A meeting of the cabinet committee formed to review and finalize the draft of the Cyber Security (Amendment) Act 2026 was held on Wednesday at the Secretariat in Dhaka. The session took place in the conference room of the Posts and Telecommunications Division and was chaired by Fakir Mahbub Anam, Minister of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology and Science and Technology, and convener of the committee.

The meeting discussed various sections of the draft law, focusing on strengthening cyber security, protecting citizens’ rights, and ensuring a safe digital service environment amid rapid technological changes. Participants exchanged views on necessary amendments and recommendations to make the law more effective and relevant.

Following the discussion, several suggestions were made to make the draft more practical and up to date. The committee decided to hold another meeting after incorporating these recommendations to finalize the draft law.

Bangladesh’s Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said the newly enacted Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Prevention and Suppression Act, 2026 will play a strict and effective role in preventing the misuse of digital platforms and technology by organized criminal networks. He made the remarks at a national dissemination event held at the InterContinental Hotel in Dhaka, organized jointly by the Ministry of Home Affairs and Justice and Care, Bangladesh.

The minister reaffirmed the government’s strong commitment to combating human trafficking and migrant smuggling through a robust legal framework, institutional coordination, and a victim-centered justice system. The new law clearly defines human trafficking and migrant smuggling as separate crimes, strengthens investigation and prosecution powers, enhances protection for victims and witnesses, and expands international cooperation in line with global standards. It also upholds the principle of non-punishment for victims.

Participants from law enforcement, judiciary, ministries, diplomatic missions, and international organizations discussed the law’s key provisions and implementation priorities, emphasizing coordination across all stages of the criminal justice process and the need for sustained national and international collaboration.

On 15 July 2024, campuses across Bangladesh, including Dhaka University, turned into battlegrounds as members of the banned Chhatra League launched armed attacks on students participating in the quota reform movement. At least 297 students were injured in Dhaka University alone, with over 400 wounded nationwide. Witnesses reported assaults even inside Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where injured students sought treatment. Videos of female students being beaten circulated widely on social media.

The violence followed remarks made on 14 July labeling quota reform activists as descendants of collaborators, sparking mass protests across universities. Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader and Chhatra League President Saddam Hossain later vowed a strong response, after which coordinated attacks occurred on multiple campuses. Student leaders accused police of inaction and condemned the brutality, while university authorities held emergency meetings and deployed additional police.

In response, the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement announced nationwide demonstrations for 16 July, rejecting the Prime Minister’s comments and calling for public solidarity. The attacks significantly intensified the quota reform movement, spreading protests across the country.

US Senate Democrats have blocked a motion to begin debate on the Trump administration’s annual defense policy bill. The vote, held on Tuesday, ended 50–46, falling short of the 60 votes required to proceed. As a result, approval of the proposed $1.15 trillion military budget has been temporarily halted.

Democratic senators opposed the bill not only because of President Donald Trump’s stance on Iran but also due to provisions that would deepen military and intelligence cooperation between the United States and Israel. They accused the administration of intensifying military actions against Iran without congressional authorization and objected to the overall size of the Pentagon’s proposed budget.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer stated before the vote that passing the bill would effectively grant the Trump administration permission to continue military operations against Iran without congressional oversight.

Professor Dr. Ainul Islam, a controversial teacher and leader of the pro-Awami League 'Blue Panel' at Jagannath University, has been appointed as the new dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences. The appointment, announced in mid-July 2026, has sparked widespread anger across the campus due to his alleged involvement in advising former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during a violent crackdown on student protests in August 2024.

According to reports, Dr. Islam attended a meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office during the 2024 student movement, where he allegedly supported the use of force against demonstrators. He has also faced previous allegations of unethical conduct, including a 2010 incident that led to his removal as proctor and a 2022 case involving false accusations against students. In August 2024, he was accused of attempting to remove official documents while serving as acting registrar.

Student leaders from various organizations have condemned the appointment, calling for its immediate cancellation and threatening strong protest actions if their demands are not met.

Bus operations between Rajshahi and the rest of Bangladesh resumed on Tuesday night after a 25-hour suspension. Services had been halted from 8 p.m. Monday following a dispute between two groups over the district motor workers’ union election. The stoppage caused severe travel disruptions, forcing many passengers to pay extra for alternative transport or cancel their trips.

