Eight police personnel, including two sub-inspectors, have been suspended following the mob killing of two men suspected of being members of an ‘unconsciousness-inducing robbery gang’ in Rangpur. The suspended officers are SI Abu Zobayer, SI Shafiqul Islam, and six constables. A three-member investigation committee led by Assistant Superintendent of Police Asifa Afroze Aduri has been formed to determine whether negligence played a role. The committee has been given three working days to submit its findings.

A writ petition has been filed in the High Court seeking an investigation and swift action against those responsible for the looting of white stones in Sylhet. Filed on Thursday by lawyer Mir AKM Nurun Nabi, the petition urges the authorities to take strict measures against the culprits and deploy additional law enforcement at the site. It also calls for an explanation from relevant government officials regarding their inaction in preventing the incident. Meanwhile, during an administrative coordination meeting last night, a five-point plan was adopted to stop further looting and restore the stolen stones.

Sylhet Deputy Commissioner Sher Mahbub Murad announced five decisions from a joint meeting of district and divisional administrations aimed at stopping stone looting and restoring stolen stones to Sadapathor.
The measures include:

Joint forces to guard Jaflong ECA and Sadapathor areas 24/7.

Permanent police checkpoints in Gowainghat and Companiganj with joint forces.

Continuous drives to shut down illegal crushing machines and cut their electricity supply.

Identification, arrest, and prosecution of all involved in stone theft.

Recovery and restoration of stolen stones to their original location.
Stone quarries, including the scenic Sadapathor, have been severely depleted due to unchecked looting and administrative inaction.

Dr. Kh M Kabirul Islam, Secretary of the Technical and Madrasa Education Division, announced that the government will soon issue an order to include independent Ebtedayee madrasas in the Monthly Pay Order (MPO) scheme.
He said the proposal had already gone to the Chief Adviser and would next move to the Finance Ministry for approval. Priority will be given to institutions recognized before 2006 but previously excluded from MPO benefits. He expressed hope this could be achieved within the current fiscal year, noting that no new institutions have been brought under MPO since 2022.

Bangladesh continues to be on the World Bank’s red list for rising food inflation, where it has remained since June 2021. Between then and last July, monthly food inflation consistently stayed above 5%, with price hikes ranging from 5% to over 14% depending on the product.
To exit the red list, monthly food inflation must drop below 5% — something last achieved in May 2021 at 4.87%. Although prices eased during Ramadan and into June, they have started climbing again in recent months.

Three more witnesses have testified before the tribunal in the case of six people killed by gunfire at Chankharpul during the July mass uprising. Rahima Akhter, mother of martyr Yakub, described seeing her son’s lifeless body with a bullet wound to the abdomen and severe bleeding.

Another witness, Shahid Ahmed, alleged that while heading toward Ganabhaban on August 5, he heard uniformed men speaking Hindi. He claimed police fired warning shots to disperse them, but when the group advanced again, officers fired directly. Testimony was also given by Yakub’s uncle Shahid Ahmed and Mahibul Haque, brother of martyr Ismamul Haque. The defense later cross-examined the witnesses. Yakub had been a deliveryman at a store in Dhaka’s New Market.

At least 5,000 families in Lalmonirhat are stranded as floodwaters from the Teesta River have submerged low-lying and char areas in five upazilas. Water levels at the Teesta Barrage point in Dalia were recorded at 52.18 meters—above the danger mark. On Tuesday, the river was 1 cm above danger level; by Wednesday morning, it had risen to 7 cm over.

The situation is expected to persist for at least two more days. Flooding has damaged homes, croplands, and roads in Lalmonirhat Sadar, Hatibandha, Kaliganj, Aditmari, and Patgram. Locals allege that solar panel installations have altered the river’s course, causing water to enter populated areas and threatening embankments. The district administration has instructed UNO offices to prepare lists of affected residents so that relief can be distributed promptly.

The Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) has requested detailed banking information of three former governors and six former deputy governors of Bangladesh Bank. Following a request from the Anti-Corruption Commission, all banks were instructed on Wednesday to provide transaction records, account opening forms, and related details.

The former governors named are Dr. Atiur Rahman, Fazle Kabir, and Abdur Rouf Talukder. Dr. Rahman left the country after the mass uprising, while Talukder resigned via email on August 7 last year while in hiding. Among the six deputy governors, SK Sur Chowdhury is currently in jail in a corruption case, and former BFIU chief Md. Masud Biswas was forced to resign. Others include Abu Hena Md. Razi Hasan, SM Moniruzzaman, Kazi Saidur Rahman, and Abu Farah Md. Nasser. Banks have been given three working days to submit the information, including details of any closed accounts.

Rising water levels in the Padma River have caused severe erosion, threatening Dighirpar Market in Tongibari Upazila, Munshiganj. Four shops have already collapsed into the river, forcing traders to relocate goods and dismantle structures. Locals report strong currents over the past few days, and a shifted geo-bag triggered sudden erosion on August 12. Authorities, including the Water Development Board, are coordinating emergency measures to prevent further damage, highlighting the need for permanent embankments to protect the market.

Dhaka — The father of Shaheed Adil has filed a case against 31 journalists alleged to be aligned with the Awami League, accusing them of aiding former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in committing mass killings during the July uprising.

A court has taken the case into cognizance and instructed the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) to conduct a probe. Among the accused are prominent media figures such as Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, Abul Kalam Azad, Farida Yasmin, Omar Faruk, Manjurul Ahsan Bulbul, Shyamal Dutta, Abdul Jalil Bhuiyan, Azizul Islam Bhuiyan, and Sohel Haider, among others.

The case details the alleged scope and nature of Sheikh Hasina’s “fascism” and outlines the media’s “anti-people, fascist role” in enabling it. Specific reference is made to a July 24 meeting at Ganabhaban, where the journalists allegedly encouraged Hasina to commit atrocities, and to July 27, when they purportedly labeled the pro-uprising public as “militants” while holding protest programs in support of the regime.

Prime Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus has returned home after a three-day state visit to Malaysia. According to the Prime Adviser’s Press Wing, his flight landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 9:10 pm on Wednesday. Dr. Yunus departed Kuala Lumpur for Dhaka at 7:30 pm local time. The visit, which began on August 11, was made at the invitation of Malaysia’s Prime Minister.

At least 10 people were injured when a passenger bus of Gorai Paribahan overturned into a pond in Kaliganj, Jhenaidah, on Wednesday afternoon. The accident occurred around 1:00 PM in Keyabagan when the Jessore-bound bus from Kaliganj lost control while attempting to overtake another vehicle. Locals and firefighters rescued the injured and took them to the Upazila Health Complex. Police confirmed there were no fatalities.

Following the large-scale plundering at Sadapathor, illegal stone extraction has now spread to Jaflong in Sylhet — not only during the day but also under the cover of night. Large boulders have already been removed from the Zero Point area, damaging both the beauty of the tourist hotspot and the environment. Visitors have expressed outrage, while authorities claim patrols have been increased to curb the theft. Sadapathor itself has been left almost barren due to open looting.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has launched an investigation into large-scale illegal stone extraction from the Sadapathor tourist site in Sylhet. A nine-member ACC team visited the area on Wednesday, collecting evidence and speaking with locals. Police and administrative officials are also inspecting the site. Environmentalists and traders claim around 15 million cubic feet of stone worth over Tk 200 crore have been looted in the past year. ACC officials say a detailed report will be prepared, and action will be taken against those found guilty.

A court has withdrawn the temporary injunction on Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader’s political activities after senior co-chairman Barrister Anisul Islam Mahmud, the plaintiff, dropped the case. The suit had alleged that Quader’s appointment as chairman in 2019 violated party rules and that he unlawfully approved a new constitution later that year. The dispute deepened after the removal of 10 presidium members from all party posts in June 2025, leading to the lawsuit filed in July.