Chattogram’s public transport system has effectively deteriorated, leaving residents increasingly dependent on small three-wheeled vehicles with 12 to 14 seats as regular large buses become scarce on major routes. Areas including Bahaddarhat, Muradpur, GEC, Agrabad, Alankar, AK Khan and Patenga have few regular large buses, while limited services between Bahaddarhat and Agrabad cannot meet passenger demand. Many large buses operate during peak hours mainly for garment factory workers, worsening shortages for other commuters.

Bangladesh Road Transport Authority data show 17 bus and minibus routes in Chattogram metropolitan area, with 2,900 route permits, including 803 buses without fitness certificates. The city has approvals for 1,130 buses and minibuses, 2,158 tempos, 969 human haulers and 13,000 CNG autorickshaws. Transport-related stakeholders say unregistered small vehicles add pressure, citing at least 10,000 unauthorized CNG autorickshaws and more than 50,000 battery-powered rickshaws.

Traffic police data show average vehicle speed has dropped from 21 kilometres per hour about 12 years ago to five kilometres per hour. Experts called for a planned route-based bus network, designated stops, scheduled services, route franchises and more new buses. Police said enforcement against unfit and unauthorized vehicles, illegal stops and road occupation is continuing.

Rajshahi University has recorded at least 16 student suicides from 2019 through June of the current year, according to information from the university proctor’s office, public relations office and published reports. The deaths have raised renewed concerns about mental-health protection, counselling services and suicide prevention at the university. Most of the students were living outside residential halls, in messes, hostels or rented homes near campus.

The reported incidents occurred in locations including Meherchandi, Mirzapur, Binodpur and Amzader Mor, as well as students’ homes. Psychologists cited academic pressure, family expectations, relationship strain, career uncertainty and loneliness as factors that can severely affect students’ mental wellbeing, while stressing that the specific cause of each death requires separate investigation and accounts from those involved.

Mental Health Centre chief physician Professor Murshida Ferdous Binte Habib said social, psychological and financial factors can contribute to suicidal thoughts. Students have called for more accessible counselling, awareness programmes in departments and halls, and crisis support for those living outside campus. Proctor Professor Dr Mahbubur Rahman said counselling is being provided through the mental health centre and other cells, while the proctor’s office monitors such issues regularly.

Former Bangladesh inspector general of police Benazir Ahmed has reportedly moved from Dubai to the Caribbean island state of Saint Lucia on 17 August, after being released on bail in the United Arab Emirates. Sources cited by the report said he holds a Saint Lucian passport, has joint investments there and owns a flat in the Gros Islet area. A recently compulsorily retired deputy inspector general, described as maintaining contact with Benazir and his family, confirmed the reported move.

The report said a Dubai court granted Benazir conditional bail on 27 July and he was released on 30 July after legal procedures concerning Bangladesh's extradition-related documents. Bangladesh had sent Dubai police a 244-page dossier on 20 June. Police headquarters said communication with the UAE government continued and necessary information had been supplied.

Officials said they were checking the reported Saint Lucia travel. The report alleges Benazir possesses passports from six countries and faces allegations and cases including corruption, money laundering and crimes against humanity. Criminologist Touhidul Haque said the departure had increased uncertainty about bringing him before the law and called for stronger efforts through Interpol.

On the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, Bangladesh’s disappearance investigation commission said 251 people remain missing, while acknowledging the actual number may be higher. The day is being observed for the third time since the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government on August 5, 2024. Families of the missing continue to live with uncertainty, unable to confirm whether relatives are alive or dead.

The commission received 1,850 complaints and, after removing duplicate submissions, took up more than 1,569 cases before filing its final report on January 13 this year. It described disappearances as a structural crime involving state security and law-enforcement agencies during particular political periods. The report said victims were sometimes killed, later shown arrested in cases, or sent across the border.

Three disappearance, torture and killing cases are being tried at the International Crimes Tribunal, though families say progress is slow. Rights groups and legal figures have questioned proposed legislation that would give law-enforcement agencies authority to investigate complaints against themselves. They have called for independent investigations, faster trials, accountability, compensation and rehabilitation for affected families.

An opinion article examines renewed media attention to alleged militant activity in Bangladesh since early August, arguing that reports of bombs, explosives and releases of detainees should be investigated but should not alone establish a major resurgence of militancy. It cites reports published on August 19 by Deutsche Welle Bangla and several BBC Bangla headlines, alongside a Singapore-based analysis on religious extremism during political transition.

The article distinguishes proven terrorist activity from security fears and cautions against treating isolated incidents as evidence of a nationwide security crisis. It invokes the concept of securitization, arguing that linking individual cases with political change, Islamism, youth radicalization, cross-border networks and regional security can create a broader narrative that requires proof. It also says Islamist political activity should not automatically be equated with militancy.

