Police in Assam, India, arrested three Muslim youths over allegations that they organized a protest meeting and created a WhatsApp group in support of student demonstrations. The detainees were identified as Manjur Rahman, 23, Ashraful Islam, 21, and Abdul Kashem, 23. The report was published from কলকাতা on July 27, 2026.

According to the report, the three opened the group to support protests that had spread across India over alleged irregularities in the education sector and demands for Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation. They later applied to the local Laluk police station for permission to hold a peaceful gathering, but police did not grant permission.

Manjur and Ashraful are MCom students, while Kashem had completed a degree in pharmaceutical science and was teaching at a private school. Manjur’s father, Mojibur Rahman, said his son had not committed any unconstitutional act by attempting a peaceful protest. Ashraful’s father, Ayub Ali, alleged that the youths were being deliberately targeted because they are Muslim.

Bangladesh’s Law Commission has begun work on the proposed Criminal Offences Sentencing (Principles and Procedures) Act, 2026, aiming to strengthen the rule of law, transparency in criminal justice and rationality in sentencing. Justice Zinat Ara, chairperson of the Law Commission, announced the initiative at a seminar on the recommended draft bill at the Rangpur Chief Judicial Magistrate Court conference room on July 26.

Justice Zinat Ara said the state has a fundamental duty to uphold the rule of law, maintain order and ensure an effective justice system for resolving disputes. She said sentencing requires clear principles and procedures that take account of the type, nature and circumstances of offences. The commission is assessing the feasibility of the legislation and gathering views from relevant groups.

Judges, lawyers, law-enforcement members, media workers, NGO representatives and other stakeholders attended the seminar, chaired by Law Commission Secretary Syed Azad Subhani. Participants discussed provisions of the draft and proposed measures to improve it and increase its effectiveness. Organisers said the feedback would be reviewed for necessary additions and amendments before a final draft is submitted to the government, followed by efforts to introduce it in parliament as a bill.

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari alleged that foreign-backed Islamist fundamentalist groups may have been involved in recent violence surrounding protests over an alleged NEET question-paper leak. Speaking to journalists on July 26, he said most people involved in the violence were not students but Jamaat-aligned fundamentalists. He said investigating agencies would examine whether foreign forces had supported them.

Clashes occurred last Friday between police and left-backed protesters at a demonstration over the alleged NEET paper leak. Police used baton charges and tear gas to control the situation. Adhikari had earlier told the assembly that none of about 70 people identified from the protest were students or connected to the anti-paper-leak movement. He also alleged that journalists were deliberately targeted during the protest and that attempts were made on their lives.

The administration has announced that the state’s newly enacted anti-gunda law will be applied against those accused of violence. Meanwhile, the central government is preparing to introduce a 2026 amendment bill in the Lok Sabha on Monday, proposing fast-track courts, two-month investigations, prison terms of five to 10 years, and fines up to 5 million rupees. CJP announced on Saturday that it was withdrawing its 36-day movement.

Organizers have announced plans for Shiva worship and Rudrabhishek near the historic Adina Mosque in Pandua, Malda district, West Bengal. They said a Shivling would be installed within 50 metres of the roughly 653-year-old monument on Monday. District authorities have strengthened security around the site amid the renewed dispute.

The issue gained fresh attention after BJP Rajarhat legislator Tarunjyoti Tewari described Adina Mosque as Adinath Temple during the West Bengal assembly's monsoon session. Archaeological department information says Sultan Sikandar Shah built the mosque in 1373. Some local groups cite Hindu imagery in its carvings and claims of excavated Shiva and Durga idols, while architectural historians generally attribute such carvings to reused materials from earlier structures.

The Adinath Shiv Mandir and Mela Committee said this year's rituals would remain at a nearby temple and any future claims over the monument would be pursued through courts. The monument is under the Archaeological Survey of India and protected by a 1958 law, police said, warning against unauthorized religious activity or alterations. A case over the mosque's historical identity and ownership remains pending, with no final ruling issued.

Rangpur-4 lawmaker and National Citizen Party member secretary Akhtar Hossain said university hall seizure politics would not be allowed to return. He made the remarks on Sunday afternoon at a discussion meeting under the banyan tree at ইসলামী বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়, where Jatiya Chhatra Shakti’s campus branch hosted an event on recalling the monsoon revolution and building a new political trend.

Hossain said the culture of hall seizures at universities had declined after 5 August, allowing ordinary students to speak about their rights and protest. He said Jatiya Chhatra Shakti would never engage in hall seizure politics. If anyone attempted to seize halls, he said, the organisation’s activists would be among the first to protest, adding that halls should remain with students and campuses should be safe for them.

