BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has urged party members not to be misled by fake press statements being circulated on Facebook under his forged signature.

In an official statement, Rizvi clarified that the alleged release dated August 22 did not originate from the BNP office. He alleged that a vested quarter was behind this forgery aimed at creating confusion among party leaders and activists.

The Election Commission (EC) has begun hearings on appeals regarding the redemarcation of parliamentary constituencies ahead of the 13th National Elections.

Sunday’s session, held at the Election Commission headquarters, focused on 18 constituencies in Comilla, Brahmanbaria, Noakhali, Chandpur, Feni, and Lakshmipur. A total of 811 petitions were submitted—431 objecting to the draft boundaries and 380 in support.

Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin, along with other commissioners, is overseeing the proceedings. Strict security measures have been put in place, with hearings scheduled to continue until August 27.

BNP Chairperson’s adviser Fazlur Rahman has accused Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir of orchestrating the violent events of August 5. Speaking on a talk show, he alleged, “These are the forces of darkness, descendants of Al-Badr and Al-Shams. We thought they had buried the shame of their ancestors’ defeat 54 years ago, but instead, they’ve revived it.”

Rahman further claimed that Jamaat, with alleged backing from international conspiracies, has amassed significant wealth and influence in Bangladesh. He even suggested that Jamaat informally holds sway over the country’s political power, despite being unable to come to office through elections.

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has claimed that unresolved issues relating to the 1971 Liberation War were “settled not once, but twice.” Speaking on the genocide committed in Bangladesh, Dar said apologies had already been issued, first in 1974 and later during then-President Pervez Musharraf’s visit to Dhaka in 2000.

Dar likened disputes between Bangladesh and Pakistan to disagreements within a family, saying Islamic teachings encourage forgiveness and reconciliation. He added, “Pakistan wants to move forward in that spirit.”

After nearly a week in hospital, noted filmmaker and adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki returned home on Saturday afternoon following a successful recovery. His daughter Ilham expressed her joy at reuniting with her father after days of absence, a moment captured and shared by his wife, actress Nusrat Imrose Tisha.

Farooki had traveled to Cox’s Bazar on August 15 for a four-day visit. However, he fell ill the following evening and was flown back to Dhaka urgently by air ambulance. Doctors later performed an appendix surgery, after which he has been gradually recovering.

The seventh day of witness testimony in the war crimes case against ousted leader Sheikh Hasina, former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, and one other accused is scheduled for Sunday. Testimony will be heard at the International Crimes Tribunal-1, led by Justice Md. Golam Mortuza Mozumdar.

On this day, prosecution witness-turned-informant, Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun, was presented before the tribunal. Additionally, former army officer Ziaul Ahsan was produced in connection with a separate abduction case, while former minister Farhad Hossain was brought forward in another case.

In the upcoming Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) election, two candidates are set to be elected unopposed to hall parliament posts, as they face no challengers. Rehena Akter and Lamia Akter will both serve as outdoor sports secretaries in their respective halls.
Lamia, from the BNP-backed panel, contested from Shamsun Nahar Hall, while independent candidate Rehena submitted her nomination from Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib Hall. This year’s DUCSU elections feature about 10 panels from various student groups and independents. However, no organization has managed to field a complete slate across all 18 halls. The polls are scheduled for September 9.

One man has died following a mob beating in Bauphal, Patuakhali, after being accused of robbery. He succumbed to his injuries on Sunday morning while under medical care. Police have yet to confirm his identity. Another injured man remains hospitalized.
The incident occurred late Saturday night when locals accused two men of raiding homes in Kashipur market area, looting about Tk 10 lakh in cash and gold ornaments. Residents captured two suspects and handed them over to police, while others from the gang escaped with the stolen goods.

Nigerian Air Force (NAF) strikes on four militant targets in Borno state, near the Cameroon border, killed at least 35 suspected insurgents, officials confirmed. NAF spokesperson Air Vice Marshal Edward Gabkwet said ground forces have since regained control of the area.
The attacks come amid intensified violence from Boko Haram and its rival faction, ISIL-West Africa Province, whose operations have spilled into Cameroon, Chad, and Niger. According to the UN, more than 35,000 civilians have been killed and over two million displaced by the insurgency. Meanwhile, the US State Department has approved a proposed $346 million arms sale to Nigeria, pending Congressional approval.

Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar is scheduled to meet Jamaat-e-Islami chief Dr. Shafiqur Rahman at his residence in Bashundhara on Sunday afternoon.
On Saturday evening, Dar also held discussions with a five-member Jamaat delegation led by Nayeb-e-Ameer Abdullah Muhammad Taher at the Pakistan High Commission. The meeting focused on Bangladesh’s current political situation and future bilateral cooperation, with both sides expressing optimism about advancing joint development efforts.

Bangladesh and Pakistan are holding foreign minister-level talks at Hotel Sonargaon in Dhaka on Sunday morning. Six agreements and memoranda of understanding are expected to be signed during the meeting, covering trade, investment, agriculture, and easing cross-border movement of people.
The talks follow the arrival of Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar in Dhaka on Saturday. He was received by Foreign Secretary Nazrul Islam at the airport before meeting with BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, and NCP leaders later in the day.

The Election Commission (EC) has directed field officials to submit updated inventories of ballot boxes by August 25. According to an EC circular, officials must send details of usable ballot boxes to the Election Management-1 wing within the deadline.
The commission also instructed local offices to request necessary allocations for relocating materials to free up warehouse space ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections. Procurement for the 13th general election is already underway, with the EC aiming to complete all purchases by September.

Archaeologists have uncovered the remains of a more than 2,000-year-old city off the coast of Alexandria, Egypt. Believed to be an extension of the ancient city of Canopus, the underwater ruins include broken statues, limestone buildings, industrial complexes, artifacts, and dockyards.
The city flourished for centuries under Ptolemaic and Roman rule before sinking due to earthquakes and rising sea levels, along with the nearby port city of Heracleion. Egypt’s tourism and antiquities minister Sherif Fathy confirmed that while some items have been retrieved, most will remain as part of the country’s submerged heritage. Notable finds include royal sculptures and a pre-Roman sphinx, though many statues are damaged or headless.

At least 63 Palestinians were killed in a single day of Israeli attacks on Gaza, including 22 people who had gathered for humanitarian aid, Palestinian authorities said Saturday. Al Jazeera Arabic footage showed Israeli tanks entering Gaza City’s Sabra neighborhood, signaling an expansion of Israel’s ground operation.
Gaza’s health ministry reported that eight more people, including two children, died of malnutrition in the past 24 hours, raising the starvation toll since the war began to 281—among them 114 children. Health director Munir al-Bursh warned that hunger is “silently tearing apart civilian bodies, robbing children of their right to survive, and turning tents and hospitals into daily scenes of tragedy.”

To minimize public suffering during political events ahead of the national elections, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Sheikh Md. Sajjat Ali has urged political parties to hold rallies in alternative venues instead of congested city roads. He highlighted 91 designated venues, including 15 in Motijheel, 12 in Tejgaon, 17 in Lalbagh, and others across Dhaka.
He stressed that blocked roads prevent pregnant women and critical patients from reaching hospitals on time and disrupt students heading to exams. The commissioner assured maximum police deployment during the election period and appealed for cooperation from political leaders.