Bangladesh’s Chief Information Officer Syed Abdal Ahmad has said that India is conducting cultural dominance over Bangladesh through its satellite television, Hindi films, and commercial markets. Speaking at a seminar on preventing cultural aggression organized by the Bangladesh Journalists Welfare Trust on Wednesday, he emphasized that resisting such influence requires upholding the spirit of Ekushey, which symbolizes national identity and linguistic pride.

Ahmad explained that cultural identity connects people to their history and traditions, helping them maintain dignity and creativity. He warned that blind imitation of foreign culture weakens national values and leads to loss of self-identity. He recalled that during Pakistan’s rule, cultural aggression was resisted through the 1952 Language Movement, which gave rise to the Ekushey spirit. He also noted that former President Ziaur Rahman promoted Bangladeshi nationalism as a safeguard against cultural domination.

Other speakers, including Bashir Jamal of the Journalists Welfare Trust, stressed that culture forms the foundation of a nation’s identity and that families play a vital role in preserving local traditions amid globalization and technological change.

Indian scholar and All India Muslim Personal Law Board executive member Shaykh Khalilur Rahman Sajjad Nomani said that people of the East often engage in philosophical talk while the West demonstrates progress through action. He made the remarks at a seminar in Uttara, Dhaka, organized by Darul Arqam Al-Islamia and Diniyat, focusing on the role of thoughtful scholars in building an enlightened society through the integration of religious and general education.

Nomani emphasized that earlier Muslim scholars opposed British aggression and the English language, urging participants to recognize the blessings of their country and to work for its betterment through positive cooperation. The event highlighted his call for practical engagement and unity among scholars and citizens.

Born in 1955 in Lucknow, Nomani is a prominent Islamic thinker, researcher, and educator in the subcontinent. He serves as director of the Shah Waliullah Research Institute in Mumbai and has been recognized internationally for his scholarship in Quran, Hadith, and Islamic thought.

Modern historians and sociologists challenge the traditional belief that Islam entered India through military conquest in 712 CE under Muhammad bin Qasim. They argue that Islam’s arrival was instead a gradual process shaped by centuries of trade, cultural exchange, and social interaction, particularly through Arab merchants who frequented India’s western coast for the pepper trade.

According to historian Syed Sulaiman Nadvi, Arab control of major trade routes after Islam’s emergence facilitated contact with southern India, leading to the rise of the Mappila Muslim community. Politician and writer Shashi Tharoor has also noted that Islam reached Kerala through trusted Arab traders, not by the sword. The Cheraman Juma Mosque, said to have been built in 629 CE under Malik bin Dinar, is cited as early evidence of Islam’s presence in Kerala.

Scholars further emphasize the role of Sufi orders such as the Chishti and Suhrawardi in spreading Islam’s spiritual and social values across India. Researchers like Richard Eaton link the religion’s expansion in Bengal and Punjab to agricultural development and state policies that encouraged new settlements around Sufi institutions.

Renowned Islamic scholar and researcher Allama Khalilur Rahman Sajjad Nomani from India is currently on an eleven-day educational and religious visit to Bangladesh. During his stay, he is participating in various seminars, youth-oriented programs, and meetings with scholars in Dhaka, Chattogram, and Cox’s Bazar. On Friday, he will deliver a pre-sermon address at the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque in Dhaka, focusing on Islamic thought, contemporary challenges facing the Muslim world, knowledge, and the future responsibilities of the Ummah.

As part of his visit, Allama Nomani will serve as the chief guest and keynote speaker at the “Imam Shah Waliullah Dehlavi (R.A.) Conference” on July 18 at the Institution of Diploma Engineers Bangladesh (IDEB) auditorium in Kakrail. The event will also feature the unveiling of a commemorative book on Imam Shah Waliullah Dehlavi. Organizers expect the conference to contribute significantly to Islamic scholarship and intellectual exchange in Bangladesh.

His itinerary also includes visits to leading religious institutions in Hathazari and Patiya, Chattogram, reflecting his engagement with traditional centers of Islamic learning.

The Third International Mother Language Journalism Conference 2026 will take place in Kathmandu, Nepal, from August 9 to 12. The event is organized by the Federation of Nepalese Indigenous Nationalities Journalists (FONIJ) in coordination with the Newa National Forum of Journalists and the SAARC Journalists Forum. A preparatory meeting in Kathmandu’s Nayabazar announced the initial plans and programs, with FONIJ General Secretary Samir Balami presenting the detailed work plan.

According to the organizers, journalists, media professionals, and researchers from around 40 countries involved in mother language journalism will participate. The four-day conference will feature panel discussions, research paper presentations, and working paper sessions focusing on the global status, challenges, and future directions of mother language journalism. A colorful cultural parade with representatives from participating countries will also be held.

