BNP leader Altaf Hossain Chowdhury has declared that his party is now the only strong political force in the country, predicting a decisive victory in the upcoming national elections.

“Awami League has fled the field. The only party left with real strength on the ground is BNP,” Chowdhury said, adding that Jamaat and other smaller parties cannot match the party’s influence.

He claimed that senior BNP leaders, including Tarique Rahman and Begum Khaleda Zia, have strengthened the party even from abroad, making it capable of fielding 1,800 qualified candidates for the 300 parliamentary seats. Chowdhury added that Tarique Rahman is expected to return to Bangladesh this October.

Chowdhury further criticized the Awami League leadership, claiming that it has fled due to public dissatisfaction, noting that even top MPs, ministers, and the parliamentary speaker have abandoned the party after alleged injustices toward citizens. He cautioned that these events should serve as a significant lesson for BNP going forward.

Two separate cocktail bomb blasts shook Dhaka on Friday night.

The first explosion occurred around 12:45 AM near the NCP office in Banglamotor. Witnesses reported several individuals on motorcycles throwing explosives before fleeing. Police confirmed no casualties but launched an investigation.

Earlier, at 10 PM, another cocktail blast went off near bus counters at Russell Square, close to Dhanmondi 32. Officers collected evidence from the site. Kolabagan Police OC Md. Fazle Ashish said no arrests had yet been made.

Maruf Kamal Khan quoted Enayetullah Khan on Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, describing him as a skilled actor who deceived the people while claiming the title of Father of the Nation. Enayetullah said Mujib’s three-year misrule devastated the nation, exploited resources, suppressed culture, and sold off sovereignty, leaving the economy in ruins. He compared Mujib to a tragic Greek character—charismatic yet weak, ambitious yet betraying those who trusted him.

Former MP and former Central Assistant Secretary General of Jamaat’s Women’s Wing, Begum Rokeya Ansari, was laid to rest in Banani Cemetery following a Janaza at Baitul Mukarram. Ansari passed away at a private hospital on Thursday. Jamaat leaders, including the Amir and Secretary General, expressed deep condolences.

Jamaat leader Abdul Halim alleged that Awami League-Bakshal plotted to eliminate Jamaat and create a leadership vacuum by executing Allama Saidi under the guise of war crimes trials. Halim described Saidi as a globally renowned Quranic scholar and orator, victimized by false charges.

He called for a high-powered investigative committee, emphasizing that dedication to faith, not titles, motivates their commitment to sacrifice.

AB Party leader Asaduzzaman Fuad suggested that Dr. Yunus could resign if Jamaat and NCP do not participate in elections. He warned that the upcoming elections risk becoming one-sided, similar to previous 1973 and 2018 elections conducted by the ruling Awami League.

Fuad emphasized that BNP faces internal challenges with rebel candidates in 130–135 constituencies and that unity and sacrifice are needed to lead the party toward fair participation.

NCP leader Abdul Hannan Masud hailed Begum Khaleda Zia’s unwavering leadership. “If she had compromised, such a massive mass uprising and Sheikh Hasina’s downfall would not have happened,” he said, urging immediate government action to prevent river erosion in Hatia.

Masud called for unified efforts by BNP, Jamaat, NCP, and other parties to transform Hatia into a model sub-district. He claimed that the success of the uprising allowed him to speak openly today, whereas otherwise, he might have been silenced.

BNP leader Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, speaking at a prayer gathering for Begum Khaleda Zia’s 81st birthday, criticized Sheikh Hasina’s government as oppressive. He said, “We saw reforms under the Fakhruddin-Moinuddin government, but after that came Hasina’s monstrous regime. Democracy was murdered; countless BNP leaders, including Ilias Ali, Chowdhury Alam, Zakir, and Suman, were disappeared or killed, and the economy destroyed.”

Rizvi emphasized that BNP supports necessary reforms and called for elections to occur on their announced schedule. He praised Begum Khaleda Zia as a symbol of national independence and sovereignty, saying her leadership has inspired efforts to challenge the current government.

Unprecedented plundering in Bangladesh’s banking sector under the Awami League government has left banks facing liquidity shortages, slowing industrial growth. Machinery imports fell 25% in FY2024-25, while LC openings dropped similarly, limiting future industrial imports. Raw material imports for export industries rose, boosting exports, but non-export sectors saw declines. Political instability, rising interest rates, and reduced private sector credit have prolonged nearly five years of industrial slowdown, affecting production growth, credit availability, and loan recovery across multiple sectors.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has strongly condemned Israel’s plans to build thousands of new settlements in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, calling them illegal under international law. He warned that such settlements deepen occupation, heighten tensions, and threaten the viability of a future Palestinian state. The UN urged Israel to immediately stop all settlement activities, reaffirming obligations highlighted in the International Court of Justice advisory opinion. The Palestinian Authority also criticized the move as part of the “Greater Israel” vision.

Saudi Arabia has strongly criticized Israel’s plan to build over 3,000 homes in the occupied West Bank, calling it a provocative move that obstructs the long-standing process of establishing an independent Palestinian state. The Saudi Foreign Ministry said such illegal actions threaten the peace process and the two-state solution. According to Peace Now, around 700,000 Jews live in 160 settlements across the West Bank and East Jerusalem, lands Palestinians hope to use for a future sovereign state.

Gono Odhikar Parishad President Nurul Haque Nur has demanded that the activities of the Jatiya Party be banned ahead of the upcoming national elections.

Speaking in Brahmanbaria, Nur said, “Even after banning fascism, we still see its allies flaunting their presence. For 16 years, the 14-party alliance kept the Awami fascism alive, and one of its key partners was the Jatiya Party.”

He added, “Awami League may be banned, but we still witness the arrogance of the Jatiya Party. The interim government must prohibit their activities.” Nur also urged the authorities to take similar action against other political groups aligned with the Awami League before the elections.

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has transferred 29 Assistant and Deputy Commissioners from Chattogram Customs House in an unprecedented move, citing recent shutdowns and work stoppages that disrupted trade and caused major losses. DCs must vacate posts by 14 August, ACs by 21 August. The shake-up follows the dismissal of the Customs Commissioner over similar allegations. Officials say the mass transfer may slow operations initially, but replacement officers are set to join soon to ensure work continuity.

Tensions flared in Joypurhat as rival factions of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s (BNP) student wing clashed over the council session of the Government College unit. The confrontation left seven people injured, including a police officer.

Eyewitnesses reported that from Friday morning, a faction led by Joint Conveners Sagar Chowdhury and Ahad Hossain staged a sit-in on the college premises, chanting slogans against the planned council. Their protest delayed the scheduled council session, which central leaders had intended to begin at 3:00 PM.

Around 4:30 PM, another group led by college unit leader Habibur Rahman marched toward the main gate. The rival sides then engaged in chase-and-counter-chase, escalating into violent clashes that left several injured.

Police in Sylhet’s Balaganj area have recovered the partially decomposed, headless body of an Indian national from a canal.
Local residents spotted the body floating on Thursday afternoon and alerted authorities. Police believe the remains were carried downstream from the Indian side of the border via the Kushiyara River.
Items found in the victim’s pockets included a mobile phone, a set of keys, a wallet, Indian currency, photographs, and an Indian national identity card identifying the deceased as Gouranga Ghosh.
Assistant Sub-Inspector Kanon Kumar Das confirmed that the body has been sent to Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital morgue for an autopsy.