Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal president Md Rakibul Islam Rakib said he expects to begin a new phase of life after serving for a long time in the organisation’s central parliament and at Dhaka University. He made the remarks in a verified Facebook post after Chhatra Dal’s top five leaders met Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Thursday night at the BNP chairperson’s political office in Gulshan, Dhaka.

Rakib thanked Tarique Rahman, late BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, BNP leaders and former Chhatra Dal leaders for giving him the opportunity to serve. He also acknowledged leaders and activists from universities, medical colleges, agricultural universities, Dhaka’s five colleges and four metropolitan units, saying their work helped run the central leadership and make street programmes successful.

He described coordinating programmes with the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement during the July mass uprising and playing an active role on the streets as a key success of the Rakib-Nasir committee. Rakib said leaders had faced situations in educational institutions after 5 August 2024 and persistent online bullying. He apologised for any mistakes or hurt caused by his conduct and asked all to welcome the new committee.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has asked US President Donald Trump to withdraw tariffs imposed on Australia, or at least not raise them further. Speaking to journalists on Friday, Albanese said he had discussed the matter with Trump and urged him to consider a full removal of the measures. The report was published on August 14, 2026.

The United States imposed a 12.5 percent tariff on Australian goods last month, citing concerns about forced labour. It also imposed tariffs on 59 other countries for the same reason. Albanese described his discussion with Trump as “warm and constructive” and said the US president had agreed to consider exempting Australia from the tariffs.

Albanese said Australia views tariffs as economic pressure and supports free and fair trade, arguing that tariffs also carry costs for the countries that impose them. Their discussion also covered progress on the AUKUS defence partnership involving Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom. Under the arrangement, Australia is expected to receive at least three Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines from the United States within 15 years. Albanese also reiterated Australia’s opposition to Iran possessing nuclear weapons and called for an end to conflict in the Middle East.

State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Yaser Khan Chowdhury said criticism of the government and narratives against it would not trigger action, but narratives directed against the state would be suppressed strictly. He made the remarks on Thursday night at a discussion in the conference room of the Mymensingh deputy commissioner’s office on preventing misleading information and propaganda on social media.

Chowdhury said the government is working to amend the Cyber Security Act and has formed a high-level committee for that purpose. Discussions are under way on making the law more effective and stronger while giving top priority to the interests of Bangladesh’s people and the state. He said he had personally faced cyberbullying during the previous fascist period and stressed that the law was not being made against any party or individual.

The minister said new laws were being prepared to protect women and children, while the Information Ministry was taking measures to counter moral decline. He said people who knowingly like or comment on misinformation would come under the law. Deputy Commissioner Md Saifur Rahman called for a strict legal framework and greater awareness, saying schools had initiated weekly student-awareness efforts against misinformation and propaganda.

Dhaka South City Corporation is planning a new system to manage rickshaws, including battery-powered vehicles, in an effort to reduce congestion in the capital. The plan would divide Dhaka into several zones and allow rickshaws registered for a specific area to operate only within that area. DSCC Administrator Bir Muktijoddha Abdus Salam announced the proposal recently at Nagar Bhaban, saying a rickshaw from Demra would not be allowed to travel to New Market.

The authority may completely prohibit rickshaws on some roads and impose restrictions on particular days on others, depending on need. Rickshaw operation in Dhaka would require licences and registration. The proposal also seeks to prevent rickshaws from Keraniganj or Demra from entering other areas and to limit unrestricted movement of Dhaka North City Corporation rickshaws into the southern city area.

Salam said the entry of battery-powered rickshaws into Dhaka from different parts of the country has increased since 5 August. Necessary laws and regulations are being drafted, and the city corporation will implement the system after receiving legislation from the relevant ministry. The local government division is also preparing an e-rickshaw policy and considering a unified licensing authority.

Bangladesh’s Home Ministry issued two separate notifications on the morning of August 14, compulsorily retiring 56 police officers from service. The officers include seven assistant superintendents of police and 49 police inspectors. The notifications said the orders were issued in the public interest and would take effect immediately.

The 49 retired inspectors had been serving in different police units, including district police, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police, the Criminal Investigation Department, the Police Bureau of Investigation, Special Branch and railway police. The notifications stated that the officers concerned would receive retirement benefits in accordance with the rules.

The assistant superintendents named include Nur-e Alam Siddiqui of the Dhaka RAB headquarters, Nurul Mottakin of DMP, Kazi Wazed Ali of the Matiranga Circle and Md. Syeduzzaman of the Galachipa Circle. The list also includes Md. Golam Kibria of RAB-2 in Mohammadpur, Mohammad Mizanur Rahman of Dhaka RRF and Md. Rabiul Islam of Sirajganj district.

