Mursalin Nomani of Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) and Mynul Hasan Sohel of the Daily Inqilab have been elected President and General Secretary of the Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU). Nomani bagged 635 votes while his rival candidates Kabir Ahmed Khan and Nazrul Islam Mithu got 543 and 264 votes respectively in the election held on Wednesday. Sohel got 422 votes to defeat his nearest rival Mohiuddin (383 votes) contesting for the post of General Secretary. Read more: DRU concerns over DSA case against journo Nurnabi Dipu Sarwar was elected vice-president getting 823 votes and Moinul Ahsan was elected joint secretary securing 508 votes. Other elected office bearers are Finance Secretary Shakhawat Hossain Sumon (712 votes), Organizing Secretary Saiful Islam  (878 votes), Office Secretary Kausar Azam (806 votes), Women Affairs Secretary Marium Moni Sejuti (741) Publicity and Publication Secretary Kamaluddin Sumon (731 votes),  ICT and Training Secretary Tofajjal Hossain Ruble (792 votes ), Cultural Secretary Mizan Chowdhury (738 votes), Hospitality Secretary Mohammad Naymuddin (unopposed) and Welfare Secretary Tanvir Ahmed (664 votes) . The elected seven members of the new DRU executive committee are Monirul Islam Millat (930 votes), Ismail Hossain Russel (772 votes), Mohsin Bepari (751 votes), Mozzamel Haque Tuhin (683 votes), Kiron Sheikh (672 votes), SM Mostafizur Rahman Sumon  (648 votes) and Ibrahim Ali (634 votes). The DRU election voting began at 9am and continued till 5pm without any break. A total of 1,457 votes were cast out of 1,744 voters of the country's biggest organisation of reporters. Read more: Home Minister to DRU: 'Media is completely independent now' Chief Election commissioners Manjurul Ahsan Bulbul announced the results after vote counting in the evening. A total of 43 candidates contested for 20 posts while hospitality secretary was elected uncontested.

Planning Minister MA Mannan on Wednesday said that Bangladesh economy is moving toward a comfortable position with the restoration of global food supply after Russia’s recent deal with Ukraine allowing export of food grains. The minister said this at a press briefing at his office in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, while releasing the inflation data prepared by Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS). He also spoke on the current state of the economy. He said the government plans to prepare a list of most consumed 20-22 products to measure a separate inflation rate. These items are usually consumed by the marginal and lower middle-class people. Mannan said the overall inflation rate decreased by 0.8 per cent to 7.48 per cent in July from the 7.56 per cent in June. “This is a good news,” The government has opened the door to importing rice and other food items  easing the process. The increasing supply has already brought down the prices of edible oil, rice, vegetables, and some commodities, he said. The inflation rate will come down gradually as the supply of rice and other commodities increased in the domestic market along with easing the global supply chain, the minister said. Read: Bangladesh ahead of other nations in reining in inflation: AL

Noted educationalist and former Dhaka University vice-chancellor Prof Dr AAMS Arefin Siddique has been appointed chairman of the Board of Directors of national news agency Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS).

Veteran journalist and former chief editor and managing director of Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) Deba Priya Barua died at his residence in the capital early Wednesday. He was 91.

Senior journalist Khandaker Mohitul Islam, a permanent member of Jatiya Press Club, died at a private clinic in Dhaka on Tuesday.