On August 5, Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury and State Minister Zunaid Ahmed Palak, along with ten others, reportedly took refuge in a room within the Parliament complex from morning till around 2:30 AM. They were eventually rescued by the military. Palak has stated he is open to interrogation. The court has granted a two-day police remand in a murder case filed with Vatara police. Shirin Sharmin remains in hiding, with her whereabouts—domestic or abroad—still unconfirmed.

BNP’s Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, after visiting the home of artist Manbendra Ghosh, stated that although pro-democracy forces support the interim government, it lacks constitutional legitimacy. He said it is now the government’s responsibility to determine how the Awami League will operate politically, given it controls the state machinery. Rizvi warned that unless war criminals within Awami League are prosecuted, the current administration will be deemed a failure.

Pakistan’s ARY News has suggested that the recent attack on tourists in Indian-occupied Pahalgam, Kashmir, might have been orchestrated to serve the Modi government’s political agenda. The outlet claimed that such attacks are often used to deflect attention from domestic failures and incite anti-Pakistan sentiment. ARY also reported that pro-government social media accounts quickly began spreading unverified claims targeting Pakistan.

Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus stated at a roundtable discussion in Doha that Bangladesh is currently hosting nearly 1.3 million forcibly displaced Rohingyas from Myanmar, with an additional 32,000 births annually. He emphasized that sustainable repatriation is the only viable solution. Dr. Yunus said the Arakan Army now controls 14 of the 17 townships in Myanmar’s Rakhine state, along with 271 km of the Myanmar-Bangladesh border. He noted that over 100,000 new Rohingya refugees entered Bangladesh since November 2023. Additionally, 909 Myanmar security personnel sought refuge in Bangladesh since February 2024 due to Arakan Army attacks—875 of whom have already been repatriated, with the remaining 34 to be returned soon. Dr. Yunus also highlighted that international funding for the Joint Response Plan is declining, and food assistance programs are facing financial shortages. He expressed hope that Qatar will take a leading role in addressing the crisis.

BNP leader Mirza Abbas has claimed that five senior bureaucrats, including one outside the Secretariat, and certain members of the advisory council are working to derail the Chief Adviser. He warned the Chief Adviser to remain vigilant. Abbas also criticized YouTubers for allegedly fueling instability and questioned why those benefiting from Awami League-linked administrators in the bureaucracy remain untouched.

Asif Mahmud’s Assistant Personal Secretary (APS), Md. Moazzem Hossain, has stepped down from his position. Moazzem clarified that he was not dismissed but voluntarily resigned to pursue a permanent government job. In a statement, he said, “On March 10, 2025, I passed the written exam for a bank job. The BCS written exam is scheduled for May 8, and the bank interview on May 22. That’s why I submitted my resignation to Adviser Asif Mahmud on March 25.” He dismissed media reports claiming he was removed, calling them false. Adviser Asif Mahmud also confirmed the resignation and encouraged anyone with complaints against Moazzem to submit them via the designated complaint email.

The General Secretary of the KUET Teachers’ Association, Dr. Md. Faruk Hossain, stated that the association stands firmly on the matter of upholding the dignity of the Vice Chancellor. “Since the government has intervened, they should take appropriate action if any faults are found. But if a Vice Chancellor is forced to resign due to pressure from any group, we strongly oppose it,” he said. Dr. Hossain also mentioned that teachers were subjected to abuse by students following the incident, and academic activities will remain suspended until justice is served for the assaulted teachers. Association President Dr. Md. Shahidul Islam added, “We are deeply hurt that the Education Adviser did not speak to us today.”

Professor Dr. Asif Nazrul has confirmed that efforts are underway to withdraw politically motivated cases against leaders of Hefazat-e-Islam. He stated that the cases were part of a broader campaign of repression under the Hasina administration, which he labeled as “anti-Islamic.” Nazrul said his office had asked the Attorney General to ensure justice and requested prayers to continue advocating for the oppressed.

Garment workers in Gazipur’s Sripur area staged a protest Wednesday morning, blocking a major highway in Herachala village. The demonstration was sparked by the sudden layoff of 30 workers and the closure of a factory without notice. Protesters ended the blockade after three hours. They said they had returned to work after assurances of reemployment, only to find the factory locked the following day.

To tackle the widespread and often chaotic use of battery-powered autorickshaws in Dhaka, authorities are planning to introduce a new model developed by BUET. In a recent meeting with law enforcement and local stakeholders, Dhaka South City Corporation presented this model, which prioritizes safety features like foot brakes and regulated speed. If approved by the Ministry of Local Government, only licensed rickshaws built under this design will be allowed on city streets. Existing rickshaws will be gradually phased out. This initiative aims for nationwide adoption, with training provided for drivers if needed.

A three-member team from the University Grants Commission (UGC) has begun investigating ongoing unrest at Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET). The probe began Wednesday morning following a brief visit and discussion with protesting students by Education Ministry adviser Dr. C. R. Abrar. Despite appeals, students have refused to end their hunger strike. The UGC team is now speaking directly with students and faculty.

After 34 hours of hunger strike, nine students of Chittagong University (CU) called off their protest in the early hours of Tuesday. The decision followed a Syndicate meeting that approved the relocation of the university’s Fine Arts Institute to the main campus. The students had begun their strike in front of the administrative building on Monday afternoon. Two students required medical attention due to exhaustion.

The High Court has suspended for three months a directive from the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) that required prior approval from higher authorities before making arrests in cases related to recent mass uprisings. The suspension follows a petition by Supreme Court lawyer Md. Jasim Uddin challenging the legality of the directive, which was issued on April 9 in connection with anti-discrimination protests.

A Dhaka court has issued an arrest warrant against renowned actress and filmmaker Meher Afroz Shaon following allegations of physical abuse against her father and stepmother, Nishi Islam. The case, filed by Nishi Islam, names 12 individuals including former DB chief Mohammad Harun-or-Rashid. Two police officers from Badda Police Station admitted in court to detaining and torturing the complainant under directives from their then-officer-in-charge. Allegedly, Shaon had her mentally ill father confined to a psychiatric facility while Nishi Islam was imprisoned for six months. “We want justice,” said Nishi Islam.

As part of its ongoing crackdown on dissent, the United Arab Emirates has designated 11 political dissidents and their relatives as “terrorists.” Human Rights Watch reports that none of the individuals received prior notice or an opportunity to defend themselves. Among them, at least nine are known government critics or closely related to dissidents. Only two of the eleven face charges or convictions related to terrorism. Since 2014, the UAE has declared 83 organizations as terrorist entities, leaving little room for political opposition or protest.