Anisuzzaman Chowdhury, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser, stated that many have offered to help return the embezzled money. He confirmed that it is possible to bring back the funds but noted that international cooperation is required due to the involvement of beneficiary countries. Maintaining confidentiality is crucial, as revealing details could hinder progress. Legal frameworks are being developed in collaboration with relevant countries, and international entities like the World Bank are assisting in the efforts.

Police have blocked a march towards the Chief Adviser’s office organized by the platform ‘Against Rape and Oppression in Bangladesh’, which was demanding the removal of the Home Adviser and the formation of special tribunals, among other demands. The protesters clashed with the police during the march. The demonstration, which started from the Raju Memorial Sculpture, was headed to deliver a memorandum. They were stopped in front of the Hotel Intercontinental, where tensions escalated into a heated verbal exchange with police. Following this, police resorted to baton charges twice. A scuffle ensued when the protesters retaliated, resulting in injuries on both sides.

Students from 30 colleges gathered at Shahbagh to protest violence against women and demand the highest punishment for rapists. Initially planning to blockade the area, they withdrew the program considering public inconvenience during Ramadan. Instead, they are staging a sit-in near the National Museum until evening. Among the participating institutions are Viqarunnisa Noon School & College, Bir Shreshtha Munshi Abdur Rouf Public College, Dhaka City College, Notre Dame College, and Dhaka College.

The High Court has issued a rule questioning why authorities’ inaction on banning high-interest personal loans and informal lending should not be declared illegal. The chairman of the Microcredit Regulatory Authority has been instructed to resolve the petition regarding the prohibition of such lending within two months. Additionally, the Finance Secretary, Home Secretary, and other relevant authorities have been asked to respond to the rule within four weeks.

Election Commissioner Abul Fazl Md. Sanaullah has announced that Bangladeshi expatriates will be able to cast proxy votes if their names are listed in the voter database. Discussions with political parties will be held regarding the process, and a workshop will be organized to test the system before implementation.

The decision to revoke Ziaur Rahman’s Independence Award from 2003 has been reversed. At the same time, the list of individuals selected for the ‘Independence Award 2025’ has been announced. This year, seven distinguished individuals will be awarded the ‘Independence Award 2025’. The recipients are: Professor Jamal Nazrul Islam (posthumous) for Science and Technology, Mir Abdus Shukur Al Mahmud (posthumous) for Literature, Novira Ahmed (posthumous) for Culture, Sir Fazle Hasan Abed (posthumous) for Social Service, Mohammad Mahbubul Haq Khan (posthumous) for Liberation War and Culture, Badaruddin Mohammad Omar for Education and Research, and Abrar Fahad (posthumous) for Defiant Youth.

Finance Adviser Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed has stated that several hundred million dollars in laundered funds could be recovered within this year. Following a meeting of the Advisory Council, he explained that the government is actively working to bring back illicit funds transferred abroad. Identifying those responsible and navigating international legal procedures will take time, but the process is underway. Investigations are also being conducted into money laundering disguised as foreign education expenses.

Professor Dr. A.K.M. Riazul Hasan, Chairman of the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB), has stated that Rakhal Raha and Gazi Salauddin Ahmed Tanvir have no involvement in the procurement of paper for printing textbooks.

Addressing recent allegations, he dismissed claims that Rakhal Raha was engaged in a Tk 400 crore commission business related to textbook paper procurement, calling it baseless propaganda. “The total paper purchase amounted to approximately Tk 102 crore. The claim of a Tk 400 crore commission is completely illogical,” he said.

He further clarified that reports accusing NCTB of commission-based trading in paper procurement are false and misleading. Additionally, he emphasized that textbook revisions were carried out as a collaborative effort, not by a single individual.

At least 25 people have died, and several others remain missing after a boat capsized in the Kwo River near Mai-Ndombe province in western Congo. The vessel was carrying football players from Nagambomi village, returning from a match in Mushie town. The boat sank 12 kilometers after leaving Mushie port late at night. While 30 survivors have been rescued, authorities fear that the death toll may rise as rescue operations continue.

A young man, identified as Abdur Razzak Fahim, launched a sudden attack inside a police station in Dhaka, injuring Officer-in-Charge (OC) Nazrul Islam and two other officers. According to OC Islam, Fahim entered the station around 2 AM, claiming that a murder had taken place nearby. When the OC stated he had no knowledge of such an incident, Fahim accused the police of hiding information. As officers attempted to verify his identity, Fahim suddenly started punching and injuring them. Assistant Sub-Inspector Nasir suffered a broken finger, while Second Officer Shariful Islam sustained a head injury.

The condition of the 8-year-old girl who was raped while visiting her sister’s house in Magura has deteriorated further. A member of the medical board stated that while the child’s condition showed slight improvement on Monday, her brain has now become unresponsive. The doctor explained that during the assault, the girl was strangled, leading to oxygen deprivation in her brain. She was left untreated for hours before being taken to the hospital the next day, causing severe brain damage. Her Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score, which briefly improved to 5 yesterday, has now dropped back to 3, far below the normal level of 15.

Advisor Mahfuz Alam has claimed that external forces are pushing for a swift change of government in Bangladesh, citing the country’s ongoing structural reforms, trials for genocide and corruption, and efforts to revitalize institutions. He assured that the upcoming elections would take place on schedule and that visible progress in state reforms would occur before then. Alam emphasized a zero-tolerance policy against terrorism and extremism but warned that internal conflicts among bureaucrats, business elites, and media interests, along with resistance from anti-uprising forces, are creating challenges for the government.

A massive fire broke out at the power grid in Amin Bazar, Savar, early Tuesday morning. The fire service deployed nine units to control the blaze. According to officials, they received the emergency alert at 7:15 AM, with the first unit reaching the scene by 7:20 AM, followed by additional reinforcements. The cause of the fire and the extent of the damage remain unknown, but as of the latest reports, the situation is under control.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump revealed on Monday that four American companies are in discussions to acquire TikTok amid ongoing uncertainty over its future. The Chinese-owned social media platform faces a potential ban in the U.S. unless it separates from its parent company, ByteDance, as per new U.S. regulations. While Trump did not disclose the names of the interested buyers, speculation points to Microsoft, Oracle, The People’s Bid for TikTok, and internet star MrBeast as potential contenders. Trump emphasized that the final decision rests with him.

The Trump administration has slashed 83% of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) programs following a six-week review aimed at reducing the agency’s activities. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that 5,200 contracts, worth billions of dollars, have been canceled, citing concerns that some programs were against U.S. national interests. The remaining 1,000 projects will now be managed more efficiently under the State Department’s oversight, with congressional involvement. Rubio also praised the Department of Government Efficiency, led by billionaire Elon Musk, for its role in the review. The workforce at USAID, which once exceeded 10,000 employees, is now at risk of shrinking to fewer than 300.