Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and Middle East envoy, met Hamas leaders in Egypt’s Al-Alamein city to advance Trump’s new Gaza peace plan. A Palestinian source told Al Jazeera on Sunday that the talks focused on finding a path to implement the proposal. Israel has already rejected the plan, according to the report.

Hamas leaders raised incidents they described as Israeli violations of the Gaza ceasefire during the meeting, the source said. Kushner said the United States rejects any plan to relocate Gaza’s residents elsewhere. Another official said the central aim was to turn conditions in the proposed roadmap into practical and verifiable measures.

The official said maintaining the ceasefire must be ensured first, followed by a gradual transfer of Gaza’s administrative responsibilities to the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza. The roadmap also calls for Hamas to have no future role in Gaza’s administration and to relinquish governing authority, all weapons and military infrastructure. Hamas political leader Khalil al-Hayya attended, alongside officials from Egypt, Qatar and Turkey, as well as Board of Peace envoy Nikolai Mladenov and former British prime minister Tony Blair.

The BNP government led by Tarique Rahman, formed on February 17 after the 13th national election, has launched programmes in social protection, agriculture, education, health, employment, environment and citizen services during its first 180 days. A review published on August 17, however, questioned progress on energy supply, commodity prices, state reform and law and order. The government had identified price stability, public security and uninterrupted power and gas supplies as initial priorities.

The report said a recent gas crisis left most industrial establishments nearly inactive, disrupted household cooking and caused severe hardship at CNG filling stations. It attributed the shortage to faults at floating LNG terminals and delays in unloading LNG cargoes. The government has moved to add two floating LNG terminals, import gas from Myanmar, pursue 10,000 megawatts of solar power within five years and seek offshore oil and gas exploration. The prime minister expressed regret over the hardship and said a 10-year energy plan would be announced.

Official statistics recorded 99,992 cases from February through July, including 1,791 murder cases and 11,165 cases involving violence against women and children. The government cited rapid trials and other enforcement actions. It also said more than 71,000 families joined the Family Card pilot and over 20,000 farming families received Farmer Cards, while criticism persists over slow reform and administrative performance.

The BNP government says it has begun work on nine priorities from its election manifesto during its first 180 days in office after forming the government on February 17. The manifesto, announced by party chairman and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman before the 13th parliamentary election, pledged to build a humane, inclusive and accountable state. The government says it is treating the document as a governing plan rather than only an election promise.

The priorities include Family Cards, Farmer Cards, health, education, youth employment and skills, sports, environment, religious and social harmony, and the digital economy. Family Card holders are to receive Tk2,500 a month or essential goods of equivalent value. Farmer Cards are intended to support subsidies, easier loans, agricultural insurance and state-managed marketing, with benefits also planned for fish farmers, livestock keepers and small agricultural businesses.

The plans also include recruiting 100,000 health workers, technology support and mid-day meals in education, and expanded sports facilities. Environmental measures include excavation or re-excavation of 20,000 kilometres of rivers and canals and planting 250 million saplings in five years. The government also identifies anti-corruption efforts, rule of law and accountability as top priorities.

A commentary by retired Major General H R M Rokon Uddin argues that Bangladesh’s post-July Revolution outreach to China, the United States, Turkey and other countries has unsettled India. Published on August 17, 2026, the article portrays the shift as a consequence of India’s long-running Bangladesh policy and its reliance on a single political force in Dhaka, rather than as a sudden development.

The writer says India benefited under Hasina’s government from transit access, cooperation against insurgent groups and flexibility on bilateral matters. The commentary cites the Farakka barrage, the unresolved Teesta water-sharing agreement, border killings, trade deficits and abrupt export restrictions as recurring Bangladeshi grievances. It also criticizes sections of Indian media coverage after the July uprising and rhetoric associated with the idea of “Akhand Bharat,” saying these have raised concerns about Bangladesh’s sovereignty.

The article describes deeper Chinese infrastructure and defence links, renewed US engagement and expanded Turkish defence and economic cooperation, including drone technology, as efforts to widen Bangladesh’s options. It acknowledges India’s security concerns over the Siliguri Corridor as genuine. The author argues that concessions on water sharing, border security and trade access could determine whether current estrangement becomes strategic rivalry or a more balanced partnership.

A commentary by Dr Mahbubur Razzak calls for strengthening Bangladesh’s Non-Government Teachers’ Registration and Certification Authority, or NTRCA, rather than returning teacher recruitment powers at MPO-listed secondary private institutions to school managing committees. The education minister has said no decision has been made and that the matter has only been discussed. Education stakeholders and students at Dhaka University and other universities have voiced concern and protested the reported possibility.

The writer says NTRCA has shortcomings, including bureaucratic complexity, delays, opacity, corruption allegations and administrative inefficiency, but still runs a comparatively transparent, merit-based recruitment process. He argues that committee-led hiring could increase risks of financial corruption, nepotism and political considerations, while many committees lack the capacity to assess merit independently.

