The National Citizen Party (NCP) has suspended its pre-scheduled July marches in Kushtia’s Bheramara and Kumarkhali upazilas. NCP central organiser for the southern region Nayon Ahmmed confirmed the decision on Tuesday, July 28, saying the suspension was made centrally because of unavoidable reasons.

The cancelled events were part of the NCP’s “July March 2026,” organised under demands for implementation of a referendum, employment and border security. The party has been holding the 36-day programme since July 6 to mark the second anniversary of the July mass uprising.

In Kushtia, the march in Bheramara had been scheduled for 3pm on Tuesday, while the Kumarkhali event was set for 6pm. Neither programme will take place at its planned time. The NCP said a new schedule for the suspended marches in the two upazilas would be announced later.

The government will ensure justice over the incident at Shapla Chattar, Prime Minister’s Information and Broadcasting Adviser Dr. Zahed Ur Rahman said on Tuesday. He made the remarks at about noon during a regular press conference at the Secretariat on recent government activities, responding to a question. He said the government would not ignore the matter in any way.

The adviser said that whoever had violated the law would face justice. Referring to what he called the “disaster” at Shapla Chattar, he said that when the government takes necessary action over an incident, all violations of law involved must be tried. He said accountability should be established regardless of the reasons behind the event.

Dr. Rahman said people may remember how those involved were called, allowed to come, and that a “massacre” took place there. He said a proper trial would take place during the current government’s tenure and that there was no reason for obstacles. He also said Begum Khaleda Zia had expressed solidarity with the incident at the time.

Water Resources Minister and BNP joint secretary general Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Anni said BNP’s 17-year struggle created the foundation for the July uprising. He made the remarks on Tuesday as chief guest at a discussion titled “Unity, Not Division, to Build a Just and Discrimination-Free Society” at the National Press Club in the capital. The event was organized by a group called Amra Bangladeshi.

Anni said BNP had formed alliances and carried out simultaneous movements, arguing that an uprising requires a foundation. He questioned the opposition’s role in earlier movements and criticized its claims regarding the uprising. He also cited BNP’s multiple candidates in some constituencies and weaknesses in expatriate voting, alleging that expatriate votes had been influenced and calling for monitoring to ensure fresh elections in relevant seats.

He said the government, only five months old, had not yet been able to resolve many problems, although the prime minister was making efforts and had taken programmes. Anni also referred to alleged theft and looting over the past 17 years, shrinking land and population growth. Lawmaker Shahadat Hossain Selim said he wanted unity rather than division.

West Bengal’s BJP government may move to withdraw cases filed against protesters demonstrating over an examination question-paper leak, according to senior state secretariat sources cited on July 28. The possible move follows separate announcements by the Assam and Bihar governments that they would withdraw all cases against participants in Friday’s protest. West Bengal had not formally announced a decision, though sources said a notification could be issued on Monday.

Violence occurred during a protest at Esplanade in Kolkata last Friday, held with support from the Cockroach Janata Party after a call by a left-wing student organization. Protesters demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged paper leak. At a Delhi press conference, CJP said it would resume protests unless arrested students were released and FIRs withdrawn.

Seven cases were filed at Kolkata’s Hare Street and Entally police stations under the West Bengal Public Safety and Control of Anti-Social Activities Act, 2026. Police said 16 people were arrested over alleged vandalism and 70 were identified over alleged attacks on police and media workers.

Construction of a road along the western side of the only playground at Burichong Ananda Pilot Government High School in Burichong municipality, Cumilla, has triggered controversy. In a report published on July 28, local residents alleged that the roughly 8-to-9-foot-wide road was built to ease access to Cumilla-5 lawmaker Haji Jasim Uddin’s home. They said part of the century-old field had been occupied in the name of field development and walkway construction, reducing its usable area.

School sources said the head teacher applied to the education secretary on June 11 seeking permission for a walkway and boundary wall, but no approval or written response had been received by the time of reporting. Head teacher Aminul Islam said the school was unaware of where the municipality was building boundary structures or walkways. Locals also alleged that the walkway reduced space by 15 feet around the field.

Upazila Nirbahi Officer Tanvir Hossain said a decision was made after a meeting with conscious citizens. Haji Jasim Uddin said the walkway was built for people to walk around the field and that no harm had been done to it. Locals called for an investigation into the road’s legality, the field’s actual boundaries and compliance with government rules.

