Students of Naogaon Government Polytechnic Institute held a human chain in Naogaon to express solidarity with ongoing student protests in India. The event was held at 11am on Saturday at the institute’s main gate, with students from several departments participating. They voiced support for the protesting students in India and for what they described as their legitimate demands.

The programme was chaired by Rahad Hasan Akash, president of Naogaon Youth Club and a student at the institute. He said the gathering was not directed against any country, but supported students’ rights, a transparent education system and peaceful freedom of expression. He condemned the use of force in the Indian student movement and called for the release of detained students and compensation for those injured.

Akash also urged swift reforms to address corruption and irregularities in Bangladesh’s education system, calling for proper recognition of merit, hard work and honesty. Participants chanted demands for accepting students’ legitimate demands, ensuring their safety and ending violence against them. They displayed placards supporting Indian students. The programme ended peacefully, with participants reaffirming support for democratic and non-violent movements seeking students’ legitimate demands.

Cockerroach Janata Party founder Abhijit Dipke and a large number of protesters celebrated at Jantar Mantar after Indian Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan announced his resignation. The report, published on July 25, 2026, said Pradhan declared his resignation on X on Saturday before the third round of talks between the central government and the CJP.

Dipke described the resignation as a symbol of democracy’s victory and said the strength of cockroaches should not be taken lightly. He said no one’s power is permanent in the face of public demands. He also demanded compensation of one crore taka for each family of students who died by suicide in connection with question-paper leaks.

Dipke further called for strict action against police personnel involved in baton-charging protesters on July 20. In his resignation announcement, Pradhan said he had submitted his resignation to the prime minister so that anti-national groups could not exploit the current situation. He said talented students’ futures would not be ruined because of examination-related mafias, adding that he had taken responsibility for the incident from the beginning.

Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md Asaduzzaman said extrajudicial killings have fallen to nearly zero under the current government. He made the statement on July 25 as chief guest at a consultation meeting organised by human rights organisation Odhikar at the CIRDAP auditorium in the capital. The minister also said the government follows a zero-tolerance policy on enforced disappearances.

He said the government has been working to withdraw cases filed out of political vengeance between 2009 and 2024 and has reached the final stage of a decision. Rape cases will not be considered for withdrawal even if they are claimed to be politically motivated, he said. Drug cases will be reviewed carefully to determine whether they were filed to harass opponents.

The minister said three rounds of consultations with civil society, law-enforcement agencies and development partners were completed before final drafts of the Human Rights Commission Act and the Prevention and Remedy of Enforced Disappearance Act. Both bills have been sent to a cabinet committee, and he expects them to be placed in parliament quickly after cabinet approval at its next meeting.

Bangladesh’s newly appointed Navy Chief, Vice Admiral Khandaker Misbah Ul Azim, paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at the Prime Minister’s Office on Saturday. Their meeting covered national maritime security, strengthening the professional capacity of the Bangladesh Navy, modernization of the force, and other related matters.

The prime minister praised the Bangladesh Navy’s professionalism and its important role in protecting the country’s sovereignty and ensuring maritime security. He also expressed hope that the newly appointed navy chief would carry out his responsibilities successfully.

Vice Admiral Khandaker Misbah Ul Azim expressed gratitude for the prime minister’s guidance and confidence as he takes on his duties. The report said the discussion included issues connected to maritime security and efforts to enhance the navy’s capabilities and modernization.

Acting President and Speaker of the National Parliament Hafiz Uddin Ahmed will conduct official duties from Bangabhaban while continuing to live at the speaker’s official residence inside the National Parliament complex. He disclosed the arrangement while speaking to the media on Saturday.

Special security measures have been in force since Friday afternoon at the speaker’s official residence and surrounding areas in the parliament complex as part of presidential security. Ahmed assumed the role of acting president under the constitution after President Md. Sahabuddin resigned on Friday, citing health reasons.

According to Shayrul Kabir Khan, Ahmed is scheduled to place a wreath in tribute to the martyrs at the National Memorial in Savar at 11am on Sunday. At 12:30pm, he is due to pay respects and offer prayers at the graves of martyred President Ziaur Rahman and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka.

Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku accused the banned Awami League of being the only party that distorts history at a seminar in Bogura on Saturday morning. Speaking as chief guest at the Momin Convention Centre event organised by the Bogura History Practice and Research Welfare Association, he said the Hasina government had deprived the northern region of development. He also said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman was working to pull the country out of a fragile economic situation left behind by the Awami League.

