The Chhagalnaiya upazila administration in Feni demolished a former Awami League office building that had been constructed illegally on a public sidewalk. The demolition took place on Wednesday afternoon using heavy machinery as part of the second phase of an eviction drive in the municipal area.

Earlier, on Monday, the first phase of the operation removed more than two hundred illegal structures from the market area, but the Awami League office remained untouched, sparking anger among local traders and residents. Social media users also criticized the inaction, questioning the building’s legality and lease process. Local sources claimed the property, originally allocated to a cooperative, had been partitioned into rooms and rented out for deposits of up to six lakh taka, with new shops recently under construction.

Assistant Commissioner (Land) Md. Omar Faruk, who led the operation, stated that drives against illegal establishments would continue and warned that stronger actions would follow if the cleared areas were reoccupied.

Dhaka University authorities have announced a plan to repaint and rewrite the July Uprising-themed graffiti across the campus, beginning on July 26, 2026. The initiative follows criticism from various quarters, with the administration assuring that the original spirit and significance of the artwork will remain intact. The program will start from the Vice-Chancellor’s building to Rokeya Hall, coordinated by the Dean of Fine Arts, the university proctor, and the director of the Arbory Culture Center. Artists who created the original graffiti and other interested participants have been invited to register by July 25.

The restoration effort is part of a month-long series of events marking the second anniversary of the July Uprising. Activities include discussions, essay and quiz competitions, poetry recitations, cultural programs, and documentary screenings across different halls. A seminar titled “July Uprising 2024: Aspirations of Students and Citizens and the Future of Bangladesh” will be held on July 26 at the Faculty of Science conference room, with the Vice-Chancellor and other senior academics in attendance.

Several halls, including Rokeya, Sufia Kamal, and Jagannath, will host commemorative programs through early August, featuring exhibitions, candle lighting, and prayer sessions for the victims of the uprising.

Haridas Chandra Tarani Das, also known as Tawhid Islam, has been shown arrested in a fraud case by the Mymensingh Joint District and Sessions Judge (Finance and Loan) Court after previously being detained in a money laundering case. The court ordered his transfer to jail. Earlier, he had been sentenced to one year in prison in a separate fraud case filed under the Negotiable Instruments Act and had been absconding for a long time.

On Wednesday, around 40 victims and dozens of residents held a human chain protest in front of the Mymensingh Press Club, accusing Haridas of defrauding people by promising jobs, government housing, and irrigation pumps. They also alleged he was an agent of India’s intelligence agency and demanded maximum punishment. Several new fraud and check dishonor cases have recently been filed against him, including one involving unpaid construction materials worth over 1.4 million taka.

The CID’s Financial Crime Unit continues to investigate his financial transactions, assets, and alleged money laundering activities, claiming to have found suspicious transactions totaling about 93.5 million taka.

The United States has fallen to 10th place in the 2026 Henley Passport Index, losing its former position among the world’s most powerful passports. In 2006, the U.S. passport was among the strongest globally, offering travel freedom comparable to Denmark and Finland. The latest report shows that American citizens can now travel visa-free or with visa-on-arrival access to 180 destinations, up from 130 in 2006.

Singapore holds the top spot in 2026, with its citizens enjoying visa-free access to 192 destinations. Japan, South Korea, and the United Arab Emirates share second place, each allowing travel to 188 countries. Sweden ranks third, while Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, and Spain jointly occupy fourth place. Afghanistan remains at the bottom of the list, though its visa-free access has increased from 12 to 22 destinations since 2006.

According to the report, passport strength reflects international trust, diplomatic relations, economic capacity, and political stability, with many peaceful nations appearing among the top-ranked countries.

The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) arrested 387 individuals during a 24-hour regular operation across the capital, according to a report published on July 22, 2026. During the same period, 45 cases were filed in connection with the arrests. The operation covered multiple divisions, including Ramna, Lalbagh, Wari, Motijheel, Tejgaon, Mirpur, Gulshan, Uttara, and the Detective Branch.

Police recovered 11,850 yaba tablets, 47 kilograms of cannabis, four mobile phones, ten sacks of polythene, one engine van, and 10,000 taka in cash allegedly linked to drug sales. The arrests and seizures were made during raids in various police station areas of the city.

Authorities stated that legal proceedings against the detainees are currently underway as part of the ongoing anti-narcotics and crime control efforts in Dhaka.

