The government has retired 17 senior officers of the Bangladesh Civil Service (Police) cadre under the provisions of the Public Service Act, 2018. The decision was announced on Thursday, July 23, 2026, through a notification issued by the Public Security Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs. The order, signed by Senior Secretary Manjur Morshed Chowdhury, stated that the retirement was made in the public interest under Section 45 of the Act.

Among those retired are three Deputy Inspectors General (DIGs), thirteen Additional DIGs, and one Superintendent of Police. The DIGs include Md. Abdullah Al Baki of Highway Police, Md. Walid Hossain of Sardah Police Academy, and Sana Shaminur Rahman of CID. The notification confirmed that all officers will receive retirement benefits as per regulations and that the order takes immediate effect by directive of the President.

The announcement marks a significant administrative move within the police force, reflecting the government’s use of legal provisions to manage senior-level service positions.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has invited Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to attend the upcoming BRICS Summit scheduled for September in New Delhi. The information was disclosed by State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaid Islam during a briefing with journalists at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday. She confirmed that the invitation letter from India had reached the ministry and was forwarded to the Prime Minister’s Office.

The 18th BRICS Summit will be held in New Delhi on September 12–13. Although Bangladesh is not a member of BRICS, Prime Minister Modi extended the invitation to Tarique Rahman to participate as a special guest. The invitation highlights India’s outreach to regional partners during the high-level international gathering.

Further details regarding Bangladesh’s response or the Prime Minister’s participation have not yet been disclosed.

BNP leader S M Zakaria has claimed he was removed from his party post in Gazipur’s Kapasia after participating in the campaign of his elder brother, Jamaat-e-Islami leader and chairman candidate Maulana S M Cholaiman, ahead of the Chandpur Union Parishad election. In a Facebook post, Zakaria expressed emotional disappointment, saying his 45 years of political dedication and sacrifices were disregarded over a single incident.

Zakaria stated that he had been involved with the BNP since its founding, serving in various roles within the Chhatra Dal, Jubo Dal, and Chandpur Union BNP. He said he had endured imprisonment in 1983 and 2018 and faced multiple political cases but never abandoned the party’s ideals. Despite losing his position, he reaffirmed his belief in BNP’s principles and his commitment to truth, justice, and democracy.

Local BNP leaders in Chandpur Union acknowledged Zakaria’s long service but said his participation in his brother’s campaign was inappropriate during the election period. They added that the decision to relieve him of his duties was made by the party’s higher leadership.

The Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), whose demonstrations have recently stirred unrest in New Delhi and other Indian cities, is now planning to hold a protest march in Kolkata. According to a report by Anandabazar, the group has emailed Kolkata Police seeking permission to organize the event this Friday.

The email, sent on July 19 and July 21 by a person named Dedipya Gangopadhyay who identified himself as a CJP member, requested approval to march from College Square to Rani Rashmoni Road at 4 p.m. on Friday. The message also mentioned an expected gathering of about 1,500 participants. Kolkata Police confirmed receiving the email but stated that permission for the march has not yet been granted.

The planned demonstration marks the CJP’s first attempt to extend its movement to West Bengal following widespread protests in the national capital and other regions.

Deputy Speaker and Netrokona-1 MP Barrister Kaiser Kamal announced that any corruption in the farmer card distribution process will result in direct dismissal of responsible officials. Speaking on Wednesday night at a mechanized paddy seedling planting and distribution event at Lengura School and College field in Kalmakanda, he said no bribery or irregularities will be tolerated in the Kalmakanda-Durgapur area. He emphasized that he was elected to serve the people and would neither engage in nor allow corruption.

Kamal expressed strong dissatisfaction over nepotism and irregularities in the earlier family card distribution in Lengura Union. He criticized data collectors for favoritism, saying that influential individuals received cards while poor and disabled residents were excluded. He urged those involved to repent and warned that similar misconduct in the farmer card program would lead to termination, not just transfer.

Highlighting future agricultural goals, Kamal said the government led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman plans to export rice to several Asian countries, aiming to earn foreign currency like the garment industry. He also praised the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute for developing early rice varieties to protect crops from flash floods.