Tuku said the 1971 Liberation War began against inequality, but alleged that the Awami League created greater inequality after taking power. He said Jamaat could not win people over with what he called false promises of heaven, and that voters had brought the BNP to power. He said the government would pursue balanced development across the country, including in the lagging northern region.

The minister said 10,000 megawatts of electricity would be generated over the next five years to address power shortages, while work had begun to spread solar panels nationwide. State ministers Mir Shahe Alam and Md Abdul Bari also said the government was planning development to address the northern region's long-standing deprivation.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami central executive council member Mohammad Selim Uddin called on the government to implement the July Charter “letter by letter” without delay. He made the demand on Saturday, July 25, at an art competition titled “Tulite July” commemorating July martyrs at the IES School and College field in Uttara, Dhaka. The event was organized by the July Mass Uprising Celebration Committee, Uttara.

Selim Uddin, also the ameer of Jamaat’s Dhaka North unit and the party’s nominated DNCC mayoral candidate, said the country and its national identity would be endangered if July were allowed to be undermined. He described July as a historic victory achieved through a student-public movement against autocracy and fascism. He alleged that political failure, lack of goodwill and the ruling side’s excessive desire for power had put those achievements at risk.

He accused the government of ignoring the July Charter and trying to bypass it through what he called a misinterpretation of the constitution. He also alleged that confusion was being created by describing the charter as a presidential order. Calling for an end to delays, he urged the government to return to positive politics and warned that it would pay a high price otherwise.

Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said Bangladesh could advance by putting agriculture and young people to work. He made the remarks as chief guest at an annual planning conference at the Rural Development Academy in Bogura on July 25. He said the government was trying to move the country forward and that the prime minister was working for development, including in Bogura.

Fakhrul said interest in producing agricultural products was declining and needed to be revived. He called for expanded activities around products invented by agricultural scientists. Saying young people now seek jobs, he argued that encouraging them to enter agriculture could transform the country. He also said creating a business-friendly environment was a responsibility and referred to increasing allocations for agricultural and other research.

The minister toured an exhibition of green technologies developed at the academy and received briefings from officials. The exhibition featured environmentally friendly technologies, agriculture and rural development innovations, and initiatives supporting sustainable development. Two Bogura members of parliament, ministry secretaries, officials, government representatives, agricultural experts and researchers attended the daylong conference.

Prime Minister’s Defence Adviser Brigadier General (Retd.) A K M Shamsul Islam said Bangladesh cannot move forward without the spirit of July. He made the remarks on Saturday afternoon at a discussion titled “Looking Back at the July Revolution-2024,” organised by RAWA at the RAWA Club in Mohakhali, Dhaka.

He defined the July spirit as eliminating discrimination in all sectors and establishing good governance. He also warned that the spirit should not be used for political purposes. Describing Bangladesh as a victorious nation, he said the country would not bow to any hegemonic power.

The adviser said the lesson of July was to build a justice-based social system. He stated that those involved in enforced disappearances and killings would not receive promotions under any circumstances. He also said the verdict in the Major Sinha murder case would be implemented quickly. The discussion was chaired by RAWA Chairman Brigadier General Abdul Haque.

India’s Lok Sabha opposition leader Rahul Gandhi said moving Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to another ministry would not be acceptable to protesting students, demanding his complete removal from the cabinet. Speaking to journalists in New Delhi on Saturday alongside three representatives of the All India Students’ Association, Gandhi highlighted students’ three-point demands linked to the exam question-paper leak issue.

Gandhi described Pradhan as corrupt, incompetent and unable to fulfil his responsibilities. He said information from within the government indicated discussions about shifting the minister to another portfolio, but argued that students did not want advice or a transfer and instead sought Pradhan’s removal. Gandhi accused the government of failing to give proper attention to students’ actual demands.

He also called for accountability for people and officials involved in police action, including baton charges, during the students’ July 20 protest march toward Parliament. Addressing Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Gandhi said Modi should publicly apologise for what he described as the government’s lack of accountability to students and police “abuse” against them. He urged the government to take prompt and effective action in support of the protesters’ demands.