He warned that incidents at several universities could again create fear and instability, urging responsible action to prevent the return of torture and restrictions on freedom of speech. Hossain also called for the arrest of recently resigned President Md Shahabuddin and an investigation into allegations he raised. NCP leaders Sarwar Tushar and Dr Mahmuda Alam Mitu, Jatiya Chhatra Shakti president Zahid Ahsan, teachers, students and participants in the July movement attended.

Law Minister Md Asaduzzaman said a new president will be appointed within 90 days if the presidency becomes vacant, in line with the Constitution. Speaking to reporters after inaugurating a training programme for junior lawyers at the Chattogram District Bar Association auditorium on July 26, he said Article 123(2) makes the appointment a constitutional obligation and that the process will be completed within the stipulated period.

Asked whether action would be taken against outgoing President Md Shahabuddin (Chuppu), the minister said the government would decide after reviewing all matters. He said people should place trust in the head of government and the administration. In his address as chief guest, he claimed that $234 billion had been illicitly transferred abroad through documented channels from Bangladesh over the past 16 years.

Citing information from a Time magazine report, Asaduzzaman said about $16 billion was transferred abroad annually on average. He also alleged widespread looting in the name of development projects during the previous government. Referring to an LGED project in Pirojpur worth about Tk3,500 crore, he claimed paperwork showed completion but no work had been carried out in reality. He called for coordinated efforts by the judiciary, lawyers and state institutions against corruption and for rule of law and accountability.

The home minister said any allegation against Md Shahabuddin from before he became president would be treated as a matter of that period and proceed according to law. He made the remarks in response to a question at a press conference in his office at the Secretariat on Sunday. The report was published and updated on July 26, 2026.

Addressing reports of a telephone conversation between a former prime minister and the outgoing president, the minister said travelling to London was not necessary to speak with someone. He said communication was possible from anywhere in the world in the internet era and described a claim that such a visit was needed as unrealistic.

The minister said agencies coordinated to ensure that Rath Yatra and Ulto Rath were held smoothly and peacefully, with intelligence agencies also carrying out their duties. He said the government was making its highest effort to bring former IGP Benazir, who was arrested in Dubai, back to the country, and had sent documents requested by Dubai authorities. He also said police members fulfilling their responsibilities would be rewarded, while failures would draw reprimand.

A court ordered Amal Kanti Das, president of Bandarban municipal Awami League, sent to jail after rejecting his bail petitions in two cases linked to the July-August student-public movement. The report was published on July 26, 2026. Following required formalities, Das was taken to Bandarban District Jail under tight security.

Court sources said Das had previously secured High Court bail in several related cases. After that bail expired, he surrendered before the relevant court and sought fresh bail. Following a hearing, the court rejected his applications in two cases. Public Prosecutor Alamgir Chowdhury said the decision followed hearings in cases filed at Bandarban Sadar Police Station over the July movement.

The case documents list Das as the fourth and ninth accused, respectively. However, the prosecutor said his bail was granted in Bandarban Sadar Police Station Case No. 07, GR-98/2024 dated August 22, 2024, and Case No. 10, GR-101/2024 dated August 28, 2024, filed over the same incident. Sources also said the Anti-Corruption Commission is examining allegations concerning his assets and possible financial irregularities. His immediate response was unavailable, and the report said the claims remain allegations pending investigation or a final court decision.

Bangladesh Azad Party has filed a complaint with the prosecution of the International Crimes Tribunal accusing former presidents Abdul Hamid and Shahabuddin Chuppu of crimes against humanity. The complaint was submitted on Sunday to the chief prosecutor’s office, according to the party. Retired Lieutenant Colonel Md Hasinur Rahman, the party’s convener, spoke to journalists after the filing.

Hasinur Rahman said many people had been killed and forcibly disappeared up to August 5, while the two former presidents had never protested. He alleged that they had given silent consent to those crimes. Munshi Borhan Mahmud, the party’s chief organizer, said the complaint had been filed against both former presidents.

Mahmud cited the Pilkhana killings, the Shapla massacre, judicial killings, enforced disappearances, murders and Aynaghar among events that occurred while the two men were heads of state. He alleged that the presidents of the period supported and protected what he described as a fascist government. He further alleged that they did not protest wrongdoing and benefited as part of the ruling power, and therefore could not avoid responsibility.

A federal appeals court based in Boston has refused to allow key provisions of President Donald Trump’s executive order tightening mail-in voting rules to take effect before the upcoming November congressional elections in the United States. On Saturday, the First US Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the Trump administration’s request by a 2-1 vote, leaving a lower-court injunction in place.

The US Justice Department had asked for the injunction to be temporarily lifted while litigation continued, arguing that relevant federal agencies had not yet finalized implementation policies and that the lawsuit was premature. The appeals court rejected that argument, saying states must prepare now as the September and November elections approach and face deadlines requiring coordination with federal authorities.

