The six-lane upgrade of the 48 km Jessore–Jhenaidah Highway, launched in 2021 with a Tk 48 billion budget, faces delays due to government changes, incomplete land acquisition, and rising construction costs. The deadline has been extended to late 2026, with land acquisition costs tripled. Large portions of the road are riddled with potholes, severely disrupting transport between Khulna, Rajshahi, and southern districts. Locals and drivers report frequent vehicle damage and delays, while authorities promise repair work will accelerate as monsoon rains recede.

Saudi Arabia has regained its position as Bangladesh’s top remittance source following a central bank correction of source-country data. The change revealed that many remittances routed through U.S.-based gateways actually originated from Middle Eastern and other countries. As a result, U.S. remittance figures halved, dropping it to fifth place. In April–June 2024–25, Saudi Arabia sent $1.49 billion, followed by the UAE, UK, and Malaysia, while the U.S. recorded $792.7 million. Officials expect further declines as transparency improves.

The International Crimes Tribunal has released the full verdict sentencing fugitive Sheikh Hasina and another individual in a contempt of court case. The court observed that Hasina’s remarks were intended to obstruct judicial proceedings. A copy of the verdict has been handed to the Inspector General of Police.
Prosecutor Tamim warned that continued “hate speech” could lead to fresh contempt charges. Among the cited evidence was an audio clip in which Hasina allegedly said she had “obtained a license to kill 226 people,” which forensic analysis by the CID confirmed as her voice. On July 2, the tribunal sentenced Hasina to six months’ simple imprisonment, while co-accused Shakil Akand Bulbul of Gobindaganj received a two-month simple imprisonment term.

Kolkata witnessed a massive rally organized by Bangla Pokkho in protest against the alleged harassment, detention, and confinement of Bengalis in detention camps in several BJP-ruled Indian states for speaking in Bengali and being branded as “Bangladeshi.” The rally, held on the occasion of Rakhi Purnima, began at College Street and concluded at the foot of the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose statue in Shyambazar.
The organization accused state administrations of systematically targeting Bengali migrant workers, while jobs in Bengal’s industrial and urban areas are largely occupied by outsiders. Echoing Rabindranath Tagore’s 1905 Rakhi Bandhan unity movement against the Partition of Bengal, leaders called for united resistance. Bangla Pokkho’s General Secretary, Garga Chatterjee, alleged that the “Hindi imperialist, anti-Bengali BJP” seeks to strip Bengalis of their language, culture, and citizenship, but vowed that the movement would not allow it.

Adviser Asif Mahmud has said the ban on student politics in Dhaka University halls could have been avoided if student organisations had reached an internal agreement and prepared a student-friendly framework. He urged student groups to now work on such a roadmap for the future. Mahmud also announced plans to decentralise the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) by holding matches in Rajshahi in the north and either Khulna or Barishal in the south by next year.

The engine and a coach of the Dhaka-bound Padma Express from Rajshahi derailed near Joydebpur Railway Station on Saturday night at 8:40 PM. The derailment temporarily halted train operations on the Dhaka–Mymensingh and Dhaka–Rajshahi–Khulna routes, and also blocked traffic on the Gazipur Chowrasta–Rajbari road. Station officials said the accident occurred when the train was mistakenly diverted from a broad-gauge to a meter-gauge track. No casualties were reported as the train was moving at low speed.

Two sisters—Dr. Jakia Sultana Nila, Assistant Professor at the National Institute of Ophthalmology, and Dr. Israt Jahan Eva, Registrar at Mymensingh Medical College—have been awarded the ‘July Konya Award 2025’ for their courageous medical service to the injured during the July mass uprising. The award was presented by adviser Farida Akhter on behalf of the July Konya Foundation. Nila recalled receiving threats to stop treating the injured but said she and her colleagues pressed on. Eva said serving the nation’s heroes brought her great fulfillment.

