Bangladesh Election Commission to Exclude Officers Linked to Past Vote Rigging

Dhaka, July 14, 2025 – Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) A M M Nasir Uddin has announced plans to exclude presiding and polling officers involved in past election irregularities from future duties. In a recent interview with BBC Bangla, he outlined measures to ensure fairer elections.

The CEC stated that district election officers have begun investigating officers implicated in vote rigging. “We will make every effort to ensure they are not assigned responsibilities in the upcoming election,” he said.

To replace them, the Election Commission is considering appointing bank officers as presiding officers. “They are not in government service and have no history of involvement in vote rigging, so we are prioritizing them,” Nasir Uddin explained. Presiding officers play a central role in managing polling stations during Bangladesh’s elections, assisted by assistant presiding and polling officers. Over 40,000 presiding officers served in recent national elections. Traditionally, government and MPO-affiliated school and college teachers have filled these roles, but allegations of bias and vote manipulation have prompted the commission to seek alternatives.

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Child Domestic Worker's Body Found Hanging in Ramna

Police recovered the body of a 10-year-old child domestic worker, Sufia Akter, found hanging in a building in the Ramna Model Police Station area of the capital. The incident occurred on the 8th floor of a residential building in the Ispahani Colony.

On Monday (July 14), around 7:00 AM, Sufia was found unconscious and rushed to the emergency department of Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), where doctors declared her dead. Sufia Akter was the daughter of Md. Jalal Uddin from Brahmangao village, Kaukandi Chaharpur, Sunamganj district. She was residing at 608/B, 8th floor, Oasis Residential Area, Ispahani Colony, under Ramna Police Station. The Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Ramna Police Station, Golam Faruk, confirmed the incident. He stated that police received information around 4:30 AM and found Sufia hanging with a scarf tied to a shower in the bathroom of the apartment. She was rescued in an unconscious state and taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital at around 7:00 AM, where she was pronounced dead. According to the OC, the homeowners of the apartment were away in Cox’s Bazar for a trip. Besides Sufia, there were two other domestic workers in the house. As usual, the three slept together, but at some point during the night, Sufia went to the bathroom unnoticed and was found hanging. Upon receiving the information, police rescued her and took her to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where she was declared dead. Preliminary investigations found no signs of sexual assault. However, the exact cause of her death remains unclear. The body has been sent to the Dhaka Medical College morgue for an autopsy to determine the cause of death. Legal proceedings are underway, the OC added.

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s the EU About to Surrender to Trump’s 30 Percent Tariff Threat?

 

U.S. President Donald Trump

Attempting to predict U.S. President Donald Trump’s actions is nothing short of foolish.

However, last Saturday, the Trump administration’s threat to impose a 30 percent tariff on the European Union (EU) dealt a significant blow to the bloc’s confidence. The EU has already quietly conceded in trade negotiations, with diplomats admitting that Europe has sacrificed commercial interests to safeguard broader security and defense concerns.

Let’s look back at what has transpired in the EU over the past three weeks. Until mid-June, the EU maintained a firm stance, showcasing its economic strength in negotiations with the U.S. During this period, Europe’s €140 billion trade, as one of the U.S.’s key trading partners, was at risk. At that time, EU officials and diplomats openly criticized the stance taken by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, stating they would never agree to a lightweight deal focused solely on products like cars, beef, aircraft parts, and ethanol. Questions were also raised about the legal enforceability of the tariff reduction agreement the UK made with the U.S. One diplomat firmly stated, “We will never make a deal like Starmer’s.” Another diplomat expressed hope for a deal that is neither as lightweight as the UK’s nor as retaliatory as China’s. A diplomat told *The Guardian* that if Europe does not stand firm against Trump or demand strict regulations, questions will arise about the future of the rules-based international system. They also highlighted risks to jobs, freedom of expression, social security, and public services. At the time, Europe was considering imposing taxes on U.S. tech giants like Google, Microsoft, and X (formerly Twitter), while also threatening tariffs on U.S. cars and alcoholic beverages. However, last week, the EU’s stance shifted. It began pursuing a lightweight deal similar to the UK’s, seeking some relief from the 27.5 percent tariff on car exports and 50 percent on steel imports. In exchange, the EU was willing to impose a 10 percent tariff on most U.S. goods. This deal was proposed to Trump, and since last Wednesday, Europe has been awaiting his decision. Why did the EU change its stance? In one word: Russia. A diplomat admitted last week that harsh realities emerged during the mid-June NATO summit. It will take the EU another 5–10 years to build air, missile, and intelligence capabilities to defend against military attacks. In this context, U.S. support is critical. Trump has continued to supply weapons to Ukraine. While some oppose flattery toward the U.S. President, one diplomat said, “We got what we wanted.” Another diplomat noted that the EU could never maintain a hardline stance like Japan, as Japan is not as reliant on the U.S. for defense. When asked about this shift in negotiations, a Brussels diplomat said on Thursday, “This process has been extremely difficult. It’s hard to view these discussions in isolation.” The diplomat added, “These issues are affecting the entire EU-U.S. relationship, including security and Ukraine’s defense. There are both short-term and long-term considerations. We are seeking a solution that balances short-term and long-term damage.” Diplomats acknowledged that the deal they hoped for was a significant concession. But now, Trump has turned the tables again. A 30 percent tariff on the EU will almost certainly spark a trade war. Even a 15 percent tariff would be difficult to bear.

Today, Monday, EU trade ministers are meeting in Brussels. Tonight, the suspension of Europe’s retaliatory tariffs against the U.S. expires. It is expected that countries like France will demand a return to a tougher stance during the meeting.

