The chairman of First Security Islami Bank (FSIB), Abdul Mannan, has accused S. Alam Group of siphoning off nearly Tk 38,000 crore through anonymous loans from the bank.

Speaking after a meeting with the Bangladesh Bank governor, Mannan said multiple audits confirmed the embezzlement, with much of the money already laundered abroad. He named Saiful Alam, chairman of S. Alam Group, as the prime beneficiary.

The massive loan default has pushed FSIB into a severe crisis. Bangladesh Bank is reportedly planning to merge five weak banks, including FSIB, raising concerns over job security for employees and deposit safety for customers.

Chief Prosecutor Tazul Islam has said that whether former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun receives clemency will be determined by the court, not the prosecution.

He revealed that Mamun admitted his crimes out of “conscience” and even applied to testify as a state witness. His testimony, Tazul said, is an irrefutable document against enforced disappearances and killings spanning the last 15 years in Bangladesh.

Earlier, Mamun gave statements before the tribunal implicating Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and two others in the July killings case.

The Chief Election Commissioner of Rajshahi University Central Students’ Union (RAKSU), Professor F. Nazrul Islam, has announced that first-year students will be included in the upcoming RAKSU elections’ voter list.

Additionally, the deadline for distributing nomination forms has been extended by one day. The decision follows weeks of protests led by student organizations demanding inclusion of freshers in the polls.

According to the schedule, voting will take place on September 25.

NCP leader Abdul Hannan Masud has called on BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman to return to Bangladesh, saying the nation needs his presence.

“The country that ensured security for Khaleda Zia can also ensure security for Tarique Rahman,” Masud said. “To truly connect with the people, he must come back and breathe the soil of his homeland.”

Masud emphasized that his party critiques actions of all political groups, including BNP and Jamaat, but maintains respect for BNP’s role as a people’s movement under Begum Khaleda Zia’s uncompromising leadership. He stressed, however, that intolerance within BNP leadership must be addressed.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has alleged that the attack on former DUCSU VP Nurul Haque Nur was carried out with intent to kill.

“Though his condition has improved slightly, he remains in critical state,” Fakhrul said, noting that Nur sustained severe injuries including brain trauma and internal bleeding. He added that while doctors are providing proper treatment, Nur requires further evaluation abroad.

Currently unable to eat normally, Nur is being fed liquid food through a pipe. Fakhrul urged the government to immediately send him overseas for advanced medical care, stressing that continued attacks on opposition leaders raise serious concerns about public safety under the interim government.

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has said that deciding who may or may not engage in politics is a matter for the law and government, not mob influence.

Citing GM Quader’s remarks ahead of the 2024 elections about needing India’s permission to speak, Rizvi questioned the role of the Jatiya Party, accusing it of aiding authoritarianism in Bangladesh. He stated, “We don’t believe in mob culture. Those who have supported fascism or echoed fascist narratives must be held accountable under the law.”

He further criticized claims that BNP should take responsibility for the Jatiya Party, pointing out that BNP is not in power. Rizvi also condemned the recent attack on former DUCSU VP Nurul Haque Nur, questioning the identity of the assailant seen in a red shirt.

Students of Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) lifted a six-hour-long rail blockade on Tuesday evening after receiving assurances from the university administration. Train services on the Dhaka–Mymensingh route resumed around 5 p.m.

Earlier in the day, at around 11 a.m., defying the order to vacate dormitories, students gathered at Jabbar’s Mor and blocked the railway tracks, halting train operations. They also locked the offices of the university treasurer and Pubali Bank’s campus branch in protest.

In response to the unrest, the BAU administration has formed a six-member inquiry committee to investigate the recent attacks on students.

Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus is currently holding talks with representatives of seven political parties and organizations.

The meeting, which began at 5:10 p.m. Tuesday, includes participation from AB Party, Nagorik Oikya, Gonosonghoti Andolon, Gonodhikar Parishad, LDP, Islami Andolon Bangladesh, Jatiya Gonofront, and Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh.

