Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan signed the “Mecca Joint Defense Agreement” at Al-Safa Palace in Mecca on August 7, 2026. Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif attended the signing. According to a joint statement cited by the report, the agreement aims to strengthen collective deterrence against aggression.

The agreement says an armed attack on any one of the three states will be regarded as an attack on all three. Specific military obligations have not been disclosed. Turkish officials described it as entirely defensive and not directed at any particular country, while the arrangement was left open to other regional states. The report says it builds on a Saudi-Pakistan strategic mutual defense agreement signed in 2025.

The report compares the pact’s collective-defense principle with NATO’s Article 5 but says it is not yet a full military alliance. It lacks an integrated command structure, permanent headquarters, joint exercises and automatic-response obligations. Each state will decide based on its own interests. The report also says Pakistan sent about 8,000 troops, JF-17 squadrons, drones and air-defense systems to strengthen Saudi defense in April 2026.

A case has been filed against eight people over allegations that Sunamganj-2 lawmaker Nasir Uddin Chowdhury was forced to transfer property while ill, with a machete held to his throat. His wife, Parvin Chowdhury, filed the case on Monday before the cognizance court of the Dirai zone in Sunamganj. The accused include three of the MP’s half-brothers.

According to the complaint, Parvin Akhtar was assaulted and sexually harassed when she went to Chowdhury’s home in Dirai in January 2022. The accused were alleged to have planned to deprive his two wives and children of the house and other property. On January 25, two employees of the SR office were allegedly sent to the house while posing as officials to obtain the ill and incapacitated MP’s signature on a deed.

The complaint says Chowdhury was threatened with death if he did not sign. His other wife, Shely Chowdhury, was allegedly threatened after she intervened. Judge Md Jasim accepted the case and ordered the Criminal Investigation Department to investigate and submit a report. Accused Moin Uddin Chowdhury Masuk said he would respond legally after learning about the case.

The death toll from a 7.4-magnitude earthquake in Colombia has risen to 132, with more than 480 people injured, according to the report published on August 11, 2026. The quake struck Chocó province at 7:34 a.m. local time on Monday, at a depth of about 107 kilometres near San José del Palmar. Authorities fear more people may remain trapped beneath collapsed buildings, raising the prospect of further casualties.

Tremors were felt across Colombia and in neighbouring Venezuela and Ecuador, though no tsunami warning was issued. Risaralda province, known for coffee production, was among the worst-hit areas. In Pereira and nearby districts, at least 40 people died and 65 buildings collapsed. People were feared trapped in the rubble of 15 of those structures, while a curfew was imposed in parts of Pereira until 5 a.m. Tuesday.

President Abelardo de la Espriella declared a national disaster situation, enabling special government powers and possible budget reallocations. More than 1,500 homes were damaged nationwide, he said. Several regional airports were affected, while Bogotá reported cracks in some buildings but no major infrastructure damage.

India’s Border Security Force handed over the body of 19-year-old Bangladeshi youth Tara Mia 36 hours after he was shot dead near the Kulaura border in Moulvibazar. On Monday afternoon, Indian police transferred the body to Kulaura police following a BSF-Border Guard Bangladesh flag meeting at the Chatlapur customs station and immigration checkpoint. After legal procedures, the body was handed to his family, with his elder brother Raju Mia receiving it at about 5pm.

Tara Mia was the son of Abdul Malek of Muraichhara Basti in Karmadha union. BGB said he entered India’s Maguruli area through the Shikaria border in Alinagar early Sunday with Renu Mia, Sumon Mia and Rais Ali to bring back contraband goods including cigarettes and Nasir bidis. BGB said tension arose after a BSF patrol tried to stop them, after which BSF members opened fire and Tara Mia died at the scene. The others fled back to Bangladesh and went into hiding.

Tara Mia’s mother, Ajirunnesa, denied that her son was involved in smuggling. Lieutenant Colonel Sarkar Asif Mahmud, commander of BGB’s 46 Battalion, said BGB strongly protested to BSF officials at the flag meeting. He said awareness activities would continue and border patrols would be increased.

Bangladesh’s 2026 SSC and equivalent examination results showed a major decline, with the pass rate across 11 education boards falling to 62.25%, the lowest in 19 years. Results released Monday showed that 1,138,877 of 1,829,485 candidates passed, leaving nearly 700,000 unsuccessful. A total of 116,676 students earned GPA-5, the lowest number in five years.

The previous year’s pass rate was 68.45%, with 139,032 GPA-5 recipients. Girls outperformed boys, recording a 66.68% pass rate against 57.86% for boys and receiving more GPA-5 grades. Dhaka Board had the highest pass rate at 77.63%, while the Madrasah Board recorded the lowest at 55.49%. Humanities results were particularly weak, with 59% of candidates failing; many were held back in English and mathematics.

Education Minister Ehsanul Haque Milon described the result as good, saying students received the marks they earned. Prime Minister’s education adviser Mahdi Amin said answer scripts were assessed impartially. Officials and education stakeholders linked the outcome to stricter anti-cheating oversight and longstanding weaknesses in education quality. Of 30,402 institutions, 669 achieved a 100% pass rate, while all candidates failed at 312 institutions.

