Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami central assistant secretary general Maulana ATM Masum criticised the current government at a rally in Bandarban town on Saturday afternoon demanding implementation of the July Charter. Speaking as chief guest, he alleged that the government had failed to provide treatment and proper recognition for fighters wounded in the July uprising. Jamaat later organised a mass procession through the town.

Masum said the government had not taken any visible official measures for treatment of injured July fighters and alleged that they were being mocked and ridiculed. He also claimed that despite 70 percent support for a yes vote, the government had disregarded the verdict and taken a position against the public. He alleged that it was following the Awami League’s path and seeking one-party BNP rule.

Saying public confidence in the government had eroded, Masum claimed democracy, human rights, peace and security were not safe under it. He pledged to continue supporting July movement fighters and warned against allowing anyone to become authoritarian. Central, district and municipal Jamaat leaders attended the rally, while Jamaat-Shibir activists and members of the public joined the procession.

Dhaka-12 lawmaker Saiful Alam Khan Milon said any conspiracy to erase the history and spirit of the July movement would be resisted with the people. He made the remarks on Saturday afternoon, August 1, 2026, at the National Museum’s main auditorium in Shahbagh, Dhaka. Milon was chief guest at the unveiling of eight books on the July movement, organized by ICS Publications, the publication division of Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir.

Milon said attempts had begun to conspire around July and weaken its spirit. He identified efforts to place the July movement in opposition to the 1971 Liberation War as one such attempt, saying it was not beneficial for the country. He described July as a movement of ordinary people, involving teachers, students and people from diverse occupations.

Chhatra Shibir central president Nurul Islam Saddam paid tribute to those killed in the July movement and urged the government to quickly complete fair and impartial trials over various past incidents. He said the event aimed to present the movement’s history using accurate information and evidence, and to carry its memory to future generations through research, literature and intellectual practice. Eight books were unveiled at the event.

QawmiPedia, a Qawmi madrasa-based information repository, has published a list of the country’s five most influential speakers. The list, released on July 29 and reported by Amar Desh Online on August 1, places Sheikh Ahmadullah first. Mawlana Mizanur Rahman Azhari ranks second, followed by Mawlana Enayetullah Abbasi, Mufti Rezaul Karim Abrar and Mawlana Ali Hasan Usama.

The report describes Ahmadullah as a widely known Islamic speaker whose As-Sunnah Foundation runs education, humanitarian assistance and social welfare activities. Azhari’s sermons, religious discussions and comments on contemporary issues are widely circulated on social media. Abbasi is noted for television talk-show appearances, comments on current issues and an active online presence.

According to QawmiPedia’s assessment, Abrar remains in discussion for his clear positions on religious differences and contemporary matters, and has gained notable recognition at a relatively young age. He is general secretary of Bangladesh Ulama Samity. Usama drew extensive discussion and criticism after leaving Khelafat Majlish to join Jamaat-e-Islami; QawmiPedia says his changed political and religious positioning, along with later remarks, made him a prominently discussed Islamic speaker.

Postal, Telecommunications and ICT, and Science and Technology Minister Fakir Mahbub Anam said Bangladesh aims to ensure that no talent is held back by disability. He made the remarks on Saturday at the closing and prize-giving ceremony of the National IT Competition for Youth with Disabilities 2026 at the University of Asia Pacific on Green Road in the capital.

The minister said disability is not a limitation and that young people with disabilities can become equal partners in digital transformation and national development with proper opportunities, training and technology. He said the government places the highest importance on improving their digital skills and technological empowerment. Under Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s leadership, he said, the government is working toward a technology-driven Bangladesh in which no social group is left behind.

The event was the competition’s 10th edition, with 70 participants across four categories and 12 prize recipients. Md Shakil Mia, Sheikh Yamin Ahsan, Nahin Siraj and Arian Islam won their respective categories and qualified for the Global IT Competition for Youth with Disabilities in Vietnam in October. The minister said he would personally support the four selected competitors.

Bangladesh received 36 percent more rainfall than normal in July, the Meteorological Department said in a report published on August 1. Although normal rainfall had been forecast at the beginning of the month, several regions recorded substantially more precipitation than expected. Chattogram division received the highest rainfall among the country’s divisions.

Meteorologist AKM Nazmul Haque said July is usually Bangladesh’s wettest month, with average rainfall of about 557 millimetres. After June recorded 29.4 percent less rain than normal, July rainfall increased above the seasonal average. All divisions except Mymensingh received above-normal rainfall. Chattogram recorded 1,047 millimetres against a normal average of 692 millimetres, an excess of 51 percent. Final figures were due after Sunday’s monthly meeting.