The program includes visits to Nepal’s historical and tourist sites and opportunities to experience traditional local cuisine. Organizers stated that the conference aims to professionalize mother language journalism, highlight its policy importance, and showcase Nepal’s achievements in this field while promoting cultural preservation and research.

The annual Rath Yatra festival was celebrated in Nagarkanda, Faridpur, following the Sanatan religious calendar. The event began on the auspicious day of Shukla Dwitiya in the month of Ashar, organized by the local Rath Yatra Celebration Committee. State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaid Islam MP inaugurated the festival as the chief guest. The procession started from the Gangjogdia Sarbojonin Kali Temple in front of Nagarkanda Health Complex and concluded at the Choumukha Paschimpara Durga Temple after parading through major roads of the upazila.

Hindu devotees from various parts of the upazila participated in the event, expressing joy at the minister’s presence. Special guests included Faridpur Superintendent of Police Shahriar Mohammad Miyaji and Nagarkanda Upazila Nirbahi Officer Rezwana Afrin, among others. The celebration featured traditional rituals and community gatherings reflecting the spiritual significance of the festival.

According to Hindu belief, pulling the chariot’s rope during Rath Yatra cleanses sins and brings spiritual merit equivalent to performing a hundred yajnas. Organizers expressed hope that such traditions will continue to inspire future generations.

A three-day art camp titled “Canvas 24: Epic of Liberation” began on July 15, 2026, at the National Art Gallery Plaza in Dhaka. Organized by the Fine Arts Department of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, the event brings together 55 renowned and emerging artists to commemorate the memory, spirit, and aspirations of the July Uprising through artistic expression. The inauguration ceremony was attended by Minister for Cultural Affairs Nitai Roy Chowdhury, who emphasized the importance of preventing past injustices and celebrating the ideals of freedom through art.

Special guest Dr. Zahed Ur Rahman, Adviser for Policy and Strategy at the Ministries of Information and Broadcasting and Cultural Affairs, highlighted the role of such initiatives in communicating meaningful messages through art and inspiring young artists. Shilpakala Academy Director General and poet Sheikh Rezauddin Ahmed (Rezauddin Stalin) noted that the artworks created during the camp will later be exhibited nationally.

The camp runs from July 15 to 17, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, featuring paintings that depict the history, sacrifices, and struggles of the July Uprising and the people’s quest for liberation.

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed announced in parliament on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, that the July Memorial Museum will open to the public on August 5. He said the Ministry of Cultural Affairs had confirmed the date earlier that day through a press conference, adding that Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will inaugurate the museum.

At the same press conference held at the ministry’s conference room in the Secretariat, Cultural Affairs Minister Nitai Roy Chowdhury stated that the July Uprising Memorial Museum will be formally inaugurated soon, depending on the Prime Minister’s approval and schedule. He added that construction and renovation work on the museum is nearly complete, and the newly formed board of directors will finalize staff appointments within the next few days.

The announcement marks the final phase of preparations for the museum’s opening, signaling the government’s intent to preserve the memory of the July uprising through a dedicated institution.

Cultural Affairs Minister Nitae Roy Chowdhury announced that the July Uprising Memorial Museum will be inaugurated by August 5. He made the statement on Tuesday afternoon during a press conference at the Ministry of Cultural Affairs in the Secretariat. The minister said a new management committee has been formed for the museum, and its gazette publication is pending. Recruitment and some construction work are still ongoing, but the inauguration will take place soon after consultation with the Prime Minister.

In response to a question, the minister stated that if any specific corruption information regarding the museum’s construction during the interim government period is found, action will be taken. Prime Minister’s Information and Broadcasting Affairs Adviser Dr. Zahed Ur Rahman, who was also present, said that events commemorating the July Uprising will be held daily from July 15 to August 5, and the museum will be inaugurated within this period.

The announcement marks a key step toward preserving the memory of the July Uprising through a dedicated national museum.

The name 'Muhammad' has been ranked as the most popular baby boy name in England and Wales for the third consecutive year, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The 2025 birth registration data show that 5,957 newborn boys were named Muhammad, nearly 2,000 more than those named Noah, which placed second.

The ONS data indicate that Muhammad’s popularity has been steadily increasing for decades. The name first entered the top 100 list in 1997, reached the top 10 in 2016, and became the most popular boy’s name in 2023. Since then, it has maintained the top position for three years. In the 2025 list, Leo ranked third and Luca fourth, pushing Arthur, Oliver, and George lower in the rankings.

