Leaders of the newly formed National Citizen Party (NCP) on Tuesday paid tribute to the martyrs by placing wreaths at the National Martyrs Mausoleum in Savar, pledging to rebuild Bangladesh with the spirit of the July uprising. Party Convener Nahid Islam and Member Secretary Aktar Hossain led the delegation as they honoured the martyrs and observed a one-minute silence at the mausoleum. Fight for ‘constituent assembly’ election to establish ‘second republic’: Nahid Speaking to the media, Nahid, a former adviser to the interim government, said, “We will rebuild Bangladesh with the July spirit. Our independence was achieved through the Liberation War, but true sovereignty has remained under threat due to fascism. Now, the youth must take charge and reshape the state.” He emphasised the need for a new democratic republic, stating that the country's institutions had collapsed time and again. “A democratic constitution must be established to ensure the people's rights,” he added. Nahid also urged the nation to remain vigilant, calling for justice over the events of the July uprising. “We must prosecute those responsible and say goodbye to fascism once and for all,” he said. Jatiya Nagorik Party led by Nahid Islam launched Later, the NCP leaders visited Rayer Bazar in Dhaka to pay homage to the martyrs of the July uprising. A large number of party leaders and activists gathered at both venues to express their commitment to the movement and the ideals of a new Bangladesh.

Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Shafiqur Rahman has revealed the difficult experiences endured by many religious scholars, including himself, during their time in detention at the "Ayanaghar" (secret detention center). He was addressing a gathering at an Iftar meeting organised for orphans and religious scholars at a restaurant in Dhaka’s Mirpur on Sunday. Jamaat Ameer shared his personal experience of being detained at the Ayanaghar, stating, "I have personally seen the Ayanaghar. Many respected scholars, like myself, were held there in secret. Their families had no idea about their whereabouts, and the detainees themselves were unaware of where they were held." He recounted the time of his last arrest, which occurred on December 12, 2022, at 3 am, when members of the Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit took him into custody. "On a cold winter night, I was taken away in just one piece of clothing by CTTC personnel. There, I saw numerous scholars who had been detained under similar circumstances. Their families did not know where they were, and even those in detention had no idea about their location," Shafiqur added. “No majority-minority”: Jamaat Ameer He continued, "After a few days, I was taken to court, but not presented before a judge. I was then moved from the court's detention cell to Keraniganj Jail, and later to Kashimpur Jail. I was accompanied by around 30 scholars, all handcuffed and shackled, as we were taken to prison." The Jamaat leader further said, "After 15 years of harsh regime, people from all walks of life have risen in a united movement. After many sacrifices, a change took place on August 5, which signifies a shift toward a better society.” Dhaka North City Ameer, Md. Selim Uddin, also addressed the gathering, speaking to the orphans and scholars present at the event. Several others also shared their thoughts, representing orphans and scholars at the Iftar event.

The launch event of the new political party of student activists of the July Movement named Jatiya Nagorik Party-JNC (National Citizen Party) formally started in the capital's Manik Miah Avenue on Friday afternoon. The event started at 4:20 pm with recitations from the Holy Quran, Gita, Tripitaka, and Bible. The National Anthem was sung, and  one-minute silence was observed in memory of those martyred during the July mass uprising. Thousands of people from the city and various districts of the country have already joined the launch event, and many are still joining the programme.

Jatiya Nagorik Party (National Citizens’ Party) is gearing up for its official launch on Friday, with party leaders emphasizing inclusivity and nationwide participation. Akhtar Hossain, the party’s member secretary, expressed optimism on Thursday, saying that the party aims to move forward with the involvement of people from all backgrounds. “We look forward to your participation in our opening ceremony, which will be held at Manik Mia on Friday at 3 pm,” Hossain said in a video message posted on the party’s newly launched Facebook page. He also clarified that no existing committee has been dissolved following the formation of the new party, addressing concerns about potential restructuring. July Movement activists set to launch new party – ‘Jatiya Nagorik Party’ The party was announced earlier by Sarjis Alam, who introduced the Jatiya Nagorik Party in a Facebook post. “Banners bearing this name will be raised across the country. Let Bangladesh resonate with this name,” he wrote. The leadership structure of the youth-led party has also been finalized. Nahid Islam has been named as the convener, while Akhtar Hossain serves as the member secretary. Additionally, key organizing roles have been assigned: * Hasnat Abdullah as the chief organizer for the South* Sarjis Alam as the chief organizer for the North* Nasiruddin Patwary as the chief coordinator

