DUCSU General Secretary S M Farhad urged students who earned GPA-5 in SSC, Dakhil and equivalent examinations not to regard the result as life’s ultimate achievement. Speaking as chief guest at a reception for high-achieving students in Anwara, Chattogram, on Thursday at 9am, he said the result marks the beginning of preparation for higher education and future-building.

Farhad said many GPA-5 holders may not secure their desired opportunities in university admission competition, while students without GPA-5 can establish strong positions through hard work. Citing Dhaka University admissions, he noted that although many students achieve GPA-5 each year, available university seats are limited.

He described the two years after SSC as highly important, urging students to target strong intermediate results while preparing for higher education. He advised limiting time spent on mobile phones, social media and unnecessary activities, and stressed planned study, deep focus and regular effort. The Anwara Upazila Chhatra Shibir event also honoured GPA-5 recipients from SSC, Dakhil and equivalent examinations.

Actress Rakhi Sawant said she made special prayers during a spiritual visit to the holy city of Mecca, seeking protection, better education and employment opportunities for young people in her country. She also prayed for the country’s safety from people who mislead others and urged political leaders to carry out their responsibilities with honesty and dedication.

During her prayers, Sawant referred to a recent tragic incident in which three members of a family died by suicide following domestic unrest linked to a demand for an iPhone. Addressing young people, she advised them to become self-reliant and not cause hardship for their parents over expensive items or iPhones.

She called on young people to work hard, earn independently and build their own futures and lives. Speaking about her religious identity, Sawant said she was born Hindu, later became associated with Christianity and now follows Islam, while respecting all religions equally. Her Mecca visit emphasized education, honesty and children’s sense of responsibility toward their parents.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar said grassroots office-bearers must become capable of addressing internal and external organisational challenges, strengthen leadership acceptance through ethical conduct, and create effective opportunities for young people to join the organisation and its leadership. He made the remarks as chief guest at a three-day training camp for upazila and thana-level officials held from August 25 to 27 at Rangpur Boro Alia Madrasa.

Parwar urged officials to improve their knowledge and wisdom, focus on family formation, and uphold organisational discipline and sacrifice. He said candidate selection should begin for all levels of local government elections, including upazilas, municipalities and unions, alongside stronger public engagement. He also said officials should work with MPs to honour the trust Rangpur voters placed in Jamaat candidates in previous elections.

At a separate meeting with journalists in Rangpur, Parwar criticised the BNP government over the implementation of the July Charter referendum verdict and appointments of administrators. He said an 11-party alliance had carried out programmes demanding implementation of the referendum result. He announced a Dhaka-to-Chattogram long march starting September 5 and another march toward Rangpur beginning after a September 19 rally at Manik Mia Avenue in Dhaka.

BNP health affairs secretary Professor Dr. Md. Rafiqul Islam said advanced training for radiology technologists could create extensive overseas employment opportunities and help strengthen Bangladesh’s economy through remittances. He made the remarks at the 17th National Conference and Scientific Seminar-2026, organised by the Bangladesh Association of Radiology and Imaging Technologists in the capital.

Rafiqul Islam said Bangladesh has about 12,000 radiology technologists and called for employment opportunities in both government and private sectors to meet rising healthcare needs. He said the government has planned to recruit about 100,000 health workers and urged prompt effective steps to recruit radiology technologists as well. He described skilled technologists as crucial to modernising health services.

He praised Bangladeshi technologists’ skills, saying the country’s radiology service quality has received international recognition in many cases and that Bangladeshi radiology reports have been accepted in Singapore. He also called for consideration of their demand for elevation to the 10th grade and for MSc and PhD-level education programmes. Technologists from Bangladesh and other countries attended the conference.

More than 17,000 children need urgent humanitarian assistance after severe flash floods in Nepal, according to the United Nations children’s agency UNICEF. UNICEF’s representative in Nepal, Alice Akunga, said children in affected areas had seen their lives swept away before their eyes, with many losing their lives and loved ones.

Akunga said children who survived the floods now face increased risks of disease, malnutrition, violence and exploitation. UNICEF said it is providing assistance on the ground, but requires more resources urgently to reach every child in need.

The agency has appealed for $17.2 million, or about £12.6 million, to continue initial emergency relief and support operations while the full scale of damage is assessed. UNICEF warned that without the required funding, its services for children and women would be severely limited.

Leaders of the Small Meat Processing and Sellers Society alleged that corporate pressure, past government failures and corrupt officials have pushed retail meat prices higher for small vendors. President Md Abdul Halim Quraishi (Chan) and General Secretary Md Bhutto said meat that could be sold for Tk400 per kilogram is now being sold by small traders for Tk800 to Tk900 per kilogram.