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Dhaka City College Students Protest Demanding Resignation of Principal Kazi Niyamul Haque

On July 14, 2025, at 12:10 PM, students from the 25th and 26th batches of Dhaka City College staged a sit-in protest in front of the college gate (40/45) demanding the resignation of Principal Kazi Niyamul Haque and his syndicate.

The students have announced a boycott of all notices issued by the college administration. They have also declared a complete boycott of all college activities, including classes, examinations, and fee payments, until those responsible for attacking students are brought to justice.

The college administration has closed both entrance gates, and no students are currently present inside the college premises. Notably, law enforcement agencies (police) are present at the scene. Traffic movement on the road remains normal so far.

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UN Human Rights Council Adopts Bangladesh-Led Resolution on Climate Change and Human Rights

The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) has adopted a resolution on “Human Rights and Climate Change” led by Bangladesh during its 59th session in Geneva, Switzerland. The resolution, passed by consensus, was spearheaded by Bangladesh on behalf of a core group comprising Bangladesh, the Philippines, and Vietnam. In a statement delivered before the adoption, Bangladesh’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, Tarek Md. Ariful Islam, highlighted the severe impacts of climate change on millions worldwide, particularly threatening their rights to life, health, housing, social security, and development.

Ambassador Tarek Md. Ariful Islam emphasized that the resolution addresses the significant gap between the growing need for climate action and the availability of climate finance. It identifies shortcomings in existing global climate funding mechanisms and proposes actionable solutions. Notably, the resolution calls for simplifying access to climate funds for developing countries. It urges developed nations and the international community to provide new, additional, adequate, and predictable climate financing, alongside technology transfer and capacity-building support for developing nations. Furthermore, it advocates for special provisions to support debt-stressed countries in addressing climate change impacts. For the first time, the resolution incorporates the need for appropriate remedies and compensation to address harm and human rights violations caused by climate change. It also requests the UN Secretary-General to submit a synthesis report at the 63rd session of the UNHRC, outlining actionable pathways to mobilize sufficient climate financing and overcome related challenges to ensure the full realization of human rights for all. The adoption of this resolution marks another milestone in Bangladesh’s leadership in global climate diplomacy, reinforcing its commitment to addressing the human rights implications of climate change. The 59th session of the UNHRC concluded with this significant achievement.

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Two More Suspects in Lal Chand Murder Case Remanded for Four Days

A viral video showing the brutal murder of scrap trader Lal Chand, alias Sohag (39), in front of Mitford Hospital’s Gate No. 3 in Dhaka has sparked widespread outrage. The incident, which occurred last Wednesday evening, prompted a swift response from authorities, with Dhaka’s Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) Court granting a four-day remand for two additional suspects on Sunday.

The two suspects, identified as Alamgir and Monir (alias Small Monir), were presented before the court by Kotwali police, who sought a 10-day remand. After hearing arguments from both sides, the court approved a four-day remand for each to facilitate further interrogation. Previously, on Saturday, the court had granted a five-day remand for another suspect, Md. Titon Gazi (32), in connection with this high-profile murder case. So far, seven individuals have been arrested in the case: Sajib Byapari, Rajib Byapari, Titon Gazi, Mahmudul Hasan Mohin, Tarek Rahman Robin, Alamgir, and Monir (alias Small Monir). The gruesome killing took place in broad daylight on a busy road in front of Sir Salimullah Medical College (Mitford Hospital). A group of assailants brutally attacked Lal Chand, beating him and striking him with pieces of bricks and stones, crushing his head and other body parts. At one point, the attackers stripped him naked and were seen jumping on his body. A murder case was filed the following day at Kotwali Police Station by Lal Chand’s sister, Manjuara Begum (42). The case names 19 individuals as accused, with an additional 15 to 20 unidentified persons also listed as suspects. The incident has drawn significant public attention, with authorities vowing to bring all perpetrators to justice. The investigation is ongoing, with police analyzing CCTV footage and conducting operations to apprehend remaining suspects.

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Gulshan Flat Acquisition Case: High Court Suspends Proceedings Against One of Three Accused, Including Tulip Siddiq

The High Court has suspended the legal proceedings against one of the three accused in a case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) regarding the alleged illegal acquisition of a flat in Dhaka’s Gulshan area. The accused include Tulip Siddiq, niece of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and former UK City Minister. On July 8, 2025, a High Court division bench issued a rule and a stay order following a petition. This information was confirmed on Sunday by the ACC and the petitioner’s lawyer.

The case, filed on April 15, 2025, by the ACC’s Dhaka Integrated District Office, accuses Tulip Siddiq and two others—former Assistant Legal Adviser of the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK) Shah Md. Khasruzzaman and former Assistant Legal Adviser-1 Sardar Mosharraf Hossain—of illegally acquiring a flat from Eastern Housing Limited in Gulshan. The case was initiated by ACC Assistant Director Monirul Islam. According to the ACC’s lawyer, Shah Md. Khasruzzaman filed a petition in the High Court to quash the case proceedings. Following a hearing on July 8, a High Court division bench, led by Justice Mohammad Ali, issued a rule and stayed the proceedings for three months specifically in Khasruzzaman’s case. Senior lawyer Abdullah Al Mamun, representing the petitioner, stated that the petition argued that no RAJUK officials were named as accused and that a lawyer’s opinion does not constitute a decision. The ACC was represented in court by lawyer M A Aziz Khan, who informed Prothom Alo that the ACC plans to appeal the High Court’s order in the Appellate Division.

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