The activists of the July Movement are set to announce their new political party named Jatiya Nagorik Party (National Citizen Party), confirmed Sarjis Alam, the chief organiser of JNC and a prominent leader of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement. Sarjis Alam shared the announcement in a Facebook post on Thursday. “Banners bearing this name will be raised across the country. Let Bangladesh resonate with this name,” he wrote. Nahid Islam has been finalised as the convener of the youth-led political party while Akhtar Hossain has been confirmed as the member secretary, according to a post on the party's newly launched Facebook page. Jatiya Nagorik Party prepares for official launch tomorrow, calls for inclusive participation Besides, Hasnat Abdullah has been appointed as the chief organiser for the South, Sarjis Alam as the chief organiser for the North, and Nasiruddin Patwary as the chief coordinator. Leaders of the Jatiya Nagorik Committee and the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement (ADSM) are set to officially declare the party’s formation on Friday at 3pm on Manik Mia Avenue. Sarjis Alam announced the date at a press briefing at the committee office on Monday. He said that the new party would uphold the spirit of the July uprising in its political course. Resigned to fulfill promises of popular uprising: Nahid Meanwhile, Information Adviser Mohammad Nahid Islam resigned from his position on Tuesday to join the new party. Ahead of the party's formation, students affiliated with the July Movement launched a new student organisation named ‘Gonotantraik Chhatra Sangsad’ on Wednesday. But the move sparked protests from a faction of activists who had also participated in the movement.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman has said that the local government elections must be held promptly to ensure public access to services. He made the remark as the chief guest at a street rally organized by Chandpur district Jamaat on West Bazar Road in the district’s Hajiganj on Saturday afternoon. The Jamaat Ameer said, “We want a national election only after ensuring political and administrative reforms in the country. Elections should be held under the proportional representation system so that no vote is wasted and every vote carries value.” Dr. Shafiqur further said, “Those who extort money from vehicles are taking it from the pockets of 18 crore people, even from beggars. This extortion must stop.” The rally was presided over by Advocate Masudul Islam Bulbul, a central Majlis-e-Shura member and Naib-e-Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami, while Advocate Shahjahan Mia, the district Jamaat secretary, conducted the event. Jamaat Ameer vows to surrender if ATM Azharul remains jailed Among the special guests were Jamaat-e-Islami Central Assistant Secretary ATM Masud, Central Executive Committee member Mobarak Hossain, and Dhaka South Assistant Secretary Kamal Uddin, among others. The event began with a recitation from the Holy Quran by Sadar Upazila Ameer Maulana Afsar Uddin Miyaji. Thousands of party leaders, activists, and supporters attended the rally.