The article urges reforms to reduce lengthy recruitment delays and recommends considering candidates’ home addresses and language issues when making appointments. It cites average SSC pass rates of 68.45 percent in 2025 and 62.25 percent in 2026, linking merit-based teacher hiring to progress. It suggests managing committees could instead recruit head teachers, assistant head teachers and staff because of local administrative needs.

An opinion article published by Amar Desh on August 17, 2026, portrays July as more than a calendar month, calling it a continuing question of national conscience and unfinished responsibility. The writer describes the July movement as a collective awakening that confronted state power and recalls the sacrifices of those injured and killed. Young people such as martyr Abu Sayeed are presented as having raised a fundamental question: whether state power exists over people or for them.

The article argues that power often resists questions and dissent, historically branding those who stand upright as unruly, conspiratorial or anti-state. Referring to reports of tension, violence and division at educational institutions, it asks whether the country has truly learned from July. If universities judge people by identity rather than opinion, the writer says, the problem extends beyond any single institution and raises concern for the nation’s future.

The piece says July’s spirit cannot remain confined to memorial meetings, processions or formal speeches. It calls for practical action, justice and protection of rights, while criticizing delays in implementing promised charters and prolonged expectations of martyr families. It concludes that honoring sacrifices requires placing people above power and truth above partisan interests.

Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said 30 to 40 people in the Gaza Strip should be targeted for assassination every night, according to a report published on August 17, 2026. Speaking at an event for a former hostage released by Hamas, he said some people in Gaza did not deserve to live and should not be regarded as human.

Ben-Gvir said he was not referring only to people considered threats to Israel. He said there were people in Gaza who should not be allowed to live. The minister also said his differences with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on various issues were not secret.

The minister additionally advocated the large-scale displacement of Palestinians from Gaza and called for the entire Gaza Strip to be brought under Israeli control. He said he wanted to see all of Gaza as Israeli and that as many residents as possible should be moved and sent back to their own countries. Referring to those he described as terrorists, Ben-Gvir said they should not be allowed to go anywhere and should be killed one by one.

The Haji Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University unit of Chhatra Dal held a torch procession and protest march against what it described as anti-state conspiracy, anarchy and terrorist activities by the banned Awami League. The march began at Shahid Nur Hossain Hall field at 8:30pm on Sunday, August 16, and ended in front of the university’s administrative building after moving through several campus roads.

University unit president Ehsanul Kabir Arnab, general secretary Md. Masud Rana, senior vice-president Sadjidul Islam, senior joint general secretary Rukunur Zaman Ruku and organising secretary Redwan Hasan Rid, along with other activists, attended the programme. Arnab delivered brief remarks after the procession.

Arnab said the HSTU Chhatra Dal had remained vocal against the Awami League and would continue to do so. He alleged that Chhatra League and some Awami League-affiliated teachers had prevented them from sitting examinations over the past 17 years. He warned against attempts to create an untoward situation, while also saying the organisation believed in coexistence and supported students through student-friendly programmes.

Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury said economic democratization is necessary for political democracy to succeed. Speaking as chief guest at the July Mass Uprising Commemoration Programme 2026 at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology’s central auditorium on Sunday afternoon, he said Bangladesh’s people and national interests must take priority over everything else, and nothing should be done against those interests.

Referring to the background of the July mass uprising, Khosru said a tendency to remain in power by selling out national interests had raised questions about Bangladesh’s independence and sovereignty. He also described his time in jail, saying cases including the killing of police and arson at the Bangladesh Television centre were filed against him. He cited lack of family contact, inadequate treatment and harsh conditions for inmates.

The minister said the government aims to secure voting rights, human rights, rule of law and economic participation. He outlined plans to bring blacksmiths, potters, weavers, cottage-industry workers, artists, actors, singers and athletes into the economic mainstream through skills development, modern design, branding, marketing and links to international markets.

Kushtia Sadar lawmaker Mufti Amir Hamza said extortion would not be allowed in his constituency, speaking at a Jamaat-e-Islami rally at Kushtia city’s Six Roads intersection on Sunday after Asr prayers. The protest march and gathering were organised in response to an attack on Hamza, according to the source.

Hamza told residents not to pay anyone demanding money and said those seeking payments should be referred to him. He said he was attacked with intent to kill despite police vehicles being in front of and behind him, and described the alleged attackers as terrorists. He also said Jamaat-e-Islami, Islami Chhatra Shibir and Kushtia’s “Tawhidi public” would not allow terrorist activities.

Addressing the administration, Hamza urged officials not to serve any political party and to work for the public, warning local officials that they would be forced to leave if they did not do so. Kushtia-4 lawmaker Afzal Hossain condemned the attack. Earlier, Jamaat activists gathered at the district commissioner’s office and marched through main roads before the rally.

