BNP acting secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said the party’s central goal is to fulfil promises made to the public. Speaking to journalists on Tuesday morning after paying tribute at the graves of BNP founder Ziaur Rahman and former prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia, he said work was under way on development, production and public-welfare programmes after a government was formed through what he described as a free election.

Rizvi said the country’s progress could face challenges, conspiracies and plots, but efforts would continue to address them. He praised Khaleda Zia’s leadership of the country and party through repression, persecution, abuse and disorder, saying attempts had been made by domestic and international forces to weaken both her and the BNP.

Addressing energy and electricity shortages, Rizvi said the government was taking initiatives to ensure fuel supplies and resolve obstacles. He alleged that bombs had struck more than one ship carrying fuel to Bangladesh. He also said substantial spending beyond the allocated energy and power budget was being used to address gas shortages, while technical faults at a terminal in Maheshkhali were being addressed.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police arrested 442 people in regular operations across the capital over the past 24 hours. Police also filed 19 cases during the same period, according to the report. The operations covered several policing divisions in Dhaka.

Among those arrested, Mirpur recorded the highest number with 133. Tejgaon arrested 59 people, Motijheel 56, Wari and Uttara 50 each, Lalbagh 36, Ramna 32, Gulshan 23, and the Detective Branch five.

During the operations, police recovered one locally made revolver, four rounds of ammunition, 6,324 yaba tablets, 33 packets of cannabis, and Tk 3,400. Legal action against those arrested is under process.

An opinion article argues that textbooks should serve as blueprints for nation-building rather than political documents. It says classroom materials strongly shape children’s confidence, identity and social understanding, and warns that content reflecting inequality, narrowness or irrational social ideas can cause long-term harm. The writer calls for Bangladesh to rethink how curricula and textbooks are developed.

The article says curriculum discussions often begin after books have been printed, while research and consultation should occur before writing starts. It argues that teachers, students, parents and researchers are often excluded from national-level policymaking, leaving centrally designed curricula poorly matched to classroom realities, particularly in remote areas. It also urges textbooks to treat cooking and household responsibilities as life skills for all children, alongside finance, technology and leadership.

The writer proposes consulting experienced teachers from urban and rural model institutions, specialists in child development and subject experts. Draft curricula should be opened for public feedback, then piloted for at least a year with a national online feedback platform for registered teachers. Examples from Finland, Singapore, Australia and the United Kingdom are cited to support participatory development, research, piloting and sustained evaluation.

A 35-year-old man, Shamim Hossain, was allegedly beaten overnight and killed after the tendons in his leg were cut in Barpur, Bogura. The incident occurred at about 4:30am on Tuesday. His body was taken to the morgue at Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital in Bogura.

Relatives alleged that ABM Shafi, a ward 5 member of Nishindara Union Parishad and a Union Awami League leader, his son Nazmul Hossain Kayum, described as a Chhatra Dal leader, and several others were directly involved. Shamim’s mother-in-law, Chhobeda Begum, said he had gone to Barpur to attend the burial of a close relative.

She said Shamim was detained while walking in the area at night, severely beaten and left in an abandoned place after his leg tendons were cut. Village police rescued him and took him to hospital, where he died during treatment. Bogura Sadar police station officer-in-charge Ibrahim Ali visited the scene. Residents blocked a road following the incident, according to the report.

The article argues that an active opposition is essential to parliamentary democracy and says Bangladesh’s 13th National Parliament has gained a more vocal opposition following the July uprising of 2024 and the fall of fascism. It cites recent tensions over the home minister’s remarks, including opposition protests, a walkout and the speaker’s concern, as signs that parliamentary questioning and dissent have returned.

It contrasts this with the author’s assessment of parliamentary politics during the previous one-and-a-half decades of Awami rule. The article says parliaments formed after the 2014, 2018 and 2024 elections lacked a meaningful opposition, describing the legislature as a rubber-stamp body. It refers to the British model of a loyal opposition, shadow cabinet and prime ministerial questioning, and to US checks and balances, as examples of accountability.

The article cautions that vigorous debate must not become disorder. It says both government and opposition should show restraint, notes that the home minister withdrew his statement, and credits the speaker with handling the situation. It urges lawmakers to focus on economic fragility, gas and power shortages, and law-and-order instability while strengthening democratic institutions.

A commentary published on September 1 traces the Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s four-decade history from its founding by then-president Ziaur Rahman in 1978 to its present leadership under Tarique Rahman. The article says BNP has returned to power for a fifth time and that Tarique Rahman has led the government for six months after the party formed a government following the February 13 election.

