Nine years on, Smart NID yet to reach all BangladeshisNine years after Bangladesh launched the Smart National Identity Card project, the Election Commission (EC) is still far from delivering cards to all citizens. When the Smart NID distribution began, the target was to reach every citizen within just over a year. For much of this time, progress has been slowed by shortages of blank Smart Cards. “The supply of blank NID cards was halted for some time. EC Secretary Akhtar Ahmed explained on Wednesday: “More than 23.6 million blank cards will be imported from France, which will be used for Smart NID production.

The Pakistan Army has warned that any future conflict with India could lead to “cataclysmic devastation”, saying it would respond “resolutely, without hesitation or restraint”. The warning came on Saturday, a day after Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi threatened to “wipe Pakistan off the map” unless it stopped state-sponsored terrorism. “In the face of highly provocative statements from India’s defence minister and the chiefs of its Army and Air Force, we caution that a future conflict could bring cataclysmic devastation. This time we will do something that will make Pakistan think whether it wants to retain its place in geography or not,” he added. The ISPR statement also referred to Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s recent remarks: “Our soldiers have both weapons and high morale.

Tofail Ahmed, an Awami League heavyweight and close confidant of Bangladesh’s founding father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, remains in critical condition after being hospitalised for 10 days with age-related complications. Tofail’s personal assistant, Abul Khayer, confirmed that his condition remains “unchanged”. Tofail rose to prominence as a fiery student leader in the 1960s and played a pivotal role in the country’s independence movement. Tofail was one of the four regional commanders in the 1971 Liberation War, and served as the political secretary to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in the early 1970s. As he became a political heavyweight, Tofail served the Awami League as the organising secretary for a long time before becoming a presidium member later.

Pakistan has moved to court the United States with a proposal to build and operate a new port on the Arabian Sea, a plan that could give Washington a foothold in one of the region’s most sensitive strategic zones. The proposal envisions Pasni -- located about 100 miles from Iran and 70 miles from China-backed Gwadar -- as a counterbalance to growing Chinese influence in the Arabian Sea. In return, Trump has publicly praised Munir and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who jointly nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize. Pakistan recently shipped its first small consignment of critical and rare earth minerals, including copper and antimony, to the US. Officials see this as an early step in refashioning Islamabad’s ties with Washington around trade and investment rather than security dependence.

Khagrachhari lifts Section 144 after eight days as stability returnsThe district administration in Khagrachhari has lifted Section 144 after eight days, following an improvement in the law and order situation. Similarly, Section 144 was also withdrawn from Guimara by the Upazila administrator (UNO) Irene Akter, according to another statement. The district administration had imposed Section 144 in Khagrachhari Municipality and Sadar Upazila on Sept 27, following concerns over deteriorating law and order and fears of harm to public property and safety. As a result, Section 144 was officially lifted in Khagrachhari Municipality and Sadar Upazila at 6am on Sunday. Earlier in the day, a statement from Jumma Chhatra Janata confirmed the full withdrawal of the previously suspended blockade.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will make his first official visit to India on 8-9 October, India's Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement on Saturday. Britain and India signed a free trade agreement in July during a visit by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, sealing a deal to cut tariffs on goods from textiles to whisky and cars and allow more market access for businesses. Talks on the trade pact were concluded in May after three years of stop-start negotiations, with both sides hastening efforts to clinch a deal in the shadow of tariff turmoil unleashed by US President Donald Trump.

A fire has broken out at a scrap warehouse in the Kalpolok residential area of Bakalia in Chattogram. According to the Fire Service control room, four units from Chandanpura and Lamarbazar stations were deployed around 5:30pm to douse the flames. Firefighters are attempting to contain the blaze, preventing it from spreading to nearby properties.

Two men accused of extorting money from autorickshaw drivers have been snatched away from police custody in Narsingdi Sadar after a group of up to 50 people reportedly launched an attack on officers. Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Mohammad Anwar Hossain was injured in the assault on Saturday and later transferred to Rajarbagh Police Hospital in Dhaka after receiving first aid at Narsingdi Sadar Hospital. Dr Farida Gulshana Kabir, resident medical officer at Narsingdi Sadar Hospital, said: “Anwar Hossain received primary care. “No attack took place. It wasn’t really an attack -- there was just some pushing and shoving while the two men were being snatched away.