The administration in Indian-controlled Kashmir has ordered simultaneous inspections and a comprehensive audit of books and digital archives in all government libraries and educational institutions. The July 28, 2026 report said the measure aims to identify and confiscate material deemed anti-state or as inciting terrorism. Authorities instructed institutions to review complete inventories of books, journals, reference works and digital materials.

The directive says material opposing India’s sovereignty, unity and integrity, or encouraging separatism, violence or extremism, cannot be collected, distributed or kept. The audit followed objections from BJP leaders to two books distributed recently to about 250 schools under the government-funded Samagra Shiksha project. BJP opposition leader Sunil Sharma alleged the books used the phrase “Indian-occupied Kashmir.”

Administrative chief Manoj Sinha suspended eight School Education Department officials and ordered an investigation into the matter and the authors. The publishers of the two disputed books were blacklisted, with instructions to withdraw their other books from the market. Local teachers, researchers and residents criticized the action as a threat to academic freedom and Kashmir’s history. Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said banning books would not erase memories of Kashmiris’ history and struggle.

Prime Minister’s Information Adviser Dr Zahid Ur Rahman said there is no legal obstacle to trying resigned President Md Shahabuddin for earlier offences. He made the remarks at a news conference at the Department of Information in the Secretariat in the capital on Tuesday afternoon. Chief Information Officer Syed Abdal Ahmed was also present.

Rahman said courts would independently decide any matter concerning the former president’s trial, and that the government had no scope to comment on the issue. He described the courts as fully independent and said every citizen has a constitutional right to obtain justice. The government respects that right, he added.

At the same briefing, Rahman addressed possible attendance by the prime minister at the BRICS summit in India. He said no decision had yet been made on the prime minister’s travel. Bangladesh is not a BRICS member, he said, but Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has invited Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to attend this year’s summit in India.

Malaysia has reaffirmed that it will not recognize Israel as a state despite growing pressure from the United States, according to a report published on July 28. The country said its policy would not change even as members of the US Congress called for a review of security and economic relations with Kuala Lumpur.

Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan said the US State Department recently summoned Malaysia’s ambassador in Washington, Muhammad Shahrul Ikram Yaakob. The ambassador clearly conveyed Kuala Lumpur’s position, Hasan said. He described Malaysia’s stance on Israel as neither new nor a response to recent events, saying successive Malaysian governments had followed the same official policy from the beginning.

Citing national news agency Bernama, Hasan said Malaysia’s immigration policy does not recognize the state of Israel or the Zionist ruling establishment. Malaysia has no diplomatic relations with Israel and maintains a ban on entry for Israeli passport holders as part of its solidarity with and support for Palestinian rights. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had reaffirmed his government’s commitment to the policy on July 15.

Chief Election Commissioner A M M Nasir Uddin said the date for the country’s 23rd presidential election has not yet been fixed, although the Election Commission is prepared to hold it. He made the remarks to reporters on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, after a meeting with acting Speaker of Parliament Barrister Kaiser Kamal.

The meeting between the Election Commission and the acting speaker began at about 11 a.m. and was held in connection with the upcoming presidential election. The chief election commissioner spoke to journalists at around 12:15 p.m. after the meeting. The report did not provide details of the discussions or a possible election schedule.

President Md Shahabuddin resigned on Friday, July 24. He formally submitted his resignation letter to the Speaker of Parliament. According to the report, his signed resignation letter was sent to the speaker under Article 50(3) of the Constitution. The meeting with the acting speaker took place following the resignation and ahead of the 23rd presidential election.

Prime Minister’s Information Adviser Dr. Jahed Ur Rahman said no decision has yet been made on whether Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will travel to India to attend the BRICS summit. He disclosed the information at a news conference at around noon on Tuesday.

Rahman said Bangladesh is not a member of BRICS. However, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has invited Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to take part in this year’s BRICS summit, which is to be held in India.

The report was published and later updated on July 28, 2026. While confirming that a decision remains pending, the adviser provided no further details about a possible visit, a response to the invitation, or Bangladesh’s potential representation at the summit.

Acting President Hafiz Uddin Ahmed visited Bangabhaban for the first time after assuming the role, entering the presidential official residence at about 11:15 a.m. on Tuesday. The report identifies him as the Speaker who took charge after former president Md Shahabuddin resigned.

