Justice Md. Akhtaruzzaman, who sentenced former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia to five years in prison in the Zia Orphanage Trust case, has resigned.
The judge had earlier been placed on leave after allegations of misconduct surfaced. Summoned by the Supreme Judicial Council on July 1 to explain himself in person, he submitted his resignation to Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed on Sunday. The resignation has since been forwarded to the President.

Army Chief General Waker-uz-Zaman held a meeting with Chief Justice Dr. Syed Refaat Ahmed on Sunday at the Chief Justice’s residence in Gulshan.
The agenda of the discussion was not disclosed. Almost simultaneously, Principal Staff Officer of the Armed Forces Division Lt. Gen. SM Kamrul Hasan met Interim Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus at Jamuna. No details of either meeting were made public.

Authorities have imposed Section 144 in Hathazari municipality and within a 10-kilometer radius of Chittagong University, effective from 3 PM Sunday until 3 PM Monday.
The move follows repeated clashes between students and locals near the university’s second gate, which left several people injured, including the university proctor. The administration said the restrictions aim to prevent further violence.

Asif Mahmud, political advisor and aide to Nurul Haque Nur, has alleged that the Awami League is conspiring to re-enter politics through Jatiya Party.
Speaking at Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Mahmud claimed that the attack on Nur was part of this broader scheme. He labeled both parties as “clearly fascist” for legitimizing an “illegal parliament” in the past.
He warned that if any political force attempts to support such moves, the people, alongside anti-fascist groups, would resist. “Even during Awami League’s tenure, such brazen attacks on political leaders were rare,” he added, demanding accountability from the interim government.

Election Commissioner Abul Fazl Md. Sanaullah has pledged to make upcoming elections inclusive by ensuring accessible voting environments for persons with disabilities and physically challenged voters.
He further announced that expatriates and prison inmates will also be able to vote in the next election. “People had almost forgotten the meaning of elections — we are working to restore that atmosphere,” he said.
EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed added that all necessary assistance will be provided to uphold the voting rights of disabled citizens, noting there are no constitutional barriers to their participation.

Students of Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) have blocked the Dhaka-Mymensingh railway line, pressing a three-point demand that has halted train services in the area since Sunday morning.

The protesters, mainly from the Faculty of Agriculture, demanded the creation of 10th-grade posts for agriculturists in all research institutions, including DAE and BADC, and the abolition of quotas in 9th-grade BADC positions.

They warned of continuing their agitation if their demands are not met.

In a Facebook post on Saturday, Shafiqul Alam, Press Secretary to the Chief Adviser, remarked that Osman Sharif Hadi bears an astonishing resemblance to martyred democracy activist Noor Hossain, describing it as almost like a reincarnation.

“The resemblance is remarkable,” Alam wrote, adding, “Only one thing is missing—and that is the voice. We all know Hadi’s style of speaking—how effortlessly he dismantles one argument after another.”

Would you like me to make the Gaza piece more hard-hitting and emotionally charged (like international outlets such as Al Jazeera or The Guardian often frame it), or keep it in a neutral, reportorial tone (like Reuters or AP)?

President Mohammed Shahabuddin called Gono Odhikar Parishad (GOP) President Nurul Haque Nur on Sunday morning to inquire about his health condition.

According to Nur’s official page, the President assured that the government will arrange necessary measures for Nur’s advanced medical treatment abroad. He also strongly condemned the recent attack on Nur and his colleagues, expressed deep regret, and promised exemplary punishment for those involved.

Nur and several of his associates were injured earlier in a joint force attack.

Two Supreme Court lawyers have filed a petition with the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) seeking an inquiry into whether Gazipur Metropolitan Police Commissioner Md. Nazmul Karim Khan’s personal white car was acquired through bribery and corruption. In their application dated August 28, lawyers Nadim Mahmud and Yasin Alfaz urged the ACC to begin investigations within 30 days. Earlier, a national daily reported how roads in Gazipur were often cleared for the Commissioner’s protocol, causing severe commuter suffering. The Home Affairs Adviser had since hinted at issuing a show-cause notice against him.