US District Judge Indira Talwani issued the injunction on June 25, finding that several parts of Trump’s March order likely exceeded presidential constitutional authority and interfered with state and congressional powers over elections. Twenty-three states and the District of Columbia brought the case. The blocked provisions will remain suspended in those states through the November congressional election, though the administration may seek emergency relief from the US Supreme Court.

AIMIM chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi has offered an electoral alliance to Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav ahead of Uttar Pradesh's 2027 assembly election. Speaking at an event in Moradabad on July 26, Owaisi said he did not want the BJP to form the state government again and was ready to join hands and form an alliance. He said discussions should begin now so there is no regret after the election.

Owaisi urged the parties to contest together rather than affect each other's votes. Addressing claims that his participation in elections harms the Samajwadi Party, he said he was prepared to fight alongside it. The Samajwadi Party is currently the main opposition party in Uttar Pradesh and is the principal challenger to the BJP led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

Owaisi said AIMIM's fight was not against any religion, but for dignity, rights, justice and equality. He said he would discuss rights and justice with Akhilesh if they sat together. BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla mocked the offer as politics of appeasement, alleging that both the Samajwadi Party and AIMIM pursue vote-bank politics.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Assistant Secretary General and central publicity and media department secretary Advocate Ehsanul Mahbub Zubair expressed deep concern over severe public hardship caused by gas shortages. In a statement published on July 26, 2026, he said acute shortages of LPG and CNG were disrupting household cooking, CNG-powered vehicle use and industrial production across the country.

Zubair said long queues of vehicles had appeared at CNG stations in the capital for several days because of the crisis. He said this was wasting millions of working hours and intensifying public suffering. According to him, people believe illegal gas connections, government mismanagement, irregularities and syndicates are largely responsible for the problem.

He called for an investigation into whether any group was attempting to create an artificial shortage to raise gas prices. Zubair also demanded measures to reduce public hardship, including exploration and drilling of new gas wells, ensured extraction from existing wells and necessary LNG imports. He urged the government and relevant authorities to take firm steps to resolve the ongoing crisis quickly and provide relief to the public.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has written to Indian Home Minister Amit Shah seeking answers over allegations that pellet shots were fired at student protesters at Jantar Mantar in Delhi. Gandhi posted the letter on his X account on Sunday morning after sending it on Saturday. The allegations relate to a July 20 march toward Parliament held by students protesting an exam paper leak.

Several protesters were reportedly injured after pellet shots were allegedly fired at students during the march. Gandhi said medical records for one injured protester mention pellet injuries. Delhi Police, however, has denied firing pellets. Gandhi also alleged that hundreds of students were injured and that women protesters were beaten.

In his letter, Gandhi asked whether Shah, as home minister, authorized pellet firing at students and, if not, who did. He also asked whether people in plain clothes who allegedly beat students with batons were police personnel or volunteers, and who recruited them. On Friday, Gandhi presented injured protester Sahil Lohchab before the media and pointed to his wounds as evidence while the government denied firing.

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said Bangladesh’s recently departed president, Md Shahabuddin, cannot face conventional criminal proceedings under the law. Speaking to journalists at his Secretariat office on July 26 after awarding police personnel, he said Shahabuddin had performed his duties constitutionally and had not carried out any act outside the rules during his tenure.

Ahmed said political parties, opposition groups, the NCP and others have the right to speak out, protest and raise allegations against the former president. However, he said the government had not found any statement or allegation that warranted consideration. He said Shahabuddin had served through the end of authoritarian rule, the full interim-government period and about five to six months of the current political government.

The minister said the president is legally in a privileged position, meaning no court case can be filed against him over criminal offences or other matters in that status. Any complaint or record from before he assumed office would proceed under applicable rules and law, he added. Ahmed said Shahabuddin will receive legally entitled former-presidential benefits, including six months of SSF and PGR facilities, along with security arrangements by police and other agencies.

Amar Desh editor Mahmudur Rahman said the July revolution remains unfinished and must be completed. He made the remarks on Sunday as chief guest at the first session of the Bangladesh Conference at the Institute of Diploma Engineers auditorium in the capital. The discussion was titled “July Revolution and Bangladesh-oriented Thought: Theoretical Perspective.” He described the revolution as an ongoing process.

Rahman said weakness in the rural economy has pushed people toward Dhaka in search of employment, making the capital unsuitable for living. He called for increased employment in agriculture and maximum priority for the production sector. Strengthening agriculture, he said, would keep the rural economy active and reduce migration to Dhaka driven by a lack of work.

He also said agriculture and manufacturing are essential to expanding employment and strengthening the economy. Citing Vietnam’s per capita income of more than $5,000, he said Bangladesh should first aim to reach Vietnam’s position. In the keynote paper, Professor Dr. Md. Saidul Islam proposed an integrated state philosophy combining Bangladesh’s history, Islamic ethics, modern democracy and the spirit of the July revolution, calling it Bangladesh-oriented thought.