Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar holds a July Uprising artwork with Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus at the State Guest House Jamuna on Sunday, Aug 24, 2025. Photo: CA GOB FacebookChief Advisor Muhammad Yunus has underlined the revival of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) as a “top priority” in his talks with the visiting Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. Dar conveyed greetings from Pakistan’s Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif. “Our prime minister sends you his best wishes,” he said. Yunus and Dar both showed optimism that stronger trade, deeper cultural ties and SAARC cooperation would help build a more stable and prosperous South Asia.

Bangladesh Auto Biscuit and Bread Manufacturers Association President Shafiqur Rahman Bhuiyan has criticised the interim government's decision to impose additional VAT on bakery staples like bread and biscuits.He said the tax is "discriminatory, regressive and defies both research and expert opinion".At a press conference at the Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) on Saturday, he likened the move to shrinking product value.He said: "How small will the packets become? One day, we may see packets that have no biscuits inside. "Shafiqur argued the government persisted with higher VAT despite warnings from World Bank reports, economists, researchers and media outlets.He called it "deeply regrettable" that widely consumed staples were being taxed to the detriment of the poor.Earlier this year, the caretaker administration raised VAT on bread and biscuits from 5 percent to 7.5 percent, prompting protests from the industry.Negotiations with the National Board of Revenue (NBR) chairman led to assurances that VAT would be cut back to 5 percent in the budget.Shafiqur said those promises were broken. "When the budget was announced, the VAT stayed at 7.5 percent, it wasn't reduced to 5 percent," he said.Describing the move as "more discriminatory and regressive" than previous policies, he said it stood in direct opposition to the spirit of Anti-discrimination Student Movement.He said the government had turned basic food items into tools of exploitation, what he decried as shameful and appalling. �"bdnews24.com

For the first time in more than 13 years, a Pakistani foreign minister’s visit to Bangladesh has yielded a visa waiver agreement for government and diplomatic passport holders, along with five memoranda of understanding (MoUs). THE AGREEMENTSUnder the visa waiver agreement, Bangladeshi holders of government and diplomatic passports will no longer need prior visas to travel to Pakistan, and the same will apply to their Pakistani counterparts. The five MoUs include:- Enhanced cooperation between the state news agencies Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) and Associated Press of Pakistan (APP). - Agreements to promote cooperation in higher education, trade and other fields. Current annual bilateral trade remains under $1 billion.

Bangladesh has rejected a claim by Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar that unresolved issues between the two countries related to the 1971 war have already been “settled twice”. Speaking after the ministerial-level talks in Dhaka on Sunday, Foreign Affairs Advisor Touhid Hossain said: “Of course I don’t agree. If we agreed, the problem would have been resolved in the way they claim, right? Our religion tells us to make a clean start and move forward together.”Bangladesh has long maintained that key issues remain unresolved. These include a formal apology for the atrocities committed by the Pakistani occupation forces during the 1971 war, when an estimated 3 million people were killed and 300,000 women raped by the Pakistani occupation forces.

The Chattogram Metropolitan Police has appealed to city residents to share information on extortion, intimidation and other crimes through its mobile application in a bid to curb rising incidents. The call was made on Sunday through a post on the CMP’s official Facebook page and a WhatsApp message sent to journalists. Police said complaints had surfaced that groups were using “false identities” to demand money from businesses, organisations and individuals, both openly and in secret, while issuing threats and spreading fear. The force urged city residents to report any such activity through the Hello CMP app to help police maintain security across the city. The Hello CMP app is available for download from Google Play:https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.hellocmp.design.

A third grader has been charred to death, while three others have been injured in a fire at a government residential school in Shi-Yomi district of Arunachal Pradesh, NDTV reports. The incident occurred at a hostel of Papikrung Government Residential School around 2am on Sunday, the report cited PTI. The child has been identified as 8-year-old Tashi Jempen from Chango village, according to the report. The injured have been identified as Lukhi Pujen, 8, Tanu Pujen, 9, and Tayi Pujen, 11. A police team has been sent to the remote village, located 17km from Monigong town, to look into the incident, the officer was quoted as saying.

Speaking at the Election Commission (EC) headquarters in Dhaka on Sunday, Nasir said: “We have tried to work professionally and impartially. As per the law, an opportunity has been given to file objections and appeals regarding the draft boundaries. Now it is your turn to present logical arguments during the hearings.”The hearings on objections to the draft boundaries began on Sunday afternoon. By Aug 10, the EC had received 1,760 objections regarding 83 constituencies. Officials said the hearings will continue until Aug 27, after which the final boundaries will be announced.

