Jahangirnagar University authorities have temporarily suspended Deputy Registrar Md. Nur-e-Kamal of the store section following allegations of irregularities and discrepancies in the drug inventory at the university’s medical center. The decision was announced on Thursday, July 23, 2026, through two separate office orders signed by Acting Registrar Dr. A. B. M. Azizur Rahman.

According to the first order, the suspension was made based on the recommendation of the medical center’s advisory committee under the university’s employee efficiency and discipline ordinance. During the suspension period, the official will receive subsistence allowance and other benefits as per regulations. The second order stated that a four-member investigation committee has been formed to identify the causes of the irregularities and those responsible.

The committee is chaired by the university treasurer, with Deputy Registrar Md. Alauddin Molla serving as secretary. Other members include Professor Dr. Md. Salekul Islam from the Microbiology Department and Associate Professor Dr. Abdus Sattar from the Philosophy Department. The committee has been asked to submit its report within fifteen working days.

Six young men from Monoharganj upazila in Cumilla, who left home hoping to reach Italy for a better future, have been taken hostage in Libya by a human trafficking gang. The traffickers are demanding Tk 15 million in ransom for their release and have been sending videos of brutal torture to the victims’ families. The hostages include Shahadat Hossain, Manikul Islam, Md. Sohel, Taj Mohammad, Foysal, and Mehedi Hasan.

According to the families, local brokers arranged their travel to Italy for Tk 1.8 to 2 million per person, but after reaching Libya, the men were handed over to traffickers. They were held for about eight months before being transferred to another group that is now demanding Tk 2.5 million per person. Families say the traffickers are pressuring them through video calls and messages showing the victims’ suffering.

The families have submitted a written appeal to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs seeking government intervention. The local police said no formal complaint has yet been filed, but they will take legal action once a report is received. Residents have urged swift action to rescue the hostages and bring the traffickers to justice.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) prevented an illegal push-in attempt by India’s Border Security Force (BSF) at the Chuadanga border early Thursday. The incident occurred around 4 a.m. near border pillar 76/4-S under Darshana Border Outpost of BGB Battalion-6. Members of BSF’s 32 Battalion from Gede Camp reportedly tried to push five unidentified individuals—one man, three women, and one child—into Bangladesh territory.

BGB patrol teams quickly detected the attempt and blocked the group from entering Bangladesh, forcing them to remain near the barbed-wire fence. Confronted by BGB’s firm stance, BSF eventually took the individuals back into Indian territory, successfully preventing the illegal entry.

According to the report, BGB remains alert and prepared to prevent any illegal infiltration or border law violations. The force continues to perform its duties with professionalism and vigilance to ensure border security and maintain peace and order in frontier areas.

Nepal’s Prime Minister Balendra ‘Balen’ Shah is set to meet the ambassadors of India and China separately in Kathmandu this week, marking a shift in his diplomatic approach. Since taking office, Shah had avoided holding one-on-one meetings with foreign envoys, but he now plans to sit down individually with Indian Ambassador Naveen Srivastava and Chinese Ambassador Zhang Maoming. The meetings are expected to take place on the same day to signal equal importance to both neighboring countries.

According to The Kathmandu, Shah’s decision follows consultations with business and professional groups, after which he opted to increase direct engagement with foreign diplomats. The Prime Minister’s Office stated that the process is being initiated with India and China due to their significance in Nepal’s foreign policy.

The move reflects Shah’s effort to balance relations between India and China while adjusting his earlier stance of avoiding exclusive diplomatic meetings.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) of Bangladesh is finalizing a five-year national action plan titled “Higher Education Transformation: National Action Plan for Sustainable Excellence (2026–2030)” to elevate the country’s higher education to international standards. The draft plan was discussed at a meeting chaired by Education Minister A.N.M. Ehsanul Haque Milan at the UGC chairman’s office, with senior officials from the Education Ministry and UGC participating.

UGC Chairman Professor Dr. Mamun Ahmed stated that the plan integrates recommendations from a recent national workshop, government priorities, and UGC’s strategic goals. It identifies five strategic priorities: enhancing graduate employability, strengthening university-industry collaboration, promoting digital transformation and AI use, improving faculty development, advancing research and innovation, and ensuring governance and institutional reform. The plan targets the introduction of outcome-based education, AI-driven learning systems, and digital administration across all universities by 2030.

