Legendary folk singer Farida Parveen, celebrated as the nation’s iconic voice, passed away at the age of 73. She died at 10:15pm on Saturday, Ashish Kumar Chakraborty, managing director of Universal Medical College Hospital, told Bangla Tribune. The singer had been on life support at the hospital since Wednesday. Known for bringing countless songs to life, Farida Parveen’s voice will be remembered for generations. As in the lyrics of her famous song “Khanchar Bhetor Ochin Pakhi Kemone Ase Jai,” her departure leaves admirers mourning her absence. She is survived by her husband and four children.

BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman has said that if democracy is established in Bangladesh, the rights of animals, birds, wildlife, and the ecosystem will also be ensured.

Independent candidate Abdur Rashid Zitu has been elected vice president (VP) and Islami Chhatra Shibir’s Mazharul Islam general secretary (GS) in the Jahangirnagar University Central Students’ Union (JUCSU) election, held after 33 years. Chief Election Commissioner Prof Md Maniruzzaman announced the results from the university’s Senate hall on Saturday after a marathon vote-counting process that stretched more than 45 hours. Zitu, a student of the Institute of Comparative Literature and Culture, is a former central coordinator of the Students Against Discrimination movement and convenor of the Gono Obbhutthan Rokkha Andolon. He contested the election from the Independent Student Alliance panel. Meanwhile, Mazharul is a Master’s student in the Department of English. He ran as a candidate from the panel backed by Islami Chhatra Shibir, the student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami. The declared tallies showed Zitu receiving 3,334 votes. His closest rival, Islami Chhatra Shibir’s Arif Ullah Adib, secured 2,389 votes. Mazharul won the GS post with 3,930 votes, defeating Bangladesh Ganatantrik Chhatra Sangshad (BGCS) candidate Abu Tauhid Mohammad Siam, who received 1,238 votes. Both assistant general secretary (AGS) positions also went to candidates -- Ferdous Al Hasan (2,358) and Ayesha Siddiqua Meghla (3,402). Of the 25 secretary posts, the majority were won by candidates from the Shibir-backed panel. OTHER VICTORS Education and research secretary –- Abu Ubaida Usama (Shibir) | 2,428 votes Environment and nature conservation secretary –- Md Safayet Mir (Shibir) | 2,811 votes Literature and publication secretary -– Md Zahidul Islam (Shibir) | 1,907 votes Cultural secretary -– Mohibullah Sheikh Jisan (Independent) | 2,018 votes Assistant cultural secretary -– Md Raihan Uddin (Shibir) | 1,986 votes Drama secretary -– Md Ruhul Islam (Shibir) | 1,929 votes Sports secretary -– Mahmudul Hasan Kiron (Independent) | 5,778 votes Assistant sports secretary (female) -– Farhana Akter Lubna (Shibir) | 1,986 votes Assistant sports secretary (male) –- Md Mahadi Hasan (Shibir) | 2,105 votes Information technology and library secretary -– Md Rashedul Islam Likhon (Shibir) | 2,436 votes Social service and human resource development secretary -– Ahsan Labib (BGCS) | 1,690 votes Assistant social service and human resource development secretary (female) -– Nigar Sultana (Shibir) | 2,442 votes Assistant social service and human resource development secretary (male) -– Md Touhid Hasan (Shibir) | 2,442 votes Health and food security secretary -– Husni Mubarak (Shibir) | 2,653 votes Transport and communication secretary -– Md Tanvir Rahman (Shibir) | 2,559 votes EXECUTIVE MEMBERS Md Tarikul Islam (Male, Shibir) | 1,746 votes Md Abu Talha (Male, Shibir) | 1,854 votes Md Mohsin (Male, Shibir) | 2,414 votes Nabila Binte Harun (Female, Shibir) | 2,750 votes Fabliha Jahan (Female, Shibir) | 2,475 votes Nusrat Jahan Ema (Female, Shibir) | 3,014 votes SHIBIR BREAKTHROUGH With this result, Jamaat-e-Islami`s student front Shibir, which had never before secured a post in JUCSU, has now taken control of another student union after their sweeping victory in the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) election. The JUCSU polls at the Savar campus, just outside Dhaka, drew nationwide attention, taking place only two days after the DUCSU election. TURNOUT AND DELAYS Out of nearly 12,000 students on the campus, the Election Commission reported that about 68 percent cast their votes on Thursday. Counting began at 10pm the same night, with results only being announced after a lengthy delay. The election will be remembered not only for allegations of irregularities and boycotts by most panels, but also for the death of a faculty member engaged in election duties during the prolonged vote count. The main disruption came when the Election Commission abandoned machine counting and decided to tally votes manually amid allegations of irregularities. The change followed claims that ballot papers and OMR machines had been purchased from a company linked to Jamaat, leading to chaos and delays. Since JUCSU’s inception in 1972, this was the 10th edition of the polls, which students had eagerly awaited. Student organisations had long been vocal in their demand for the election. In the new political landscape after the fall of the Awami League regime in August 2024, the JUCSU election was finally held on Sept 11 after repeated delays. Candidates from at least seven panels, including the BNP’s student wing Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, Shibir, BGCS, leftist-progressive groups, as well as numerous independent candidates, contested the polls.