M Ali Ashraf, who joined as Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Bahubal Model Police Station in Habiganj on July 21, was withdrawn just a day later and attached to the district police lines. The order, signed by Superintendent of Police Md Tarek Mahmud, also appointed Mohammad Ruhul Amin Talukder as the new OC of Bahubal.

Following Ashraf’s appointment, leaders and activists of the BNP and its affiliated organizations expressed anger on social media. Posts circulated showing images and videos of injuries from earlier clashes involving police and ruling party activists, along with a 2022 statement from central Chhatra Dal leaders condemning police attacks. Injured Chhatra Dal leader Maruf Mia criticized the decision, calling Ashraf a controversial officer responsible for past repression.

According to reports, Ashraf had previously served in Chunarughat, where he was accused of arresting and suppressing opposition activists. He joined the police as a sub-inspector after the Hasina government took office and later held several positions before his recent posting to Bahubal.

Bangladesh’s Education Minister A N M Dr. Ehsanul Haque Milon has promised full educational and financial support to Ekon, a student from Bagerhat who buried his father in the afternoon and worked a night shift at a Bangladesh Krishi Bank ATM booth before sitting for his HSC exam. The minister’s personal assistant, Farhan Ishtiaq, confirmed that the minister will personally speak to Ekon and has already ordered immediate financial assistance.

The story of Ekon’s struggle drew widespread attention on social media, prompting an outpouring of sympathy and offers of help from home and abroad. Ekon’s father, Israfil Daria, a motorcycle driver and the family’s only earner, died suddenly at age 46, leaving the family in severe hardship. Ekon now lives with his mother and mentally unwell brother in a small rented house.

Ekon expressed gratitude for the minister’s initiative, saying it gave him new courage to continue his studies despite financial constraints. His family also thanked the minister for taking responsibility for Ekon’s education.

The Kakroach Janata Party (CJEP) has called a nationwide protest on Friday to stand with people who suffered police violence across India. The party issued the call via a message on X on Thursday, urging the general public and students to participate in the countrywide programme.

The X message asked organisers to ensure that students read out the core demands clearly from the front of each assembly. It also advised various student organisations and other relevant groups to work together in unity and coordinate to simplify permissions and ancillary arrangements for the programme. The protest call comes amid a tense political atmosphere centered on an exam paper leak issue, and opposition leaders have already met at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's residence to decide on future actions.

Austria has officially opened a police station in Adolf Hitler’s birthplace in Braunau am Inn to prevent neo-Nazi gatherings and unwanted glorification of the Nazi past. The decision follows years of debate over how to handle the site’s dark legacy. The building, where Hitler was born on April 20, 1889, has been renovated at a cost of about 20 million euros and now hosts a special anti-drug police unit.

Authorities said the location near the German border is a key route for drug trafficking, and a permanent police presence will help curb illegal Nazi displays. Austria’s Interior Minister Gerhard Karner described the move as a “new chapter,” symbolizing democracy, rule of law, and security while acknowledging that history will not be erased.

Experts had advised against demolishing the building, arguing it would erase part of Austria’s history, while turning it into a museum could attract extremists. Public opinion surveys also favored using the site for administrative or educational purposes. The initiative comes amid political tension following the far-right Freedom Party’s recent electoral gains.

A feature published on July 23, 2026, in Amar Desh highlights students’ reflections on the 2024 July Uprising, describing it as a defining moment of protest against injustice, inequality, and authoritarianism. The article, written by Eden Mohila College student Umme Zobaida, portrays the uprising as a collective struggle for rights, democracy, and human dignity that reshaped the nation’s conscience.

Students quoted in the piece view the July movement as a lesson in courage, unity, and sacrifice. Afia Sultana Akhi from Eden College’s economics department emphasizes that the spirit of July inspires youth to build a just, corruption-free Bangladesh where equality, accountability, and freedom of expression prevail. The uprising, which began as a quota reform movement, evolved into a nationwide protest against oppressive governance, marked by casualties and widespread participation.

The article concludes that the July Uprising remains a lasting emblem of resistance and hope, motivating future generations to pursue a fair, humane, and democratic Bangladesh.