Discussion of a possible cabinet reshuffle is intensifying as the BNP-led government approaches its first six months in office on August 16. The report, published on August 14, said speculation grew in the Secretariat after BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir was named the party’s candidate for the country’s 23rd president. Alamgir currently holds the Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives portfolio, and sources said several ministries could receive new faces after the new president is sworn in.

Government sources said an assessment of ministers and state ministers is nearing completion, examining performance, ministry work pace, progress on election commitments and their role in the government’s image. The report said intelligence agencies and the Prime Minister’s Office collected information on ministry activities, decision-making, coordination with the administration, complaint handling, parliamentary attendance, accountability and political roles.

Former ministers Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain and Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan are among those discussed for the LGRD portfolio, while Gayeshwar Chandra Roy and Selima Rahman are being considered as possible new ministers. The report also cited possible technocrat appointments and redistribution of portfolios held by ministers overseeing multiple ministries. A senior government member said the final decision remains with the prime minister.

India’s Narendra Modi government is seeking to bring Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to Delhi with his family for a bilateral visit this month, according to diplomatic sources cited by Amar Desh. The report says Delhi has signalled a willingness to help create a favourable atmosphere for ties, including by controlling Sheikh Hasina’s political activities and considering the handover of the suspected killer of martyr Osman Hadi. No final decision on the visit has been made.

Indian High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi met Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman on August 9 and paid a courtesy call on Tarique Rahman on August 10, conveying India’s strong interest in the trip. Bangladesh told India that Delhi must create conditions conducive to improved relations and take steps on returning convicted Hasina and Hadi’s killers, the report said.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaid Islam said no final decision had been reached and the timing would be decided through discussions at a convenient time for both countries. Analysts cited in the report urged tangible action on water sharing, push-ins and border killings before any visit. Bangladesh has also informally told Delhi that the prime minister will not attend the BRICS summit.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman said Allama Delwar Hossain Sayeedi is no longer alive but his voice, tafsir, work and the affection of countless people remain. In a Facebook post on Thursday night, Rahman described Sayeedi as a person who continues to live in people’s hearts long after leaving the world.

Rahman said Sayeedi spent more than half a century calling people across towns and villages in Bangladesh toward the Quran, while also maintaining activity beyond the country’s borders. He said Sayeedi’s religious gatherings became places of learning for many people. The post also said Sayeedi, as a member of parliament, spoke about religious values, Alia and Qawmi madrasa education, and public demands.

The post alleged that Sayeedi faced severe persecution and claimed that more than 150 people were killed during protests after his death sentence verdict. Rahman said that despite years of imprisonment, recordings of Sayeedi’s tafsir continued to be heard in many homes. He prayed for forgiveness of Sayeedi’s shortcomings, acceptance of his good deeds, and a high place for him in Jannatul Firdaus.

National Citizen Party convener and parliament’s opposition chief whip Nahid Islam said Tarique Rahman would not be able to visit India until questions over Sheikh Hasina’s extradition and a redefinition of Bangladesh-India relations are resolved. He made the remarks on Thursday at an event in Shahbagh, Dhaka, marking the second founding anniversary of Inqilab Mancha, an organisation linked to slain Sharif Osman Hadi.

Nahid referred to Sheikh Hasina’s virtual appearance at an August 5 press conference in New Delhi. He alleged that the event had direct and indirect support from the Indian government. In his view, statements made by Hasina from Delhi should be treated not only as her own narrative but also as a message from Delhi to Bangladesh.

He said no statement had yet come from the Indian High Commission regarding the press conference, and argued that it should have expressed regret and apologised. Nahid described the event as being against Bangladesh’s sovereignty. He called on India to return Sheikh Hasina and Osman Hadi accused persons, ensure Bangladesh’s fair share of river water, and resolve border killings before speaking of friendship.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has sharply criticised the government’s management of the power and gas sectors, citing widespread shortages and public hardship. In a statement sent to the media on August 13, party Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar said the country had faced extensive load-shedding since August 9. He cited daily load-shedding of between 3,382 and 3,757 megawatts from August 9 to 12, describing the average shortfall as about 3,500 megawatts.

Parwar said gas supply on August 12 was 203 crore cubic feet against demand of 380 crore cubic feet. He blamed mismanagement, inefficiency, lack of foresight, corruption and politicisation at various institutions for the crisis. The statement said industrial production, household cooking and other daily activities, as well as students’ studies, were being disrupted.

