy on their faces, and those who benefit from the current system will not want elections,” he said.
Quader declared the party would now pursue clear, pro-people politics, resisting any attempt to hand over its electoral symbol, the plough, to another group. He compared the party’s current plight to that of the BNP when it was “the oppressed,” saying, “We too are now oppressed, and we too will win the people’s support.”

Tulip Siddiq, facing a corruption case over alleged plot irregularities filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission, has described her trial in Dhaka as “nothing but a sham” driven by political vengeance. She said the charges have repeatedly changed over the past year, yet Bangladeshi authorities have never contacted her or her legal team, issued a court summons, or responded to formal communications.
“If this were a genuine legal process, the authorities would have engaged with us, responded to our letters, and presented evidence,” she argued. Instead, she said, false allegations have been leaked to the media but never formally shared with her. Tulip also revealed she had sought a meeting with Chief Advisor Dr. Yunus, but received no response.

A coordinated operation in Sylhet has so far recovered approximately 52,000 cubic feet of stolen stone, with recovery efforts ongoing at crusher mills. On Wednesday night, authorities seized around 40,000 cubic feet of stone from 78 trucks, and earlier in the day, another 12,000 cubic feet stockpiled near the Dholai River was dumped into the river.
The recovered stones will be redistributed in the Bholaganj Sada Pathar area. Police have arrested East Islambur Union Chairman Alamgir Alam in connection with the theft. Environmental activists and local traders estimate that over 15 million cubic feet of stone—worth more than Tk 200 crore—has been looted from Sylhet in the past year.

Interim government advisor Asif Mahmud has denied allegations linking him to the Gulshan extortion case. He acknowledged knowing Jane Alam Apu in 2022 while serving in the Student Rights Council but said they had not met since August 5, 2024.
He claimed Apu’s wife had alleged that he was abducted and forced to give a statement at a political leader’s house, likening the practice to past coercive “guest room” interrogations at Dhaka University.
Asif explained that his occasional late-night visits to Gulshan’s Westin Hotel were for dining when his preferred restaurant was closed but could not recall if he had been there on the date mentioned by Apu. “If a helmeted figure in CCTV footage is claimed to be me, how credible is that?” he asked, reiterating that he had no involvement in the incident.

BNP Vice Chairman Shamsuzzaman Dudu has accused those delaying the election process of attempting to restore dictatorship and reintroduce fascism. He stressed that elections must be held on schedule, regardless of ongoing processes such as war crimes trials and the recovery of laundered money.

Religious Affairs Advisor Khalid Hossain has urged that financially motivated but physically unfit or ill individuals should not be sent to Saudi Arabia for Hajj. He said Dhaka would request Saudi authorities to discontinue government catering services and improve toilet facilities in Muzdalifah.
Expressing optimism for an equally smooth Hajj in 2026, he emphasized efforts to eliminate middlemen from the process. The advisor also warned pilgrims not to carry zarda (chewing tobacco) or cigarettes to Saudi Arabia, noting that zarda is classified as a drug there and such items harm the country’s image.

Mahfuza (45), a teacher injured in the Milestone fighter jet crash, died at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery at 12:45 pm on Thursday. Doctors confirmed she had sustained burns to 25% of her body.
This raises the death toll at the burn unit from the incident to 19, while the overall death toll from the crash now stands at 35, according to the Ministry of Health. Over 150 people were injured in the accident, most of them children. Twenty-three remain hospitalized, while 14 have been discharged.

BNP leader Salahuddin Ahmed has called for a thorough investigation into whether any advisor of the interim government is linked to the Gulshan extortion case. “The matter must be clarified before the public,” he said, warning that a lack of investigation would raise further questions about the advisors. He also urged political parties to avoid making misleading statements ahead of the upcoming national election, adding, “Those who attempt to sabotage or boycott the election will be eliminated from national politics.”
The controversy stems from the arrest of former BAGSAS joint convener Jane Alam Apu, whose alleged confessional statement claims a late-night meeting with Advisor Asif Mahmud in front of a Gulshan hotel.

Kazi Anisha, wife of former Bagchas joint convener Zane Alam Apu, has accused BNP leader Ishraq Hossain of coercing her husband into giving a false confession in an extortion case. A video of Apu’s alleged confession—recorded at Ishraq’s residence in Gopibagh—has circulated on social media. Anisha claims the statement was forcibly obtained, edited, and released 14 days later to implicate her husband and weaken the NCP political group. She alleges that Apu was pressured for four days in police remand to name certain individuals.

The Bangladesh Meteorological Department has issued a local cautionary signal No. 3 for Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, Mongla, and Payra sea ports as a low-pressure area persists over the west-central and adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal. Gusty winds are expected to affect coastal areas and maritime ports. Fishing boats and trawlers in the north Bay and deep sea have been advised to remain close to the coast and proceed with caution until further notice.

At least 26 people have died after a migrant vessel capsized near Italy’s Lampedusa Island on Wednesday. Sixty survivors were rescued, but many remain missing as search operations continue. The vessel, carrying 92–97 migrants from Libya toward Europe, was spotted sinking 14 miles from the island. The cause of the accident is still unknown. This tragedy adds to the 675 deaths recorded this year in the Mediterranean among those attempting illegal crossings to Europe.

The Water Development Board in Kurigram reports that as of 6 am Thursday, the Dudhkumar River at Pateshwari Point is flowing 5 cm above the danger level. Heavy rainfall and upstream runoff are causing water levels in the Teesta, Dudhkumar, Dharla, and Brahmaputra rivers to rise, inundating low-lying areas and submerging croplands. Residents fear that entire riverine islands could be underwater within days. Authorities have issued a flood warning and set up control rooms in six flood-prone upazilas to coordinate emergency response.

Eight police personnel, including two sub-inspectors, have been suspended following the mob killing of two men suspected of being members of an ‘unconsciousness-inducing robbery gang’ in Rangpur. The suspended officers are SI Abu Zobayer, SI Shafiqul Islam, and six constables. A three-member investigation committee led by Assistant Superintendent of Police Asifa Afroze Aduri has been formed to determine whether negligence played a role. The committee has been given three working days to submit its findings.

A writ petition has been filed in the High Court seeking an investigation and swift action against those responsible for the looting of white stones in Sylhet. Filed on Thursday by lawyer Mir AKM Nurun Nabi, the petition urges the authorities to take strict measures against the culprits and deploy additional law enforcement at the site. It also calls for an explanation from relevant government officials regarding their inaction in preventing the incident. Meanwhile, during an administrative coordination meeting last night, a five-point plan was adopted to stop further looting and restore the stolen stones.

The Editors’ Council has strongly protested sweeping accusations made against the media at the “National Youth Conference 2025” organized by the NCP’s ‘National Youth Power.’
Conference speakers accused the media of attempting to tarnish the reputation of those involved in the mass uprising and of acting like “mouthpieces of intelligence agencies” reminiscent of Sheikh Hasina’s authoritarian era.
In its statement, the Editors’ Council rejected these claims, stressing that the media played a vital role during the uprising, despite facing repression, harassment, and censorship during the Awami League’s 15-year rule.
It noted that journalists brought to light state violence, human rights abuses, internet blackouts, and other crucial issues, and that most print outlets actively helped shape public opinion in favor of the uprising while working under intense pressure and threats.