The author criticizes reliance on Indian media reports and warns that repeated citations from a single source can create an appearance of international consensus. The article calls for professional policing, strong intelligence, effective courts and politically neutral law enforcement. It says assessments should rely on verifiable information about arrests, organizational links, funding, weapons, training, foreign contacts and legally established terrorism cases.

The Gayebi Mosque in Sharifpur village of Baishgaon Union, Manoharganj, Cumilla, continues to draw worshippers and visitors for its Mughal-era architecture and setting beside Nateshwar Dighi. Archaeology Department sources in Cumilla and local sources say the mosque was built in 1657, while some residents cite 1658. The lime-and-surki structure is described as about 400 years old and has been preserved as an antiquity.

Located near the meeting area of Cumilla, Chandpur and Noakhali districts, the mosque stands at the northeastern corner of the 35.29-acre Nateshwar Dighi. It has three domes, three arched eastern entrances, three western mihrabs, four large octagonal corner minarets and two additional octagonal minarets above the central entrance. A Persian inscription names Hayat Abdul Karim as its founder.

Local accounts differ over its origin, with some describing it as a divinely established mosque linked to Hazrat Shah Sharif Baghdadi (R.), whose shrine is on the eastern bank of the dighi. The Archaeology Department oversees maintenance and renovated the mosque five years ago, according to the management committee. Residents say further urgent repairs are needed and have called for an archaeological tourism centre around the mosque, dighi and shrine.

Farmers in several unions of Pirganj upazila in Rangpur are facing difficulties obtaining urea fertiliser, as local fertiliser shops are unable to meet demand. Many farmers have moved from shop to shop before joining lengthy queues at dealer points, where some wait for hours and receive only one sack each.

Long lines were observed at Messrs Tripti Traders, a dealer in No. 7 Bara Alampur union, and Saha Bhandar in No. 12 Mithipur union. Farmer Abdul Karim said he had waited for four hours without receiving fertiliser. Farmer Rabiul Prodhan said his land requires four sacks but he received one, warning that inadequate supply could harm cropland.

Locals alleged that Tripti Traders owner Tojammel Haque Dulu supplied fertiliser to his nephew Manik’s shop for sale at higher prices; Dulu denied the allegation. Upazila Agriculture Officer Suman Ahmed said Pirganj has 490 tonnes of urea in stock, with another 353 tonnes allocated this month and being collected. Authorities have also permitted next month’s allocation to be collected this month and are working to prevent a fertiliser syndicate.

A Narayanganj court sent two young men to jail on Saturday in a case filed after videos showing them carrying toy guns spread on social media. District Judicial Magistrate First Court Judge Yasir Arafat issued the order. Police arrested them from the city’s Railgate area on Friday night under the Speedy Trial Act, alleging they had disrupted law and order.

District police identified the accused as Limon Toha, 22, son of Shamim Ahmed of Bandar Bazar, and Yasin Molla, 23, son of Swapan Molla of Bandar Fire Service lane. Police said a video filmed in different parts of Narayanganj City Park circulated online on August 28. The district police ICT branch used technical analysis to identify Toha as the video’s maker and Molla as the person carrying the gun.

Additional Superintendent of Police for Crime Tarek Al Mehdi said officers recovered a plastic shotgun-like toy and a plastic SMG-like toy during the arrests. He said the men displayed the items in public places, creating fear among pedestrians and others, before sharing the footage online. Police said such conduct in crowded areas cannot be treated as entertainment.

The Rangpur Bar Association has announced that its lawyers will temporarily not represent accused persons in the murder case involving retired Rangpur Zilla School teacher Ganapati Chakraborty and members of his family. Association general secretary Advocate Aftab Uddin made the announcement at a Saturday morning press conference at the Lawyers’ Building hallroom.

Uddin said the legal community was deeply concerned by the killings and that the decision would remain in place until a proper investigation and justice are ensured. He called for the real perpetrators to be brought under the law and given exemplary punishment, while also stressing that no innocent person should face harassment. He said the incident should not be politicised or used for political purposes.

The association said its decision is temporary and will be reviewed based on the investigation and surrounding circumstances. Uddin said the period could range from one or two weeks to six months. He said Mugdha Das and Siddhartha Das had given statements under Section 164 admitting involvement, though he stressed that the investigation remains ongoing and no final conclusion can yet be made.

Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal held a protest march in Shahbagh, Dhaka, on Saturday against rumours, propaganda and what it described as conspiratorial activities. The procession was led by the organisation’s vice-president, Kazi Zia Uddin Basit, and moved through several streets in the capital.

During the march, party activists chanted slogans against conspiracies and propaganda. They said a conspiratorial group was spreading misleading information in different ways in an attempt to create confusion among the public. The activists called on people to remain alert and speak out against rumours and misinformation.

