A new student organization is set to be announced today (Wednesday) at 3 PM at Dhaka University’s Madhur Canteen, in response to the July uprising. Abu Bakr Majumder, one of the key student leaders of the movement, confirmed this in a press statement. He stated that a press conference has been arranged to formally declare the organization and share further details. He also emphasized that this new political student organization is specifically for those who were previously unaffiliated with any political party but actively participated in the July student movement. The goal is to allow them to play a constructive role in solving student issues through this platform.

Tasnuva Maha, the wife of Major Tanvir Haidar Noor, who was killed in the Pilkhana massacre, has strongly criticized the recent remarks by the Army Chief, calling them deeply insulting. “The soldiers of Pilkhana could never have carried out such an attack,” she stated on Tuesday. She further revealed, “Hindi-speaking individuals entered my room. In the three and a half years I lived in Pilkhana with my husband, I never heard any BDR member speak Hindi. But on February 25, I distinctly heard three people speaking in Hindi. My husband had called me and mentioned ‘NSG’ and ‘Indian.’ Doesn’t this prove who was behind the attack?” Tasnuva also alleged that ISPR had obstructed the broadcast of her speech, her son was unfairly disqualified from ISSB, and she feels unsafe. She expressed concerns about the ongoing investigation, citing lack of cooperation and transparency.

ATM Azharul Islam, Assistant Secretary General of Jamaat-e-Islami, has been granted permission to appeal his death sentence in a war crimes case. The Supreme Court’s five-member appellate bench, led by the Chief Justice, has scheduled the next hearing for April 22. Earlier, the court had set February 23 for an initial appeal hearing and Tuesday for a review of the verdict. Since the fall of the Hasina government, Jamaat-e-Islami has actively demanded his release through rallies and demonstrations.

Farmers are struggling to recover their production costs as market prices remain low. The situation worsened after cold storage rental fees surged to BDT 250-300 per sack. The influence of syndicates and middlemen has further distressed farmers. The agriculture ministry stated that future subsidies will be region-specific, prioritizing crops that thrive in particular areas. Plans for mobile cold storage units are also in discussion. Officials revealed that last year’s potato cultivation increased fourfold, along with onion farming, leading to a cold storage crisis and financial losses. Farmers who sold potatoes at BDT 70-80 per kg in July-September were forced to sell them at BDT 12 per kg by January.

On Tuesday, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited the Guantanamo Bay Naval Station in Cuba. During his visit, Hegseth emphasized that protecting American sovereign territory remains a top priority for the Pentagon. He stated, “The department has taken swift action to implement President Trump’s executive order on border security.” As part of his trip, Hegseth met with officials directly involved in arresting and deporting dangerous illegal immigrants. His visit follows Trump’s recent directive to construct a detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, designed to house at least 30,000 of the “most dangerous” illegal immigrant criminals deemed a threat to the U.S.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is set to visit Washington on Friday to finalize a major mineral resources deal with the United States, according to former U.S. President Donald Trump. A Voice of America report states that both countries have reached an agreement on the deal, which could potentially improve relations between Trump and Zelensky. Kyiv has confirmed that revenue from Ukraine’s mineral resource management will be directed into a newly established fund, with both nations sharing the proceeds. Previously, Trump had demanded over $5 trillion in mineral resources and $60 billion in U.S. military aid, a proposal that Zelensky had firmly rejected.

After multiple postponements, the South Asian Games (SA Games) are finally set to take place in Pakistan after five years. According to a decision made in a meeting of the South Asian Games Federation in Lahore on Tuesday, the event will be held from January 23 to 31 next year. Bangladesh Olympic Association’s Deputy Secretary General, Ashikur Rahman, and Executive Member, Sirajuddin Alamgir, attended the meeting. The games will be hosted across three cities—Lahore, Islamabad, and Faisalabad. A wide range of sports, including football, hockey, athletics, swimming, volleyball, basketball, handball, cricket, and archery, have been approved for the competition.

