Deputy Speaker and Netrokona-1 MP Barrister Kaysar Kamal said many schools lack adequate student attendance despite government initiatives to improve primary education. He made the remark on Thursday at a reception in Kolmakanda upazila parishad hall for 94 students who received primary scholarship exam awards for 2025.
Kamal noted the government has provided free books, bags and shoes, increased teachers' pay and pensions, and taken other steps to modernise primary education, yet some schools with multi-storey buildings have only four or five students in classrooms. He emphasised the role of teachers in changing attitudes, urging them to care for all pupils as they would their own children and warning that a teacher shapes a child's lifelong mindset and responsibility.
At the event Kamal recalled the martyrs of the July mass uprising and said their sacrifice will be fulfilled when the nation raises children as humane citizens. He administered an oath to the scholarship recipients, who pledged to continue to grade eight and contribute as good citizens; 94 students were honoured, including 53 talent pool and 41 general grade scholars, with local officials, teachers, guardians and media present.

Deputy Minister of Water Resources and MP Farhad Hossain Azad recommended appointment of two members of July martyrs' families as office assistants in constituency inspection rooms in Boda and Debiganj, Panchagarh, the appointments announced on July 23, 2026.
According to the report, the appointments were made after the deputy minister directed that members of July martyr families be given priority when office assistant positions opened in the MP inspection rooms. One appointee joined as office assistant in the Boda Upazila MP inspection room from Sakoa union, the sister of July martyr Sumon, and the other joined in the Debiganj Upazila MP inspection room from Mareya union, the son of July martyr Abu Saeed.
The deputy minister also said he gives a monthly stipend of five thousand taka from his official remuneration to four of six July warrior families in the district, and that the appointments and financial support aim to honor sacrificial families and create employment opportunities for them. Local residents welcomed the initiative as a humanitarian example by the deputy minister.

A newly built girder bridge in Khanzapur union of Gournadi, Barishal, collapsed on Wednesday afternoon after its roof was poured that morning. The bridge was constructed under the Rural Infrastructure Development and Implementation Project at a cost of 3.9 million taka tendered in 2023–24; the work was later taken over by contractor Abul Khayer who finished construction in June 2026 but failed to complete handover on schedule. Local project implementation officer Khokon Chandra Das said he was not informed and did not attend the pouring, and that the contractor proceeded without notifying him.

Officials and the contractor give differing accounts: the project officer says he had instructed the contractor to notify him before pouring and alleged the contractor acted without permission; the contractor says the officer and an engineer inspected the bridge the previous morning, were told about the pouring, but did not attend and generally do not oversee pourings in the field. The contractor blamed heavy rain and failure of centering bamboo, claiming about 1.2 million taka in damage. The upazila executive officer said a show-cause notice was issued to the contractor and that if found guilty he could be blacklisted and ministry action taken; any PIO negligence would also be investigated.

Opposition leader and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman urged the government to accept the referendum verdict delivered by nearly 70 percent of voters. He spoke on Thursday afternoon, July 23, at a rally organized by Jamaat’s Mirpur region under its Dhaka North city unit at Mirpur 10 in the capital. The gathering demanded implementation of the referendum result and the spirit of the July mass uprising, along with trials over the July killings and crimes against humanity. Rahman warned that disregarding the public verdict would carry consequences and said Jamaat’s struggle inside and outside parliament would continue until its goals were achieved.

Rahman alleged that justice over the July killings was no longer visible and urged the government to focus on the trials. He also called for state honors and titles for those killed, recognition of their contributions in textbooks and history, and official lists, treatment, and dignified support for injured and disabled people. Rally chair Mohammad Selim Uddin demanded implementation of the referendum verdict and prompt city corporation elections. Dhaka-14 lawmaker Barrister Ahmed Bin Quasem Arman urged the government to convene the constitutional reform council and implement the July Charter fully.

Abhijit Deep, head of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), criticized the Indian government, saying Prime Minister Narendra Modi took 34 days to acknowledge the exam paper leak scandal. He called Modi’s silence shameful and accused the government of protecting Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan despite widespread protests and calls for his resignation. Modi had earlier announced the formation of a fast-track court to punish those involved, but the CJP rejected the proposal.

