Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has called a press conference on Tuesday afternoon to assess the BNP government’s six months in office. The party said the event will begin at 4pm at Al-Falah Auditorium in the capital’s Moghbazar area. Party sources said the briefing will be held at a changed venue.

Jamaat Secretary General and former member of parliament Mia Golam Porwar will deliver the main address. The party said it will present its formal assessment of the BNP government’s activities over the past six months, placing that assessment within the country’s ongoing political and contemporary context.

The report does not provide details of the issues Jamaat plans to raise or the specific conclusions of its assessment. It also contains no response from the government, nor does it specify whether other party leaders will attend the event or whether Jamaat will announce any further programme after the press conference.

Dr. Muhammad Saidul Islam, an associate professor of sociology at Nanyang Technological University, examines group solidarity, or asabiyyah, in Bangladesh in an article published on August 18, 2026. Drawing on Ibn Khaldun, he argues that social cohesion can build states and civilizations but can also become a source of division, conflict and decline when it turns into blind loyalty.

The article identifies 1971-centered identity, political parties, universities, religious organizations, professions, regional ties and expatriate networks as modern forms of asabiyyah. Islam says such bonds can support cooperation, charity, education, professional standards and social capital. But he warns that accountability weakens when group identity or organizational loyalty becomes more important than truth, justice and criticism.

Islam describes the July Revolution as a potentially significant moment for a new civic asabiyyah. He cautions that it could reproduce older forms of factionalism if it becomes confined to a new political camp, personality cult or exclusionary approach. He calls instead for broader solidarity grounded in rule of law, accountability, human dignity, political pluralism, merit and constitutional values.

Leaders of Adityamari উপজেলা BNP and affiliated organisations held a press conference accusing Lalmonirhat-2 lawmaker Rokon Uddin Bablu of corruption, irregularities and breaches of party discipline. The event was held at the Adityamari উপজেলা BNP office at 5pm on Monday, where former member secretary Salekuzzaman Pramanik read a written statement. Bablu is also a vice-president of Lalmonirhat district BNP.

The statement alleged that since becoming an MP, Bablu had ignored the party mainstream and senior leaders while pursuing personal interests. It also accused him of conducting development activities in coordination with the Jatiya Party, the banned Awami League, Jamaat-e-Islami and interested groups, saying this was damaging BNP’s image.

The leaders further alleged that Bablu had not held an evaluation meeting or a courtesy meeting with local residents after the election. They also objected to a meeting called for August 18 at Adityamari GS Model School and College মাঠ, saying key BNP and affiliated leaders were unaware of it. Bablu rejected the allegations as false and fabricated, saying grassroots BNP workers remain in regular contact with him and have no complaints.

US President Donald Trump said Iran would not agree to the kind of deal he believes is needed to prevent it from developing nuclear weapons. The remarks were reported by Al Jazeera in an article published on August 18, 2026. Trump said Iran must not be allowed to possess nuclear weapons and asserted that the country would need a long time to rebuild its nuclear capability.

Trump said Iran’s nuclear capacity would take considerable time to reconstruct after previous US attacks. According to his account, those attacks mean Iran would require a lengthy period to restore that capability. The report did not provide further information about the attacks, their timing, or the current condition of Iran’s nuclear programme.

The president did not specify what terms or form of agreement he considered necessary. He also did not explain the basis for his view that Iran would refuse such a deal. The report included no Iranian response and did not describe any prospective next steps by the United States or Iran.

An opinion article published on August 18, 2026 argues that partisan appointments to senior posts in Bangladesh’s central bank, universities and state television have become a long-standing political practice. It says the practice is not required by the constitution or any specific law, but has developed through the use of broad executive authority and has turned public institutions into partisan assets.

The article cites the 1973 ordinances governing Dhaka, Rajshahi, Chittagong and Jahangirnagar universities, which provide for Senate panel recommendations, while alleging that governments often bypass the process under claims of special circumstances. It also discusses BUET’s different governance context, including restrictions on organised student and teacher politics, but says the president’s final authority over vice-chancellor appointments does not guarantee neutrality.

The writer traces the culture through successive political eras and says it became systematic after the return of parliamentary democracy in 1991. The July 2024 uprising is presented as a public verdict against partisan control. The article calls for transparent, merit-based appointments and cites Singapore, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Canada as examples of institutions kept freer from partisan influence.

Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan signed the trilateral “Mecca Joint Defense Pact” on August 7, 2026, according to the article. It says an armed attack on any one of the three states would be treated as an attack on all. Set against the war involving Iran, the United States and Israel, the agreement could alter military and geopolitical relationships not only in West Asia but also across South Asia, the article argues.

Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said the pact would strengthen mutual deterrence and promote peace, security and stability in the region and beyond. The article describes Saudi financial resources and energy influence, Pakistan’s battle-experienced military and nuclear capability, and Turkey’s NATO experience and defense industry as complementary strengths. It says the arrangement could facilitate joint exercises, intelligence cooperation, air and missile defense, defense investment and weapons production.

The three countries have said the pact is not directed against Iran, while Iran has not expressed concern, the article states. India’s Foreign Ministry said it was examining the implications for national security, regional peace and stability. The article further contends that stronger Pakistani capabilities may create uncertainty for India and that Bangladesh could benefit from the defense grouping because of its longstanding relations with Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.

Thirty-nine BNP and affiliated organization activists were killed in internal conflicts during the six months from February 17 to August 17 after the government was formed, according to data cited from Ain o Salish Kendra by Amardesh. The report said disputes over local dominance, committee posts, control of markets and bus terminals, tender sharing, personal feuds and factional groupings were driving clashes in Dhaka and other districts.

The cited ASK data listed 21 BNP members among the dead, along with eight Jubo Dal members, two each from Krishak Dal and Sramik Dal, three Swechchhasebak Dal members, two Chhatra Dal members and one Tanti Dal member. The report said many incidents occurred in Dhaka, Jhenaidah, Narayanganj and Chattogram, while around 300 people were injured in retaliatory attacks from January through July.

Police said they identify suspects through evidence rather than political affiliation and take legal action accordingly. Detectives alleged that hired shooters were arranged in a July 24 attempted killing in Kafrul, where Jubo Dal worker Yusuf Ali was shot dead. Police also said 1,320 weapons looted after the 2024 mass uprising remain unrecovered and that operations to retrieve them are continuing.

Former Supreme Court Appellate Division judge A K M Asaduzzaman has been appointed chairman of Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission, known as the ACC. Dr Jahangir Alam Khan and Dr Md Sajjad Hossain Bhuiyan were appointed commissioners at the same time. The Cabinet Division issued a notification on August 17, stating that their duties would take effect from the date of appointment.

The notification said the president appointed all three as commissioners under Section 6(1) of the Anti-Corruption Commission Act, 2004. Under Section 10 of the law, Asaduzzaman’s salary, allowances, other benefits and status as chairman were set at the level of an Appellate Division judge. The two commissioners will receive salary, allowances, other benefits and status equivalent to those of High Court Division judges.

Asaduzzaman became an Appellate Division judge on March 25, 2025, and retired in February. Jahangir Alam Khan is an agricultural economist and researcher who currently directs the Dhaka School of Economics. Sajjad Hossain Bhuiyan is a former tax commissioner and had been serving as chairman of the Financial Reporting Council.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has rejected claims of secret communications or backchannel talks with the United States. In comments to the state Tasnim news agency on Monday, IRGC spokesperson Brigadier General Hossein Mohammadi called US President Donald Trump’s assertion false. Trump had said his administration had established a direct secret channel with the IRGC.

Mohammadi said there was no communication between IRGC officials and Americans. He described Trump’s statement as fabricated and imaginary, saying it reflected delusions and nightmares arising from defeat and frustration in war. He also said the IRGC serves as the powerful arm and voice of the Iranian people and the Islamic Republic, conveying the country’s position and message on the battlefield.

The denial comes amid a continuing diplomatic impasse between the United States and Iran and rising tensions around the Strait of Hormuz. The source said talks held on Sunday and Monday made no progress. Iran has warned that it could adopt a more aggressive posture in the strait if necessary, according to the report.

State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj said the July mass uprising was not the sole achievement of any individual, political party or group. Speaking as chief guest on Monday at a discussion titled “Voice of July: Youth, Resolve, Resistance” at Canadian University of Bangladesh in Dhaka, he described it as the result of the shared aspirations and participation of people from different professions and viewpoints. He said no side should be allowed to claim exclusive ownership of the uprising.

Hajjaj said the uprising’s significance could not be understood if it was treated only as a specific movement. People took to the streets over varied demands, including jobs, democracy, rights and protests against injustice, but ultimately developed a common aspiration for a state and system of government run for the public and one that protects citizens’ rights and dignity.

Referring to what he said was the later political ownership of the historical spirit of the Liberation War, Hajjaj urged vigilance to prevent a similar situation concerning the July uprising. He also called on university students to hold governments accountable after they are formed by monitoring representatives and asking questions. State Minister Nurul Haque Nur attended as chief speaker.

