Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and India’s Border Security Force (BSF) held a meeting at the Maheshpur border in Jhenaidah on Saturday to discuss cross-border issues including pushbacks, killings, human trafficking, and drug smuggling. The hour-long meeting took place between 5–6 PM at the commanding officer level. Lt. Col. Md. Rafiqul Alam represented BGB, while Commandant Muganthan led the BSF side. Officials described the talks as “cordial,” with both forces agreeing to take effective measures. After the meeting, commanders and staff from both sides walked about 2 km along the zero line, reaffirming their commitment to maintain friendly bilateral relations.

A US trade delegation is arriving in Dhaka on Sunday for a two-day visit to discuss the 20% counter-tariff imposed on Bangladeshi goods in the American market. The delegation will be led by Brendan Lynch, Assistant USTR for South and Central Asia. Although tariffs have been reduced from 35% to 20%, no formal agreement has yet been signed. A draft deal is prepared, and discussions will focus on finalizing it and potentially reducing tariffs further. During the visit, the delegation will meet with the Ministry of Commerce, Chief Adviser, Foreign Affairs Adviser, and Foreign Secretary.

Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) Vice President Md. Abu Sadiq Kayem congratulated and extended greetings to the newly elected representatives of JUCSU. In a statement, he lauded Jahangirnagar University students’ courage during the July Revolution and expressed hope that the new JAKSU leadership will uphold democracy, justice, and student rights while shaping a just and prosperous Bangladesh.

BNP leader Gayeshwar Chandra Roy has warned that while fascism has been removed, communal violence is rising due to mob incidents across the country. He emphasized that unless democracy guides governance, communalism could surpass fascism in destructiveness. Roy affirmed BNP’s belief in religious values, stating: “What religion condemns as sin, the modern state defines as crime. Religion does not conflict with the state system, but misinterpretations have distorted it.” He accused the interim government of sliding into superstition under the guise of reforms.

Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader accused the interim government of reflecting authoritarian traits, claiming it is unfairly jailing people, dismissing journalists, and distorting the Liberation War’s legacy. He demanded an investigation into whether students were killed to fuel the July Movement and called for transparency regarding who directs the interim government and whether student groups are also under external control.

The interim government has pledged to transform the National Human Rights Commission into a truly independent body, enabling it to investigate incidents such as enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings without interference. Advisor Dr. Asif Nazrul said, “During the Awami League government, human rights were not protected—rather, they were violated. The interim government wants to leave behind a milestone in human rights protection. In honor of the sacrifices made in the July uprising, we will do everything possible to establish people’s rights.” He emphasized that legal reforms are underway to grant the commission full independence. At the same meeting, human rights activist and advisor Adilur Rahman Khan noted, “The 2025 National Human Rights Commission Ordinance is crucial for moving beyond 15 years of disappearances, killings, and torture chambers. In the past, even human rights defenders themselves were abducted. The commission survived politically by spending donor funds, often reduced to distributing jobs instead of protecting rights. Its role during the July uprising was utterly disgraceful.”

Renowned Bangladeshi folk singer Farida Parveen has passed away. She breathed her last at 10:15 pm on Saturday at the age of 73. The news of her death was confirmed by Ashish Kumar Chakraborty, Managing Director of Universal Medical College Hospital. Parveen leaves behind her husband and four children. Widely celebrated as the “Queen of Lalon Songs,” her passing marks the end of an era in Bangladeshi music. (Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un).

The National Congress Party (NCP) has clarified its stance following media reports linking it to an eight-party joint program. Senior Joint Convener Ariful Islam Adib said the reports were “misleading,” noting that NCP has not decided on joining any alliance or joint movement. While informal discussions took place with other parties regarding the July Charter and constitutional reforms, Adib stated that NCP supports proportional representation only in the upper house, not full PR-based national elections. However, the party supports suspending the organizational activities of the Jatiya Party, citing its role in aiding fascism.

BNP’s Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman has pledged that if BNP returns to power, it will amend laws to enhance the protection of animals and birds. Speaking at an animal exhibition, he stressed that biodiversity conservation requires more than legislation—it demands nationwide awareness. He added, “Humanity must reject cruelty. If human rights are safeguarded, the rights of animals will naturally be protected too.”