Fact-checking organization DismissalLab has reported that Donald Trump provided incorrect information regarding the $29.9 million U.S. aid package aimed at strengthening Bangladesh’s political environment. Contrary to Trump’s claim that the funds went to two individuals, the aid was implemented through Democracy International, a U.S.-registered organization managing 218 projects worldwide, including 12 in Bangladesh. Under these programs, 536 young leaders from the Awami League, BNP, and Jatiya Party received training, while The Hunger Project trained 5,410 political activists in tolerance and inclusive political engagement. Additionally, $2 million was allocated to a separate U.S. agency, which collaborated with Dhaka University’s research team on peaceful political activities across Bangladesh.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has proposed replacing the EB-5 visa program with a new “Gold Card” that would grant eventual U.S. citizenship to foreign investors willing to pay $5 million. Trump argues that instead of gaining citizenship by creating jobs through the EB-5 visa program, wealthy individuals should be able to directly purchase the right to live in the U.S. The EB-5 program, which was introduced by Congress in 1990, allows investors to obtain a U.S. Green Card by making job-creating investments.

The new political party emerging from the February 28 mass uprising is set to launch soon, but key figures from the National Citizens’ Committee—Joint Convener Ali Ahsan Zunaid and Joint Member Secretary Rafe Salman Rifat—will not be part of it. They announced their withdrawal via Facebook on Tuesday. Currently, both are visiting China under an invitation from the Chinese Communist Party, led by BNP’s Moin Khan, which has caused friction within the committee. Though they informed party leaders of their decision a week ago, they chose not to make it public earlier for the sake of broader unity. They wished the new party success, urging it to move forward free from political taboos.

The Palestinian resistance group Hamas announced on Tuesday that it has reached an agreement with Israel regarding the release of four Israeli hostages and over 600 Palestinian prisoners. According to the statement, Palestinian prisoners will be released in exchange for the bodies of deceased Israeli hostages. The deal also includes the release of a number of Palestinian women and children. Israel has requested that the bodies of the hostages be transferred via the Red Cross through Egypt. In the previous exchange agreement, Hamas released Israeli hostages, but Israel failed to release the promised 600 Palestinian prisoners.

Ambassador Mushfiqur Fazal Ansari has described Nahid’s resignation as a “historic moment” not just for political transformation but for achieving peace, stability, and unity. In a Facebook post, he praised Nahid Islam’s decision, stating, “Like the oppressed people of Bangladesh, I also hope for a future where pluralism, democracy, and the rule of law prevail.” He also criticized Sheikh Hasina’s leadership and welcomed the emergence of a new political party, urging it to prioritize public interest.

The Anti-Discrimination Student Movement has formed two new committees to enhance its organizational activities. The newly established units are the “Information Research and Communication Cell” and the “Animal and Fisheries Resources Cell.” In separate press statements, the group’s conveners and secretaries confirmed the developments. The Information Research and Communication Cell, headed by Meherab Hossain Sifat, consists of 20 members, while the Animal and Fisheries Resources Cell, led by S.M. Faizullah, has 10 members.

Jamaat-e-Islami and Gano Adhikar Parishad held a closed-door meeting on Tuesday night at Jamaat’s central office in Moghbazar. Abu Hanif, media coordinator for Gano Adhikar Parishad, confirmed the meeting via a press statement. Spokesperson Faruk Hasan stated that the two parties discussed working together to shape the future of Bangladesh. They agreed to continue street demonstrations until the ruling Awami League is removed and held accountable for alleged human rights violations. The meeting was attended by key leaders, including Shafiqur Rahman, Mia Ghulam Parwar, Nurul Haque Nur, and Faruk Hasan.

Lieutenant Jahangir Alam, the Home Affairs Adviser, conducted an unannounced inspection of police patrol operations across Dhaka in the early hours of Wednesday. He visited key security checkpoints in areas such as Banani, Vijay Sarani, Manik Mia Avenue, and Kalabagan. During the inspection, he interacted with on-duty officers and provided guidance on maintaining public safety and law enforcement efficiency.