Secretary Shafiqul Alam on Saturday, citing the financial pressures of running media outlets. “To set up a media organization, owners must have money because they need to pay journalists’ salaries,” he told a roundtable titled “Review and Actions of Media Reform Commission’s Report” at Dhaka Reporters Unity’s (DRU) Shafiqul Kabir Auditorium. Shafiqul agreed with the principle of “No wage board, no media” and acknowledged the need for incentives to ensure proper functioning. “In the last 15 years, many leaders have become newspaper owners—yet they have never spoken out for journalists’ rights,” he said. He emphasized that if any journalist is injured or killed at work due to inadequate safety measures, the responsibility must lie with the owners. He also remarked that if a union leader becomes an editor, they must resign from their union post, and vice versa. Md Mia Hossain, member secretary of the Journalist Community of Bangladesh, delivered the keynote. He said: “Due to the absence of proper and effective policies, journalists are not receiving their rightful salaries. Month after month, wages remain unpaid, forcing them to live in inhumane conditions. These issues need urgent attention. Through proper laws and policies, journalism must be brought to a fully professional level.” The keynote suggested several reforms, including forming a task force, monitoring electronic and online media, registering journalists, and enacting a specific law for the declaration of electronic and online media outlets. DRU President Abu Saleh Akon said: “We must claim our rights ourselves. We need to be united. We do not get security. We are beaten in front of the police, in court, and even at the press club.” Ekramul Haque Bhuiya, editor of DBC News, urged that TV and online platforms be brought under the Wage Board policy. Sakhawat Hossain Badsha, former DRU president, noted that without DRU’s representation in the Media Reform Commission and other government media committees, true media reform will not be possible. Other prominent journalists and media members attended the roundtable.

More than 80% of ballots have been cast in the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (Ducsu) election, according to returning officers. The Election Commission has expressed hope that results will be announced by midnight. Officials said that if any complaints arise from polling centres, CCTV footage will be reviewed as necessary. They emphasized that no one will get away with filing false allegations, noting that a sufficient number of cameras have been installed. Authorities also warned that if anyone attempts to deliberately or strategically incite unrest, the administration will take immediate action. This is the eighth Ducsu election since Bangladesh’s independence, held six years after the controversial 2019 polls. A total of 39,775 students were registered to vote -- 20,873 male and 18,902 female, reflecting a nearly equal gender balance. Voting began at 8am Tuesday and continued until 4pm across eight centers with 810 booths. Each voter cast ballots for a total of 41 posts, including 28 central Ducsu positions and 13 hall union positions. In this year’s election, 471 candidates are contesting for various posts.