The piece describes BNP’s establishment after Ziaur Rahman announced a 19-point programme and founded the party at a September 1, 1978 press conference. It says the party embraced nationalism, democracy, faith in Allah, and economic and social justice, while seeking to build national unity. It portrays Khaleda Zia as leading BNP after Ziaur Rahman’s 1981 killing and says she remained its leader until her death on December 30 last year.

The commentary says Tarique Rahman returned to Bangladesh on December 25 last year after 17 years in London and led BNP into the parliamentary election. It urges him to follow Ziaur Rahman and Khaleda Zia’s policies, prioritise public welfare, discipline, competent appointments, and zero tolerance for corruption and political violence.

State Minister for Textiles and Jute Md. Shariful Alam said Bangladesh’s existing electricity and gas problems were not created in a single day, accusing the previous “fascist government” of misleading people with signs claiming universal electricity coverage. He made the remarks on Monday morning at a coordination meeting in the Narsingdi deputy commissioner’s conference room on law and order, development and public welfare activities.

Alam alleged that the former government had not pursued a permanent solution to the power crisis and had instead used quick-rental power arrangements to move thousands of crores of taka abroad through selected individuals. He said the current prime minister’s government has undertaken plans for a lasting solution to ensure uninterrupted electricity and gas supplies, although implementation will require time.

Addressing law and order, the minister said narcotics are closely linked to the issue and cannot be eliminated by police alone. He called for social resistance, social boycotts of offenders and legal action regardless of an offender’s identity. He also urged public support for the government to prevent what he described as efforts by vested interests to create disorder.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Professor Golam Parwar has called for repeal of an Election Commission provision that disqualifies MPO-listed private school teachers from contesting local elections. He raised the demand while briefing journalists after a meeting with Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin at the Election Building on Tuesday afternoon. Parwar led a six-member delegation to the meeting.

Parwar said the provision violates Articles 27 and 28 of the Constitution. He said the rule could face a legal challenge if it is not withdrawn. According to him, about 30,000 MPO-listed teachers are employed.

The Jamaat leader also said the delegation requested that the government be informed of its demand to remove an Election Commission additional secretary. He alleged that the official is a member of the BNP election management committee and was appointed to the additional secretary post.

Mongla police detained শাহরিয়ার সুমন on Monday at about 10:30pm in the Baidyamari Bazar area of Mongla উপজেলা in a case over alleged poison fishing in the Sundarbans. Local people said he identified himself as a Jubo Dal worker, though local sources said he held no organisational post. Police said the detention followed allegations that fish were caught using poison in the forest.

Villagers earlier detained two fishermen, about 200 kilograms of fish and a boat on Saturday afternoon in a canal in the Chandpai Range's Goraburburia area. The fishermen, মুহিদুল হাওলাদার and নাঈম শেখ, were later released with the fish and boat after alleged threats from an influential group. In videos recorded by locals, the two fishermen said they had used poison and went to the Sundarbans on Suman's instruction; Suman denied sending anyone.

The fish and boat have not yet been seized by police or the Forest Department. Sundarbans East Forest Division has formed a five-member committee, led by Sharankhola Range Officer Md Shariful Islam, and requested its report within five working days. Police said Suman would be sent to court Tuesday morning and the case was being investigated seriously.

Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit has formed a steering committee bringing together public and private sector stakeholders to prevent trade-based money laundering. The committee was established under a public-private partnership model following a BFIU-led meeting of relevant stakeholders held last Sunday, according to a BFIU notice issued Monday.

The meeting discussed existing challenges, risks and future actions for preventing trade-based money laundering. Participants included representatives of Bangladesh Bank’s Foreign Exchange Policy Department and Foreign Exchange Operation Department, National Board of Revenue intelligence and customs bodies, the Anti-Corruption Commission, Criminal Investigation Department, Dhaka Metropolitan Police and Dhaka Customs House. Representatives of 15 scheduled banks involved in commercial activity also attended.

The committee will review risks and challenges, assess progress of measures already taken, strengthen information-sharing arrangements and determine future actions. It will also hold regular meetings to review agencies’ activities and provide necessary guidance. BFIU described trade-based money laundering as a complex financial crime with inter-institutional and international dimensions, requiring coordinated action, stronger risk analysis and close cooperation among regulators, law enforcement agencies, banks, customs authorities and the private sector.

