In a recent Foreign Secretary-level meeting, Bangladesh and Pakistan reaffirmed their shared commitment to reviving bilateral relations. The discussions covered political, economic, cultural, educational, and strategic cooperation. Emphasis was placed on shared history and people-to-people ties. Pakistan stressed finalizing pending agreements, enhancing trade and connectivity, and resolving the Kashmir issue through peaceful means based on UN resolutions. Both sides also condemned Israeli aggression in Gaza and called for protection of human rights.

Following campus protests in support of Palestine, the U.S. canceled the visas of 327 international students last month, permanently banning them from reentering the country. Indian Congress leader Jairam Ramesh revealed that 50% of those affected were Indian nationals. He criticized the decision as opaque and alarming, highlighting that many of the targeted students had spoken out against U.S. support for Israel’s military operations in Gaza.

Religious Adviser Dr. A F M Khalid Hussain said, “People become obsessed with power, even to the point of killing thousands. But remember, God does not accept the Hajj of thieves, robbers, and the corrupt.” He clarified that the responsibility for implementing Qawmi certification lies with the Education Ministry, not his office, though he has received assurances from other advisers. He noted that this year’s Hajj cost was reduced by BDT 100,000 and reiterated that no one can now perform Hajj at the government’s expense.

Jamiat Ulama-e-Islam organized a protest in front of Baitul Mukarram Mosque in Dhaka condemning the passage of India’s Waqf Bill and the ongoing persecution of Muslims there. Protesters labeled Indian Prime Minister Modi the “Butcher of Gujarat” and accused him of systematically stripping Muslims of their rights, destroying their homes, and displacing them. The group also called for a united resistance against what they termed as genocidal acts by occupiers.

BNP leader Shamsuzzaman Dudu alleged that the interim government is protecting those responsible for destroying democracy in Bangladesh over the past 15 years. He criticized the lack of justice for missing BNP leader and former MP Ilias Ali, and said key advisers have ignored the matter. Dudu claimed that fair elections are being intentionally avoided to prevent BNP from gaining popular support. He also demanded the execution of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

On Friday, Awami League activists organized a flash rally in Uttara’s Dhaka-18 parliamentary constituency. Chants like “Who are you, who am I – we’re all Bengalis,” “Our identity is Padma, Meghna, Jamuna,” and “Sheikh Hasina returns, Bangladesh smiles” echoed through the streets. The rally was led by Atikur Rahman Milon, General Secretary of the Awami League’s Uttarkhan Union branch under Dhaka North city.

Poet and political thinker Farhad Mazhar has called the recent wave of protests a “mass uprising,” not a revolution, emphasizing that the struggle now is cultural and constitutional. “What we are witnessing is the people rising to complete what remains unfinished. The real battle ahead lies in drafting a new constitution for Bangladesh,” he said. Mazhar highlighted that students have been vocal from the outset about the need for a new constitutional framework—not just new laws. “A constitution is not merely a set of laws. While laws are made by governments, constitutions are made by the people themselves. A true constitution emerges from public participation and consensus on how people want to live together,” he said. Mazhar stressed that Bangladesh must move away from its colonial legacy and create a people-centric system.

Wearing symbolic funeral shrouds, students from various Polytechnic Institutes across the country staged a massive protest march on Friday after Jumu’ah prayers, starting from Tejgaon Polytechnic. The demonstration, organized under the banner of “Technical Student Movement Bangladesh,” was announced late Thursday night. Earlier in the evening, students held torch processions in Dhaka and other cities. Protesters accused the Ministry of Education of betraying them through staged meetings and condemned the attack on fellow demonstrators in Cumilla.

Foreign Affairs Adviser Tawhid Hossain has identified the Arakan Army as the primary obstacle to the repatriation of Rohingya refugees from Bangladesh. “We are stuck — we cannot directly negotiate with them, nor can we completely ignore them,” he said. On the broader issue of overseas migration, Hossain noted that 80% of the problems faced by migrant workers originate in Dhaka, while the remaining 20% occur in destination countries. Despite staff shortages at Bangladeshi embassies, he stressed the need to address 100% of expatriate issues. Citing economic progress, he noted that Bangladesh’s exports have grown from $1 billion in the 1980s to $60 billion today, crediting the diplomatic corps for playing a role. He also highlighted the contributions of foreign service officers in shaping international public opinion during the Liberation War.

In a disturbing incident in Tangail’s Madhupur, a woman named Laboni Akhter sold her four-month-old son for 40,000 BDT to buy a mobile phone, a nose ring, and ankle bells. The mother admitted her actions, saying she was not in a stable state of mind. Her husband, Robiul Islam, reported the incident to the police after learning the truth. Authorities have begun efforts to recover the child, who was sold with the help of an accomplice named Monir to a buyer in Sirajganj.

Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar has stated that his party is ready to participate in national elections only after comprehensive reforms and legal proceedings against Sheikh Hasina. “There will be no elections before justice and reform. The Ameer has already called for a national unity. A self-reliant new Bangladesh cannot be built without it,” he said. Porwar added, “In trying to ban Jamaat, Hasina has been politically outlawed by the people themselves.” Referring to the July movement, he emphasized the blood debt of over 2,000 lives lost and 30,000 injured, asserting the party’s responsibility to them. He also stressed the need for a justice-based and inclusive Bangladesh. “The key challenge for the interim government will be to restore the people’s right to vote,” he concluded, vowing that Jamaat and BNP would continue to stand united on future national issues as they have over the past 16 years.

In Germany, several student protesters were arrested after they entered the Emil Fischer Lecture Hall at a university building in Berlin to protest Israeli airstrikes on Gaza and the planned expulsion of four pro-Palestinian individuals by the Berlin state government. The students hung banners from the windows that read, “You are complicit in genocide,” “There is only one state, Palestine ’48,” and “Intifada until victory.” Outside the building, around 20 demonstrators expressed solidarity with slogans such as “Free Palestine,” “Boycott Israel,” “No borders, no expulsions,” “Germany is a fascist state,” and “Resistance is a right under international law.” Police later arrested at least five protesters, one of whom was reportedly wearing a press jacket.

The United States has announced new port fees targeting Chinese-built and operated vessels, aiming to boost the domestic shipbuilding industry and curb China’s maritime dominance. These fees, which will come into effect around mid-October, apply to all Chinese-linked vessels entering U.S. ports. Ships will incur additional charges per tonnage or container, with fees starting at $18 per entry or $120 per container. For a vessel carrying 15,000 containers, the cost could surge by up to $1.8 million. The fees will be reviewed five times a year. However, waivers may be granted if the vessel’s owner places an order for U.S.-built ships.

In a foreword for TIME Magazine, Hillary Clinton praised Nobel laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus for his role in steering Bangladesh toward democracy after the fall of its authoritarian leader during the people’s uprising. Clinton highlighted Yunus’ decades-long work with Grameen Bank in empowering the poor through microloans. Recalling her first meeting with him in Arkansas with then-Governor Bill Clinton, she noted his global impact and praised his current efforts to restore human rights and accountability in Bangladesh.

Former ambassador M. Maruf Zaman was reportedly abducted from the airport area on December 4, 2017, and held in a DGFI-run torture cell for 16 months. Zaman, known for criticizing Indian influence and the Hasina government, described harrowing conditions: loss of teeth from beatings, torn ligaments, untreated infections, and insect-infested cells. He endured extreme torture methods, including waterboarding, and witnessed fellow detainees disappearing. Guards occasionally hinted at secret executions.