Seven state law officers assigned in Bogura resigned, citing concerns over obstacles to implementing the July Charter and the government’s position on the judiciary. According to a report published on August 17, 2026, they formally submitted resignation letters to Bogura Deputy Commissioner Toufiqul Rahman on Monday morning. The decision was said to have been taken by members of the Jamaat-e-Islami-backed Lawyers Council.

The officials who resigned were Additional PP Advocate Shafiqul Rahman Shafi, Additional GP Advocate Emdadul Islam, APP Advocate Arifur Rahman, and advocates Saiful Islam, Shahidul Islam, Indrajit, and Ataur Rahman Sabuj. Those concerned said they stepped down out of conscience because serious concerns had arisen over protecting the rule of law and judicial independence.

Former APP Shafiqul Rahman Shafi said obstacles to implementing the July Charter in line with public expectations and mandate, along with government failures, had deeply concerned them. He also cited government opposition to establishing an independent secretariat for the judiciary. He said the repeal of the Supreme Court judges’ appointment ordinance had returned government and ruling-party influence over appointments to a pre-July position, severely undermining judicial independence.

The Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education, known as Mausi, has formed a committee to monitor social media use by teachers and employees at educational institutions under its jurisdiction. The announcement was made in a Mausi letter on Monday. Copies of the letter are to be sent to all Mausi directors, regional directors and principals. Professor Tipu Sultan, director of Mausi’s Monitoring and Evaluation Wing, has been named convener of the Social Media Monitoring Committee.

The letter says government officials and employees must properly comply with relevant guidelines and government conduct rules when using social media. It refers to the Cabinet Division’s 2019 revised guidelines on social media use in government institutions. Mausi said the committee was formed to monitor whether members of the education family under the directorate are following those guidelines.

The letter requests that any content contrary to government guidelines, objectionable, misleading, false or negative be reported to the committee. It also covers statuses, comments, photographs, videos, posts or other material that could harm official discipline and reputation. Such content should be preserved and sent on a priority basis by email to the committee convener, according to the letter.

Bangladesh’s cabinet has approved a draft law to abolish the Rapid Action Battalion, or RAB, and establish a new specialised police unit called the Special Response Battalion (SRB). The draft of the Special Response Battalion (SRB) Act, 2026 was approved at a cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at the Secretariat on the evening of August 17, 2026. The Cabinet Division later announced the decision in a press release.

According to the release, the proposed law provides for forming the SRB under the police force after repealing the RAB law. It also includes provisions for a multi-party grievance redress committee to address complaints from citizens and internal grievances among members of the unit. The SRB is described as a new specialised unit operating under the police force.

The draft law provides for transferring RAB-related personnel, orders, powers, authority, benefits, funds, property, accounts, records and other associated assets to the SRB. Until new regulations are issued, existing regulations on departmental procedures related to the SRB will remain in force with necessary adaptations, according to the cabinet announcement.

Bangladesh has extended the contract terms of Cabinet Secretary Dr Md Nasimul Gani and Senior Secretary Md Ehsanul Haque of the Ministry of Public Administration by another year. The Ministry of Public Administration issued separate notifications on Monday, according to a report published on August 17, 2026.

Nasimul Gani was appointed Cabinet Secretary on a contractual basis on February 16, 2026. Before taking up that position, he served as senior secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs on a contractual basis.

Ehsanul Haque was appointed senior secretary at the Ministry of Public Administration on a contractual basis on October 12 last year. Prior to that appointment, he served as secretary of the Road Transport and Highways Division. The separate ministry notifications confirmed the one-year extensions for both officials.

Police detained three members of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement in Habiganj while they were preparing for a protest march against load-shedding, higher electricity prices, gas shortages and unusually rising commodity prices. The detentions took place on Monday afternoon at the Court Mosque grounds in the district town, before the march organized under the banner of students and people from all walks of life began.

Those detained were the district movement’s member secretary, Mahdi Hasan, and members Mirza Suman and Rocky. Organizers said uncontrolled increases in prices of essential goods, frequent power cuts, higher electricity charges and a prolonged gas crisis had caused severe hardship for ordinary people and businesses. They said the march had been planned to demand solutions to those problems.

Habiganj Sadar police station Officer-in-Charge Jahidur Haque said the three were detained because the protest assembly lacked permission and for security reasons. The detentions before the march began prompted reactions among local residents. It was not immediately known what legal action, if any, would be taken against the three detainees.