Legal Affairs Adviser Dr. Asif Nazrul announced that the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Reform Commission’s proposed laws will be enacted within one to two months.

The proposals, considered crucial for overhauling the ACC, were discussed in detail with ACC Chairman Dr. Mohammad Abdul Momen earlier in the day. Nazrul stressed that the reforms are a priority for the interim administration.

The High Court has appointed seven amicus curiae to provide opinions on a rule regarding the 15th Amendment’s provision for the Speaker, rather than the Chief Justice, to administer the presidential oath.

The court has set October 26 as the next hearing date. The appointed senior lawyers are Zainul Abedin, Dr. Shahdeen Malik, Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokon, Advocate Probir Neogi, Advocate Ahsanul Karim, Barrister Mostafizur Rahman Khan, and Barrister Jyotirmoy Barua.

This follows a writ petition filed on March 10 by lyricist Shahidullah Farazi, seeking restoration of the original 1972 constitutional provision requiring the Chief Justice to administer the presidential oath.

Sirajganj saw heightened student protests on Thursday as Rabindra University students blocked the highway at the western end of the Jamuna Bridge, pressing for the establishment of a permanent campus. The hour-long blockade ended after students issued a 72-hour ultimatum to authorities.

Students expressed frustration that, despite nine years since the university’s inception, no permanent campus has been built—depriving them of quality education facilities and essential amenities. They urged swift action to commence construction. Faculty members, administrative staff, and other employees joined in solidarity with the demonstrators.

The High Court has ordered submission of a list of individuals involved in looting white stone from Bholaganj, Sylhet, and directed that all stolen stones be returned to their original location within seven days.
The court also set Sunday for a hearing on another petition seeking legal action against those responsible and the deployment of additional law enforcement in the area to prevent further theft.

Rahat Hossain Rabbi (31) was stabbed to death on Thursday inside a Banani shisha bar. Police said the incident occurred on the second-floor stairway following an argument with a man identified as Khokon, who then attacked Rabbi with a knife.
Rabbi was taken to hospital in critical condition but was pronounced dead. Investigators believe the attackers were known to him and were regular visitors to the bar. A manhunt is underway.

Tulip Siddiq, facing a corruption case over alleged plot irregularities filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission, has described her trial in Dhaka as “nothing but a sham” driven by political vengeance. She said the charges have repeatedly changed over the past year, yet Bangladeshi authorities have never contacted her or her legal team, issued a court summons, or responded to formal communications.
“If this were a genuine legal process, the authorities would have engaged with us, responded to our letters, and presented evidence,” she argued. Instead, she said, false allegations have been leaked to the media but never formally shared with her. Tulip also revealed she had sought a meeting with Chief Advisor Dr. Yunus, but received no response.

A coordinated operation in Sylhet has so far recovered approximately 52,000 cubic feet of stolen stone, with recovery efforts ongoing at crusher mills. On Wednesday night, authorities seized around 40,000 cubic feet of stone from 78 trucks, and earlier in the day, another 12,000 cubic feet stockpiled near the Dholai River was dumped into the river.
The recovered stones will be redistributed in the Bholaganj Sada Pathar area. Police have arrested East Islambur Union Chairman Alamgir Alam in connection with the theft. Environmental activists and local traders estimate that over 15 million cubic feet of stone—worth more than Tk 200 crore—has been looted from Sylhet in the past year.

Interim government advisor Asif Mahmud has denied allegations linking him to the Gulshan extortion case. He acknowledged knowing Jane Alam Apu in 2022 while serving in the Student Rights Council but said they had not met since August 5, 2024.
He claimed Apu’s wife had alleged that he was abducted and forced to give a statement at a political leader’s house, likening the practice to past coercive “guest room” interrogations at Dhaka University.
Asif explained that his occasional late-night visits to Gulshan’s Westin Hotel were for dining when his preferred restaurant was closed but could not recall if he had been there on the date mentioned by Apu. “If a helmeted figure in CCTV footage is claimed to be me, how credible is that?” he asked, reiterating that he had no involvement in the incident.

Religious Affairs Advisor Khalid Hossain has urged that financially motivated but physically unfit or ill individuals should not be sent to Saudi Arabia for Hajj. He said Dhaka would request Saudi authorities to discontinue government catering services and improve toilet facilities in Muzdalifah.
Expressing optimism for an equally smooth Hajj in 2026, he emphasized efforts to eliminate middlemen from the process. The advisor also warned pilgrims not to carry zarda (chewing tobacco) or cigarettes to Saudi Arabia, noting that zarda is classified as a drug there and such items harm the country’s image.

Mahfuza (45), a teacher injured in the Milestone fighter jet crash, died at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery at 12:45 pm on Thursday. Doctors confirmed she had sustained burns to 25% of her body.
This raises the death toll at the burn unit from the incident to 19, while the overall death toll from the crash now stands at 35, according to the Ministry of Health. Over 150 people were injured in the accident, most of them children. Twenty-three remain hospitalized, while 14 have been discharged.

India’s Ministry of Home Affairs has sent a list of 21 Bangladeshi nationals to West Bengal’s Chief Electoral Officer, accusing them of illegally entering India and obtaining Indian identification documents. Though all possess valid Bangladeshi passports, many were found with Indian voter IDs, Aadhaar cards, PAN cards, ration cards, and even passports. Some entered on tourist or medical visas as early as 2017 before bringing in family members. Authorities have recommended canceling all such illegally obtained Indian documents.

The Bangladesh Meteorological Department has issued a local cautionary signal No. 3 for Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, Mongla, and Payra sea ports as a low-pressure area persists over the west-central and adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal. Gusty winds are expected to affect coastal areas and maritime ports. Fishing boats and trawlers in the north Bay and deep sea have been advised to remain close to the coast and proceed with caution until further notice.

Russia and Belarus will hold a joint nuclear military drill in mid-September under the name “Zapad 2025.” The five-day exercise in Belarus will test the newly developed Russian hypersonic missile “Oreshnik,” which can travel at ten times the speed of sound and carry up to six nuclear warheads over a range of 3,000 km. Moscow claims no other country possesses such a weapon. Russia plans to deploy Oreshnik missiles in Belarus by the end of this year.

At least 26 people have died after a migrant vessel capsized near Italy’s Lampedusa Island on Wednesday. Sixty survivors were rescued, but many remain missing as search operations continue. The vessel, carrying 92–97 migrants from Libya toward Europe, was spotted sinking 14 miles from the island. The cause of the accident is still unknown. This tragedy adds to the 675 deaths recorded this year in the Mediterranean among those attempting illegal crossings to Europe.

The Water Development Board in Kurigram reports that as of 6 am Thursday, the Dudhkumar River at Pateshwari Point is flowing 5 cm above the danger level. Heavy rainfall and upstream runoff are causing water levels in the Teesta, Dudhkumar, Dharla, and Brahmaputra rivers to rise, inundating low-lying areas and submerging croplands. Residents fear that entire riverine islands could be underwater within days. Authorities have issued a flood warning and set up control rooms in six flood-prone upazilas to coordinate emergency response.