In a statement, the leaders said wealthy corporate companies and corporate farm operators were using multiple strategies against small meat sellers. They alleged that dishonest businesses seek to halt small-scale meat sales and shift the trade entirely toward packaged products controlled by departmental stores, leaving ordinary consumers dependent on those outlets.

The group also claimed that shortages of cattle and buffalo had made horse meat readily available and alleged that official statistics during the previous government had misrepresented livestock availability. It protested what it described as misleading and one-sided media reports, and said comments by Dhaka South City Corporation Administrator Abdus Salam showed reluctance to clearly disclose the truth.

Several isolated incidents were reported in Indian states on Wednesday during Eid Milad-un-Nabi processions. In Ankola town of Karnataka’s Karwar district, police arrested Mohammad Raja Akbar Ali, a resident of Vithalghat in Krishnapur, after allegations that he brought and displayed a Palestinian flag at a procession. Deputy Superintendent of Police Girish said legal action had been taken against him.

A similar incident was reported in Islampur district in West Bengal, where a Palestinian flag was displayed during a procession. West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said in a post on X that police had seized two foreign flags across the state during Eid celebrations. Police filed FIRs against those accused in connection with the incidents.

In Badaun, Uttar Pradesh, allegations were also raised over singing and displaying weapons during a Muslim procession that included children. A video reportedly showed some Muslim men and a child sitting atop a moving vehicle, waving knives and singing. The source says Indian law contains no specific provision or ban treating the display of a friendly country’s flag, such as Palestine’s, as a crime.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has sought specific proposals on rebuilding the country from political parties including Jamaat-e-Islami and the National Citizen Party, BNP standing committee member and prime ministerial adviser Nazrul Islam Khan said on Thursday. He made the remarks at a memorial meeting in the capital’s National Press Club marking the death anniversary of former prime minister and Jatiya Party chairman Kazi Zafar Ahmed.

Khan said the government is not rigid in addressing the country’s problems and wants concrete advice from political parties, academics, journalists and intellectuals. According to him, the government intends to consider suggestions and proposals from different groups in seeking solutions to existing problems. He said cooperation is needed to reduce public suffering and move the country forward.

Describing the administration’s condition, Khan alleged that it had been damaged and polluted over the past 17 years, with unqualified people appointed to key positions on partisan and regional considerations while qualified officials were removed. He said the government began work amid a fragile economy and disorganised administrative structure, and asked citizens to remain patient while the administration is rebuilt.

Real Madrid secured a second straight Spanish La Liga victory, beating Real Sociedad 4-1 at home on Wednesday night. Kylian Mbappe was the central figure at Santiago Bernabeu, scoring a hat-trick as Real moved to the top of the table with six points from two wins. Vinicius Junior also scored once and provided an assist.

Real Sociedad challenged the hosts strongly during the first half. Vinicius missed an early chance after receiving a pass from Mbappe, with goalkeeper Alex Remiro making a foot save. Mbappe opened the scoring in the 40th minute after a pass from Valverde, but Sociedad levelled four minutes later by exploiting weakness in Real's defence.

Real Madrid took control after the break. Mbappe completed his hat-trick with goals in the 60th and 80th minutes, including one following an exchange with Bellingham and another from Vinicius's through ball. Vinicius scored in the 68th minute after Bellingham won back possession and delivered a pass from the byline. Dias had a late goal ruled out for offside after a VAR review.

American music star Beyoncé Knowles has pledged $1 million, about Tk 119 million, to support people affected by a devastating 7.4-magnitude earthquake in Colombia. The funding is intended to provide food and emergency housing supplies for residents of the Chocó region, identified as the area hit hardest by the disaster.

According to the report, 331 people had died as of the latest update. More than 29,000 homes were destroyed, while nearly 69,000 people were left homeless by the earthquake. Beyoncé’s announcement comes amid efforts to assist communities facing severe disruption after the natural disaster.

Colombian singer Shakira separately pledged $1.25 million to help rebuild schools damaged by the disaster in her home country. In a statement, she said schools are vital to helping children return to normal life and regain mental stability after a disaster. Both artists called on other wealthy individuals and international organizations to contribute to relief efforts.

Police have submitted a chargesheet against madrasa teacher Aman Ullah Mahmudi, also known as Sagar, and his brother Maimun, also known as Mamun Mia, in a case involving the alleged rape of an 11-year-old madrasa student in Madan upazila of Netrokona. The investigating officer, Sub-Inspector Md Aktaruzzaman of Madan Police Station, filed the chargesheet in court on Thursday, 27 August.