Ahead of the parliamentary elections, the Election Commission (EC) will publish an updated draft voter list on Sunday. EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed said the list will exclude around 4.45 million voters who were dropped from the rolls and remove deceased voters. The supplementary voter list will cover all voters registered up to June 30, 2025, who were born on or before January 1, 2007. Applications for inclusion, removal, transfer, or correction must be submitted by August 21. The final list will be released on August 31.

Cabinet Secretary Dr. Sheikh Abdur Rashid has strongly refuted allegations made by former government official ABM Abdus Sattar against unnamed advisers. In a statement, Rashid said such accusations—without evidence or identification—are irresponsible and harmful to public trust. He stressed that the administration remains committed to transparency, integrity, and accountability, urging anyone with credible evidence of misconduct to present it to legal or investigative authorities.

India’s Air Force Chief A.P. Singh has claimed that during a military clash with Pakistan in May this year, Indian forces downed five Pakistani fighter jets and one large military aircraft. Singh said most of the aircraft were destroyed using Russian-made S-400 missile systems, and presented electronic tracking data to support the claim. Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif has outright rejected the statement.

After a two-month pause, the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) will resume selling subsidized oil, lentils, and sugar via trucks from Sunday for one month. While TCB already sells these products at reduced prices to low-income families with smart cards, the truck sales will target the general public without cards. From August 10 to 31, except Fridays, TCB trucks will serve about 500 people per day per truck. Prices will be set at Tk 230 for two liters of edible oil, Tk 80 for one kilogram of sugar, and Tk 140 for two kilograms of lentils. Prices for smart card holders will remain unchanged.

Two bodies have been recovered after a fishing trawler sank at Chattogram port’s outer anchorage, leaving eight fishermen missing. Locals found the bodies near Patenga’s 18 No. Jetty on Saturday evening before police arrived. Authorities have yet to identify the deceased. The trawler, Anika, left Chattogram’s Fishery Ghat on Thursday morning with 19 fishermen but was struck from behind by another vessel, causing it to sink. Eleven crew members managed to escape on a nearby boat, while eight remained missing.

Three UK-based companies controlled by former Land Minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury, with combined assets of Tk 2,318 crore, are on the brink of bankruptcy, according to British outlet BizNow. On July 29, accounting firm Grant Thornton was appointed as administrator for ZTS Properties Ltd, RukhMila Properties Ltd, and New Ventures Ltd. Chowdhury faces allegations of money laundering and large-scale corruption. Earlier this year, administrators were also appointed to three other companies under his control, with combined assets worth £29 million, now in the process of being sold. UK authorities have already seized assets worth £170 million from his estimated $500 million property portfolio.

In the upcoming 13th parliamentary elections, Bangladeshi expatriates will, for the first time, be able to vote using postal ballots featuring candidate symbols. The ballots will be sent abroad before finalizing candidate lists, displaying reserved symbols for registered parties and an additional ten symbols for independent candidates. Expatriates will have three weeks to register to vote. Critics warn that if a party does not field a candidate, its symbol will still appear, potentially causing confusion. Election experts, including Jesmin Tuli, have suggested amending the law to allow at least 30 days between finalizing nominations and voting to ensure ballots reach expatriates in time.

Religious Affairs Adviser Dr. A F M Khalid Hossain has announced that a new Mosque Management Policy has been finalized and will soon be published in the government gazette. Speaking at the National Conference of the Shane Sahaba National Khatib Foundation, he said the policy will ensure mosque committees operate free from political influence, while empowering imams and khatibs to help resolve community issues.
The adviser also noted that the policy will establish organized and efficient mosque management nationwide. He further revealed that the government has allocated Tk 190 crore for the renovation of the National Mosque Baitul Mukarram, focusing on aesthetic improvements and repairs while preserving its original structure. “In the new Bangladesh, there will no longer be room for belittling imams and khatibs,” he said. Later, foundation leaders presented him with an 11-point demand, including an increase in salaries and benefits.