As the U.S. and Russia push ahead – so far without Ukraine at the table – on talks to end the war, political and military leaders in Europe are fleshing out details of a plan for European forces to help ensure Moscow does not attack again. After months of quiet discussions, the proposal has become increasingly public. It will likely be on the agenda when British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron, two major backers of the idea, visit Washington on separate days next week for talks with President Donald Trump. Starmer, who will visit Thursday, has stressed that the force won’t work without U.S. military might to back it up. Persuading Trump to provide it could be a tall order. What is the plan? The security guarantee that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy really wants is NATO membership. European members of the military alliance still back that goal, but the U.S. looks to have taken it off the table, along with Ukrainian hopes of regaining the fifth of its territory seized by Russia. In the absence of NATO membership, Zelenskyy has said that more than 100,000 European troops could be needed in Ukraine to guarantee the conflict does not flare up again after a ceasefire. But Western officials say what’s being discussed is a “reassurance force,” not an army of peacekeepers posted along the 600-mile (1,000-kilometer) front line in Ukraine's east. US top diplomat Rubio visits the UAE after landmark talks with Russia over Ukraine war The proposal backed by Britain and France would see fewer than 30,000 European troops on the ground in Ukraine – away from the front line at key infrastructure sites such as nuclear power plants – backed by Western air and sea power. Under the plan, the front line would largely be monitored remotely, with drones and other technology. Air power based outside Ukraine – perhaps in Poland or Romania -- would be in reserve to deter breaches and reopen Ukrainian airspace to commercial flights. That could include U.S. air power. “There must be a U.S. backstop because a U.S. security guarantee is the only way to effectively deter Russia from attacking Ukraine again,” Starmer said on Monday. What do the Americans say? Trump has long expressed the view that America’s NATO allies don’t pull their weight and that Europe must do more for its own security. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has told European allies that “there will not be U.S. troops deployed to Ukraine,” but has not ruled out American support such as air transport or logistics. Gen. Keith Kellogg, Trump’s Ukraine envoy, said during a visit to NATO this week that all options must be kept on the table because the shape of any force will depend on the outcome of peace negotiations that have yet to be held. Jamie Shea, a former senior NATO official, said “different people in the administration are sending different signals … Who do you believe is an issue.” It's unclear whether Ukraine will be happy with the proposal. Russia, meanwhile, has rejected the idea outright. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said deployment of troops from NATO nations, even if not under the banner of the alliance, “will certainly be unacceptable for us.” Are other European countries onboard? Britain, France and the Nordic and Baltic states that are the closest NATO nations to Russia appear most likely to play the main roles in any force. Italy has constitutional limits on the use of its forces. In some countries including The Netherlands, deploying troops would need parliament’s approval. Trump labels Zelenskyy a 'dictator' amid rising tensions over Russia-Ukraine war Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said his country, a key logistics base for support to Ukraine since the Russian invasion three years ago, will not send troops into its neighbor. After a hastily arranged meeting of European leaders in Paris this week to discuss the war, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said talk of a Europe-lead security force was “premature.” Scholz said he was “a little irritated” that peacekeeping forces were even being discussed “at the wrong time.” He insisted NATO — not an independent European force — must remain the foundation of security. Could the plan work? The success of the plan depends on the nature of any agreement to stop the fighting. Russia has some 600,000 troops in Ukraine, and analysts say any ceasefire deal that leaves the bulk of them there is a recipe for renewed conflict. France's military has just over 200,000 personnel, Britain's less than 150,000. Matthew Savill, director of military sciences at the Royal United Services Institute, said Europe would struggle to mount a force even in the tens of thousands. “European countries will have a limited ability to deploy something that can be sustained for multiple rotations, potentially over several years," he said. And it could be many years. Michael Clarke, visiting professor in war studies at King’s College London, noted that peacekeeping forces in Cyprus and Lebanon have remained in place for decades. “If it is successful, it will last 20 or 30 years,” he said. “If it is not successful, it will break down into fighting inside two years.” Lithuanian defense minister Dovilė Šakalienė said there was truth in the Trump administration’s “painful” criticism of Europe’s defense spending and military strength. “Russia is preparing for a long war,” she told the AP. “They have now three times the manpower and their defense industry is moving quicker than that of Europe. Does anybody believe that this is only aimed at Ukraine? “What is the use of security guarantees from a weak party? Europe needs to muscle up right now to be actually able to provide security guarantees that will hold.”

