In a landmark ruling, the High Court has ordered the government to fix the prices of all life-saving medicines produced in Bangladesh.

Until 1993, the government regulated prices of 739 life-saving drugs. But a gazette that year restricted control to only 177 drugs—a move the court has now declared illegal following a petition by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh.

Lawyers argued that leaving pricing power with pharmaceutical companies forced ordinary citizens to buy essential medicines at inflated prices.

The interim government has already formed a task force to draft a new list of life-saving medicines, and the court has instructed that prices of all drugs on that list be set by the government.

Government adviser Muhammad Faozul Kabir Khan has revealed that road construction costs have risen by 30%, prompting the formation of a review committee to reduce expenses.

Speaking on Sunday, he said around 1,500 kilometers of roads and highways are currently in poor condition and will be repaired by December. “We apologize to the public for the suffering caused. Repairs will begin after the monsoon and be completed between September and December,” he said, assuring that repairs would not be superficial.

Faozul added that unfit and outdated vehicles are being removed to restore discipline. Owners of scrapped vehicles may receive soft loans if necessary. Discussions are underway with the commerce ministry to reform car import policies, while illegal electricity use by auto-rickshaws for charging is being addressed. “We must also consider alternative livelihoods for those dependent on this sector,” he stressed.

Mushfiqur Fazal Ansari, Bangladesh’s ambassador to Mexico, has condemned the recent attack and vandalism at the Bangladesh Consulate in New York, allegedly carried out by Awami League-backed miscreants.

He urged immediate legal action against the perpetrators and expressed confidence that Bangladeshi diplomats in the U.S. would work with relevant authorities to ensure accountability.

“The host country is responsible for ensuring the security of all Bangladeshi missions abroad,” he said, adding that such “shameful assaults by supporters of fallen autocrats” are unacceptable on U.S. soil, a key partner in Bangladesh’s democracy and development. Ansari assured full cooperation to colleagues in addressing the incident.

A Dhaka court has granted a five-day remand for Towhid Afridi in connection with the killing of Asadul Haque Babu during the recent mass uprising. Afridi was produced at the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court at 2:25 PM and placed in custody.

Investigating officer Khan Md. Erfan had sought a seven-day remand, while defense lawyers petitioned for bail and dismissal of the remand request. After hearing both sides, the court approved a five-day remand.

On August 5, Babu joined demonstrations on Jatrabari’s main road, where he was shot in the chest and side. He later succumbed to his injuries at a hospital. The case lists Nasir Uddin as accused no. 22 and Towhid Afridi as accused no. 11.

The second day of hearings on objections and demands regarding the redemarcation of parliamentary constituencies is underway at the Election Commission building on Sunday. Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) A M M Nasir Uddin and other election commissioners are present.

Today’s proceedings cover disputes over 20 constituencies. By midday, hearings had been held on objections to the draft boundaries of seven constituencies in Satkhira, Jashore, and Bagerhat. After the hearings, petitioners explained their positions to the press.

In the afternoon, objections concerning 13 constituencies in Jhalakathi, Barguna, Pirojpur, Chattogram, and the Chittagong Hill Tracts will be heard. The four-day hearing process will continue until Wednesday, after which the revised gazette for all 300 constituencies will be published.

Awami League supporters attempted to harass Adviser Mahfuz Alam as he entered the Bangladesh Consulate in New York on Sunday evening. Protesters reportedly threw eggs at him and damaged the glass door of the consulate building. Golam Mortoza, Press Minister at the Bangladesh Embassy in Washington, compared the protest to the fall of monarchies in history, saying that movements fueled by student leaders’ blood sacrifices naturally attract resistance. Information Adviser, addressing expatriates later, thanked the diaspora for their role in the July Movement, assuring their contributions would be recognized in the “July Charter.” Responding to calls for banning Indian media in Bangladesh, he said he opposed blanket bans, advocating instead for promoting better alternatives.

Home Affairs Adviser Jahangir Alam announced a reward scheme for the recovery of missing firearms. Authorities will offer Tk 50,000 for pistols or shotguns, Tk 100,000 for Chinese rifles, Tk 150,000 for submachine guns, Tk 500,000 for light machine guns, and Tk 500 per bullet recovered. He assured that informants’ identities will remain confidential. Alam also pledged strict measures against corruption in law enforcement recruitment and called for public reporting of irregularities. Speaking in Gazipur, he confirmed disciplinary action against a police commissioner over traffic disruptions and said a Bangladeshi officer detained in India would be brought back via Interpol or existing border agreements. He stressed that election fairness ultimately depends on the people and political parties.