Ahmed will perform the duties of acting president until a new president is elected. His visit marked his first appearance at Bangabhaban since taking over the responsibilities following Shahabuddin’s departure from office.

Although he will carry out official work, Ahmed will not move into Bangabhaban, the report said. He will continue living at the Speaker’s residence in Parliament. Shahabuddin resigned on July 24 for health reasons and left Bangabhaban two days later, on Sunday.

Bangladesh’s Election Commission began a meeting with acting Parliament Speaker Barrister Kaysar Kamal on Tuesday at about 11 a.m., ahead of the country’s 23rd presidential election. A commission delegation led by Chief Election Commissioner A M M Nasir Uddin attended the meeting at the national parliament.

The meeting follows the resignation of President Md. Shahabuddin on Friday, July 24. He formally submitted his resignation letter to the speaker of the national parliament. The report said the signed resignation letter was sent to the speaker in accordance with Article 50(3) of the Constitution.

The report did not provide details of the meeting’s agenda, any decisions, or statements issued after it began. It confirmed that the Election Commission delegation, led by the chief election commissioner, was participating in the discussion with the acting speaker in the context of arranging the presidential election.

Bangladesh’s anti-discrimination student movement rejected a video statement circulated by Dhaka Metropolitan Detective Branch police on the night of July 28, 2024, involving six detained central coordinators. The video showed Nahid Islam reading a written appeal to withdraw the movement and reopen educational institutions. It bore the signatures of Nahid Islam, Sarjis Alam, Hasnat Abdullah, Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan, Abu Bakar Majumdar and Nusrat Tabassum, who had been taken into DB custody earlier that day.

The coordinators alleged they had been forced to make the statement while being held hostage and subjected to torture. In a message sent to the media, coordinator Abdul Kader announced nationwide student-public protests and rallies for July 29. DB said the coordinators had been brought to its office to ensure their safety, but some family members who visited the office were not allowed to meet them.

Teachers and students at Jahangirnagar University protested and demanded the release of coordinator Arif Sohel. Students at universities and colleges also declared plans to return to the streets. On July 28, students held graffiti, wall-writing and outreach activities nationwide. Mobile internet resumed after 10 days, while Facebook, WhatsApp, TikTok and other services remained blocked.

Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir's Rajshahi District West branch held a sub-branch officials' workshop and an “Adommo July” march in Tanore, Rajshahi, on Monday. The workshop began at 4pm at Abdullah Community Centre in Tanore upazila headquarters, chaired by district west branch president Rezuanul Islam and moderated by general secretary Atowar Rahman.

Central social service secretary of Islami Chhatra Shibir and Rajshahi University vice-president Mostakur Rahman Zahid spoke as chief speaker. He emphasized the organisation's ideals, improving organisational skills, leadership qualities and participation in social welfare activities. Leaders from Tanore's east, west and south branches, along with district, upazila and union-level leaders, attended the workshop.

At about 5pm, participants began the march under the theme of united struggle by students and the public to fulfil the dreams of martyrs. It started from the Tanore Upazila Model Mosque and Islamic Cultural Centre, passed through Thana Mor, Gollapara Bazar and other roads, and ended with a brief rally at Thana Mor. Advocate Abdul Kadir and Mahbur Chowdhury addressed the rally. Organisers said the programmes were completed peacefully.

An opinion article by Amardesh associate editor Alfaz Anam calls on governments to respond sensitively to student-led, digitally organized protests, using examples from India and Bangladesh. Published on July 28, 2026, the article discusses the reported “Cockroach Janata Party” movement in India and student reactions in Bangladesh over a “farm chicken” remark linked to HSC examinations during heavy rain and waterlogging.

The article says students gathered near Jantar Mantar in Delhi over exam question leaks and alleged irregularities in education, after which the government accepted their demands. In Bangladesh, it reports that a phone conversation involving the education minister spread on social media, prompting protests in Dhaka and elsewhere, including a gathering outside parliament. The minister later expressed regret, and the situation eased, according to the writer.

The writer argues that social media-based student movements can spread rapidly and are harder to manage than conventional party-led protests. It urges education reform, merit-based appointments, teacher accountability and greater attention to student grievances. The article also warns that unemployment and a failure to ensure merit-based systems could fuel wider public frustration.