RAB-6 seized 50 kilograms of cannabis and detained two suspected drug dealers during an operation near Digraj Bazar in Mongla, Bagerhat. The operation was launched around 3am on Sunday night following a tip-off, according to RAB sources. Gopal Sarkar was detained while allegedly entering Mongla by transport carrying the large cannabis consignment.

RAB later detained another suspected dealer based on information provided by Gopal Sarkar, though the second detainee’s identity was not immediately known. Gopal Sarkar is the son of Shyam Sarkar of Kainmari in Mongla upazila. RAB alleged that he had long collected large drug consignments and sold them to smaller dealers in Mongla and other parts of Bagerhat.

Investigators are questioning the detainees to obtain information about others involved in the drug network. Law enforcement agencies are also examining who else was connected to the consignment and where it had been brought from. Bagerhat-3 lawmaker and state minister Sheikh Faridul Islam said on social media that anti-drug operations would continue and efforts were under way to identify remaining accused or associates.

Former Awami League lawmakers living abroad have reportedly sent multiple letters to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), alleging they cannot return to Bangladesh and citing human rights violations and repression of party activists. The matter was discussed in preparatory meetings ahead of IPU Secretary-General Anda Philip’s visit to Bangladesh, which began on Sunday night.

Current lawmakers told the meetings that the Awami League had been driven from the country by the public and that many members of the current parliament had faced persecution, harassment or enforced disappearance under the party’s government. They said incidents of disappearance, repression and violence before and during the July mass uprising were being presented to the IPU delegation.

On Monday, Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed gave Philip a United Nations report concerning violence during the July uprising and the Awami League government’s tenure. Philip also met women and young lawmakers, visited the July Memorial Museum, and met opposition leader Dr Shafiqur Rahman. He is scheduled to hold discussions with government and opposition MPs, including lawmakers and relatives of alleged victims of past disappearances.

Indian High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi declined to comment on Bangladesh’s internal politics when asked about India’s relations with a BNP government and tensions involving former prime minister Sheikh Hasina. He made the remarks on Tuesday afternoon after a courtesy meeting with Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Dr Abdul Moin Khan at the Secretariat in Dhaka.

Trivedi said challenges would remain between Bangladesh and India, but both countries should move forward with the future in mind. He said the past cannot be forgotten, yet development work cannot progress if the two sides remain stuck in it. He also said he had extended greetings to everyone on the BNP’s founding anniversary.

The high commissioner said the meeting included discussion on working together harmoniously. He stressed the importance of people-to-people ties, saying decisions made by the two countries affect ordinary citizens and carry a responsibility to ensure public welfare. Trivedi added that the neighbours share not only a border but also dreams, increasing their responsibilities as neighbours, and said neither country is bigger or smaller than the other.

Rail services between Rajshahi and the rest of Bangladesh were suspended again after a coach of the Pabna-to-Rajshahi Dhalarchar Express derailed near Harian station on Tuesday at about 11:30am. Rajshahi Railway Station Manager Ziaul Islam said two wheels of the train derailed, blocking train movement on all routes connected to Rajshahi.

According to Islam, the train had travelled about 200 yards after leaving Harian station when the trolley attached to the wheels of its “Ta” coach broke. The failure caused two wheels of that coach to leave the track. Because the incident occurred on the main line, rail traffic on every route serving Rajshahi had to be stopped.

The disruption followed an earlier suspension of about one and a half hours on Tuesday morning, after a rail line broke in Bagatipara, Natore. A relief train was dispatched from Ishwardi to recover the derailed coach. Islam said train operations would resume after the recovery work was completed, which could take until between 2:30pm and 3:00pm.

Prime Minister’s Information and Broadcasting Adviser Dr. Jahed Ur Rahman said the ninth and tenth wage boards for journalists will be implemented together. He made the statement on Tuesday while answering journalists’ questions at a briefing held to update the public on progress in various government activities.

Asked about ensuring government benefits for journalists employed by private newspapers and television outlets, he described the matter as a “real problem.” He said the ministry was working on related issues, including the crisis in electronic media. Journalists noted that discussion followed the eighth wage board but the ninth board was not implemented, while demands for the tenth board have continued for a long time.

Ur Rahman said the government would work quickly to ensure journalists’ jobs and livelihoods, arguing that good journalism cannot be expected without such security. On a new national pay scale, he said broad salary increases could create some inflation risk, but not everyone’s pay would double. He added that Bangladesh Bank would use its policy tools to control inflation and the government would take necessary regulatory measures.