The report also notes that various spellings of the name, such as Mohammad, have appeared in official records for many years. Three different spellings were already in the top 100 by 1954, and the Mohammad spelling first appeared in 1924 at the 91st position.

Former Chief Prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal, Mohammad Tajul Islam, announced that he would personally finance a film about the July Revolution if the state fails to provide funding. Speaking at a special audio-visual release event organized by the July Martyrs Memorial Foundation on Saturday, he said he would even sell his car or his blood to raise money for the project. He urged capable filmmakers to come forward to make a quality film on the historic event.

Tajul Islam emphasized that producing a film based on accurate history is essential to counter false propaganda labeling the July Revolution as extremist activity. He described the movement as an epic struggle where one side used weapons and the other used their bodies as shields. He recalled the suffering of the injured during that period, stating that under the then autocratic regime’s “no release, no treatment” policy, patients were denied surgery and anesthesia.

He stressed that a well-made film would immortalize the heroism of the revolution and honor the sacrifices of the martyrs.

Professor Abul Kasem Fazlul Haque, a prominent Bangladeshi scholar, writer, and public intellectual, has passed away. Known for his humility and intellectual rigor, he was deeply engaged in social and political thought, emphasizing the responsibilities of intellectuals toward society. Throughout his career, he inspired students and readers to think critically about the state, society, and human rights. His writings, including nearly thirty books such as 'Bangladesher Prabandha Sahitya' and 'Rastrochintay Bangladesh,' reflected his lifelong commitment to literature, culture, and human liberation.

Haque served as president of the Swadesh Chinta Sangha, an organization founded by Dr. Ahmad Sharif to promote progressive and rational thought. His ideas were shaped by Marxist and socialist influences, and he consistently opposed imperialism and neocolonialism. He was a vocal critic of Western military presence in the Middle East and advocated for global movements against such dominance. His intellectual stance combined nationalism, humanism, and rationalism.

In his later years, Haque proposed a 28-point plan for Bangladesh’s liberation and development, focusing on democracy, secularism, and the upliftment of working people. His death marks the loss of a steadfast voice for justice and free thought in Bangladesh.

Fatima Tasnim Juma, Liberation War and Democratic Movement Secretary of DUCSU and spokesperson of Inqilab Manch’s Dhaka University branch, announced that she has stepped down from her role at the Inqilab Cultural Center. She explained that she decided to hand over the responsibility to those who claimed it, considering it the right course of action.

In an interview given on Friday, Juma said the original goal was to establish the Inqilab Cultural Center as a public institution through a trust funded by the people. However, after the death of Shaheed Usman Hadi, who initiated the effort, his heirs claimed ownership. To avoid misinformation, defamation, and legal complications on social media, she chose to resign, emphasizing that preserving Hadi’s honor was the top priority.

Juma added that their focus remains on the revolutionary cause rather than any specific institution. She and her colleagues continue to hold responsibilities within the Inqilab Manch and intend to carry on their struggle and activities through that platform.

A column published on July 9, 2026, in the Bangladeshi newspaper Amar Desh by writer Minar Rashid sharply criticizes Meher Afroz Shaon, widow of author Humayun Ahmed, accusing her of offending national sentiment through a recent online post labeled “July CDI.” The writer alleges that despite public outrage, no state action has been taken against her due to her social standing and connection to the late author.

The article expands its criticism to what it describes as widespread hypocrisy among Bangladesh’s cultural and intellectual elites. It argues that many prominent figures in the arts and media have used moral and patriotic rhetoric while engaging in personal and political misconduct. The writer connects these issues to broader moral decline and political influence within the ruling party.

The column also revisits Humayun Ahmed’s personal life, portraying his marriage to Shaon as a moral and cultural rupture that shocked the nation. It concludes by calling for an investigation into Shaon’s activities, linking them to political and ideological manipulation within Bangladesh’s cultural sphere.

The Al-Quran Foundation Bangladesh has called on the government to organize national-level Qirat and Hifz competitions under official initiative. The appeal was made by the foundation’s secretary general, Maulana Qari Golam Mostafa, who emphasized that regular government-backed events could help more Bangladeshi Qaris and Hafizes showcase their talent internationally.

According to the foundation, Bangladeshi participants have achieved remarkable success in global Qirat and Hifz competitions over the past four decades. From 1980 to 2025, a total of 37 Bangladeshi Qaris and Hafizes have won 180 international awards. The country’s first international recognition came in 1981 when Qari Hafiz A. Haque secured fourth place in Libya, followed by Golam Mostafa’s second-place finish in Saudi Arabia in 1982.

The foundation also urged the government to formally honor internationally awarded Qaris and Hafizes, stating that such recognition would inspire the younger generation to pursue Quranic education and enhance Bangladesh’s image abroad.