While paying tribute to the valiant soldiers of 1971 at the National Martyrs’ Memorial in Savar on Wednesday, Adviser Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan stated that while 1971 gave birth to the nation, over the years, the true essence of independence had been eroded. He asserted that the 2024 uprising was necessary to safeguard the freedom achieved in 1971. Earlier, President Md. Shahabuddin and Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus had also paid their respects at the memorial at sunrise on the 55th Independence Day.

On the occasion of the Great Independence and National Day, President Md. Shahabuddin and Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus paid deep respects to the heroic martyrs by laying wreaths at the National Martyrs’ Memorial in Savar. The President placed his wreath at 5:55 AM, followed by the Chief Adviser at 6:11 AM. The Chief Adviser also signed the visitors' book at the memorial premises. Following this, members of the Advisory Council, families of the Bir Sreshtho awardees, war-wounded freedom fighters, and valiant freedom fighters paid their respects. Later, foreign diplomats, various political and social organizations, and people from all walks of life laid wreaths at the memorial in honor of the martyrs.

The annual Mangal Shobhajatra on Pohela Boishakh (Bengali New Year) will include a 20-foot sculpture of Abu Sayeed, a martyr of the July mass uprising. This year’s theme is “Unity in the New Year, End of Fascism.” The parade will feature representations from various ethnic communities, along with traditional masks of kings, queens, tigers, owls, birds, and flowers. Despite discussions about renaming the Mangal Shobhajatra, no final decision has been made yet.

Abdur Rob, the Hatia Upazila Krishak Dal convener, has been critically injured in an attack allegedly carried out by Awami League-affiliated assailants. He has been rushed to Dhaka for advanced medical care. BNP leaders blamed Awami League activists for the attack, which took place during an Iftar event. Local BNP Vice President Masudur Rahman Babor claimed that the attackers were followers of Sonadia Union Awami League leader Eraz Uddin, who was recently released from prison and allegedly held Abdur Rob responsible for his incarceration.

On Tuesday, Israeli shelling killed four people in Syria. Israel had earlier claimed that its troops were fired upon from Syrian territory, triggering a retaliatory strike. The Israeli military has made it clear that it will not tolerate the presence of Islamist militant groups in southern Syria and has deployed additional forces to the region. Despite EU warnings against escalating conflict, Israeli attacks continue. EU Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas criticized the strikes, stating, “These actions risk further conflict. Syria is not attacking Israel at this moment, making such moves unnecessary.”

Israel is forcibly evacuating nearly 100,000 Palestinians from border areas in Gaza. The Israeli military has issued a final warning for residents of Jabalia, stating that failure to vacate the area will result in military strikes. Military spokesperson Avichay Adraee announced on X (formerly Twitter), “This is the final warning before an attack on Jabalia. Move to designated shelters in the south.” Previously, similar warnings were issued for Beit Lahia and Beit Hanoun.

On Tuesday, Russia expressed interest in signing a new agreement to ensure the security of maritime traffic in the Black Sea. However, it stipulated that the US must instruct Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to comply. According to a White House statement, following technical-level discussions in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the US and Russia have agreed to ensure safe navigation in the Black Sea. The deal includes: • Restoring Russia’s agricultural and fertilizer exports • Reducing maritime insurance costs • Easing access to ports and financial transactions As part of the agreement, Russia and Ukraine will be prohibited from attacking each other’s energy facilities.

BNP leader Goyeshwar Chandra Roy has stated that any delay in elections will put the interim government in deeper trouble. He emphasized that the government cannot survive long if it goes against the people’s will and urged immediate elections instead of wasting time under the pretense of reform. Roy also criticized NCP leaders, saying, “We supported their movement, yet their recent remarks about BNP are unacceptable. They have even spoken against the army, which raises questions about the government’s involvement in backing them.”

BNP leader Hummam Kader Chowdhury has warned that the party cannot win elections unless internal factionalism ends. Referring to his father’s imprisonment, he said, “After my father was jailed, factionalism emerged in Rangunia politics. If this continues, BNP will never win elections.” He further warned that strict action would be taken against anyone within the party who speaks against BNP leaders. Reflecting on the past 16 years, he stated, “We were not absent. We were in the courts, in prisons, reading funeral prayers for our brothers. We fought in the streets, and we will continue to do so.”

BNP’s Publicity Secretary Sultan Salahuddin Tuku has urged the interim government to conduct elections at the earliest, stating that the sooner elections are held, the sooner the country can be reformed. He criticized the 2024 elections, calling it a “dog-marked” election where polling centers remained empty except for stray dogs. Tuku claimed that under Tarique Rahman’s leadership, the student movement forced the fascist government to flee the country. He accused the Awami League of fostering terrorism and extortion and urged for a quick transition of power back to the people.

NCP leader Nasiruddin Patwari has declared that the next national election will follow a new style, ensuring that there will be no room for extortionists, tender manipulators, autocrats, money launderers, or mafias. He warned, “If any group attempts to bring back the Awami League, we will launch an unstoppable movement.” He further added, “I want to make it clear once again—there is no place for the Awami League in Bangladesh anymore. It has left with Hasina for good.”

BNP’s Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman has inquired about Imran, a Dhaka College student who was shot and injured during the mass uprising. Imran has been receiving treatment at Pangu Hospital for over eight months. Tarique Rahman spoke to Imran over the phone through Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal’s Central General Secretary, Nasir Uddin Nasir. He inquired about Imran’s health, his family’s well-being, and details of the incident. Expressing solidarity, Rahman assured Imran of full support, stating that his medical treatment, which may take two years to complete, will be fully backed by the BNP family.

On Monday, an individual named Ujjal Roy submitted an application to the Election Commission seeking registration for a new political party named ‘Awami Lig.’ He proposed either a boat or a hilsa fish as the party’s electoral symbol. The application lists Bangabandhu Avenue as the party’s headquarters. According to the submission, the party was officially formed on March 24, and its committee will be valid until April 30. Ujjal Roy stated his intention to contest the elections from the Dinajpur-5 constituency, which includes Fulbari and Parbatipur. He added, “I previously wanted to meet Sheikh Hasina to discuss the issues in my constituency. If she had met me, many problems could have been resolved. But now, she is no longer in power, so I have submitted my application.”

The Bangladesh Citizens’ Party (BCP) has lodged a formal objection with the Election Commission regarding the abbreviation of the newly formed National Citizens’ Party (NCP). In a written statement, BCP argued that the correct abbreviation should be “JNP” instead of “NCP.” They emphasized that regardless of the language in which a proper noun is written, its fundamental identity should not change. BCP’s General Secretary stated that the new party will play a significant role in establishing democracy in Bangladesh. He noted that these young leaders have already contributed to the downfall of the authoritarian Awami League government. Given this context, inconsistencies in a party’s name would be regrettable. BCP has urged the Election Commission to carefully scrutinize such matters during the party registration process.

Following the posthumous Independence Award for Abrar Fahad, his brother Faiyaz expressed gratitude but stated, "True recognition of Abrar’s sacrifice will only come when future governments no longer need to compromise with Delhi to stay in power."