India probes possible cough syrup link to deaths of nine childrenIndian authorities said on Saturday they are investigating if contaminated cough syrup caused the deaths of nine children in a central state after a batch of the medication was found to contain dangerous levels of a toxic chemical. The Health Ministry said samples of Coldrif Cough Syrup, manufactured by Sresan Pharma in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, were tested by state authorities and found to contain diethylene glycol (DEG) exceeding permissible limits. "The samples are found to contain DEG beyond the permissible limit," the ministry said in a statement. The statement comes after media reports suggested that recent deaths of nine children in the central state of Madhya Pradesh could have been linked to cough syrup consumption. India has faced scrutiny over the quality of its pharmaceutical exports after the World Health Organisation linked cough syrups made by another company to the deaths of 70 children in Gambia in 2022 — a finding that New Delhi later disputed.

Another candidate, Councillor of the Rajshahi Divisional Sports Association Hasibul Alam, has withdrawn candidacy for the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) election, citing fears of rigging. On Saturday, he arrived at the BCB office and declared that he would no longer take part in the election. “On the 2nd of October, I wrote to the Election Commission. “If things continue like this, the standard of the BCB election will deteriorate even further. “I received a phone call from a foreign number saying Rajshahi councillors were at the Unique Regency Hotel in Dhaka, spread across eight rooms.

Protests in Pakistan's Kashmir called off after demands metA civil rights alliance on Saturday called off protests in Pakistan-ruled Kashmir that had left at least 10 people dead after the government accepted most of its demands. The protesters, led by an alliance of traders and civil rights groups, were demanding more government spending on public projects rather than perks for government functionaries. The Himalayan Kashmir region is divided between Pakistan and neighbouring arch-rival India as a disputed territory since the two countries gained independence from Britain in 1947. Shaukat Nawaz Mir, the alliance's leader, called on the protesters to disperse in Muzaffarabad, the region's capital. Thousands of protesters from nearby towns had converged on Muzaffarabad on Monday, which triggered clashes with security forces.

Yunus says Buddha’s lessons crucial for peace and harmony in turbulent worldGlobal stability and peace could greatly benefit from the teachings of Gautama Buddha, Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus says. On Saturday, Yunus highlighted Buddha’s commitment to non-violence, equality, and fraternity, saying Buddha’s message of peace continues to shine as a beacon for humanity. His ideals of building a harmonious society through peace and unity remain crucial in addressing today’s global instability,” Yunus said. He said Buddha’s teachings have been warmly embraced worldwide, underscoring their universal relevance in fostering peace. He emphasised Bangladesh's reputation as a country of communal harmony, where people of different faiths and ethnicities have coexisted peacefully for generations.

The body of Ahmad Rafiq has been taken to the Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka, where people from all walks of life are paying their last respects to the Language Movement veteran. Due to residential issues at Fazlul Haque Hall, however, he transferred to Dhaka Medical College. Rafiq participated in the 1952 Language Movement, working closely with students from different campuses. He was the only student from Dhaka Medical College to have an arrest warrant issued against him in 1954. Rafiq received numerous accolades, including the Ekushey Padak, Bangla Academy Award, and Rabindra Sahitya Award for his contributions to literature.

Shubman Gill was named India's 50-overs captain on Saturday in place of Rohit Sharma, who was named in the squad along with batting stalwart Virat Kohli for three one-day internationals in Australia this month. Both Rohit and Kohli have quit Test cricket and T20 Internationals and are only available for India only in the 50-over format. Gill took over as Test captain after Rohit quit the long format in May, and he is vice captain of India's T20 squad led by Suryakumar Yadav. Rohit and Kohli last played for India in the Champions Trophy final in March in which they beat New Zealand. India will play three ODIs in Australia followed by five T20 Internationals.

Astronomers have predicted that Ramadan will begin on Feb 19, a Thursday, in the UAE and other Middle Eastern countries. So, the start of Ramadan is expected to fall on Feb 19. Al Jarwan said the fasting period will begin at 12 hours and 46 minutes, gradually increasing to 13 hours and 25 minutes by the end of the month. He also mentioned that the daylight hours will start at 11 hours and 32 minutes, rising to 12 hours and 12 minutes by Ramadan’s conclusion. The start of Ramadan is annually determined by the moon sighting, which is officially confirmed after the 29th of Shaban in the Islamic lunar calendar.