A 1992 pledge by former prime minister Khaleda Zia to nationalize Jinjeera PM Pilot High School in Keraniganj has not been implemented after 34 years. Zia made the announcement at a public meeting in Keraniganj on May 22, 1992. On July 28 that year, the Prime Minister’s Office informed school authorities that steps would be taken, but the nationalization process did not advance.

Local residents expressed anger and disappointment over the delay. They said the issue saw no progress despite the Awami League and BNP each returning to state power several times and several elected representatives from Keraniganj serving as ministers or state ministers. School section head Mizanur Rahman said local personal interests prevented implementation of the declaration.

Founded in 1922, Jinjeera PM Pilot School and College is among Keraniganj’s older educational institutions. It was upgraded to a college in 2003. The school section has 2,636 students from classes three through ten, while the college section has about 600 students, for a total of 3,236. Following BNP’s formation of government after the 2026 national election, residents have renewed their demand for nationalization.

The Cockroach Janata Party, or CJP, announced the withdrawal of its 36-day protest after Dharmendra Pradhan resigned over an alleged exam paper leak. The announcement came at a joint government-CJP news conference in Delhi on Saturday evening. Pradhan’s resignation had been the protesters’ main demand.

CJP spokespersons Saurabh Das and Ashutosh Ranka appeared alongside central ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh. CJP leaders said they were ending the protest in good faith after receiving assurances that several demands would be met. These included withdrawing all FIRs filed against students, taking no future action against protesting students, and providing the highest compensation allowed under existing rules to families of students who died by suicide in connection with the NEET paper-leak case.

Das said the government would provide copies of about 15 to 20 FIRs registered in Delhi within three to four days and begin withdrawal procedures soon afterward. He said the government had also promised formal written assurances by Tuesday. The CJP submitted a five-point memorandum on reforming education and examination systems, with another meeting expected in about four weeks.

Indian educator and social activist Sonam Wangchuk has alleged that he was treated like a prisoner after being taken from Jantar Mantar in Delhi to a hospital on July 18. In a video posted late Friday night, the Ladakh-based activist said the hospital felt like a military camp and a prison, rather than merely a medical facility.

Wangchuk said he was kept in a separate room and was not allowed to leave it. He alleged that mobile phones, laptops and other electronic devices were not permitted, police guarded him at all times, and visitors were barred from entering. According to him, only three relatives were allowed to stay with him.

He also claimed that relatives who travelled from Ladakh to meet him were sent back after return flight tickets were arranged. Wangchuk said he secretly wrote messages on tissues because he was not given paper or pens, and that such messages were seized and destroyed if noticed. He further alleged that, despite a court order, he was made to wait from 2pm until 7pm before being released from the hospital.

BNP and its affiliated organizations held a celebratory procession in Lalmohan, Bhola, after Speaker Major (Retd.) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed Bir Bikram assumed the duties of acting president. The procession began in front of the upazila office after Friday evening, July 25, 2026, and travelled through major roads of the municipal town before ending at Lalmohan Chourasta intersection.

A brief gathering was held at the intersection after the procession. Speakers described Hafiz Uddin Ahmed Bir Bikram's assumption of the acting president's responsibilities as a matter of joy for Bangladesh. They said residents of Lalmohan were especially proud of him.

According to the speakers, he was elected Speaker of the National Parliament after becoming a member of parliament and later took on the acting president's role. They thanked Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. Those present included Lalmohan upazila BNP president Md. Jafar Iqbal, general secretary Shafiqul Islam Babul, former joint secretary Shafiullah Hawlader, youth wing president Shahinul Islam Kabir Hawlader and general secretary Kazi Hasan, along with other local BNP and affiliate leaders.

Bangladesh’s 22nd president, Md Shahabuddin Chuppu, resigned on July 24 after serving for three years and three months. He cited “serious physical illness” for stepping down with one year and nine months remaining in the constitutionally prescribed five-year term. Chuppu had taken office on April 24, 2023, during the Awami League government.

He remained in office after the Awami League government fell in August 2024, and members of the interim government took their oaths before him. Calls for his resignation arose several times over the following year and a half, but the BNP supported his remaining in office amid concerns over constitutional and political crises. In an interview with Reuters last December, he said he felt “humiliated” because of the interim government and wanted to resign after the next election.

After the BNP won the February 12 national election and formed the government, Chuppu administered the oath to its members. His resignation adds him to the list of Bangladeshi presidents who did not complete their terms, including leaders removed amid political upheaval or military intervention, those who resigned, and those killed in military coups.