On social media, Modi stated that nothing is more important than protecting the future of young people and that those responsible would not be spared. CJP spokesperson Saurav Das dismissed the government’s move as a temporary fix, citing a history of impunity in past leak cases. Protesters vowed to continue demonstrations until the education minister resigns and systemic reforms are made.

Opposition parties expressed solidarity with the protesters, disrupting parliamentary sessions. Police used tear gas and batons against nearly 50,000 demonstrators in Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, while protests spread to Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, and other cities.

Nepal’s Prime Minister Balendra ‘Balen’ Shah is set to meet the ambassadors of India and China separately in Kathmandu this week, marking a shift in his diplomatic approach. Since taking office, Shah had avoided holding one-on-one meetings with foreign envoys, but he now plans to sit down individually with Indian Ambassador Naveen Srivastava and Chinese Ambassador Zhang Maoming. The meetings are expected to take place on the same day to signal equal importance to both neighboring countries.

According to The Kathmandu, Shah’s decision follows consultations with business and professional groups, after which he opted to increase direct engagement with foreign diplomats. The Prime Minister’s Office stated that the process is being initiated with India and China due to their significance in Nepal’s foreign policy.

The move reflects Shah’s effort to balance relations between India and China while adjusting his earlier stance of avoiding exclusive diplomatic meetings.

Abhijit Deepak, founder of the Cockroach Janata Party, fell ill while protesting at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. He announced on social media that despite high fever and body pain, he had continued the protest with painkillers but would take a short break. Deepak stated he plans to return to the protest stage by Thursday evening.

The protesters, including Deepak, are demanding the resignation of India’s Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Deepak accused police of brutality after officers allegedly used batons and tear gas on demonstrators Wednesday night, while police claimed protesters had thrown stones and bottles as they moved toward Parliament Street.

Separately, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the formation of a fast-track court to ensure strict punishment for those involved in the exam paper leak case. He said the government is committed to protecting the future of the country’s youth, a move that received full support from top NDA and BJP leaders.

National Citizen Party (NCP) South Region Chief Organizer and Cumilla-4 MP Hasnat Abdullah said that the recent disappearance in Mongla represents a dark chapter for the current government. Speaking at the NCP’s “July March” program in Mongla on July 22, he claimed that enforced disappearances have reemerged in Bangladesh after 2024, raising new concerns about human rights and the rule of law.

The incident involves Miraj Sheikh from Joymoni area of Mongla, who reportedly went missing after being taken away by individuals identifying themselves as Coast Guard members. The High Court has ordered that he be produced within 15 days. Abdullah criticized the government for failing to implement the promised disappearance commission and accused the ruling party of opposing its formation despite past victimhood claims.

He emphasized that such incidents are unacceptable and called for impartial investigations and legal action against those responsible. Abdullah also announced Molla Rahmatullah as the NCP’s mayoral candidate for Mongla Port Municipality during the event, which was attended by senior party leaders who stressed the need for state reform and accountability.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan has emphasized the necessity of establishing a proper authority to determine who qualifies as a journalist in Bangladesh. He made the remarks on Thursday at the Secretariat during the 34th meeting of the Press Accreditation Committee, which was also the first meeting of the newly formed committee.

In his directive speech, the minister advised committee members to ensure that every decision reflects the constitution, existing laws, and regulations. He urged them to act with foresight, wisdom, and inclusiveness so that decisions are widely accepted. Swapan also reminded members that as representatives of an elected government, they must work responsibly for all citizens, not from a partisan standpoint.

He further noted that the Information and Broadcasting Ministry is politically sensitive and that even minor decisions could have significant political and social impacts. Therefore, he called for long-term thinking and careful judgment in decision-making. The meeting was chaired by Chief Information Officer Syed Abdal Ahmad and attended by senior ministry officials and committee members.

The government has retired 17 senior officers of the Bangladesh Civil Service (Police) cadre under the provisions of the Public Service Act, 2018. The decision was announced on Thursday, July 23, 2026, through a notification issued by the Public Security Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs. The order, signed by Senior Secretary Manjur Morshed Chowdhury, stated that the retirement was made in the public interest under Section 45 of the Act.

Among those retired are three Deputy Inspectors General (DIGs), thirteen Additional DIGs, and one Superintendent of Police. The DIGs include Md. Abdullah Al Baki of Highway Police, Md. Walid Hossain of Sardah Police Academy, and Sana Shaminur Rahman of CID. The notification confirmed that all officers will receive retirement benefits as per regulations and that the order takes immediate effect by directive of the President.