The weather office forecast rain or thunderstorms with gusty winds on Sunday in many places in Rangpur, Mymensingh and Sylhet, and in some places elsewhere. Heavy to very heavy rain is possible in parts of those three divisions through Tuesday. Rainfall may increase in Dhaka and Rajshahi divisions from August 5, though prolonged heavy to very heavy rain like last month is not currently expected.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami’s Faridganj upazila branch held a mass procession in Faridganj, Chandpur, demanding implementation of the referendum verdict and the July Charter. The procession began at Faridganj bus stand at 10am on Saturday, following a roadside meeting. It later marched through key roads in Faridganj market.

Speakers at the meeting included Chandpur district Jamaat amir Mawlana Billal Hossain Miahji, Faridganj upazila amir Mawlana Muhammad Yunus Helal and municipal Jamaat amir Mawlana Mizanur Rahman. Upazila secretary Mohammad Shakhawat Hossain, assistant secretary Mawlana Abu Taher, Mawlana Siddiqur Rahman and other organisational leaders also addressed the gathering.

The speakers said the referendum verdict and July Charter must be implemented, warning of tougher programmes if the demands are not met quickly. They called for initiatives toward state reform and justice that give weight to public opinion, arguing that decisions ignoring public demands would not remain acceptable in the long term. They also demanded accountability for alleged injustices under the previous government and steps to establish a democratic environment. Party leaders, activists and supporters joined the march and chanted slogans.

Jubo Dal leader Azizul Islam Nannu is repairing roads damaged by heavy rain in Sadarpur upazila of Faridpur through personal funding and volunteer labour. On Saturday afternoon, August 1, he and local Jubo Dal leaders and activists repaired a broken section of a busy road in the Gabtala Bazar area.

Residents said a large portion of the Gabtala-Charbhadrasan road collapsed after heavy rainfall several days earlier. Goods-carrying and passenger vehicles had continued using the route despite the risk, while residents feared accidents. They said the prolonged lack of repairs had increased public suffering and praised Nannu for taking the initiative to restore the damaged section.

Nannu said repair work at different damaged sites in the upazila was being carried out on the instruction of Faridpur-4 lawmaker Shahidul Islam Babul and with funding from his elder brother, Germany-based Jalaluddin Rumi. He said Jubo Dal leaders and activists were voluntarily contributing labour and expressed a commitment to continue supporting public welfare work.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman said Bangladesh could achieve positive economic change within the next four to five years if the government and business community work together. He made the remarks at a meeting with private entrepreneurs at the Prime Minister’s Tejgaon office on Saturday, August 1, 2026. The Bangladesh Investment Development Authority, or BIDA, organised the discussion. Rahman said serving the country and its people was the government’s goal, and that existing problems could be overcome through joint efforts.

He said both the government and businesses recognise the economy’s current challenges, and discussions on resolving them would continue. Noting that the government is not yet six months old, he said it had already held several meetings with business representatives and forums and was working on sector-specific issues. He added that many problems raised at an earlier meeting had been resolved, while new concerns raised at the latest session would also be addressed.

The meeting discussed business expansion, increased foreign investment and conditions for new industrialisation. Entrepreneurs sought easier loans, policy support and a business-friendly environment, while expressing satisfaction with progress in government initiatives. Of 28 issues reviewed from the previous meeting, decisions were made on 21 and seven remain under process. The government said it would meet businesses again within two to three months and pledged diplomatic support for a plan to raise export earnings to $100 billion by 2030.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar demanded implementation of the referendum verdict and swift trials for those involved in killings during the July mass uprising. He made the demands on Saturday afternoon as chief guest at a large protest rally organized by Dhaka North Jamaat in front of the Cholera Hospital in Mohakhali, Dhaka.

Addressing the prime minister, Porwar said he had not been in London or Shillong but had remained in the country, questioning why he was called “secret.” He urged the prime minister not to be misled by incorrect statements from surrounding ministers and MPs. He also said Jamaat had never been secret and that the public would assess claims about Jamaat-Shibir involvement in different movements.

Porwar alleged that the BNP, despite benefiting from the July uprising, had moved away from its spirit. He said the BNP and other political parties had signed 84 reform proposals in the July charter but had since retreated from that commitment. He also alleged attempts to rehabilitate fascism under the name “Reform Awami League” through legal amendments and claimed partisan people were being appointed across different levels of the administration.

At least 60,000 migrants entered Spain's North African autonomous city of Ceuta from Morocco within 24 hours from Thursday night, according to the report. The influx was said to equal nearly 70% of Ceuta's total population. Spain deployed additional security forces but had not yet fully brought the situation under control.

Local authorities said migrants entered in groups by swimming across the sea, using small boats, and crossing wave barriers and barbed-wire fences at the border. Most were young men, though many families with women and children also attempted to cross. Ceuta local president Juan Jesus Vivas reported at least 41 deaths, with authorities saying people died by drowning during sea crossings or were crushed in crowds.

Ceuta's administration requested more forces from Madrid, while Spain said it was deploying armed forces and diving teams. Many irregular migrants have already been returned to Morocco. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez blamed human-trafficking networks, and Spain's Interior Ministry said the two countries were working closely to control the border and coordinate rapid returns.

Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md Asaduzzaman said effective mediation could significantly reduce the backlog of about 4.5 million cases pending in Bangladesh’s courts. He made the remarks on Saturday at a hotel in the capital while addressing the closing ceremony of a two-day basic mediation training programme for legal professionals. The programme was organized under a project on expanding access to justice and improving civil case management.

The minister described mediation as an effective dispute-resolution method that can reduce litigants’ time, costs and mental hardship while ensuring faster, affordable justice. He said ensuring justice for poor, marginalized and underprivileged people, as well as victims of human rights violations, is among the government’s priorities. The National Legal Aid Services Organization is working to bring justice closer to such people, he added.

Asaduzzaman said a culture of resolving most disputes through discussion should be developed, except murder and other serious cognizable offences. Under the project, one female and one male mediator with the best performance will receive advanced training in Japan. Representatives from JICA Bangladesh, Japan’s Ministry of Justice and Bangladesh’s National Legal Aid Services Organization also spoke at the event.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar alleged that some people were misleading the prime minister and pushing the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, or BNP, toward fascism. He made the remarks on Saturday afternoon as chief guest at a large protest rally organized by Dhaka Metropolitan North Jamaat in front of the Cholera Hospital in Mohakhali, Dhaka. The gathering demanded implementation of the public verdict in a referendum and swift trials for those involved in killings during the July mass uprising.

Porwar said reforming the fundamental structure of the constitution was the only way to prevent a resurgence of fascism. He claimed that although BNP benefited from the July uprising, it had moved away from its spirit. He said BNP and other parties had signed 84 reform proposals in the July Charter but were now retreating from that commitment.

He also alleged efforts to rehabilitate fascism under the name “Reform Awami League” through legal amendments. Rally chair Mohammad Selim Uddin called on activists to be ready to protect votes and demanded an end to attacks on July movement activists. A procession later marched from the Cholera Hospital area to Tejgaon Tibet intersection, with thousands of activists participating.

Police Headquarters has issued a nationwide highest alert over possible sabotage targeting vehicles used by police, including jeeps, pickups and buses. The directive, sent in an emergency message by the headquarters’ Operations Control on Saturday, ordered all field-level units to immediately strengthen security arrangements. The warning was based on intelligence information that members of extremist groups or criminals could attack police vehicles.

The message said there can be no laxity or negligence in ensuring the security of police vehicles. It directed personnel to exercise maximum caution both while vehicles are on duty and after they are parked. If a vehicle on duty must stop temporarily, it must be parked in a secure location and kept under constant observation by police members.

No police vehicle may be left without its driver or responsible personnel, with a strict ban imposed on leaving vehicles unattended. Security must also be increased for government vehicles kept after duty at police stations, police lines, office compounds and other designated locations. Headquarters emphasized regular patrols, necessary surveillance and special vigilance to identify suspicious people or objects, calling on officials in all metropolitan areas, ranges, districts and units to implement the instructions strictly.

African football journalist Mamadou Gaye publicly backed FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s controversial private-investment plan, describing it as the “best initiative” for the Confederation of African Football and world football. In a post on X, the longtime Soccer Africa analyst praised Infantino as a “global talent” and said the FIFA president deserved the Nobel Peace Prize.

The proposal had drawn more negative discussion, but Gaye’s comments offered a public endorsement. Under FIFA’s plan, a new commercial company called FIFA Forward Enterprise would manage commercial rights for the World Cup and the organisation’s other major tournaments. Private investors would have been able to buy shares as minority partners, while FIFA member countries would receive additional funding.

The proposal faced strong opposition from UEFA and Concacaf, the governing bodies for European and North and Central American football. FIFA had given member countries until September 19 to approve the proposal. However, amid broad opposition, Infantino ultimately withdrew the plan.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami held a mass procession in Hajiganj, Chandpur, demanding implementation of the July Charter, enforcement of the referendum verdict, and trials for those accused of involvement in the July genocide and human rights violations. The procession began after Asr prayers on Saturday, 1 August 2026, from the historic Hajiganj Boro Mosque field. More than a thousand party leaders, activists and supporters took part, according to the report.

Participants carried national flags and placards calling for the July Charter while chanting slogans. The procession travelled from the Boro Mosque field through Hajiganj Bazar on the Chandpur-Comilla regional highway and ended at West Bazar. A brief protest gathering was then held there.

Speakers included Chandpur district Jamaat assistant secretary Md Jahangir Alam Pradhan, Hajiganj upazila amir Maulana B M Kalim Ullah, deputy amir Maulana Mozammel Haque Poran and municipal amir Abul Hasanat Patwary, along with local leaders. They urged the government to quickly implement the July Charter and make the judicial process effective, saying the movement would continue if the demands were not met.