The man caught on video assaulting Ganadhikar Parishad leaders in Kakrail last Friday night has been identified as Constable Mizanur Rahman, driver of the Paltan Police Station OC’s vehicle (BP No. 9717197243). In the viral footage, Rahman, dressed in a maroon shirt, is seen mercilessly beating several leaders, including student activists. While many claimed the victim was Nurul Haque Nur, Ganadhikar Parishad General Secretary Rashed Khan clarified that the individual beaten was actually student leader Samrat, not Nur.

The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has decided to form an internal probe committee to investigate the role of police during the recent attack on former student leader Nurul Haque Nur. DMP official Nazrul Islam confirmed that, following the directive of the commissioner, the committee comprising senior officers will be formed on Sunday.
The committee will investigate why the police were present at the scene, whether they had any role in the attack, and if there was negligence in performing their duties.
The incident took place in Bijoynagar on Friday, when members of joint forces launched a brutal assault on Nur and his associates. Viral videos show Nur bleeding heavily from his face and chest, with his nose visibly injured. A man in a red polo shirt—allegedly a police officer—was also seen repeatedly beating him, according to Rashed Khan.

A delegation from the South Asians for Human Rights (SAHR) met with Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus today. The delegation included Rashmi Goswami, Sarup Ijaz, Dikshe Ilangasinghe, Anushaya Kallure, and Saeed Ahmed.

During the meeting, Chief Adviser Yunus highlighted the government’s focus on youth participation in governance since taking office. “We have ensured youth representation in the Reform Commission, policy-making, and state administration. Those who once felt hopeless are now leading the nation in the post-uprising era. As the older generation, it is our duty to guide and support them,” he said.

Rashmi Goswami remarked, “This is not just a transformative moment for Bangladesh, but for the entire South Asian region. We have spoken with members of civil society here, and expectations from this government—especially among the youth—are very high. Meeting those expectations will be a major challenge.”

The SAHR delegation praised the interim government’s reform initiatives and its commitment to upholding human rights.

Legal Adviser Dr. Asif Nazrul has revealed that nearly 20,000 politically motivated false cases filed during the previous Awami League regime have been withdrawn. However, after the withdrawal, stakeholders have expressed concern that some of those cases did involve actual militants and terrorists.

“Suppose 100 people were labeled as militants — out of them, around 5 to 10 may have genuinely been militants,” Dr. Nazrul explained. He said he had informed Nabila that if any individual wrongly accused in such cases could present concrete evidence, the Ministry of Law would ensure swift resolution.

Dr. Nazrul further noted that the government has signed an agreement with the United Nations on enforced disappearances to prevent such incidents in the future.

At the same event, Industry Adviser Adilur Rahman Khan stated that despite strong evidence of enforced disappearances, victims continue to face obstacles in their pursuit of justice. He emphasized that the reports submitted by the Commission on Disappearances should not be seen as the end of its work.

“If we can preserve the detention centers and torture cells of the previous regime as museums, they will stand as historic reminders of authoritarian repression for future generations,” he added.

Environmental concerns over Cox’s Bazar’s hotel industry have resurfaced after allegations of river pollution and waste dumping. Advisor M. Sakhawat Hossain has instructed government agencies to go beyond imposing fines and to shut down hotels responsible for environmental violations.

Speaking in Cox’s Bazar, Sakhawat said,
“Year after year, the Department of Environment fines hotels millions of taka, yet river pollution continues. Simply fining them has not worked — the hotels dumping waste must be shut down completely.”

He further stressed the urgent need to first free rivers from illegal occupation and then make them pollution-free.

Upazila and Thana Election Officers have issued a strong ultimatum demanding the formation of the long-delayed Election Commission Service by September 15. The demand was made during the general meeting of the Upazila Election Officers’ Association.

Speakers at the meeting expressed frustration that, despite being a clear and prioritized recommendation of the Electoral Reform Commission and receiving formal approval from the Election Commission, the service has not yet been formed.

They warned that without establishing the Election Commission Service to strengthen and institutionalize the electoral process, it will be impossible to ensure free, fair, and impartial elections — including the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election.