The announcement marks a significant administrative move within the police force, reflecting the government’s use of legal provisions to manage senior-level service positions.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has invited Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to attend the upcoming BRICS Summit scheduled for September in New Delhi. The information was disclosed by State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaid Islam during a briefing with journalists at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday. She confirmed that the invitation letter from India had reached the ministry and was forwarded to the Prime Minister’s Office.

The 18th BRICS Summit will be held in New Delhi on September 12–13. Although Bangladesh is not a member of BRICS, Prime Minister Modi extended the invitation to Tarique Rahman to participate as a special guest. The invitation highlights India’s outreach to regional partners during the high-level international gathering.

Further details regarding Bangladesh’s response or the Prime Minister’s participation have not yet been disclosed.

BNP leader S M Zakaria has claimed he was removed from his party post in Gazipur’s Kapasia after participating in the campaign of his elder brother, Jamaat-e-Islami leader and chairman candidate Maulana S M Cholaiman, ahead of the Chandpur Union Parishad election. In a Facebook post, Zakaria expressed emotional disappointment, saying his 45 years of political dedication and sacrifices were disregarded over a single incident.

Zakaria stated that he had been involved with the BNP since its founding, serving in various roles within the Chhatra Dal, Jubo Dal, and Chandpur Union BNP. He said he had endured imprisonment in 1983 and 2018 and faced multiple political cases but never abandoned the party’s ideals. Despite losing his position, he reaffirmed his belief in BNP’s principles and his commitment to truth, justice, and democracy.

Local BNP leaders in Chandpur Union acknowledged Zakaria’s long service but said his participation in his brother’s campaign was inappropriate during the election period. They added that the decision to relieve him of his duties was made by the party’s higher leadership.

The Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), whose demonstrations have recently stirred unrest in New Delhi and other Indian cities, is now planning to hold a protest march in Kolkata. According to a report by Anandabazar, the group has emailed Kolkata Police seeking permission to organize the event this Friday.

The email, sent on July 19 and July 21 by a person named Dedipya Gangopadhyay who identified himself as a CJP member, requested approval to march from College Square to Rani Rashmoni Road at 4 p.m. on Friday. The message also mentioned an expected gathering of about 1,500 participants. Kolkata Police confirmed receiving the email but stated that permission for the march has not yet been granted.

The planned demonstration marks the CJP’s first attempt to extend its movement to West Bengal following widespread protests in the national capital and other regions.

Deputy Speaker and Netrokona-1 MP Barrister Kaiser Kamal announced that any corruption in the farmer card distribution process will result in direct dismissal of responsible officials. Speaking on Wednesday night at a mechanized paddy seedling planting and distribution event at Lengura School and College field in Kalmakanda, he said no bribery or irregularities will be tolerated in the Kalmakanda-Durgapur area. He emphasized that he was elected to serve the people and would neither engage in nor allow corruption.

Kamal expressed strong dissatisfaction over nepotism and irregularities in the earlier family card distribution in Lengura Union. He criticized data collectors for favoritism, saying that influential individuals received cards while poor and disabled residents were excluded. He urged those involved to repent and warned that similar misconduct in the farmer card program would lead to termination, not just transfer.

Highlighting future agricultural goals, Kamal said the government led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman plans to export rice to several Asian countries, aiming to earn foreign currency like the garment industry. He also praised the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute for developing early rice varieties to protect crops from flash floods.

M Ali Ashraf, who joined as Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Bahubal Model Police Station in Habiganj on July 21, was withdrawn just a day later and attached to the district police lines. The order, signed by Superintendent of Police Md Tarek Mahmud, also appointed Mohammad Ruhul Amin Talukder as the new OC of Bahubal.

Following Ashraf’s appointment, leaders and activists of the BNP and its affiliated organizations expressed anger on social media. Posts circulated showing images and videos of injuries from earlier clashes involving police and ruling party activists, along with a 2022 statement from central Chhatra Dal leaders condemning police attacks. Injured Chhatra Dal leader Maruf Mia criticized the decision, calling Ashraf a controversial officer responsible for past repression.

According to reports, Ashraf had previously served in Chunarughat, where he was accused of arresting and suppressing opposition activists. He joined the police as a sub-inspector after the Hasina government took office and later held several positions before his recent posting to Bahubal.