The suspension stemmed from disagreements over forming the election management committee for the Rajshahi District Motor Workers’ Union. The district administration held separate meetings with both sides throughout Tuesday, eventually reaching a compromise. Under the agreement, the election will be held under the supervision of the district administration, with a nine-member convening committee including six worker representatives and three from the administration. It was also decided that Nazrul Islam (Helal) would not be part of the election committee, as demanded by the workers.

Following the resolution, bus services from Rajshahi to Dhaka and other destinations returned to normal on Tuesday night, easing the hardship faced by thousands of passengers.

Hasnat Abdullah, Member of Parliament for Comilla-4 and chief organizer of the National Citizens Party (NCP) for the southern region, said that Bangladeshis will again take to the streets if the country falls under fascism or fails to uphold the rule of law. He made the remarks on Tuesday at a roadside rally in Nimtala, Sirajdikhan, along the Dhaka-Mawa Expressway, as part of the NCP’s “July March to Build the Nation” program.

During his speech, Abdullah accused the current government of deceiving the people and criticized the Home Minister as a failed leader. He alleged that state institutions, including the police and educational establishments, have been politicized. He also questioned the government’s promise to create employment for ten million people, claiming that instead of jobs, the unemployed are being driven toward drugs. Abdullah further stated that 70 percent of citizens support structural reforms and accused the ruling party of selective adherence to the constitution.

At the event, Abdullah introduced Ali Newaz as the NCP candidate for the upcoming Sirajdikhan upazila election, urging public support for him.

On July 14, 2026, HSC examinees in Narsingdi submitted a memorandum to the district administration outlining five demands, including the resignation of the education minister and postponement of the July 15 HSC examination. The students also demanded that future HSC exams follow board standards for question preparation and evaluation, and that a retest be arranged for those unable to attend the July 13 exam due to natural disasters.

The students stated that recent natural disasters and ongoing movements had left many mentally unprepared for the exams. They requested the district administration to present their demands to the relevant authorities and to intervene for their swift implementation in the interest of students.

The remaining demands included a public and unconditional apology from the person who made a derogatory remark comparing students to “farm chickens,” along with an explanation of that comment. Around a hundred students from various colleges in Narsingdi participated in the procession before submitting the memorandum to Additional Deputy Commissioner Abu Taher Mohammad Shamsuzzaman.

Retired Major General Sharif Uddin has been appointed as the new chairman of the board of Northern Electricity Supply PLC (NESCO), the power distribution company for northern Bangladesh. The appointment was confirmed in a letter signed by Sheikh Mezbah Ul Saberine, Senior Assistant Secretary of the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, and sent to the Bangladesh Power Development Board chairman and NESCO’s managing director. The letter instructed that Sharif Uddin replace the current chairman, Agriculture Ministry Secretary Rafiqul Haque Mohammad, following approval from the competent authority.

Sharif Uddin confirmed his appointment and stated that NESCO’s entire board will be restructured. He will formally assume his duties after new members are included, and the process is expected to be completed soon. The appointment marks a leadership change in one of the country’s key regional electricity distributors.

Sharif Uddin is currently an adviser to the BNP chairperson and was the party’s candidate for the Rajshahi-1 constituency in the 13th national election. His late elder brother, Barrister Aminul Haque, was elected three times from the same constituency and served as a minister.

Suspended Awami Jubo League leader SM Golam Kibria Shamim, known as GK Shamim, has applied for exclusive rights to manage advertising across all Bangladesh Railway stations, platforms, and infrastructure for ten years. The request, submitted on June 11, 2026, on behalf of his company GK Builders and Company (Pvt) Ltd, was forwarded by Railways Minister Sheikh Robiul Alam to the ministry secretary with a note for “necessary cooperation.” Ministry sources confirmed the instruction was issued without formal registration in the minister’s office diary.

Officials within the Railways Ministry described the application and the minister’s directive as unprecedented and inconsistent with existing advertising and business rules. According to the 2026 Railway Advertising and Branding Policy, all advertising rights must be awarded through open tender. Opposition BNP and Jubo Dal leaders criticized the move as a “conspiracy against the government,” while ministry officials said the proposal would violate multiple legal provisions.

The ministry has referred the matter to its legal and land division for review. The rail minister later stated that all such applications are processed according to law and that no special relationship exists with GK Shamim.

U.S. President Donald Trump has paid $5.6 million in damages to writer and journalist E. Jean Carroll, following a federal court order. According to court documents, the payment was transferred to Carroll last week from an escrow account after all appeals against the 2023 jury verdict were exhausted. The jury had found Trump liable for sexually assaulting Carroll in a Manhattan department store in the 1990s and for later making defamatory remarks about her.