A protest rally was held in Shyamnagar upazila of Satkhira demanding the expulsion and removal of Jamaat-e-Islami lawmaker Gazi Nazrul Islam from his party and parliament following the circulation of a viral video involving him and a young woman. The demonstration, organized under the banner of the Conscious Citizens’ Society, took place at 11 a.m. on Wednesday and drew participation from political and social activists as well as local residents.

Speakers at the rally, including several BNP leaders, alleged that the incident had deeply angered the public and undermined the moral standing of an elected representative who had campaigned on religious values. They declared Gazi Nazrul Islam unwelcome in Shyamnagar and urged Jamaat-e-Islami to take disciplinary action within 24 hours. The protesters also called on the Speaker of the National Parliament to intervene and cancel his parliamentary membership.

Following the rally, demonstrators burned an effigy of Gazi Nazrul Islam in front of the Shyamnagar Press Club. The viral video has sparked widespread discussion and criticism across local political and social circles.

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) has approved eight development projects with a total expenditure of Tk 14,041.21 crore. Of this, Tk 10,494.21 crore will come from government funding and Tk 3,550.44 crore from project loans. The approval was given at an ECNEC meeting held on Wednesday at the Cabinet Room of the Bangladesh Secretariat, chaired by Prime Minister and ECNEC Chairperson Tarique Rahman. Among the approved projects, three are new and five are revised.

The approved projects include three under the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives, one under the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, one under the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges, two under the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, and one under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Additionally, the meeting was informed about 11 smaller projects costing less than Tk 50 crore that had already been approved by the Planning Minister.

These smaller projects cover areas such as regional offices for the National University, road upgrades, mobile network installation at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport’s third terminal, and infrastructure development for power transmission and vocational training centers.

India’s Supreme Court has rejected a plea for an urgent hearing in a case concerning police baton charges on participants of the Cockroach Janata Party’s protest. The request was made on Wednesday before a bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant, who declined to take up the matter. When the lawyer attempted to justify the protest as being in the public interest and related to alleged exam paper leaks, the Chief Justice interrupted, saying, “Thank you very much,” and refused to watch videos presented as evidence of police brutality.

The Delhi High Court had also refused to conduct an emergency hearing on Tuesday, stating that the judiciary should not be drawn into such matters. The protests, held at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, are being led by the Cockroach Janata Party and its supporters, demanding education reforms and the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

The Cockroach Janata Party was formed after Chief Justice Surya Kant once referred to unemployed youth as “cockroaches,” a remark that sparked widespread criticism and inspired the group’s name.

The second death anniversary of Hafiz Monayel Ahmed Imran, one of the youngest martyrs of the anti-discrimination movement, was observed on Tuesday at his home in Lakhai, Habiganj, in deep mourning and respect. Family members expressed anger that even after two years, justice, accountability, and security for the martyr’s family have not been ensured. They also demanded immediate implementation of the July Charter.

Imran, a 16-year-old madrasa student, was shot during the anti-discrimination movement on July 21, 2024, near the Signboard area of the Dhaka–Chattogram Highway. His family alleged that police delayed the ambulance carrying him by about half an hour at Jatrabari’s Rayerbag area, during which some companions were beaten and their phones confiscated. They believe this delay contributed to his death from excessive bleeding.

At the commemoration, local leaders from BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami pledged continued support for martyr families and called for justice, state recognition, and protection. Relatives and residents urged that true respect for the martyrs lies in ensuring justice and security for their families.

Abdullah Al Minhaj, then vice president of the Tamirul Millat Central Students’ Union, has described his experiences during the July 2024 movement in Bangladesh. He detailed how students from the madrasa joined demonstrations near the Uttara BNS Center, where security forces and ruling party groups allegedly carried out violent crackdowns. Minhaj reported that five students from Tamirul Millat were killed and more than three hundred injured during the protests. He himself was wounded by rubber bullets and treated at a local hospital that provided free care.

The account describes the intense confrontations between demonstrators and law enforcement, the community’s support for injured protesters, and the emotional toll on participants. Minhaj recalled the trauma of witnessing deaths, the solidarity among students, and the assistance from doctors and local residents. He also recounted the final days of the movement, when large crowds celebrated what they saw as victory after reports of the government’s collapse.

The narrative concludes with a reflection on unity and sacrifice, portraying the July events as a struggle for freedom and a call to preserve national solidarity.

The High Court has issued a rule seeking to ensure that candidates contesting for the position of Union Parishad chairman possess at least a graduate-level educational qualification. The rule was issued on Wednesday afternoon following a preliminary hearing of a writ petition filed by two Supreme Court lawyers before the bench of Justice Ahmed Sohel and Justice Fatema Anwar.