Foreign Advisor Touhid Hossain has held a bilateral meeting with Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, who is in Dhaka on a two-day visit. National Security Advisor Khalilur Rahman, Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam and other senior foreign ministry officials joined the meeting. Officials from the foreign ministry said afterward that five to six agreements and memorandums of understanding are expected to be signed between the two countries. Dar’s trip to Dhaka is aimed at strengthening ties between Pakistan and Bangladesh. His arrival on Saturday marked the first visit by a Pakistani foreign minister to Bangladesh in nearly 13 years.

The VP race has drawn the largest field with 48 candidates, followed by 19 for GS and 28 for AGS. Asked about the provosts’ concerns, VC Prof Niaz Khan said the decision lay with the Election Commission. ‘CONCERNS’ OF PROVOSTSDiscussions with five participating provosts revealed details of the meeting, though none wished to be named. WHAT VC SAYSAsked about the provosts’ concerns, VC Niaz said provosts from different halls spoke on up to 13 issues during the meeting. Asked whether he was worried about the election, the VC said: “Of course there are concerns.

Sketch: TBSThe body of veteran journalist Bibhuranjan Sarkar was recovered from the Meghna River in Char Balaki area of Munshiganj's Gazaria on 22 August, two days after going missing. My profession has taught me that telling the truth means taking risks with courage. Safety has always been an issue for journalists in Bangladesh, turning journalism into one of the riskiest professions in our country. But I also never wanted to spend a lifetime with my hands outstretched in need", added Bibhuranjan in his letter. The only thing that's constant in this profession is mental stress that often goes unnoticed by the community, colleagues and even family members.

‘Will speak out if obstructed’, says DU VC on DUCSU electionDhaka University Vice-Chancellor (VC) Prof Niaz Ahmad Khan has said he will publicly speak out if the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) election process faces any obstruction. But if that support fades, he warned: “I will call everyone and clearly explain at what stage I am being obstructed.”His remarks came amid growing speculation over the university’s ability to organise a free and fair DUCSU election. “We and the students fear whether this election will be fair at all,” he said. Amid these developments, the university’s hall provosts held a separate meeting on Friday to assess the overall environment for holding the election. In a previous Provost Standing Committee meeting, Abdullah-Al-Mamun, provost of Salimullah Muslim Hall and the committee’s convenor, reportedly expressed similar concerns about the election atmosphere.

A 55-year-old man injured in a fire at a petrol and CNG refuelling station in Dhaka’s Mohakhali has died. “He had burns on 45 per cent of his body and had been in intensive care,” he said. The blaze broke out at Eureka Enterprise near Mohakhali Railgate on Aug 17, according to Fire Service and Civil Defence. Eureka employee Al Amin said the fire had erupted as fuel was being transferred from a vehicle to an underground tank. The flames were visible from afar, with Universal Medical College adjacent to the site and the RAOWA Club across the road.

Bangladesh Chief Adviser Mohammad Yunus’ Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam applied pressure on a senior journalist of Dhaka-based Aajkar Patrika newspaper to remove an article headlined ‘History’s multi-instanced month of August’ (‘Itihaser ghatanabahul August maas’), which appeared on August 14, from the Bengali daily’s online edition. Multiple sources confirmed today that Alam called up the Aajker Patrika senior journalist who eventually succumbed to the pressures and threats from the Press Secretary. A BBC report today said that the Press Secretary’s office refrained from commenting on the issue of senior journalist Bibhuranjan Sarkar’s death and the circumstances surrounding it. Sarkar, 71, was a senior Joint Editor at Aajker Patrika. He also referred to the article authored by Dhaka-based senior journalist and columnist Mazharul Islam Babla that appeared in Aajker Patrika’s print edition and online on August 14.

Veteran journalist and former founding editor of Naya Diganta, Alamgir Mohiuddin, passed away yesterday. Mohiuddin had fallen ill at home on May 30 and was taken to the hospital, he said. The Editors' Council has expressed profound grief over the passing of Alamgir Mohiuddin, one of the council's founding members. In a condolence message, the adviser said Alamgir Mohiuddin did objective journalism with courage. The adviser prayed for eternal peace for the departed soul and conveyed deep sympathy to the bereaved family.

The Arakan Army, an insurgent group in Myanmar, has allegedly abducted 12 Bangladeshi fishermen from the Naf River estuary near Teknaf in Cox’s Bazar as they were returning from fishing in the Bay of Bengal. They are all from the villages of Shah Porir Dwip. Trawler owner Sultan Ahmed said the 12 fishermen were returning to the shore due to adverse weather in the morning. On the morning of Aug 12, the Arakan Army abducted five other fishermen from Jaliapara in Shah Porir Dwip in a similar incident in the same area of the river. Since December last year, the group has reportedly abducted 211 Bangladeshi fishermen from different points along the Naf River and the Bay of Bengal.