For the first time in two years, Bangladesh's foreign exchange reserves have surpassed $30 billion, thanks to financial support from international lenders such as the IMF, ADB, and JICA.

According to Bangladesh Bank Executive Director Arif Hossain Khan, this includes two IMF tranches totaling $1.34 billion, $900 million from ADB, and significant funds from JICA. The last time reserves crossed this mark was in June 2023.

The interim government has declared August 8 as “New Bangladesh Day” and August 5 as “July Uprising Day,” marking the fall of the Awami League regime. In response, Sharif Osman Hadi, spokesperson of the Inqilab Manch, warned, “If the government observes August 8, we will observe it nationwide as ‘Revolution Betrayal Day.’”

A photo showed Hadi holding a red card, symbolizing dissent.

Legal adviser Dr. Asif Nazrul has announced that the Ministry of Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs is preparing to withdraw at least 20,000 false or politically motivated cases within the next six months.

He noted that around 12,000 cases have already been recommended for withdrawal, affecting the lives of over 300,000 people. An inter-ministerial committee led by Dr. Nazrul has held 16 meetings up to May 28, recommending the withdrawal of 11,448 such cases.

Jamaat-e-Islami chief Dr. Shafiqur Rahman has demanded justice for the family of Anjum, who was brutally murdered in Kulaura. After visiting Anjum’s grave, he stated, “Every oppressed family in this country deserves justice. We will not tolerate any cover-up.”

Dr. Rahman accused certain forces of trying to divert the investigation and influence the legal process. He warned that any attempt to interfere with an impartial trial would not be forgiven, and reaffirmed Jamaat's commitment to standing beside the victims of injustice.

Malaysia's Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail has confirmed the arrest of 36 Bangladeshi nationals in connection with terrorism-related offenses. The arrests were made during a three-phase security operation launched on April 24 in the Selangor and Johor states.

Of those detained, five individuals have been formally charged with terrorism offenses, while 15 others are set to be deported. The remaining 16 are currently under investigation for alleged ties to the extremist group ISIS.

The Minister emphasized that Malaysia will take a zero-tolerance approach toward any attempt to use the country as a base or transit point for extremist activities.

Dengue fever continues to spread across Bangladesh, claiming two more lives in the last 24 hours.
According to the Directorate General of Health Services, 159 new dengue patients were hospitalized during the same period.
Both deceased were men, aged 72 and 50.
Hospital data shows that Barisal recorded the highest number of new admissions with 107 patients.
In addition, 21 patients were admitted to hospitals in Dhaka city, 12 in Dhaka division, 11 in Chattogram division, 6 in Rajshahi, and 2 in Sylhet division.

Nurul Haque Nur, President of the Gono Odhikar Parishad (GOP), has said that in order to demonstrate the administration’s competence and impartiality, at least some local government elections—such as city corporation, upazila, or municipal polls—should be held before the national election.
He argued that both the caretaker government and the current administration are showing a clear bias toward a particular political party, anticipating that it will return to power.
“This is why many officials are already trying to curry favor with them in hopes of securing positions,” he claimed.
Nur added that except for one major political party, all other parties broadly agree on a proportional representation model for the election.
The Gono Odhikar Parishad plans to field candidates in all 300 constituencies in the next election.
He stressed that the country must first pursue justice and reforms before moving toward elections, and the government must play its part in eliminating muscle power and partisan influence.

Many young Rohingya men sheltering in refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar are expressing readiness to take up arms and return to Myanmar.
“We will not stay here. We will go back to Myanmar. We will fight alongside the Arakan Army. We want independence,” said one Rohingya youth in the camps.
Another young man stated that both the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) and the Rohingya Solidarity Organization (RSO) are working together “for the cause of jihad.”
According to testimonies, at least four groups are actively recruiting and inciting refugees to join armed rebellion or “holy war.” These groups are ARSA, RSO, the Islamic Mahaz, and the Arakan Rohingya Army.
This growing unity among Rohingya factions preparing for armed resistance has raised alarm among international observers, including the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

The AB Party has declared a 36-day program to commemorate the July uprising. Chairman Mojibur Rahman Monju said elections are the only legitimate means of changing power but accused the ruling party of trying to cling to power without them—just as during the Liberation War. Monju recalled the 1991 caretaker government elections, later enshrined in the constitution, and accused Sheikh Hasina’s regime of dismantling all democratic safeguards. He emphasized that simply installing a new government through elections would not fulfill the promises of 1971, 1990, and 2024. Instead, all parties must build consensus to create a new political order through free and fair elections.

Advisor Asif Mahmud announced that synthetic cricket pitches would be installed in 100 schools across Bangladesh to make the sport more accessible and widespread at the grassroots level. In a Facebook post marking 25 years since Bangladesh gained Test status, BCB President Nazmul Hassan also unveiled plans to establish mini-BCB centers in four regions. Mahmud said decentralization is now the most urgent step for advancing cricket development and reducing reliance on scouting from a limited pipeline.

Speaking at the opening of Social Business Day, Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus said all nations must act to change the world before it reaches the brink of destruction. “Bangladesh wants to build a beautiful world, not a depressing one,” Yunus declared. He described Social Business Day as a family reunion, noting that previous governments had opposed the celebration. This year’s event was the first since August 5. Yunus also stressed that social business is the only way to ensure universal healthcare and called for an education system built on teaching people how to dream. He said Grameen University will help build a new civilization.

BNP leader Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has distanced the party from recent demonstrations at the income tax office, claiming a vested interest group is misusing BNP’s name to pursue its own agenda. “Anyone staging protests in BNP’s name without approval bears sole responsibility,” he said. Rizvi added that the hard-won opportunities created through sacrifice would ultimately lay the groundwork for genuine democracy. He further noted that even former Chief Election Commissioner Habibul Awal admitted elections under Hasina’s rule were rigged. Rizvi called for fair elections under an interim government, emphasizing the movement is not merely about changing governments but about restoring true democracy.

Following the collapse of the Awami League government on August 5 through mass protests, an interim administration led by Dr. Muhammad Yunus was formed on August 8. The Cabinet Division subsequently declared August 8 as “New Bangladesh Day.” In response, Jamaat-e-Islami’s Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman said the commemoration should instead fall on August 5. The National Committee for Political Change (NCPC) has also rejected the new date.

Kyiv has accused Bangladeshi companies of importing grain harvested from Russian-occupied regions of Ukraine, urging the European Union to take appropriate measures. Ukraine’s ambassador to India, Oleksandr Polishchuk, stated that the embassy had formally notified Bangladesh’s Foreign Ministry, calling on Dhaka to reject over 150,000 tons of what he described as “stolen grain” shipped from the port of Kavkaz. He added that Bangladesh did not respond to the diplomatic note. “This is a crime,” Polishchuk said, “and Ukraine will now raise the issue with the EU.” However, a senior Bangladeshi Food Ministry official dismissed the allegation, saying, “Bangladesh does not import wheat produced in Russian-occupied regions. We never buy stolen grain.”

British American Tobacco Bangladesh Company (BATBC) will invest Tk 297 crore to expand production capacity at its Savar factory, following the closure of its Dhaka facility. Operations will shift to a new location in Ashulia from July 1. The investment will be financed through bank loans supported by internal funds. In Q1 FY2025, BATBC reported lower net profit and EPS compared to last year. The company paid a 300% cash dividend in FY2024 and maintains strong reserves and shareholder equity.