The draft will be finalized through consultations with vice-chancellors, academics, industry representatives, and development partners before submission to the Education Ministry for implementation. The Education Minister emphasized aligning reforms with global best practices and attracting foreign students to make Bangladesh a regional hub for higher education.

The Chattogram Education Board has announced that the postponed Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and equivalent examinations for 2026 will resume on July 27. The decision was confirmed in a notice issued on July 23, following weeks of suspension caused by continuous heavy rainfall and flooding across several districts under the board’s jurisdiction.

Earlier, the examinations in Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, Rangamati, Khagrachhari, and Bandarban were postponed multiple times due to worsening flood conditions, disrupted road communications, and safety concerns for students. The board had eventually declared an indefinite suspension before reassessing the situation.

According to the latest notice, the remaining exams will be held in coordination with other education boards following the previously announced schedule. The first exams to be held on July 27 include Political Science and Good Governance (1st paper), Biology (1st paper), Food and Nutrition (1st paper), and Business Organization and Management (1st paper). The board has requested all examinees, center secretaries, and institution heads to complete necessary preparations. A separate notice will later announce new dates for the postponed practical exams.

Abhijit Deepak, founder of the Cockroach Janata Party, fell ill while protesting at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. He announced on social media that despite high fever and body pain, he had continued the protest with painkillers but would take a short break. Deepak stated he plans to return to the protest stage by Thursday evening.

The protesters, including Deepak, are demanding the resignation of India’s Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Deepak accused police of brutality after officers allegedly used batons and tear gas on demonstrators Wednesday night, while police claimed protesters had thrown stones and bottles as they moved toward Parliament Street.

Separately, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the formation of a fast-track court to ensure strict punishment for those involved in the exam paper leak case. He said the government is committed to protecting the future of the country’s youth, a move that received full support from top NDA and BJP leaders.

National Citizen Party (NCP) South Region Chief Organizer and Cumilla-4 MP Hasnat Abdullah said that the recent disappearance in Mongla represents a dark chapter for the current government. Speaking at the NCP’s “July March” program in Mongla on July 22, he claimed that enforced disappearances have reemerged in Bangladesh after 2024, raising new concerns about human rights and the rule of law.

The incident involves Miraj Sheikh from Joymoni area of Mongla, who reportedly went missing after being taken away by individuals identifying themselves as Coast Guard members. The High Court has ordered that he be produced within 15 days. Abdullah criticized the government for failing to implement the promised disappearance commission and accused the ruling party of opposing its formation despite past victimhood claims.

He emphasized that such incidents are unacceptable and called for impartial investigations and legal action against those responsible. Abdullah also announced Molla Rahmatullah as the NCP’s mayoral candidate for Mongla Port Municipality during the event, which was attended by senior party leaders who stressed the need for state reform and accountability.

FIFA has rejected allegations of match-fixing during the 2026 World Cup, calling them baseless. In an official statement, the global football governing body said that after extensive monitoring throughout the tournament, no evidence of suspicious betting or match manipulation was found. The Integrity Task Force, comprising the FBI, Interpol, UNODC, and international betting monitoring agencies, reviewed data from all 104 matches and confirmed the absence of irregularities.

Despite the clean findings on match-fixing, the tournament saw several refereeing controversies. The Egyptian Football Association protested strongly after their 3–2 loss to Argentina in the round of 16, accusing referees of serious errors and demanding their expulsion from the World Cup. Egypt’s coach Hossam Hassan also made a controversial gesture during the match and later alleged that FIFA wanted Lionel Messi to remain in the tournament, sparking widespread debate.

FIFA’s chief refereeing officer Pierluigi Collina dismissed these claims as unfounded, while senior integrity manager Liam Rich praised the task force’s effectiveness and confirmed that similar monitoring systems will continue in future tournaments.

Hundreds of Jewish settlers entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem after the start of the Jewish religious festival Tisha B’Av. Among them was Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who also entered the compound under heavy Israeli security. According to the Jerusalem Islamic Waqf, more than 2,300 settlers took part in the incursion. Palestinian officials said Israeli forces imposed strict restrictions at the mosque gates, preventing many Palestinian worshippers and students from entering and assaulting several of them.

The Palestinian administration in the Jerusalem Governorate described Ben-Gvir’s visit as a dangerous escalation, saying it showed direct support from the Israeli government for actions previously carried out by extremist right-wing groups. Jordan and Hamas both issued strong condemnations of the incident. Jordan’s Foreign Ministry warned that such actions violate the historical and legal status quo of Jerusalem’s holy sites and urged international pressure on Israel to stop these violations. Hamas said the aggression would bring consequences upon the occupying forces and settlers, vowing that Palestinians would not remain silent in the face of such desecration.