Mazharul Islam, newly elected GS of JUCSU, hailed his alliance’s sweeping win as a victory for all Jahangirnagar University students. Supported by Islami Chhatra Shibir, the alliance won 20 seats with thousands of votes. “This mandate is not for personal gain but a trust placed by students to safeguard their rights,” Mazharul said, pledging inclusive leadership that respects the campus’ cultural diversity and individual freedoms. He also called for unity, inviting defeated candidates to work together, and announced a thanksgiving prayer at the central mosque.

The Jagannath University Central Students’ Union (JAKSU) election commission has suffered another setback as commission member Dr. Rezwana Karim Snigdha resigned from her post on Saturday afternoon. In her resignation letter, submitted around 2 p.m., Dr. Snigdha explained that she had suddenly fallen ill during the election process and was admitted to Evercare Hospital. As a result, she was excluded from key commission decisions such as ballot paper approval, budget finalization, and the cancellation of VP candidate Amartya Roy’s nomination. “I was not informed, and unilateral decisions were made,” she wrote. Despite her illness, she stated that she attended post-poll vote counting in an attempt to fulfill her duties. However, she expressed deep frustration over the commission’s management. Dr. Snigdha criticized the commission for severe administrative mismanagement, excessive political maneuvering, and even false allegations linking a deceased teacher to the vote-counting process. She said such “invisible pressures” had made it morally impossible for her to continue. “When JAKSU is used merely as a tool for political gain, it is no longer possible for me, as an independent teacher, to serve as a member of this commission,” she declared.

Economic Advisor Sheikh Bashiruddin has said that Bangladesh has the potential to transform into a “goldmine” if its human capital is properly nurtured. Speaking on Friday, he highlighted that while the country lacks sufficient raw materials for large-scale industrial production, this shortfall can be overcome through education, innovation, and knowledge acquisition by students. He explained that ensuring labor productivity, utility proportion, logistics excellence, cost efficiency, access to finance, and market access would allow Bangladesh to offset raw material shortages and drive economic growth. Bashiruddin further stressed the importance of uninterrupted product supply in market management. He pointed out that during the last Ramadan, coordinated efforts by the Ministry of Finance, Bangladesh Bank, and the Ministry of Commerce kept supply chains stable, resulting in lower commodity prices. Addressing past challenges, he revealed that several members of so-called “syndicates” had fled the country, making it difficult to stabilize the supply side. “Through collective efforts, we managed to overcome that crisis,” he noted. Reflecting on recent economic progress, Bashiruddin said, “After Sheikh Hasina’s fall, our reserves stood at around $10 billion against liabilities of $6 billion. Under the Chief Advisor’s leadership, we cleared those liabilities. Today, reserves have risen to $30 billion.” Looking ahead, he emphasized that if future governments adopt a coordinated, democratic approach to market regulation and implement impartial reforms, Bangladesh’s market system will be strengthened, ensuring equitable distribution of wealth and resources.

NCP convener Nahid Islam alleged there have been attempts to attack and discredit Mahfuz Alam — a central figure in the mass-movement leadership and an adviser — including prior incidents in the United States and a foiled attempt in London. Nahid accused “Awami fascists” of repeatedly targeting Mahfuz and warned that others could become targets next. He also criticized the interim government for failing to take decisive action after attacks on Mahfuz and said neither advisers nor the press secretary have commented. “A tacit consensus within the government and advisory council has been created to sideline and even endanger Mahfuz Alam,” Nahid wrote, asserting that such arbitrary use of Mahfuz by state actors is pushing him toward death. He vowed that these actions would be answered politically.

At least 193 people have died following two separate boat sinkings in the northwest of the Democratic Republic of Congo, and several others are missing, authorities reported. The incidents occurred on Wednesday and Thursday roughly 150 km apart in Équateur province. Officials said a wooden passenger boat overturned after catching fire near the village of Malange, close to Lukolela, on Thursday evening; that accident killed 107 people and rescued 209 others, with 146 still reported missing. A day earlier, a motorized boat capsized in the Basankusu area, killing at least 86 people, most of them students.

Islami Andolan Bangladesh has announced a joint movement to ensure the legal foundation of the “July Charter” and to introduce proportional representation (PR) in the electoral system. Party leader Muhammad Rezaul Karim stated that the sacrifices of students and citizens during the July uprising aimed at permanently uprooting dictatorship. While Sheikh Hasina’s fall was part of that demand, Karim warned that the government is preparing for elections without constitutional and political reforms, which could push the nation back into old cycles of turmoil. He demanded: Full implementation and legal recognition of the July Charter. Swift trials of fascism and prevention of its allies’ return to politics. Holding national elections under the PR system.