Today's ডাক is here. 🦆🦆

Good morning, people. Get this: French President Macron finally got a taste of VIP-pass (maybe for the first time). Stuck in New York traffic thanks to Trump’s motorcade, he was so annoyed he actually phoned Trump: “Uh… I’m stuck because of you.” 😂
Well, that didn’t help, so he ditched the car and just walked to his meeting like the rest of us.

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📰Prodhan Khobor

A Tale of Two Statements: Fakhrul & Ei Samay | Trump’s UN Address | When art becomes uncomfortable

🔎 Bistarito.

🤔 A Tale of Two Statements: Fakhrul & Ei Samay

A firestorm has erupted over a recent interview published in the Indian newspaper Ei Samay that was supposedly given by BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. The interview quoted him making some highly controversial statements, including advising the Awami League and Jatiyo Party to participate in the upcoming election and downplaying the influence of Jamaat-e-Islami. However, Fakhrul, currently in New York, has strongly denied the interview, calling it “fake and fabricated,” and claiming it was an AI-generated report. He insists he never spoke to any Kolkata-based media.

On one side, you have Ei Samay claiming the interview is legitimate. On the other, the BNP’s official statement initially called the report "misleading" before Fakhrul's stronger denial of it ever taking place. The timing is crucial, as the alleged comments about Jamaat immediately drew sharp criticism from the party, with its Secretary General, Mia Golam Porwar, condemning the remarks as "false, disrespectful, and vindictive."

Whether the report was an elaborate fabrication or simply a case of misreporting, the accusation of AI involvement introduces a new, dangerous element into political discourse. It makes it easier for political figures to dismiss unfavorable coverage as a technological hoax. This could also be a calculated move by the BNP to manage internal and external political backlash.

⚠️ CONCERNING

An investigation by Independent TV's "Taalash" team has exposed a shocking blood syndicate in Dhaka that allegedly dilutes blood with saline and dye and sells it at high prices.

ঐ Deshi.

💰 Dhaka court has ordered the confiscation of $81 m from the Philippines' Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) in connection with the 2016 Bangladesh Bank reserve heist. This administrative order is a significant step toward recovering the stolen funds. However, CID officials were unable to provide a timeline for the repatriation of the money, as RCBC has previously stated the funds are no longer in its custody and were funneled into Philippine casinos.

💸 Bangladesh Bank (BB) has purchased an additional $129.5 m from commercial banks at a rate of Tk 121.75 per dollar, continuing its strategy to maintain stability in the foreign exchange market. This latest transaction brings the total amount of dollars acquired by the central bank since July to $1.88 b, all through a series of auctions. The move is viewed by economists as a crucial step to bolster foreign reserves and prevent sudden fluctuations in the dollar's value. The increased dollar supply in the market is attributed to strong remittance inflows and export earnings, combined with a decrease in demand for imports, particularly capital machinery.

🚩 Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) has published a list of 30 closed or non-operational companies to protect investors from potential share price manipulation fueled by false rumors. The list includes 28 private and two state-owned companies from the manufacturing sector that have been non-operational for extended periods, some for several years.

📊Data Point

0.78%
Bangladeshi invest in stock market.

🌍 Around the World.

👀 Trump’s UN Address Was All for His Base

Donald Trump’s return to the UN General Assembly was a shock to the system. In his first speech to the body in six years, he didn't just criticize the UN; he tore into it, calling the organization "feckless" and "corrupt." His remarks were vintage Trump, complete with complaints about a malfunctioning teleprompter and a broken escalator. He told world leaders they were “going to hell,” and urged nations to close their borders, arguing that a "globalist migration agenda" was ruining countries, particularly in Europe. He also doubled down on his opposition to climate initiatives, calling it a "con job."

This is a clear signal that Trump's "America First" philosophy is back with a vengeance. The fact that he used the UN—the very symbol of the globalism he despises—as his stage was a strategic move. He was there to rally his political base. He framed global issues in a way that resonates with his supporters, from criticizing immigration to bashing climate action, all while painting himself as the only one who can fix the world's problems.

