Marking the first death anniversary of martyr Afiqul Islam Sad, Manikganj BNP convener Afroza Khanom Rita said no words could console parents who lost a child. “We came not to console, but to honor his parents,” she said while visiting his grave. She accused the Awami League government of firing indiscriminately at students and protesters during the July movement, adding that BNP must take responsibility for supporting the families of martyrs. She also pledged to push for restoring Manikganj’s parliamentary seats from three to four.

BNP leader Prof. Md. Rezaul Karim said Bangladesh was freed from fascism under Tarique Rahman’s leadership. During the student-people uprising, Tarique allegedly directed activists from London, uniting students, citizens, and BNP members to oust Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India on August 5. Karim said the new Bangladesh would be built under Tarique’s 31-point reform plan, aiming to make the country prosperous and globally respected.

A team of researchers at Bangladesh Agricultural University has developed an eco-friendly fungicide called PG Trichoderma using a native fungus, Trichoderma asperellum. This innovation reduces chemical fertilizer use by 20-25% while increasing crop yields. The fungicide also acts as an organic fertilizer, improving soil health by controlling acidity and salinity. Field trials showed significant benefits, including disease control and cost savings for farmers. The product is now in pilot production and nearing commercial registration, promising safer food and environmental sustainability.

Advisor Farida Akhter called for increased participation of women in all sectors for building the future of Bangladesh. She said women excel in competence, commitment, and sincerity and will be the main driving force of the country’s future. Farida noted efforts to bring July movement daughters into policy-making roles but lamented their insufficient representation in major national events. She recalled emotional moments where mothers of martyrs shed tears listening to the national anthem, emphasizing the crucial role mothers played in every movement. She criticized the marginalization of women’s roles after independence and post-movements, calling it unacceptable. Farida stressed that rights are not given but must be claimed, urging the July Daughter Foundation to ensure women’s advancement wherever they are.

Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr. Niaz Ahmed Khan has announced a complete ban on both overt and covert political activities in all residential halls. The decision followed a wave of protests demanding a ban on student politics after JCD announced its hall committees. Demonstrators, including Rokeya Hall students who broke through locked gates, rallied in front of the Raju Sculpture on Friday morning.

Attorney General Mohammad Asaduzzaman stated that since the July coup, there have been significant improvements in Bangladesh, with extrajudicial killings ceasing and police fabrications of disappearances and false cases dramatically reduced. This has restored a sense of relief among the public. Over the past year, no one has been disappeared for political revenge, and the fear of nighttime abductions has eased. Although a few isolated incidents have occurred, they are being thoroughly investigated. The AG highlighted the interim government’s focus on judicial reform and anti-corruption efforts, which have brought many corrupt and criminal individuals to justice. He urged that the nation look forward rather than dwell on the 1990s struggle, warning that forgetting past struggles might weaken future resistance.

BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman has pledged to transform Bangladesh into a democratic welfare state through the upcoming elections. Speaking at a meeting with leaders from the 12-party alliance, LDP, and Labour Party on Friday, he said the fall of fascism in July came through a student-people uprising after years of struggle. “The upcoming election must cement a democratic welfare state as chosen by the people,” he asserted.

Students at Dhaka University continued their protests late into Friday night after JCD announced committees for all 18 halls. Marching from almost every hall to TSC, protesters chanted slogans such as “Hall politics no more,” “No to partisan student politics,” and “No to small group politics.” Women students were seen leading anti-politics demonstrations on campus from the evening. Earlier, a group from Rokeya Hall submitted a memorandum to the administration demanding a ban on student politics in the hall.

Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) announced committees for 18 Dhaka University halls on Friday, triggering controversy over the inclusion of disputed leaders. Following an internal investigation, JCD found six leaders guilty of concealing information and removed them from their posts. The accused include Mosaddeq Al Haque Shanto (Dr. Muhammad Shahidullah Hall convener), Rakibul Hasan Sourav (senior joint convener), Nitu Rani Saha (Shamsunnahar Hall senior joint convener), Raju Sheikh (Muktijoddha Ziaur Rahman Hall joint convener), Ahmed Jabir Maham, and NS Saiman (Haji Muhammad Mohsin Hall members). A probe committee has been formed for further investigation.

Amid intense speculation surrounding their visit, top leaders of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) left Cox’s Bazar just after midnight on Thursday. They had arrived on August 5, coinciding with the anniversary of the July mass uprising. On Thursday morning, Sergis Alam went sightseeing in Bandarban with his wife, while four other leaders stayed at their hotel. The five-member delegation—Hasnat Abdullah, Sergis Alam, Tasnim Zara, Nasiruddin Patwari, and Khalid Saifullah—along with Alam’s wife Ayesha Khanom, had sparked political gossip and internal unrest during the trip.

The Pakistani government has suspended mobile internet services in Balochistan for at least three weeks due to escalating attacks by separatist groups demanding a share in mineral profits. Recent violence, including a deadly bomb blast that killed three security personnel, has been linked to the Baloch Liberation Army. The decision aims to curb militant coordination. Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest but poorest province, has a long history of conflict with the central government, and incidents of violence remain frequent in the region.

Two young men, Md. Sifat Molla (25) and Md. Masum Beg (25), have been arrested on charges of running a Facebook-based scam selling Hilsa fish. Police said a victim saw an attractive ad on a page named Chandpur Ilish Ghat and transferred money via mobile banking to several numbers provided by the scammers. Using various tactics, the fraudsters allegedly swindled over Tk 2 lakh from him. Following a complaint filed at New Market Police Station, law enforcers conducted a raid, arresting the duo and seizing four mobile phones and a SIM card used in the fraud. Legal proceedings are underway.

From 8 AM Thursday to 8 AM Friday, 190 patients infected with dengue fever transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes were admitted to hospitals, bringing the total number of hospitalizations this year to 23,410. The Directorate General of Health Services reported no deaths in the last 24 hours, though 95 dengue-related deaths have occurred this year. The affected regions in the past day include 40 patients in Barisal division, 50 in Chittagong, 42 in Dhaka South, 21 in Dhaka North, 27 in Dhaka outskirts, 7 in Khulna, and 3 in Mymensingh. July saw the highest number of deaths—41—in a single month.

Gana-Adhikar Parishad leader Muhammad Rashed Khan claims the people's revolution has lost its way due to the failure to form a National Revolutionary Government. In a Facebook post on August 8, he criticized the interim government for lacking transparency, accountability, and reform. He alleged that corruption persists, with no major changes in key sectors like education, healthcare, or law enforcement. According to him, the interim setup only replaced faces, not systems, and betrayed public expectations after a year in power.

A Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight (BG 327) bound for Abu Dhabi returned to Dhaka nearly an hour and a half after takeoff due to malfunctioning toilet flush systems in three restrooms. The flight departed at 12:23 AM Thursday but passengers faced discomfort as the toilets failed to function properly. The plane landed back at Shahjalal International Airport at 1:31 AM. Passengers were then transferred to a different aircraft at 3:38 AM. However, this replacement plane was scheduled for a Bangkok flight (BG 388) at 11:30 AM Friday and could not depart on time. The Bangkok flight eventually left at 5:30 PM. Authorities confirmed that the technical issues on the returned aircraft have been resolved.