Pope Leo called for an end to violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank amid increased attacks and violence by extremist Jewish settlers. Speaking after Sunday midday prayers in Castel Gandolfo, outside Rome, he renewed his appeal to halt repeated violence against Palestinian civilians in the West Bank.

Human rights groups said settlers surrounded Palestinian homes after water and electricity connections were cut, describing this as a planned effort to seize more Palestinian land and expand Jewish settlements. Pope Leo also urged the international community to take urgent action to advance a two-state solution for a just and lasting peace.

The Vatican has long supported the concept of a future Palestinian state, including Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing coalition government is overseeing extensive settlement construction in the West Bank. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said the aim of the construction is to bury the idea of establishing a Palestinian state. The United Nations and most governments consider the settlements illegal under international law, while Israel argues the territory is disputed rather than occupied.

Kushtia-3 lawmaker Mufti Amir Hamza has given a 24-hour ultimatum for the arrest of Ganadhikar Parishad leaders and activists allegedly involved in an attack on him. Speaking at a news conference at Haji Shariatullah Academy auditorium in Kushtia city at noon on Sunday, August 16, 2026, he said his convoy was attacked while returning from scheduled outreach activities and visits with local residents in his constituency.

Hamza alleged that “identified terrorists” of Ganadhikar Parishad carried out a premeditated and sudden attack on his convoy. He said the incident was not accidental and alleged that it was intended to disturb peaceful Kushtia and disrupt his democratic and public welfare activities. He described those behind a planned attack on an elected representative as enemies of society and Kushtia residents.

He called for exemplary legal action against the alleged masterminds based on CCTV footage and eyewitness testimony. Hamza also urged local police and the administration to remain free of political pressure and adopt a zero-tolerance policy against terrorists. He warned that if the attackers were not swiftly brought under the law, peaceful residents of Kushtia would join him in giving a strong response on the streets.

Kakroach Janata Party, or CJP, has demanded the swift arrest of those it says were responsible for the death of Mofik, father of volunteer Sheikh Abdul Hafiz, after an alleged attack linked to a government school inspection in Korisunda, Bankura district, West Bengal. CJP said Hafiz inspected conditions at a school in his village on August 13 and that Mofik died from injuries while under treatment on August 15.

According to the party, armed people identified as local BJP workers entered Hafiz’s home that evening. CJP alleged that Hafiz was pressured to record a video apologising for highlighting poor school conditions and saying he had acted under outside influence. The party said the family was attacked after he refused, leaving Hafiz with serious neck injuries and Mofik with severe head injuries.

CJP alleged that no medico-legal case was initiated after the attack and that an FIR was initially not filed. It called for an impartial investigation into the death, the attack and the alleged failure to take legal action. The party also urged Indus police station to ensure Hafiz and his family’s safety, and said a national working committee delegation led by co-convener Ashutosh Ranka would visit West Bengal.

International Crimes Tribunal prosecutor Gazi MH Tamim said ousted Sheikh Hasina would not be able to seek a waiver of delay to face proceedings in the case in which she was sentenced to death for crimes against humanity. Tamim made the remarks at a press briefing at the tribunal premises on Sunday. He said Hasina and other accused in the case knew about the proceedings and therefore could not make such an application after returning.

Tamim said fugitives convicted in criminal cases often return and claim they were unaware of the proceedings and were tried in their absence. They then seek forgiveness for the lengthy delay and ask to face trial. But he said Hasina and the other accused had made statements while abroad, spoken about returning, and defended the case through the media.

On November 17 last year, the tribunal sentenced fugitive Hasina and former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal to death in a crimes-against-humanity case over the July killings. It also ordered their assets confiscated and distributed among martyrs' and victims' families. Former IGP Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun received five years in prison. Appeals must be filed within one month of the verdict, with accused required to surrender and appear in person.

Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md Asaduzzaman MP said trials for fascism would take place in Bangladesh and would be conducted in appropriate courts, not in secret. He made the remarks on Sunday afternoon while speaking as chief guest at an exchange meeting with lawyers in Barishal. He said Bangladesh could not be treated lightly after the sacrifices of the July revolutionaries and that fascism could not be given an opportunity.

The meeting was held to mark the laying of the foundation stone for a proposed 10-storey building of the Barishal District Bar Association. After hearing lawyers’ demands and problems, the minister said Tk 20 lakh had been provided for renovation of the Barishal Bar and Tk 5 lakh initially for purchasing books. He also said necessary steps would be taken for construction of the building.

The minister said the government had tried to restore public confidence and trust within six months while working to address existing crises without offering false assurances. On family cards, he said the BNP had introduced the programme after coming to power and that all families in the country would receive cards within the next five years. Information and Broadcasting Minister M Zaher Uddin Swapan and other representatives attended.