The speech was also notable for its claims of having ended "seven unendable wars" in his first eight months in office, which have been widely disputed. Then, he threatened Russia with tariffs but also said European nations were "funding the war against themselves" by continuing to buy Russian energy. He condemned any moves to recognize a Palestinian state, calling it a "reward for Hamas."

🌍 Bideshi.

🤝 A deal for the U.S. operations of TikTok is nearing completion. President Trump has announced that Chinese President Xi Jinping has approved a framework that would see a consortium of U.S. investors, including Oracle, Silver Lake, and Andreessen Horowitz, take a majority stake. Under the agreement, a new U.S.-based entity would be created, with Oracle handling the security of U.S. user data, and the algorithm being licensed, then retrained and operated in the United States, outside of Chinese control. The deal is expected to be signed this week and could potentially require U.S. users to migrate to a new app.

❌ While the Trump administration has hinted at a link between pregnant women taking acetaminophen (the active ingredient in Tylenol/Paracetamol) and autism, this claim is not supported by major medical organizations. Global health bodies and researchers state there is no definitive proof that the drug causes autism, and they continue to recommend it as the safest pain reliever for pregnant women. However, they advise consulting a doctor before taking any medication and only using it as needed.

📺: An rarer atmospheric phenomenon - a “gigantic jet.”

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🎨 Art.

When art becomes uncomfortable

On September 9th, a Banksy artwork appeared on the walls of the Queen’s Building in London. It was a searing image titled “The Law of the Jungle,” showing a bewigged judge, a symbol of British law, beating an unarmed protester with a gavel. It coincided with a crackdown on pro-Palestinian demonstrations in the city. And the artwork was portraying the use of law to suppress civil liberties. But as an ironic affirmation of its message, the piece was quickly covered and then scrubbed clean by court authorities

While London's authorities moved swiftly to remove Banksy’s mural, citing its location on a protected historical building, across the channel in Venice, another Banksy piece, "The Migrant Child," is undergoing a high-profile restoration. The mural, which portrays a child in a life jacket holding a pink smoke flare, is a poignant symbol related to the refugee crisis in the Mediterranean. It emerged during the 2019 Venice Biennale and has become a significant piece of street art. However, the mural was deteriorating due to exposure to water and salt, which led to its removal for conservation.

Quote of the Day

Eit"What happened at the New York airport once again proves that the Awami League feels no remorse for its wrongdoings. Every wrongdoing committed by the Awami League will be brought to justice through the law. For the sake of the party and the country, please remain patient."her

— Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir reacted to an incident of throwing the eggs at National Citizen Party (NCP) Member Secretary Akhtar Hossain.able to go outside the country, let alone outside Dhaka.
_{M. Sakhawat Hossain, Labour Ministry advisor}

❕  Baki-Stuff.

• Contractors continue work on the Dhaka Elevated Expressway at Panthakunja and Hatirjheel defying High Court order to halt the work.

• BD’s tax haul jumped 21% in July–August, hitting Tk54,423 crore compared to the same period last year.

• Only 16% of Bangladeshis with hypertension have it under control: WHO.

• Nvidia plans to invest up to $100B in OpenAI to build out massive data centers for training and running AI models.

• Elon Musk’s Father, Errol Musk, Accused of Child Sexual Abuse. 

• TV stations refuse to air 'insensitive' Kimmel's show after ABC lifts suspension.

• WhatsApp can now translate messages on iOS and Android.

📺 Did you watch Enemy (2013)? A mild-mannered college professor discovers a look-alike actor and delves into the other man’s private affairs. It’s boring start btw but…

👉 Read: ফুলের গন্ধে ঘুম আসে না by Humayun Azad, where he paints with poetry and memory the rivers, fields, festivals, and fragrances of his rural Bengali childhood.

🎧 Listen: Listen: Are you into Hard Rock/not if you haven't- do try Rage Against the Machine. Start with their biggest hit: Killing In the Name.

🤸 Well-Being: Know about Foxnut, also known as Makhana or Gorgon nut, learn why it is considered a superfood, its nutritional benefits, and how it can be consumed.

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