The government has appointed Professor Dr. M. Atikur Rahman as the new Vice Chancellor of Chandpur University of Science and Technology (CHSTU) and Professor Dr. Mohammad Lokman Hossain as the Pro-Vice Chancellor. The Ministry of Education’s Secondary and Higher Education Division issued two separate notifications on Wednesday, July 23, 2026, confirming the appointments.

According to the notifications, Dr. Atikur Rahman is a professor in the Department of Botany at the University of Chittagong, while Dr. Mohammad Lokman Hossain serves in the Department of Chemistry at Jagannath University. Their terms will last four years from the date of joining or until their retirement, whichever comes first. They will receive salaries and benefits as per regulations, and the President and Chancellor of the university retain the authority to cancel the appointments at any time.

Teachers, students, and stakeholders of the university expect that under the new leadership, academic, research, administrative, and infrastructural development activities at CHSTU will gain new momentum.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan has emphasized the necessity of establishing a proper authority to determine who qualifies as a journalist in Bangladesh. He made the remarks on Thursday at the Secretariat during the 34th meeting of the Press Accreditation Committee, which was also the first meeting of the newly formed committee.

In his directive speech, the minister advised committee members to ensure that every decision reflects the constitution, existing laws, and regulations. He urged them to act with foresight, wisdom, and inclusiveness so that decisions are widely accepted. Swapan also reminded members that as representatives of an elected government, they must work responsibly for all citizens, not from a partisan standpoint.

He further noted that the Information and Broadcasting Ministry is politically sensitive and that even minor decisions could have significant political and social impacts. Therefore, he called for long-term thinking and careful judgment in decision-making. The meeting was chaired by Chief Information Officer Syed Abdal Ahmad and attended by senior ministry officials and committee members.

The government has retired 17 senior officers of the Bangladesh Civil Service (Police) cadre under the provisions of the Public Service Act, 2018. The decision was announced on Thursday, July 23, 2026, through a notification issued by the Public Security Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs. The order, signed by Senior Secretary Manjur Morshed Chowdhury, stated that the retirement was made in the public interest under Section 45 of the Act.

Among those retired are three Deputy Inspectors General (DIGs), thirteen Additional DIGs, and one Superintendent of Police. The DIGs include Md. Abdullah Al Baki of Highway Police, Md. Walid Hossain of Sardah Police Academy, and Sana Shaminur Rahman of CID. The notification confirmed that all officers will receive retirement benefits as per regulations and that the order takes immediate effect by directive of the President.

The announcement marks a significant administrative move within the police force, reflecting the government’s use of legal provisions to manage senior-level service positions.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has invited Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to attend the upcoming BRICS Summit scheduled for September in New Delhi. The information was disclosed by State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaid Islam during a briefing with journalists at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday. She confirmed that the invitation letter from India had reached the ministry and was forwarded to the Prime Minister’s Office.

The 18th BRICS Summit will be held in New Delhi on September 12–13. Although Bangladesh is not a member of BRICS, Prime Minister Modi extended the invitation to Tarique Rahman to participate as a special guest. The invitation highlights India’s outreach to regional partners during the high-level international gathering.

Further details regarding Bangladesh’s response or the Prime Minister’s participation have not yet been disclosed.

BNP leader S M Zakaria has claimed he was removed from his party post in Gazipur’s Kapasia after participating in the campaign of his elder brother, Jamaat-e-Islami leader and chairman candidate Maulana S M Cholaiman, ahead of the Chandpur Union Parishad election. In a Facebook post, Zakaria expressed emotional disappointment, saying his 45 years of political dedication and sacrifices were disregarded over a single incident.

Zakaria stated that he had been involved with the BNP since its founding, serving in various roles within the Chhatra Dal, Jubo Dal, and Chandpur Union BNP. He said he had endured imprisonment in 1983 and 2018 and faced multiple political cases but never abandoned the party’s ideals. Despite losing his position, he reaffirmed his belief in BNP’s principles and his commitment to truth, justice, and democracy.

Local BNP leaders in Chandpur Union acknowledged Zakaria’s long service but said his participation in his brother’s campaign was inappropriate during the election period. They added that the decision to relieve him of his duties was made by the party’s higher leadership.