The body of Marxist intellectual Badruddin Umar was taken to Dhaka’s Central Shaheed Minar this morning, where people from all walks of life paid floral tributes.

Writer and thinker Farhad Mazhar said Umar would remain an enduring figure, rejecting the notion that Marxist and revolutionary traditions had faded. “The political events of August 5 show clear signs of a revival of this tradition,” he added.

Sharmin S. Murshid, an adviser, said Umar’s passing marked the end of a crucial chapter in Bangladesh’s history, describing him as principled, uncompromising, and visionary. Other political, social, and cultural leaders, including BNP’s Habibun Nabi Khan Sohel and NCP convener Nahid Islam, also paid their respects.

The Anti-Fascist Resistance Movement has demanded punitive measures and travel bans against senior BTV officials, including Chief News Editor Munshi Fariduzzaman, Syeda Tasmina Ahmed, and Shamsul Alam, accusing them of aiding state propaganda during the July massacre.

At a human chain event, Mohammad Olid, acting editor of Bangla Post, said that while Sheikh Hasina has fled the country, her trusted aides remain entrenched in BTV. He alleged that Fariduzzaman, a former member of Hasina’s press wing, and Tasmina continue to control state media operations, while Shamsul Alam—who allegedly directed student killings—is now part of the chief adviser’s press wing.

The group claimed that through these figures, sensitive state information and footage are still being funneled to Hasan Mahmud.

Attorney General Mohammad Asaduzzaman has said that ongoing trials for crimes against humanity are being conducted with the sole aim of ensuring justice, not targeting individuals.

“What matters to the law is the crime and its nature, not the person,” he stressed. He also claimed that in the past 17 years, the Awami League government was responsible for over 700 enforced disappearances and 4,500 extrajudicial killings, along with widespread harassment through fabricated cases.

However, he noted improvements in law and order over the past year, stating that no disappearances or politically motivated cases had been reported during this period.

Shipping Adviser M. Sakhawat Hossain has said Bangladesh would have no objection to allowing foreign companies to operate the New Mooring Container Terminal at Chattogram Port if it benefits the country.

“Currently, there is no extortion in the port. If foreign operators take over, there will be none at all,” he remarked. He highlighted that port revenues have risen by 8.5 percent, with the Ministry of Shipping generating Tk 65,759.7 crore in revenue for FY2024–25, up 9.4 percent from the previous year.

Hossain also hinted at stepping down after the February elections, saying he would “wrap things up in January and go home after February.”

BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman has warned that sidelining the public in political negotiations could create conditions for the return of “a fugitive dictator.”

He acknowledged progress on reform talks among political parties but urged unresolved issues to be left to the people. “The people are the source of BNP’s power. We are working to strengthen the party through elections,” he said.

Rahman criticized the previous government for destroying voting rights and accountability, leaving nearly 30 million new voters disenfranchised. He vowed that BNP’s movement will continue until democratic rights are restored, warning that no process undermining peace and stability will be tolerated.

Authorities have banned the carrying of firearms on Dhaka University campus ahead of Tuesday’s Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (Daksu) election.

According to a directive from the Chief Returning Officer, only law enforcement agencies are exempt from the ban, effective from September 8–10. Any violation will be treated as a punishable offense.

Voting will take place on September 9, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., across eight polling centers, with 39,874 registered voters eligible to cast ballots.

Bangladesh will export 1,200 tons of hilsa fish to India ahead of this year’s Durga Puja festival, the Ministry of Commerce has announced.

Interested exporters must apply by September 11 with hard copies of updated trade licenses, export registration certificates, tax and VAT documents, and sales agreements. The government has set a minimum export price of $12.50 per kilogram.

Notably, Bangladesh had permitted 2,420 tons of hilsa exports for Durga Puja last year—double this year’s quota. The ministry clarified that permits cannot be transferred or exceeded and warned that the government may suspend exports at any time.

