BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir departed Dhaka on Wednesday morning for Bangkok to receive eye treatment, following his doctor’s advice. According to BNP Media Cell member Shayrul Kabir Khan, Fakhrul boarded a Thai Airways flight from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 11:15 AM, accompanied by his wife, Rahat Ara Begum.
Before leaving, Fakhrul visited party chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia at her Firoza residence on Tuesday night to inquire about her health.

Severe wildfires and an intense heatwave have claimed at least three lives in southern Europe, forcing thousands to evacuate. Temperatures have topped 40°C across Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, and the Balkans, with red heat alerts in place. Spain’s weather service warned of highs reaching 44°C in Seville and Cordoba. In Tres Cantos, near Madrid, a stable worker died after flames—fueled by 70 km/h winds—spread into residential areas. Over 1,000 troops have been deployed to fight the fires. Portugal is battling three major blazes, while Sardinia saw the death of a four-year-old Romanian child found unconscious in a car. France has heat warnings in three-quarters of the country, and Greece is fighting over 150 active wildfires.

Students of Rabindra University have blocked railway lines in Ullapara, Sirajganj, demanding the construction of a permanent campus. Joined by faculty and staff in solidarity, they began their protest at 9 a.m. Wednesday, halting rail services between Dhaka and northern Bangladesh. Protesters noted that despite nine years since the university’s founding, it still lacks a permanent campus, depriving students of quality education and facilities. They warned of tougher action if demands are not swiftly met.

According to Bloomberg, India and China are planning to resume direct air services as early as next month. India’s Civil Aviation Department has reportedly asked Air India and IndiGo to be ready on short notice to operate direct routes. An official announcement may come around the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit. Direct flights and the Kailash–Mansarovar pilgrimage were halted in May 2020 due to COVID-19. Tensions escalated further after a deadly clash in Galwan, eastern Ladakh, a month later. Talks earlier this year paved the way for restoring air links as part of efforts to ease bilateral strains.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has vowed that India will never be allowed to take “a single drop” of Pakistan’s water. “If you try, you’ll be taught a lesson so harsh you’ll be made to stand holding your ears,” he warned. Former minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari earlier called the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty an “attack on the Indus civilization,” pledging provincial resistance if war was imposed. The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague ruled in June that India cannot unilaterally suspend the treaty, reaffirming on Monday that western rivers must flow freely for Pakistan’s use. India has rejected the PCA’s jurisdiction and verdict.

Bangladesh has sought Malaysia’s support to establish a Halal Industrial Park to tap into the fast-growing global halal products market. On Tuesday, the Chief Adviser met Malaysian halal industry officials led by Datin Paduka Hajah Hakimah, Halal Coordinator at the Prime Minister’s Office. They highlighted that the halal market, currently worth $3 trillion, is expected to reach $5 trillion by 2030. Malaysia already operates at least 14 halal industrial parks with significant market share. Bangladesh, where only the Islamic Foundation issues halal certification—so far to just 124 firms—could play a major role with improved infrastructure and certification capacity. BIDAR’s Chowdhury Ashiq Mahmud called for Malaysian help in outlining park requirements, noting growing export interest among local certified firms.

The latest US State Department human rights report, released Tuesday, states that Bangladesh’s human rights situation has remained stable since August last year. Citing the July uprising, Sheikh Hasina’s flight, and Muhammad Yunus’s assumption of office as Chief Adviser, the report lists past abuses under the previous government—including killings, enforced disappearances, torture, arbitrary arrests, restrictions on free speech and media, censorship, journalist detentions, and labor law violations. It noted that while the Hasina administration failed to prosecute offenders, the interim government has since detained those involved in rights violations.

On Wednesday morning, Malaysia’s Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia awarded an honorary doctorate to Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser, Professor Muhammad Yunus. Addressing students, Yunus said the youth-led uprising of July–August 2024 had given new meaning to the nation’s future hopes. The government, he stressed, is working toward holding a free, fair, and transparent election in February 2026 to transfer power to true representatives of the people. He reiterated that peace, stability, and reforms aimed at building a “New Bangladesh” remain the interim administration’s core objectives.