Lawyer Kazi Ferdousul Hasan confirmed the issuance of the rule. The court directed the Local Government, Rural Development (LGRD) Secretary, the Law Ministry Secretary, and the Chief Election Commissioner to respond to the rule. The High Court asked why Section 26 of the Union Parishad Act, which does not specify educational qualifications, should not be declared inconsistent with the Constitution.

The court also questioned why an order should not be given to ensure a minimum educational qualification of a graduate degree for candidates contesting the Union Parishad chairman elections under Section 26 of the Union Parishad Act, 2009.

Abdullah Al Noman, general secretary of the Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal at Chittagong University, described in detail the events of July 16 during an anti-discrimination student protest at Chattogram’s Muradpur and Sholoshahar areas. He recounted how activists gathered following a directive from BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman to remain on the streets. As rival groups from the Chhatra League and Jubo League reportedly took armed positions, clashes erupted when the protesters began chanting slogans. Noman said the students split into groups to resist attacks and that Wasim Akram, a fellow activist, joined the protest before being shot.

According to Noman’s account, Wasim was taken to Chittagong Medical College Hospital, where he was later confirmed dead. The narrative portrays Wasim as a courageous participant whose call to gather at Sholoshahar inspired others to join the movement. Noman expressed deep grief over Wasim’s death, describing him as a younger brother figure and symbol of sacrifice for the student movement.

The article concludes with Noman’s reflection that Wasim’s bravery and sacrifice will be remembered by future generations as part of the broader struggle for equality and justice.

On July 15, 2024, violent clashes erupted at Dhaka University when members of the Chhatra League allegedly attacked students participating in the quota reform movement. The assault left many students injured, including female students, and videos of the incident quickly spread across social media, triggering widespread anger and calls for resistance across the country.

In response, the Islami Chhatra Shibir organized a counter-mobilization. Its then central president, Manjurul Islam, directed members to support the general students, leading to the formation of a coordinated operation named “Operation Hasbunallah.” Under the leadership of Dhaka Metropolitan East branch president Mojabber Hossain, Shibir activists gathered near the campus and joined students in repelling Chhatra League members from key university halls, including Shahidullah Hall and Amar Ekushey Hall.

Following the confrontation, Shibir members reportedly maintained overnight patrols around the campus to ensure student safety. The events marked a turning point as Chhatra League’s dominance in several university halls began to weaken, and the student movement regained momentum nationwide.

The Bijoypur Rudrapal Pottery Cooperative Society in Comilla Sadar Dakshin, Bangladesh, has expanded its traditional pottery production to international markets, exporting terracotta items to the Middle East, Europe, and the United States. Established in 1961 as Progoti Sangha with only 15 members, the cooperative was renamed under the guidance of Dr. Akhtar Hameed Khan. After being destroyed in 1971, it was revived in 1972 with government financial support. Today, around 150 families across seven villages are engaged in pottery, with 50 families directly involved in the cooperative.

The cooperative’s assets are now valued at about 10 crore taka. However, production has been hampered since 2015 due to a severe gas shortage, forcing artisans to revert to traditional firing methods using clay, wood, straw, and paper. This has increased costs and reduced profits, leaving workers with monthly wages between 6,000 and 8,000 taka. Despite these challenges, both men and women continue to produce a wide range of terracotta goods, including household utensils, decorative pieces, and cultural models.

The cooperative’s craftsmanship sustains a long-standing heritage while contributing to rural livelihoods and Bangladesh’s export earnings.

The Trump administration is reportedly considering new measures that could effectively ban or restrict the use of advanced Chinese artificial intelligence models in the United States. According to sources cited by Axios, internal discussions have resurfaced following the rapid rise of the Chinese open-source model Kimi. The Commerce Department, National Security Agency, and White House cyber offices previously explored actions such as adding Chinese AI labs to the Entity List, issuing advisories, or requiring U.S. companies to assume liability for hosting Chinese models. Although earlier efforts were halted to avoid stifling innovation, renewed momentum is building among national security officials.

The administration’s current approach appears to favor indirect pressure rather than an outright ban. Sources described strategies including procurement rules, public warnings about security risks, and campaigns to encourage reliance on domestic AI ecosystems. Pro-competition advocates, including outside adviser David Sacks, have warned that such measures could entrench dominant U.S. firms like OpenAI and Anthropic while undermining open-source innovation.

The debate reflects a broader struggle between national security priorities and market competition as Chinese AI capabilities advance and U.S. policymakers weigh how to respond.