Brahmanpara UNO Munni Islam in Cumilla received floral greetings on Monday afternoon from several leaders of the Awami League and its affiliated organisations, who are accused in multiple cases involving the killing and injury of students and members of the public during the July mass uprising, according to the report. Images of the greeting spread on social media, prompting questions over why a government official accepted the flowers.

Those who offered the flowers included Jubo League joint convener Jahirul Islam, Matsyajibi League president and Awami League member Monir Chowdhury, and other local leaders. Abu Raihan, convener of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement in Cumilla, said government officials accepting flowers from people who stood against students and the public during the uprising amounted to betrayal of the martyrs.

Upazila BNP organising secretary Anisur Rahman Ripon was present when the flowers were given. BNP general secretary Amir Hossain said the recipients were accused in multiple cases and that the UNO should be asked why she accepted them. Munni Islam said she was new to the area and did not know who belonged to the Awami League or BNP, adding that she would be cautious in future. Several Awami League leaders could not be reached by phone.

Severe riverbank erosion has emerged in Kazipur, Sirajganj, as water levels in the Jamuna River rise following upstream hill runoff and heavy rainfall. Published on August 11, the report says erosion has become particularly intense in the Chargiris area, placing Chargiris Government Primary School, homes, trees and other structures at risk. Low-lying areas in Kazipur, সদর, Belkuchi, Shahjadpur and Chauhali upazilas are also being inundated.

Chargiris resident Abdur Razzaq said erosion had eased for several days but intensified over the past two days. Roads, cropland and trees are being washed into the river, while homes are collapsing so quickly that residents have no time to move them, he said. He alleged that no measures are being taken to stop the erosion. Water levels have also risen in Sirajganj’s Gumani, Gohala, Bara Pangasi, Ichamati, Fuljor, Bangali, Baral and Hurasagar rivers.

Water Development Board Sub-Divisional Engineer Zakir Hossain said the Jamuna has risen for seven consecutive days. In the past 24 hours, water rose six centimetres at the Sirajganj town protection embankment hard point and three centimetres at Meghai Ghat, remaining 60 centimetres and 106 centimetres below danger levels respectively. Executive Engineer Mokhlesur Rahman said water may continue rising for three to four days, but flooding or crossing danger levels is not expected.

Multiple schools and madrasas across Bangladesh recorded no passing candidates in this year’s SSC and equivalent examinations, according to a report published on August 11, 2026. Cases were reported from districts including Kishoreganj, Naogaon, Dinajpur, Thakurgaon, Pabna, Tangail, Satkhira, Rajbari and Chattogram. Students and parents expressed disappointment and called for official legal action against institutions where all candidates failed.

At Jangalia Union Girls High School in Kishoreganj, all five humanities candidates failed despite the school having eight teachers. The report said 18 schools under the Dinajpur Education Board had no successful candidates. In Thakurgaon, all 24 candidates from five schools failed. No candidates passed at Magura Dakhil Madrasa in Pabna, Jaldia High School in Rajbari, or Urir Char Junior High School in Sandwip.

The report cited allegations of irregular teaching, low student attendance, staffing problems and unpaid salaries at some institutions. At the Sandwip school, eight teachers had not received salaries for two years, and three had stopped attending. Officials said they would inspect, investigate or take action under government rules. Tangail’s education officer said reports had previously been submitted recommending closure of academic activities at its two zero-pass institutions.

The National Citizen Party (NCP) has warned it will build a broader public movement unless the government reverses what it describes as the cancellation of the expanded Essential Drug List-2026 and Drug Price Determination Method-2026. In a joint statement issued on Monday, party convener Nahid Islam and member secretary Akhtar Hossain alleged that the changes would place public health security at risk and benefit multinational and domestic pharmaceutical corporations.

The party said the earlier list contained 117 medicines, about 40 percent of which had become ineffective in treatment. It said the interim government had expanded the list to 295 medicines and imposed strict price controls, which it claimed could meet the primary healthcare needs of about 80 percent of the population. According to the statement, companies were also required to produce and supply essential medicines worth at least 25 percent of annual sales.

NCP alleged that the current government reduced the list back to 117 medicines and handed drug-price determination authority to private companies. It demanded restoration of effective price controls for 295 medicines, government gazette-based maximum retail prices for lifesaving drugs, and a scientific, people-oriented national drug policy.

The pass rate and number of GPA-5 recipients in the 2026 Secondary School Certificate, or SSC, and equivalent examinations have fallen to their lowest levels in three years. The results were announced on Monday morning at the Education Ministry conference room in the Secretariat. This year’s SSC pass rate stood at 62.25 percent.

According to the results analysis, the SSC pass rate was 68.45 percent in 2025 and 83.4 percent in 2024. The 2026 rate was therefore lower than in each of the previous two years. The report did not state any reason for the decline.

A total of 116,676 students received GPA-5 this year. The number was 139,032 in 2025 and 182,129 in 2024. The number of top-grade recipients has consequently also declined compared with both of the preceding years.

Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh has demanded the immediate removal of sculptures, including figures depicting its leaders and activists, from the July Museum. The organisation’s amir, Allama Shah Muhibbullah Babunagari, and secretary general, Allama Sheikh Sajidur Rahman, made the demand in a joint statement sent to the media on Monday. They expressed strong anger and protest over the installations and called for their eviction and removal from the museum without delay.

In the statement, the Hefazat leaders described the installation of sculptures as a grave violation of Sharia and said it was contradictory to, and mocking of, the sacrifices of religious scholars. They said the construction of sculptures of any person is completely forbidden and unlawful from the perspective of Islam and Sharia. They added that no one has the scope to disregard Sharia rules, regardless of a person’s stature, political identity or contribution.

The leaders said the nation would remember with respect the historic July uprising of 2024, its martyrs and the sacrifices of protesters. However, they argued that preserving those memories should not be placed in opposition to the religious sentiments and Islamic values of the country’s majority population. Their stated demand is the removal of all sculptures from the July Museum.

NCP spokesperson and opposition chief whip Nahid Islam said Bangladesh should not pursue normal diplomatic relations with India before resolving the question of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s extradition. In a statement issued Monday night, August 11, he alleged that India has allowed Hasina to use its territory for anti-Bangladesh activities for the past two years. He described this as a direct affront to Bangladesh’s sovereignty, judiciary and people’s democratic mandate.

Nahid alleged that a purported press conference by Hasina in Delhi, held despite Bangladesh’s objections, showed no fundamental change in India’s allegedly domineering and aggressive policy toward Bangladesh. He criticized Bangladesh’s Foreign Ministry for issuing a statement but, in his view, failing to secure effective accountability from India. He also said no public explanation or expression of regret over the August 5 incident emerged after the prime minister met the Indian high commissioner.

He called for formal diplomatic protest to be turned into effective action. Nahid sought a clear explanation and apology from India, extradition of Hasina and Osman Hadi’s killers, and assurances that anti-Bangladesh political activities would stop from Indian territory. He said efforts by Bangladesh’s head of government to normalize bilateral ties would be meaningless if the Awami League could continue political and anti-state activities from India.

Bangladesh’s government will fund treatment for conjoined twins Zaynab and Umme Kulsum from Daulatpur upazila in Kushtia at Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md. Sakhawat Hossain Bakul said. The children were admitted to the hospital’s paediatric department at 8pm on Monday. The minister visited them shortly after their admission.

Bakul told journalists that the family had returned to their village because poverty prevented them from obtaining treatment. He said authorities contacted the parents on the prime minister’s instruction after a report in Amar Desh brought the matter to attention. The family was asked to bring the children to Dhaka after being informed that treatment would be arranged at the hospital.

The minister said available specialist doctors would provide treatment and that a medical board could be formed with doctors brought from abroad if necessary. He said the prime minister would bear all treatment expenses. Hospital authorities have arranged daily meals for the parents and provided them with Tk5,000 for personal expenses. The twins were born at Bangladesh Medical University three months and seven days earlier.

SSC results in Sitakunda, Chattogram, showed a sharp contrast between Faujdarhat Cadet College and Sitakunda Government Model High School, according to a report published on August 11. All 47 candidates from Faujdarhat Cadet College passed, with 41 earning GPA-5. At the government school, 75 of 151 candidates failed and 76 passed, producing a pass rate of 50.33 percent. The outcome has raised concerns among parents over teacher shortages, lottery-based admissions, student attendance and academic supervision.

Other institutions in the upazila also recorded substantially stronger results. Bangladesh Military Academy High School had 61 passes among 64 candidates, including 17 GPA-5 results. Faujdarhat Collegiate High School had 137 passes among 166 candidates, with 13 GPA-5 results. Acting headteacher Salimullah attributed the government school’s result to lottery-based enrollment, irregular student attendance and a shortage of teachers.

Parents questioned whether weaker students had been identified early and given special classes, extra practice and subject-based support. They called for scrutiny of teaching, attendance, internal and selection examination results, teacher shortages and school management. Upazila Nirbahi Officer Fakhrul Islam said the result was unacceptable and that administrative action would be taken quickly following an investigation.

At least 47 people were killed after a powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck Colombia’s Choco region on Monday, according to reports cited by Al Jazeera. The US Geological Survey and Colombia’s Geological Service said the quake hit near the municipality of San Jose del Palmar, about 400 kilometres west of Bogota. Building collapses and extensive damage were reported in several areas.

USGS data placed the earthquake’s origin about 107 kilometres below the surface. Colombia initially reported the magnitude as 6.6. The US tsunami warning system said no tsunami warning had been issued. Residents in Choco and other areas were being moved to safer locations, while rescue and emergency personnel assessed damage and responded to the disaster.

Local officials reported at least 18 deaths in Pereira, two in Manizales and at least 27 in the Valle del Cauca region. Choco Governor Nubia Cordoba said strong shaking was felt across the province and raised concern about possible aftershocks. Casualties and damaged buildings were also reported in Quibdo. People were evacuated from several buildings in Bogota, and authorities said a preliminary official damage report would be released soon.