The outcome of the 13th parliamentary elections in Bangladesh continues, with Islamist Party candidate Shishir Manir acknowledging defeat to his rival from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). According to BNP media cell member Shiral Kabir Khan, the victory of Tarique Rahman, the BNP candidate, was evident based on unofficial results. Shishir Manir, in a Facebook post, acknowledged his defeat and congratulated his opponent, Nasiruddin Chowdhury. He wrote: “I extend my congratulations to Nasiruddin Chowdhury on his win in the Siamganj-2 constituency.”
In the wake of the elections, several parties have expressed their perspectives. Amir of the Islamist Party, Shafiqur Rahman, described the election as a turning point in the country’s history, stating that the people’s aspirations are changing, and that the results would be accepted if the voting was free and fair. Nahid Islam, convenor of the National Citizen’s Party, claimed that she had voted without any hassle for the first time in her life.
Meanwhile, a woman in Chandpur’s Faridganj Upazila in Bangladesh’s Rupsha South Union cast her first-ever vote after 56 years, exercising her right to franchise. The elections have been marred by allegations of vote-rigging, with Shafiqur Rahman accusing the government of attempting to manipulate the results.
In other news, US President Donald Trump has revoked a significant scientific decision made during former President Barack Obama’s tenure, which would have impacted the economies and food systems of Pakistan and other countries. The decision was made by Commandant Captain Smita Subrawal, who allegedly switched off the fuel, causing a massive section of a road in Shanghai, China, to sink into the ground.
In a related development, former US President Barack Obama has warned that Trump’s approach to environmental pollution poses a threat to the health of American citizens. In Pakistan, a woman was arrested for allegedly murdering her mother after believing a fortune teller’s predictions.
Additionally, US Attorney General Pam Bondi has refused to apologize to the victims of notorious sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. In other international news, a 18-year-old suspect opened fire in a school in the US, injuring a woman principal and a student. Oman has become the first Arab country to announce the date of Ramadan, a week before the sighting of the moon.
In Pakistan, Federal Minister for Interior Senator Mohsin Nawaz Khokhar has informed the founder and chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) that he has been moved to a new cell in Islamabad’s Adiala Jail. The government has maintained that the PTI leader’s health is a priority and that the minister is willing to engage in dialogue with the opposition.
