A group of demonstrators associated with the “July Movement” staged a sit-in outside BNP leader Fazlur Rahman’s Segunbagicha residence on Monday, demanding his arrest. Protesters, who also performed midday prayers at the site, rallied under the banner of “Revolutionary Student People” along with leaders from several other organizations, including the Bangladesh Democratic Student Council. Police remained on alert at the scene. The controversy stems from Rahman’s recent remarks on the July uprising, which prompted the BNP to issue him a show-cause notice.

France has summoned US Ambassador Charles Kushner after a letter published in The Wall Street Journal accused President Emmanuel Macron of failing to curb anti-Semitism and violence in Paris. The letter also criticized France’s plan to recognize a Palestinian state. In a statement, the French Foreign Ministry strongly rejected the allegations, reaffirming France’s commitment to combating anti-Semitism. It accused Ambassador Kushner of violating diplomatic norms by interfering in France’s internal affairs. The US State Department, however, defended him, saying he was effectively representing US interests. Notably, Charles Kushner is the father of Jared Kushner, son-in-law and former adviser to ex-President Donald Trump.

BNP leader and freedom fighter Fazlur Rahman alleged that a mob gathered outside his Segunbagicha residence, chanting slogans to kill him. He claimed that orders for his assassination were issued from abroad and accused Jamaat-e-Islami activists of orchestrating the threats. “As a freedom fighter and lawyer, I have the right to live with dignity in this country. Death does not frighten me, but I do not deserve a dishonorable end,” he said emotionally. Rahman urged people to listen to his full speech before passing judgment on his remarks regarding the July uprising. He added that if he had committed any mistake, he was willing to apologize and respond formally to his party’s show-cause notice.

Home Affairs Adviser Jahangir Alam announced a reward scheme for the recovery of missing firearms. Authorities will offer Tk 50,000 for pistols or shotguns, Tk 100,000 for Chinese rifles, Tk 150,000 for submachine guns, Tk 500,000 for light machine guns, and Tk 500 per bullet recovered. He assured that informants’ identities will remain confidential. Alam also pledged strict measures against corruption in law enforcement recruitment and called for public reporting of irregularities. Speaking in Gazipur, he confirmed disciplinary action against a police commissioner over traffic disruptions and said a Bangladeshi officer detained in India would be brought back via Interpol or existing border agreements. He stressed that election fairness ultimately depends on the people and political parties.

BNP leader Abdul Moyeen Khan said Bangladeshis are eagerly waiting to cast their votes in February’s national election, with the Election Commission already announcing a tentative date. Speaking after paying respects at the grave of former president Ziaur Rahman, Moyeen Khan emphasized that only a free and fair election can restore democracy in Bangladesh, giving citizens the right to elect 300 representatives of their choice. He also criticized the Awami League, claiming it had failed to play its role during the Liberation War, while asserting that Ziaur Rahman was the one who declared independence.

The United States has praised Bangladesh for sheltering displaced Rohingya refugees from Myanmar, while also commending other host countries in the region. In a press statement issued Sunday, the US State Department reaffirmed solidarity with the people of Myanmar, including the persecuted Rohingya and other ethnic minorities. Washington thanked the Government of Bangladesh for providing refuge and acknowledged the significant humanitarian burden it continues to bear. Since the 2017 military crackdown in Rakhine State, over 700,000 Rohingya fled to Bangladesh, bringing the total refugee population in the country to more than 1.3 million.

Diplomatic missions in Dhaka issued a joint statement marking eight years of the Rohingya crisis, condemning the escalating violence and human rights abuses by Myanmar’s military junta and other armed groups. The statement highlighted that over 1.1 million Rohingya remain in Bangladesh, many of them forced to flee during the 2017 crackdown. It emphasized that Rohingya refugees are still determined to return to their homeland and reaffirmed the international community’s steadfast support for both the Rohingya people and Bangladesh. Diplomats also reiterated their commitment to working toward a sustainable solution to the crisis.

Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus urged the international community to step up efforts to prevent the ethnic cleansing of Rohingya Muslims, presenting a seven-point proposal for their safe and dignified repatriation. Speaking at the International Rohingya Conference in Cox’s Bazar, he recalled Bangladesh’s decision to open its borders on humanitarian grounds despite major challenges, saying it was a moral duty to stop armed forces from carrying out genocidal campaigns. Yunus stressed that Myanmar’s government and the Arakan Army must ensure no further Rohingya influx into Bangladesh. “The crisis originated in Myanmar, and the solution lies in Myanmar,” he said. On the national front, he noted that Bangladesh is now stable and fully prepared for elections, scheduled for early February.