Participants said deliberate rumours and propaganda were unacceptable and urged students to build united resistance against such activities. From the protest, they demanded an end to the alleged activities of the conspiratorial group and effective measures against rumours and propaganda.

National Citizen Party (NCP) chief organiser for the northern region Sarzis Alam said prospects of the Awami League returning in December are visible only on social media and in India, not in Bangladesh. He made the remarks to reporters after an NCP organisational coordination meeting at the Brahmanbaria District Shilpakala Academy auditorium at about 8:30pm on Saturday, 29 August.

Alam said people he described as perpetrators of genocide, killers and death-row convicts would not be able to return to Bangladesh’s independent and sovereign territory. His comments addressed claims or discussion surrounding a possible return of the Awami League, while asserting that there was no opportunity for such a return within the country.

Referring to electricity and gas problems, Alam said ministers connected to those sectors should resign if the finance minister and energy minister say the situation has moved beyond control. He said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman could not avoid responsibility and should remove ministers unable to run their ministries properly. He also criticised the law-and-order situation, urging the home minister to focus on the ministry rather than acting as the prime minister’s proxy.

Bashundhara Kings have moved to strengthen their squad for the new season after FIFA lifted the club’s remaining three bans on Friday night. The six-time league champions have signed Nepal national team defensive midfielder Rohit Chand and wingers Manish Dangi and Anjan Bista. Bhutanese forward Chencho Gyeltshen, known as the “Bhutanese Ronaldo,” has also joined the defending champions.

The club is using a new rule allowing footballers from the SAFF region to play under the local or domestic-player quota. That means Kings can use the four regional players without occupying foreign-player slots. The club has also signed national team midfielder Kazem Shah from Dhaka Abahani as it seeks a strong squad to retain the league title.

Fourteen complaints had been filed against Bashundhara Kings with FIFA. Club authorities had already resolved 11 of them, while FIFA withdrew the final three restrictions on Friday night and updated its official website. Kings can now participate in new-season transfers and club licensing without obstacles. The domestic football transfer window closes on September 3.

Bangladesh coach Thomas Dulie has begun preparations for the FIFA ASEAN Cup with a preliminary 28-member squad that does not yet include expatriate footballers. Those players are expected to join later, but Dulie wants to assess several of them in training before deciding on their places in the national team.

England-based Cuba Mitchell, who has already made his Bangladesh debut, is among the players set for a fresh evaluation. Mitchell had signed for Bashundhara Kings after seeking to settle in Bangladesh, but returned to England after failing to reach an understanding with the club. Dulie said a player seeking to return to the national side must appear before the new coaching staff and prove he is better than others.

Mitchell would need to travel at his own expense to train with the team, a requirement that has prompted questions in football circles. Dulie also wants to assess goalkeeper Saif, Suki Itfaka, and Adam Abbas and Zidan, who are with the under-20 team. Final decisions on the players will be made after the training assessments.

National Citizen Party convener and opposition chief whip Md Nahid Islam has called for all people subjected to enforced disappearance during the Awami League period to be found, for their families to be told the truth, and for every case to be swiftly tried. In a Saturday statement marking the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, he also urged explicit provisions for independent, impartial and effective investigations of disappearance allegations in a prevention law.

Nahid expressed sympathy for victims of enforced disappearance and their relatives in Bangladesh and elsewhere. He alleged that disappearances were used as a tool of state repression during Sheikh Hasina’s one-and-a-half-decade rule, leaving many opposition figures and citizens missing. He referred to alleged inhumane torture in dark facilities known as “Aynaghar” and said many families remain unable to locate their relatives.

He said the allegation concerning Miraj Sheikh’s disappearance in Mongla prison was deeply concerning. Nahid also raised serious questions about the enforced disappearance prevention and remedy bill and the human rights commission bill presented in parliament, warning of possible impunity. He stressed that Bangladesh must ensure state-sponsored disappearance never returns.

Authorities opened all 16 spillway gates of Kaptai Dam in Rangamati at 8:30pm on Saturday as water in Kaptai Lake rose rapidly. Each gate was opened by six inches, releasing 9,000 cusecs of water per second into the Karnaphuli River. Mahmud Hasan, manager and superintendent engineer of the Karnaphuli Hydroelectric Power Centre, confirmed the development.

At 2pm on Saturday, the lake level stood at 105.64 feet mean sea level, compared with its maximum holding capacity of 109 feet mean sea level. Authorities decided to discharge additional water to keep the situation under control as the level continued to increase.

Five units of the Kaptai hydroelectric plant are currently operating, releasing about 32,000 cusecs per second through electricity generation. Another 9,000 cusecs is being released through the 16 spillway gates. The power centre said there was no reason for alarm, but warned that water levels in the Karnaphuli River may rise and urged residents of low-lying riverside areas in Chattogram to remain cautious. The same 16 gates were opened last month to release excess water.