The U.S. Supreme Court recently declined to hear Trump’s appeal, prompting the presiding judge to release the compensation funds. The court’s online docket confirmed the payment on Tuesday. Carroll’s attorney, Roberta Kaplan, said in a statement that they were pleased to confirm Carroll had received the compensation determined by the jury.

When asked for comment, the White House referred inquiries to Trump’s personal legal team, while his attorney Aaron Harrison did not immediately respond.

US Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a close ally of former President Donald Trump and a longtime supporter of US military operations abroad, died suddenly late Saturday night. His death came only hours after a phone call with Trump in which he reportedly said he could not die yet because he still had much work to do. His passing leaves countries such as Ukraine and Israel without a strong advocate in Congress and removes a key voice close to Trump.

According to Axios, in his final weeks Graham was actively pursuing a diplomatic initiative to normalize relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel. During his last conversation with Trump, he briefed him on a recent trip to Ukraine, where he visited a military drone production facility and met President Volodymyr Zelensky. They also discussed plans to advance a Senate bill imposing new sanctions on Russia and the progress of the Safe Act on voter verification.

Following his death, Trump ordered national flags to be flown at half-mast until the following Saturday, while South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster appointed Graham’s sister, Darlene Graham Nordone, to fill his remaining Senate term.

After nearly ten hours of demonstrations, HSC examinees suspended their protest and lifted the road blockade in Dhaka on Tuesday night. The students had been demanding the resignation of Education Minister Ehchanul Haque Milon, along with the suspension of exams during the ongoing disaster situation and a retest for those unable to attend the July 13 exam due to bad weather. The announcement to suspend the protest came around 9:30 p.m. in front of the National Parliament building, after which traffic on the blocked roads resumed.

Earlier in the day, students gathered at the Science Lab intersection to present their three-point demand before marching toward the Parliament area. Their sit-in on Manik Mia Avenue halted traffic for hours, leading to tension with police. Clashes broke out in the evening, and several students were reportedly injured during police baton charges. Later, police dispersed the protesters, who regrouped at Asad Gate, where further scuffles occurred and a bus was vandalized. Protesters claimed outsiders were responsible for the vandalism.

Student representatives said the movement would continue until the minister resigns and that new protest programs would be announced soon.

At a seminar titled “July Uprising: Contemporary Reflections” held on Tuesday, July 14, at Rajshahi University’s Senate Building, senior Supreme Court lawyer and former Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tazul Islam described horrific accounts of enforced disappearances and killings. He said victims were electrocuted, struck with heavy hammers, or killed under anesthesia, and their bodies were later dumped in rivers, canals, and wetlands.

Tazul Islam explained that during investigations into disappearances and killings, he and his team learned of extreme torture methods, including electric shocks, mutilation, and other brutal acts carried out in secret detention centers. He said victims were often abducted from homes, offices, or streets by men in black or plain clothes and taken to hidden facilities where torture began after dark.

The seminar was organized by the University Writers’ Forum and attended by former vice-chancellor Saleh Hasan Nakib, Rajshahi Bar Association president Advocate Md. Abul Kasem, zoology professor Dr. Shah Hossain Ahmed Mehdi, and other teachers, writers, researchers, and students.

Police detained 13 activists of the Awami League and its affiliated organizations during a rally on the Dhaka-Aricha Highway in Savar on Tuesday. The incident occurred in the Bhanga Bridge area when around 35 to 40 participants carrying banners and sticks marched along the highway. As the rally encountered a regular police patrol, officers chased the group, leading to the detention of 13 individuals, while several others escaped by jumping into nearby water.

According to Sub-Inspector Anwar Hossain of Savar Model Police Station, most of those detained are residents of Savar municipality. The detainees include Sagar Molla, Mohammad Ali, Raju Ahmed, driver Olil Mia, Rajib Sarkar, Pradip Kundu, Shahid Hossain, Ratan Kumar Rajbanshi, Moksedur Rahman Sohag, Hridoy Hossain, Jibon Saha, Mokammel Hossain, and Sajib Mia. The first four are drivers from rent-a-car businesses in the Savar bus stand area, while the remaining nine are Awami League and affiliated organization members.

Inspector (Investigation) Nur Mohammad stated that the detainees are being interrogated and preparations are underway to file a case at Savar Model Police Station.