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Wednesday with the leader of the United Arab Emirates, wrapping up an overseas trip that saw the highest-level outreach between the United States and Russia since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Rubio's talk with Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, also the ruler of Abu Dhabi, comes as the U.S. also tries to continue a shaky ceasefire in the Gaza Strip between Israel and the militant Hamas group. The UAE, which diplomatically recognized Israel in 2020 during President Donald Trump's first term, also has been key in mediating prisoner swaps between Russia and Ukraine. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Sheikh Mohammed on Monday. Rubio offered his thanks in the meeting to the UAE “for the strength and enduring nature of the relationship, one marked by strong economic ties, defense cooperation and mutual interests in regional stability,” State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in a statement. The meeting included discussions on artificial intelligence, the Gaza Strip, Syria, Lebanon and the Red Sea, which had been the site of attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels until the Gaza ceasefire, Bruce added. The UAE's readout focused on comments over the Gaza Strip and the Palestinians during the meeting between Rubio, Sheikh Mohammed and Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE's foreign minister, that lasted roughly 30 minutes. Israel's ceasefires with Hezbollah, Hamas uncertain again The state-run WAM news agency reported Sheikh Mohammed had told Rubio “that the UAE strongly opposes any attempt to displace the Palestinian people from Gaza.” Trump has said he wants to empty Gaza permanently of its more than 2 million Palestinians, saying they would not be allowed to return and suggesting at one point he might force Egypt and Jordan to take them in by threatening to cut off U.S. aid. Sheikh Mohammed also reportedly stressed that reconstruction in Gaza be backed by a “comprehensive and lasting peace” based on a two-state solution, which would see the Palestinians have their own future state out of Gaza and the West Bank. Both the UAE and Saudi Arabia have been discussed as possible sites for peace talks to end the war in Ukraine, which marks its third anniversary on Monday. Saudi Arabia also has been mentioned as the possible venue for a meeting between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, providing a potential diplomatic boon to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom's de facto ruler. The leaders met Rubio at an Abu Dhabi convention center that's hosting the biennial International Defense Exhibition and Conference this week, where both Ukraine and Russia have displayed weapons — even as Moscow faces Western sanctions over the war. Russian money continues to flood into Dubai’s booming real estate market. Daily flights between the Emirates and Moscow provide a lifeline for both those fleeing conscription and the Russian elite. Ukrainians as well have fled to the Emirates, an autocratically ruled federation of seven sheikhdoms on the Arabian Peninsula. 500 days of the Israel-Hamas war, by the numbers Rubio also visited Abu Dhabi's Abrahamic Family House, which houses a Catholic church, a Jewish synagogue and an Islamic mosque.

President of Islami Chhatra Shibir Zahidul Islam has criticised the Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), stating that they are taking the wrong path. His remarks came in response to the recent student clashes at Khulna University of Engineering & Technology (Kuet). On Tuesday (18 Feb) night, Zahidul Islam posted a statement on Facebook under the title "An Appeal to Chhatra Dal", in which he asserted that Shibir does not consider JCD as an adversary but rather shares a common struggle against fascism. "We have tried multiple times—both directly and strategically—to make them understand the necessity of learning from the past and returning to constructive student politics," Zahid wrote. DU Chhatra Shibir demands DUCSU election roadmap announcement by Jan He further alleged that JCD is not paying heed to their call and is instead moving forward under the advice of the same "fascists and their Shahbagh allies." Referring to the recent Kuet incident, he questioned, "How does today's incident differ from the actions of the Chhatra League in July and August?" The Shibir president reiterated that his organisation does not deny the sacrifices made by JCD, whether big or small, but criticised them for continuing down the same mistaken path. Urging JCD to abandon a "possessive attitude" and embrace student politics focused on education and service, he concluded, "Contribute to building a new Bangladesh within your capacity."

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman on Tuesday said that their movement will continue until the release of its Assistant Secretary General ATM Azharul Islam and the restoration of the party's registration. "He (Azharul) has been languishing in jail for 12-13 years without committing any crime. We don't want him to stay even for 13 more minutes in jail. We are humble but not fool. Don’t make a mistake by treating our politeness as weakness," he told a rally organised in Baitul Mukarram area in Dhaka demanding Azharul Islam’s release. The Jamaat Ameer also called for the immediate reinstatement of the party’s registration, asking, “Do you want to do what the oppressive government did? Did students and the public sacrifice their lives for this?” He emphasised that their struggle is yet to be ended. “The war is ongoing. Thousands of students and common people are ready to give their lives on the streets. All conspiracies have been thwarted by them.” UN report exposes genocide under Hasina: Jamaat Ameer The rally spanning areas around Paltan, Baitul Mukarram, Nightingale, Kakrail, Zero Point, and the Press Club drew a huge gathering of party members. Following the rally, a protest procession led by Ameer was brought out. Earlier, on February 17, in a statement, Secretary General and former MP Professor Mia Golam Parwar called on party leaders, workers, and people from all walks of life to ensure the success of the rally and the protest march.