An eleven-party alliance, including Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, held a human chain in front of the International Crimes Tribunal on Thursday morning, demanding a fair investigation and speedy trial of the July genocide. The alliance later submitted a memorandum to the tribunal’s chairman and chief prosecutor, calling for immediate action against those accused of genocide and fascism. Alliance coordinator and Jamaat assistant secretary general Hamidur Rahman Azad urged that Sheikh Hasina and the Awami League be brought to justice, warning of mass protests if justice is delayed.

Speakers at the event alleged that the current BNP government has slowed down the judicial process and accused it of election engineering. They criticized the appointment of partisan prosecutors and warned that any attempt to obstruct justice would face public resistance. The memorandum submitted by the alliance outlined seven demands, including completion of investigations at all crime scenes, arrest of accused law enforcement officials, and protection for witnesses and victims.

The alliance also called for urgent measures to ensure justice for enforced disappearances and to strengthen the rule of law, emphasizing that justice for victims is essential to prevent future atrocities.

Bangladesh Parliament Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad is returning home Friday after shortening a medical trip to Thailand amid reports that President Mohammed Shahabuddin is resigning. The speaker travelled to Bangkok on July 19 and was originally scheduled to return on July 26. Multiple Parliament Secretariat sources said senior government officials asked him to come back sooner. One official said the arrival time could not initially be confirmed because the ticket had not yet been received. The report later said he was expected to land in Dhaka at 12:10 p.m. Friday on a Thai Airways flight.

Under Article 50(3) of Bangladesh’s Constitution, the president may resign through a signed letter submitted to the speaker. Article 54 provides that if the presidency becomes vacant, or the president is unable to perform the duties, the speaker serves as acting president until a successor is elected. Article 123(1) requires lawmakers to elect a new president within 90 days of the vacancy. The last acting president was then-speaker Jamir Uddin Sircar, who served for 78 days, from June 21 to September 6, 2002, after A. Q. M. Badruddoza Chowdhury resigned.

Between July 14 and 19, 2024, Bangladesh witnessed a wave of student-led protests demanding reform of the government job quota system. The movement began with a memorandum to the president and quickly escalated after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s remarks defending the freedom fighters’ quota. Violent clashes erupted at Dhaka University and other campuses as student groups, including the ruling party’s student wing, were accused of attacking demonstrators.

On July 16, Begum Rokeya University student Abu Sayeed was shot dead by police, becoming the first martyr of what became known as the July Movement. The following days saw universities declaring campuses “politics-free” and the prime minister ordering a judicial inquiry while urging patience for a Supreme Court verdict. By July 18–19, nationwide shutdowns and protests turned deadly, leaving at least 116 people killed over two days.

The government imposed a curfew and deployed the army as an internet blackout severed Bangladesh’s digital links with the world, marking one of the most violent episodes in the country’s recent student activism.

Leaders of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) have again declined an invitation from Indian Union Minister J. P. Nadda to hold discussions at his residence regarding the ongoing protest over the NEET question paper leak. The party stated that any dialogue with the government must take place at a neutral location rather than a minister’s home or office. CJP spokesperson Saurav Das said the protest site at Jantar Mantar represents the people’s court and that ministers should come there if they wish to talk.

The CJP emphasized that it remains open to discussions and is willing to consider a neutral venue near Jantar Mantar if there are security concerns. The refusal marks the second consecutive day the group has rejected the government’s proposal for talks at Nadda’s residence.

The protest continues at Jantar Mantar as the CJP maintains its demand for transparency and accountability in the NEET paper leak issue, while the government seeks to initiate dialogue under controlled conditions.

The 11-party alliance has announced that its Sylhet divisional rally will be held on Saturday at the historic Alia Madrasa field in Sylhet. The event is part of the alliance’s previously declared program demanding implementation of the referendum verdict and trial of those accused in the July killings. Opposition Leader and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman MP will address the rally as chief guest.

The rally will be presided over by Liberal Democratic Party Chairman and former minister Dr. Col. (Retd.) Oli Ahmed Bir Bikram, with top leaders of the 11-party alliance attending as special guests. Jamaat Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar issued a statement on Thursday calling on all branches of Sylhet Division Jamaat and people from all walks of life to make the rally a success.

The alliance has also reiterated its demand for swift trial of those involved in the July killings and acts of fascism, emphasizing the urgency of justice through proper legal processes.