Press Secretary Shafiqur Rahman has said that although climate change impacts nearly every sector of Bangladesh, the country’s story rarely makes its way to the international stage.

Speaking on Monday, he stressed that without effective global outreach, securing adequate funding and support becomes increasingly difficult. “Bangladesh is among the world’s most climate-vulnerable nations. Cyclones, floods, tidal surges, and salinity intrusion are intensifying every year,” he noted.

From Sylhet’s water crisis to salinity in the southwest and chronic waterlogging in Bhobdaha, the secretary identified clear consequences of climate change that fail to attract global attention. He called on the media to take the lead in shaping strong narratives for climate finance, citing world-renowned journalists Bill McKibben and Elizabeth Kolbert as examples of impactful reporting.

At least 19 people were killed and over 347 injured on Monday after police opened fire on protesters in Nepal, where a youth-led movement has erupted against corruption and a government-imposed social media ban.

The protests, spearheaded by “Generation Z,” began outside the Parliament building in Kathmandu before spreading across major cities. Despite a curfew imposed from 3:30 p.m., demonstrations continued, prompting security forces to use water cannons, tear gas, and live ammunition.

In Jhapa district, protesters hurled bricks at Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli’s residence in Damak, forcing police to disperse them with warning shots. The National Human Rights Commission has urged restraint from both sides as military and police units were deployed to safeguard key locations.

Hospitals across Nepal are overwhelmed as hundreds of injured were rushed in simultaneously, adding strain to already limited healthcare services.

Anti-Corruption Commissioner Miah Muhammad Ali Akbar Azizi has condemned officials who exploit citizens for personal gain, saying, “Those who trap people for more than they deserve should be ashamed.”
Speaking at a public hearing in Sherpur, he reminded civil servants that their salaries come from taxpayers, not privileges of office.
During the event, citizens shared complaints of bribery and harassment across government, semi-government, autonomous institutions, and banks. The commissioner ordered immediate investigations and corrective action against those accused.

Members of the banned student group Chhatra League staged a sudden protest march in Cumilla South on Monday before dispersing ahead of police arrival.
Eyewitnesses said several hundred gathered near Bishwaroad on the Dhaka-Chattogram highway, chanting slogans demanding the government’s resignation. The flash protest lasted only a few minutes, after which demonstrators scattered into nearby streets.

The Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education has ordered all private educational institutions with expired or ongoing ad hoc committees to form permanent governing committees by November 30, 2025.
Institutions without an ad hoc committee must form one within 15 days, under the updated Governing Body and Managing Committee Regulations 2024.
The notice warns that all ad hoc committees will be dissolved on December 1, and heads of institutions failing to comply will be held responsible.

A Dhaka court has sent former secretary Abu Alam Mohammad Shahid Khan to jail in an anti-terrorism case filed at Shahbagh Police Station.
Prosecutors allege Khan conspired to topple the interim government through the group “Manch 71.” Earlier, 16 others, including Latif Siddique, were arrested on similar charges.
Khan, once a privileged Awami League insider, served as Sheikh Hasina’s deputy press secretary from 1996 to 2001.

Addressing questions about an attack on Kader Siddique’s residence, Bangladesh Army Headquarters declared that no mob will be allowed to insult freedom fighters.
“The army is actively working to prevent mob violence and will act decisively if needed,” the statement read.
Army officials also dismissed rumors of involvement in the upcoming DUCSU election, calling it propaganda. “We want a fair and transparent election that strengthens democracy,” they stressed.
On the general election, the army said it will act under the direction of the Election Commission and the government but has yet to receive formal orders.

BNP leader Zainul Abedin Farooque has called on the government to ensure tomorrow’s Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) election is free from outside influence.
He urged students to vote wisely in support of the Chhatra Dal panel, while warning against alleged conspiracies by Sheikh Hasina abroad.
“United resistance will restore democracy. We are confident that under Dr. Yunus, the 2026 election will be free of terror,” Farooque said, urging political parties to focus on the electoral process.