The Bangladesh Bank has announced plans to issue new licenses for digital banks, raising the minimum paid-up capital requirement to Tk 300 crore, up from the previous Tk 125 crore.

According to a central bank circular, licenses will be granted under the 1991 Bank Company Act, while payment services will be regulated under the 2014 Bangladesh Payment and Settlement Systems Regulations.

Digital banks will operate without physical branches, offering services exclusively through apps and online platforms. Customers will be able to deposit and spend money digitally, while receiving access to virtual cards, QR codes, and other advanced tools. However, plastic debit or credit cards will not be issued.

Each licensed digital bank will be required to go public and release primary shares within five years of operation.

Russia and Ukraine exchanged 146 prisoners of war each on Sunday in a swap mediated by the United Arab Emirates. Moscow confirmed that freed Russian soldiers were taken to Belarus for medical and psychological care.

The deal follows three rounds of negotiations held in Istanbul between May and July. Among those released were eight Russian citizens from Kursk, whom Moscow says were “illegally detained” by Kyiv.

Meanwhile, Russia accused Ukraine of launching a drone strike overnight on a nuclear power plant, sparking a fire and damaging an auxiliary transformer. Authorities said the attack forced a 50% reduction in output at the plant’s third reactor.

Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus joined the main session of the three-day international dialogue on the Rohingya crisis in Cox’s Bazar on Monday. He is scheduled to deliver the opening address at the session. Earlier in the morning, Dr. Yunus arrived at Cox’s Bazar airport on a scheduled flight. The dialogue, which began on Sunday with an inaugural session featuring interactive discussions with Rohingya representatives, will continue until August 26. According to official sources, the Chief Adviser is expected to leave Cox’s Bazar later today around 1 PM.

At least 51 Palestinians were killed in Gaza in a single day of Israeli strikes, while 24 others died in chaos as they tried to collect humanitarian aid. An additional eight people perished from hunger and malnutrition.

According to Al Jazeera, Israel’s ongoing assault has destroyed more than 1,000 buildings in Gaza City’s Zeitoun and Sabra neighborhoods since August 6, leaving hundreds trapped beneath rubble. Hospitals are overwhelmed, with doctors struggling to cope with waves of wounded civilians.

Civil defense teams warn that the humanitarian crisis is spiraling out of control. No place in Gaza is safe—bombs are falling on homes, shelters, and even aid distribution centers in areas already declared famine zones.

Actor-turned-politician Thalapathy Vijay drew a massive crowd of nearly 400,000 at a rally in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, on Friday, declaring the BJP his party’s “ideological enemy.”

Invoking a jungle metaphor, Vijay said: “In the wild, there may be foxes and leopards, but there is only one lion. Even if the lion stands alone, it remains a lion. Tamizhaga Vettri Kazhagam fears no one. All of Tamil Nadu is with us.”

Vijay’s party, which grew out of his fan club, won 115 of 169 seats it contested in the 2021 local elections. In 2024, he formally launched the Tamizhaga Vettri Kazhagam, positioning himself against the BJP and DMK. From protesting fuel price hikes on a bicycle to joining Iftar meals during Ramadan, Vijay has actively courted the masses. Analysts believe he could pose a serious challenge to the DMK in the 2026 state elections.

Israeli forces have destroyed more than 3,000 olive trees in the occupied West Bank during a three-day military campaign, leaving Palestinian farmers devastated. The operation, launched in Al-Mughayir village after an Israeli settler was shot, also damaged nearly 500 acres of farmland and razed homes.

For the village’s 4,000 residents, olive trees are their primary livelihood. Farmers say the destruction has left many families destitute. “They may uproot our trees and gardens, but they will never uproot us,” one farmer said defiantly. “Our roots run deeper than the olive trees.”

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has called for the formation of a united national front to resist what he described as U.S. attempts to subjugate Iran.

“Never will the Islamic Republic bow to America,” he declared in a Sunday address.

Khamenei linked last June’s joint Israeli-U.S. attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities to broader efforts to destabilize the country.

Meanwhile, Iran is preparing to reopen negotiations with world powers over its nuclear program, signaling a new round of diplomacy amid escalating tensions.