The two accused face charges under Section 9(1) of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act, 2000, and Section 506 of the Penal Code. Police filed the chargesheet after a CID DNA test found a 99.99 percent match between the newborn delivered by the child and Aman Ullah Mahmudi. Public Prosecutor Advocate Nurul Kabir Rubel said the final DNA report from the CID laboratory in Dhaka had recently reached the court.

The child gave birth to a daughter at Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital on 2 July. Her mother filed the case on 23 April, alleging repeated rape. The court sent the child to a Sylhet safe home on 12 May, while the investigation has now concluded and the case will proceed through further legal steps toward trial.

Reduced rainfall in mid-Bhadra has pushed temperatures higher across Bangladesh, causing oppressive humid heat and disrupting daily life. On Thursday, Rajshahi recorded the country’s highest temperature at 37 degrees Celsius, while Dhaka reached 35.5 degrees, up from 34.1 degrees on Wednesday. Weather officials said several districts have experienced conditions consistent with a mild heatwave in recent days, though it was not formally reported as such.

Meteorologist Shahinul Islam said the situation is temporary and temperatures may ease somewhat from Friday, which is why the heatwave has not been highlighted. The weather department defines temperatures from 36 to 37.9 degrees Celsius in multiple districts as a mild heatwave, 38 to 40 degrees as moderate, 40 to 42 degrees as severe, and above 42 degrees as very severe.

Rainfall may remain limited through Saturday, while higher humidity could intensify the muggy conditions nationwide. A low-pressure system may form around September 1, potentially increasing rainfall from Sunday. In the 24 hours ending 6pm Thursday, most areas received no rain; Teknaf recorded 39 millimetres and Dhaka 34 millimetres in the preceding 24-hour period.

Opposition Leader and Jamaat-e-Islami amir Dr Shafiqur Rahman corrected a naming error made by Chief Whip Md Nurul Islam while he presented a proposal to reconstitute the parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Accounts. The incident occurred on Thursday during the third sitting of the 13th National Parliament.

As Nurul Islam read the names of members nominated to the committee, he noticed an apparent mismatch in the names and information and paused, saying there had possibly been an error. When he resumed reading after a correction, Dr Shafiqur Rahman was given the microphone and suggested that Hafiz Ibrahim may have been referred to as Hafiz Uddin.

The chief whip acknowledged the mistake and clarified that the fifth member listed was Md Hafiz Ibrahim, member for Bhola-2 constituency 116. He said he had made another mistake while attempting to correct the earlier one, while the remaining names were correct. Deputy Speaker Barrister Kaiser Kamal praised the opposition leader’s attentiveness, saying he listened carefully at every moment.

A five-working-day Aviation Security Supervisor Training conducted by the United Kingdom’s Department for Transport has concluded at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Bangladesh. The programme was organised on the initiative of the British High Commission in Bangladesh and managed overall by the Aviation Security division of the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh. Aviation security supervisors and officials working at different airports in the country took part.

Trainers from the United Kingdom covered key aviation security issues, with emphasis on addressing changing security risks, improving supervisory capacity and ensuring effective security management. Air Commodore Md Asif Iqbal, CAAB member for security, attended Thursday’s closing ceremony as chief guest, while British High Commission counsellor Ryan Duncanson was a special guest.

Iqbal thanked the British High Commission and DfT for arranging the capacity-building course and stressed regular improvements in aviation security personnel’s knowledge, skills and preparedness. Duncanson highlighted Bangladesh-UK cooperation and expressed the British government’s interest in continuing support for Bangladesh’s aviation security through similar training. Certificates were distributed to participants at the closing ceremony.

Bangladesh’s parliament reconstituted several parliamentary committees on Thursday through proposals presented by Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni on behalf of the prime minister and approved by voice vote. Zahid Uddin Swapan, who was removed from the information and broadcasting minister’s post, was made chair of the standing committee on the Planning Ministry after Abdul Moyeen Khan became local government minister.

The standing committee on the Law Ministry was also reshuffled after its chair, Andalib Rahman Partha, became information and broadcasting minister. BNP lawmaker Naushad Zamir was appointed the committee’s new chair. Jamaat expelled Satkhira-4 lawmaker Gazi Nazrul Islam, and, at the party’s request, he was removed from the standing committee on the Liberation War Affairs Ministry and from a special committee.

Abdul Warech replaced Gazi Nazrul on the Liberation War Affairs Ministry committee, while Najibur Rahman replaced him on the special committee. Jamaat’s Raihan Siraji joined the Liberation War Affairs committee in place of NCP lawmaker Abdul Hannan Masud. Abdul Moyeen Khan replaced newly elected President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on the Business Advisory Committee, while opposition Chief Whip Nahid Islam replaced Anwarul Islam on the Public Accounts Committee.