The United States has praised Bangladesh for sheltering displaced Rohingya refugees from Myanmar, while also commending other host countries in the region. In a press statement issued Sunday, the US State Department reaffirmed solidarity with the people of Myanmar, including the persecuted Rohingya and other ethnic minorities. Washington thanked the Government of Bangladesh for providing refuge and acknowledged the significant humanitarian burden it continues to bear. Since the 2017 military crackdown in Rakhine State, over 700,000 Rohingya fled to Bangladesh, bringing the total refugee population in the country to more than 1.3 million.

Diplomatic missions in Dhaka issued a joint statement marking eight years of the Rohingya crisis, condemning the escalating violence and human rights abuses by Myanmar’s military junta and other armed groups. The statement highlighted that over 1.1 million Rohingya remain in Bangladesh, many of them forced to flee during the 2017 crackdown. It emphasized that Rohingya refugees are still determined to return to their homeland and reaffirmed the international community’s steadfast support for both the Rohingya people and Bangladesh. Diplomats also reiterated their commitment to working toward a sustainable solution to the crisis.

The Bangladesh Bank has announced plans to issue new licenses for digital banks, raising the minimum paid-up capital requirement to Tk 300 crore, up from the previous Tk 125 crore.

According to a central bank circular, licenses will be granted under the 1991 Bank Company Act, while payment services will be regulated under the 2014 Bangladesh Payment and Settlement Systems Regulations.

Digital banks will operate without physical branches, offering services exclusively through apps and online platforms. Customers will be able to deposit and spend money digitally, while receiving access to virtual cards, QR codes, and other advanced tools. However, plastic debit or credit cards will not be issued.

Each licensed digital bank will be required to go public and release primary shares within five years of operation.

Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus joined the main session of the three-day international dialogue on the Rohingya crisis in Cox’s Bazar on Monday. He is scheduled to deliver the opening address at the session. Earlier in the morning, Dr. Yunus arrived at Cox’s Bazar airport on a scheduled flight. The dialogue, which began on Sunday with an inaugural session featuring interactive discussions with Rohingya representatives, will continue until August 26. According to official sources, the Chief Adviser is expected to leave Cox’s Bazar later today around 1 PM.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has called for the formation of a united national front to resist what he described as U.S. attempts to subjugate Iran.

“Never will the Islamic Republic bow to America,” he declared in a Sunday address.

Khamenei linked last June’s joint Israeli-U.S. attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities to broader efforts to destabilize the country.

Meanwhile, Iran is preparing to reopen negotiations with world powers over its nuclear program, signaling a new round of diplomacy amid escalating tensions.

Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit China next week to attend a high-level summit in Tianjin scheduled for August 31 to September 1.

The summit will host leaders from more than 20 countries and representatives of international organizations, according to Russian media.

Speculation had earlier surfaced about a possible trilateral meeting involving Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and former U.S. President Donald Trump, though the Kremlin later denied knowledge of such plans.

Putin last met Xi Jinping during the Chinese leader’s visit to Moscow in May.

Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus is set to formally inaugurate the main session of a three-day international conference on the Rohingya crisis in Cox’s Bazar today.

The opening session, held on Sunday evening, featured an interactive dialogue with Rohingya representatives, focusing on building trust for safe and dignified repatriation.

Rohingya participants expressed frustration at what they called the international community’s silence, saying they remain trapped in refugee camps with little hope. “We want to return to our homeland as rightful citizens, not through forced repatriation,” one representative said.

The conference has brought together foreign and domestic experts, diplomats, politicians, academics, international organizations, and Rohingya delegates.

Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus has stressed the importance of cultural exchange in strengthening ties between Bangladesh and Pakistan, saying, “Whenever Pakistani artists perform in Bangladesh, they are warmly praised. This spirit must guide our relationship.”

He made the remarks during a meeting with Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, where both leaders emphasized deeper bilateral cooperation in trade, education, culture, and regional collaboration through SAARC.

Dar conveyed greetings from Pakistan’s Prime Minister and hailed Yunus’s role in poverty alleviation and community empowerment. “Bangladesh is fortunate to have you as its head of government,” he said.

Dar also announced that Pakistan’s Fly Jinnah is expected to launch direct Dhaka-Karachi flights by October.