He also said the Bangladesh Palli Bidyut Association had written to police headquarters on Wednesday seeking stronger security at 80 rural electricity associations. Parwar called for increased gas supply, action against industrial gas theft, reduced leakage and system loss, measures to prevent oil smuggling, and improved energy-sector skills. He also urged domestic gas exploration and bringing in capable foreign partners for exploration and development well drilling.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami protested and criticised a Bangladesh Nationalist Party standing committee meeting held at the Prime Minister’s Office in the Secretariat. Hamidur Rahman Azad, coordinator of the Jamaat-led 11-party alliance and the party’s assistant secretary general, raised the issue on Thursday after submitting presidential candidate Oli Ahmed’s nomination papers to the Election Commission.

Azad said the Secretariat was an executive venue and that the alliance knew of no previous record of a political party holding a top-level or top forum meeting there. He questioned how those involved viewed democracy, arguing that they treated it as democracy only when it suited their own party and as authoritarianism otherwise.

The alliance coordinator said Jamaat ameer Shafiqul Rahman signed Oli Ahmed’s nomination form as proposer, while NCP’s Abdullah Al-Amin signed as supporter. Describing Oli Ahmed as a qualified candidate, Azad claimed the Jamaat alliance candidate would win if members of parliament were able to vote independently.

Government Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni said the constitution will not be drafted anew but will instead be amended. He made the remarks on Thursday, August 13, at the Election Building after submitting a nomination paper to the chief election commissioner on behalf of Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir for the presidency.

Moni said changing even one letter of the constitution would be considered an amendment. He said the party and alliance had submitted the nomination and expressed hope of winning the vote. He added that everything, including punctuation, would be implemented, but nothing would be written anew.

According to the chief whip, all parties must sit together, and necessary amendments and implementation of the July Charter would proceed after taking everyone’s views. He said no meeting had been held at the Secretariat, though a decision to hold discussions had been made earlier and an informal meeting took place at the prime minister’s invitation. BNP standing committee member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy said this was not a routine election and that political parties had scope to discuss and exchange views around it.

Bangladesh Nationalist Party has named its secretary general, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, as its candidate for president. He resigned from both the party’s secretary general post and its standing committee immediately after becoming a candidate, BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said at a Thursday press conference at the Secretariat. The decision to nominate him was made at a party committee meeting led by BNP chairman and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.

Rizvi is expected to become BNP’s secretary general following Fakhrul’s resignation. Fakhrul had served as secretary general since March 30, 2016, after five years as acting secretary general. He was elected a member of parliament from Thakurgaon-1 in 2001 and served as state minister for agriculture and for civil aviation and tourism between 2001 and 2006.

Under the Election Commission schedule, presidential nomination papers can be submitted on Thursday from 10am to 4pm. The commission will scrutinize nominations on August 16, while August 18 is the deadline for withdrawal. If more than one candidate remains, voting will take place on August 20. BNP and an 11-party alliance led by Jamaat have fielded candidates, creating the prospect of multiple contenders.

Students in India’s Jharkhand state have continued protests for 20 days over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations. The protesters said they would maintain the movement until their demands are met. They are seeking transparency in recruitment tests, cancellation of several examinations, and an independent inquiry by the CBI or a panel of retired judges from outside Jharkhand.

A march toward the state assembly on Monday led to clashes between protesters and police. Police used baton charges, water cannons and tear gas to control the situation. The BJP called a statewide shutdown in protest and accused the state government of suppressing the movement. The ruling Congress countered that the BJP was using the protests for political gain.

Former chief minister Raghubar Das warned that he would begin a hunger strike if the demand for a CBI inquiry was not accepted within a week. JLKM leader Devendranath Mahato is receiving hospital treatment after falling ill during a hunger strike, while four student hunger strikers are also hospitalized. Six rounds of talks between the government and student representatives have not ended the deadlock. Chief Minister Hemant Soren promised recruitment-exam reforms and assured cancellation of the 14th JPSC examination.

Bangladesh’s National Identity Registration Wing has instructed officials to process applications to correct birth dates on national identity cards under Category A when supported by online-verifiable JSC, secondary, or equivalent educational certificates. The directive was issued on Thursday. Relevant upazila or police-station election officers, senior district and district election officers, and NID Wing officials from assistant director to director level may settle these applications.

The instruction says existing standard operating procedures must be followed when accepting other supporting evidence alongside educational certificates. Processing must follow a notification issued on December 24, 2025. Director (Operations) Md Saiful Islam said officials may decide such applications under the prescribed category, but must properly follow procedures and verify evidence before approval or rejection. Officials must also enter a mandatory note in CMS when electronically approving or rejecting an application.

Regional and additional regional election officers were told to regularly monitor subordinate staff. Each month, at least three applications handled by every deciding officer must be randomly checked and reported to the Director (Operations). Applications based on Open University certificates, and applications seeking complete changes to birth date, personal name, and parents’ names, must be settled at director general level.