Writer and activist Farhad Mazhar has declared that the public will not accept elections under the constitution left by Sheikh Hasina. Speaking at a political event, he warned that the old tactic of “buying and selling bureaucrats to cross the electoral river” will no longer be tolerated. Mazhar accused successive governments of deceiving citizens and vowed to continue the fight until people’s sovereignty is secured. Addressing the BNP, he urged them not to pit their party against the youth, whom he credited for their liberation. He called for intellectual advancement to counter conspiracies and cautioned against getting drawn into “obscene arguments.”

Economic Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed has said that the scale of looting from Bangladesh’s banking sector is unparalleled anywhere in the world. He blamed rampant disorder, corruption, and a lack of governance for pushing the economy into an “ICU” at one point. In one case, he discovered that 95% of loans in a bank were non-performing. However, he noted that conditions have now improved, with inflation down to around 8%, GDP growth at 3.9% and projected to reach 5–5.7% by year’s end. While acknowledging that not all expectations were met, he insisted progress has been made. He also confirmed that Bangladesh Bank is working on unification, though political changes could alter that plan.

A government-appointed probe committee has begun investigating the July 16 violence in Gopalganj linked to the National Committee for the Protection of People’s Rights (NCP) march. On Tuesday evening, Additional Secretary of the Public Security Division, Khondker Md. Mahbubur Rahman, urged journalists to share more information during a media briefing. Earlier in the day, committee members visited the scenes of clashes, including Ulpur in Gopalganj Sadar, the district prison, the deputy commissioner’s residence area, and the NCP rally venue. The interim government formed the six-member body on July 24, led by former Justice Dr. Md. Abu Tariq.

At least 25 people were injured in a violent clash between BNP and Jubo Dal activists in Kishoreganj over a turf control dispute. The conflict followed a Monday night raid on illegal sand extraction from the Ghorautra River, based on a complaint by upazila Jubo Dal’s senior joint convener Azharul Islam Sohel.
Authorities fined detainee Ripon Mia Tk 100,000 and seized a dredger. Following the operation, supporters of the complainant and those of accused ward BNP president Gias Uddin armed themselves with local weapons and clashed until police intervened.

Five Bangladeshi fishermen from Shah Porir Dwip, Teknaf, were abducted at gunpoint by Myanmar’s Arakan Army from the Naf River estuary near Naikhyongdia. The abductees are Md. Ilyas, his sons Akkal Ali and Nur Hossain, along with Saber Hossain and Saiful Islam.
According to Teknaf’s UNO Sheikh Ehsan Uddin, the armed group used a speedboat to seize the men along with their fishing boat.

An audio recording has surfaced in which former BNP MP Abdul Gafur Bhuiyan is heard verbally abusing and threatening Comilla’s DC Amirul Kaiser and Education Board Chairman Shamsul Alam over a dispute regarding the presidency of Volain Bazar High School and College.
The conflict arose after the DC recommended Mir Abu Saleh Shamsuddin for the post, which the chairman forwarded to the institution’s head. Gafur reportedly called the chairman, threatening to “rip out” his liver and that of the person who appointed him. He also allegedly visited the board with associates to intimidate staff. Following the incident, the recommended candidate stepped down.

A Bangladeshi man from Jhenaigati upazila was beaten to death by locals in Meghalaya’s Khasi Hills district over allegations of border intrusion and an attempted abduction. Akram, injured in the assault, died on Tuesday.
Locals alleged that at least eight Bangladeshis tried to kidnap a resident of Rongdangai village on Monday and vandalized homes during the attack. Villagers captured six Bangladeshis, severely beating them before handing them over to authorities. Police recovered a revolver, ID cards, three wireless sets, and a magazine. Three detainees have been produced in court, while two others remain hospitalized.