The Bangladesh Air Force has paid tribute at the grave of Masuma Begum (38), an office assistant who lost her life in the Milestone School and College aircraft crash. On Monday, a team from the Air Force laid floral wreaths at her grave in Ward 7 of Borhanuddin Upazila’s Bara Manika. Following the tribute, prayers were held for her departed soul, and condolences were extended to the grieving family. The Air Force reiterated its commitment to providing full support to her family as needed.

Sylhet is grappling with a severe power crisis due to the 10-day shutdown of the 25MW Kumarghat Power Station. A transformer fire led to the closure, and repairs are delayed as critical components must be imported. Residents are suffering from long daily power outages. The city relies entirely on the national grid, and supply disruptions from Dhaka have worsened the situation. Officials say there's no immediate fix, with a 33% electricity shortfall last Thursday. The situation is deteriorating with no clear resolution in sight.

Allianz Life, a major insurance provider in North America, has fallen victim to a significant cyberattack, compromising personal data of over 1.4 million customers. The breach occurred on July 16 through a third-party cloud-based CRM system. Hackers used social engineering tactics to steal sensitive information belonging to customers, financial advisors, and employees. The parent company, based in Germany, confirmed the incident and stated that affected individuals are being contacted and supported. Allianz serves more than 125 million customers worldwide.

According to a report from the Economic Relations Division (ERD), Bangladesh paid approximately $4.087 billion in principal and interest to development partners in the recently concluded fiscal year. This marks the highest amount of loan repayment ever made by the country in a single fiscal year.

The repayment amount represents a 21.2% increase from the previous fiscal year’s payment of $3.372 billion. Interest payments alone rose to $1.491 billion, up 10.5% compared to $1.349 billion in the fiscal year 2023-24.

The ERD data also reveals that Bangladesh signed new loan agreements worth $8.323 billion with development partners during the fiscal year 2024-25, down from $10.739 billion in the prior fiscal year.

Speaking at the United Nations Food Conference in Ethiopia, Food Advisor Ali Imam Majumdar highlighted Bangladesh’s readiness to collaborate with global partners to build a better food future for all. He noted that over the past several decades, Bangladesh has made significant strides in food production, nutrition, and poverty reduction. "From a country facing food shortages, we are now self-sufficient in rice," he said.

Majumdar explained that the country has introduced necessary changes in production systems to achieve self-sufficiency not only in rice but also in fisheries, vegetables, and livestock. However, Bangladesh continues to face emerging challenges, particularly climate change and price volatility.

The advisor emphasized the importance of food security measures, including empowering women, ensuring equitable food access for vulnerable populations, and supporting social safety nets such as school feeding programs to combat malnutrition.

Continuous rain and tidal surges triggered by a low-pressure system have caused flooding in parts of Char Fasson upazila, damaging fish farms and crops. A 300-foot section of the Khejurgachhia embankment has developed cracks, putting thousands in Hazirganj and Jahanpur unions at risk. Locals blame poor emergency repairs and low budget allocations. Authorities have begun urgent repairs, with two contractors assigned. Officials assure the embankment will be permanently restored soon, although fears remain as water pressure in the Meghna River continues to rise.

Milestone School and College has extended its holiday for the third time after a tragic military plane crash on its Diyabari campus. The incident, which killed 33 people and injured over 150, led to an initial three-day closure, later extended to July 27, and now until August 2. Administrative activities will continue during the closure. Officials have communicated with students and guardians, who are eager to resume normal classes soon. The institution hopes to reopen for regular educational activities shortly.

Google has launched a new AI-driven feature called ‘Web Guide’ to make search results smarter and more organized. Using Google’s Gemini AI model, the feature highlights key websites, provides AI-generated summaries, and categorizes results by topic. Currently in experimental mode via Google Search Labs, it aims to help users find accurate information faster while reducing misinformation. Traditional search results remain accessible, but the ‘Web Guide’ will be integrated into the AI tab in the future, especially benefiting younger users.

The government has approved the 10th grade pay scale for headteachers of all 65,502 government primary schools in Bangladesh. This decision follows a Supreme Court directive and aims to improve financial benefits and social status for headteachers. Previously, they were in the 11th and 12th grade scales. The move is expected to boost motivation, enhance teaching quality, and ensure a more dynamic education system at the primary level. An official notification has already been issued by the Ministry of Finance.

The Bangladesh Technical Education Board (BTEB) will start admissions for the 2025-26 academic year on July 30. Candidates can apply online for four-year diploma courses in Engineering, Textile, Agriculture, Fisheries, and two-year vocational courses including BMT and Commerce. Admission at institutions runs until September 14. Students must confirm admission by submitting required documents within seven working days. ‘O’ Level students must submit equivalency certificates before applying. No blank form admissions will be accepted.

The Anti-Discrimination Student Movement has issued a stark warning, stating that a repeat of the July uprising is possible if constitutional institutions, including the Public Service Commission (PSC), are not allowed to function independently.

In a public statement on Monday, the group declared: “If institutions like the PSC are not allowed autonomy, another July will descend upon us. Repeating Hasina's mistakes could be catastrophic.”

Inaugurating a week-long virtual event in Chattogram, Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam emphasized the critical role the port city played in the July uprising. “The July revolution was not limited to Dhaka—Chattogram was one of its most important strongholds. It was our pride,” he said.

At the same event, Shafiul Alam, father of martyred Waseem Akram, expressed deep disappointment: “This government, built on the blood of martyrs, has failed to deliver justice to their killers. Even today, the July Charter has not been officially recognized. We no longer expect justice from this government.”

Families of several martyrs—Waseem Akram, Faisal Ahmed Shanto, Mohammad Farooq, Ishmamul Haque, and Omar Farooq—were present during the program.

Power Grid Company of Bangladesh PLC has announced a five-hour power outage on August 1 in three northern districts due to scheduled project work.

The shutdown will affect the Purbosadipur Grid Substation from 7:00 AM to 12:00 PM. As a result, power will be disrupted in parts of Dinajpur under NESCO Distribution-1 and 2, all areas under Dinajpur Rural Electricity Association-1, and throughout the Thakurgaon and Panchagarh districts.

The Power Grid authority has apologized for the temporary inconvenience and urged residents to plan accordingly.

Dr. Ali Riaz has announced that the commission is close to finalizing the much-anticipated July Charter, which outlines major reforms in Bangladesh’s political structure. “We expect to reach the final stage within the next two to three days through continued discussions,” he said at the start of today’s meeting.

So far, consensus has been reached on 12 key issues, with dissent noted on two. “Fundamental reforms are essential for the state structure, especially regarding the caretaker government system,” Riaz added. “We must present a concrete framework to the nation to avoid repeating past political crises.”

Riaz stated that the final document will be a historic declaration, signed by all stakeholders, which will guide the future direction of Bangladesh.

Preparations for the upcoming national elections are well underway, with a second high-level meeting held under the leadership of the Chief Adviser, according to Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam.

During the meeting, officials emphasized strengthening coordination between the army, police, and local administration. The Inspector General of Police stated that 150,000 officers will receive election-specific training in September, October, and November.

The press secretary also addressed the growing spread of misinformation ahead of the elections. To combat this, a National Information Center is being proposed to identify and counter false narratives. Detailed discussions are ongoing regarding its implementation.