Earlier, Dr. Yunus met leaders of BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, and NCP to discuss the prevailing political situation and the upcoming elections.

Police have so far filed charge sheets in 34 cases linked to incidents during the July uprising across the country. These include 13 murder cases and 21 under other charges.

According to police headquarters, the murder cases were filed in Sherpur, Feni, Chandpur, Cumilla, Dhaka, and Kurigram, while the remaining 21 cases cover Bogura, Chapainawabganj, Sirajganj, Pabna, Naogaon, Mymensingh, Jamalpur, and multiple metropolitan areas.

In total, 1,390 individuals stand accused in the murder cases and 777 in other cases. Police said they are working to complete investigations into the remaining cases to bring perpetrators to justice.

The Appellate Division will tomorrow hear Dhaka University’s appeal against the High Court order postponing the DUCSU elections.

On Tuesday, Chamber Judge Justice Farah Mahbub upheld the stay order until Wednesday’s hearing. The High Court had earlier postponed the polls until October 30, but the chamber court suspended that order within an hour of DU’s appeal.

BNP leader Nargis Begum has said the party’s 16 years of street struggle has brought “temporary freedom,” but the ultimate goal remains a free and fair election.

Speaking at a fish release program, she said, “BNP seeks a neutral election that will pave the way for a democratic government. The roadmap has already been announced, but certain groups are trying to obstruct the process with excuses.”

She urged BNP members to stay united, avoid internal divisions, and remain vigilant against disinformation campaigns.

Environmental lawyer and adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan has stressed that combating the climate crisis requires not just financial but also technological assistance.

“International support is crucial for climate-vulnerable countries like Bangladesh. However, even if aid does not come, we must fight on—for this is about our survival,” she said.

Hasan urged that, in absence of external help, Bangladesh must rely on the traditional knowledge of farmers, fishermen, and rural communities. She pointed to community-driven solutions in coastal regions, such as affordable desalination for water supply, while warning that long-term issues like Bhobadah and Beel Dakatia require sustained international intervention.

She added, “The people of Bangladesh have never abandoned one another in times of disaster. We have always seen extraordinary unity in the face of crises.”

Defying hall eviction orders for the second day, students of Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) continued their protests, blocking the Dhaka–Mymensingh rail route indefinitely from 11 a.m. today. Rail services have since been suspended.

The agitating students locked the university treasurer’s office and Pubali Bank branch gate while pressing their six-point demand. Their demands include:

Withdrawal of eviction orders by 2 p.m.

Uninterrupted access to dormitory facilities

Resignation of the proctorial body within 24 hours

A public apology from the vice chancellor over recent attacks, vandalism, and harassment

Punishment of teachers and outsiders involved in violence

Immediate issuance of combined degree certificates

BNP leader Gayeshwar Chandra Roy has declared that no conspiracy can halt BNP’s forward march, as the party’s power comes from the people.
Speaking at a meeting, he said, “We believe in democracy. Those defeated forces of the Liberation War and November 7 are still trying to derail elections.”

He dismissed reliance on public relations strategies, adding, “If elections are fair, the people’s verdict is guaranteed. Those who once thought staying away from elections would secure power are now busy justifying PR methods.”

Former IGP Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, testifying as a prosecution witness in the July killing case against Sheikh Hasina and two others, claimed that directives for RAB to abduct, detain, or kill individuals came directly from the Prime Minister’s Office via Tarique Siddiqui.

He alleged that ahead of the 2018 elections, then-IGP Javed Patwary instructed police to pre-fill 50% of ballot boxes the night before voting—officers involved were later rewarded with medals. After the 2014 elections, he said, police officers from the Gopalganj belt gained unprecedented influence.

Mamun further testified that RAB officers Alep Uddin and Mohiuddin Faruqi became notorious for abductions, torture, and killings. He claimed that from July 19 onward, nightly core committee meetings were held at Kamal’s residence, where decisions were made to detain opposition coordinators, who were later coerced into withdrawing movements and making public statements under duress.