Nahid Islam, convener of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), will embark on a two-nation tour later this month, visiting Malaysia (August 22–24) followed by a four-day trip to China.

He will lead an eight-member delegation during the visits. Ahead of the tour, the Chinese Embassy in Dhaka hosted a reception on Thursday, attended by Chinese Ambassador Yao Wen and senior NCP leaders.

Party leaders expressed optimism that the trip would elevate Bangladesh-China relations to “a new dimension.” Notably, delegations from both BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami have also visited China in recent months.

Trade Adviser Sheikh Bashir Uddin has announced that Bangladesh and Pakistan are taking steps to revive their long-dormant Joint Economic Commission (JEC) to enhance bilateral trade and investment.

Speaking to reporters, he said meaningful discussions were held with Pakistan’s commerce minister, including the possibility of forming a new Trade and Investment Commission. Both countries are also exploring joint ventures in intermediate goods production.

Bangladesh requested Pakistan to withdraw its anti-dumping duty on hydrogen peroxide and restore duty-free access for Bangladeshi tea exports. Additionally, Dhaka sought support for its leather and sugar industries. Talks also covered agricultural products and fruit trade.

When asked whether Bangladesh is tilting toward Pakistan, the adviser responded:
"We are leaning toward everyone—Pakistan, the United States, even importing onions from India. Wherever national interest lies, we will engage."

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has alleged that attempts are underway to downplay the Liberation War of 1971. He urged citizens to remain vigilant and united against such efforts.

Speaking at a Janmashtami greetings event, Fakhrul recalled the sacrifices of martyrs and stressed that the spirit of July–August 1971 gave Bangladesh its democratic aspirations. He criticized Awami League leaders who, according to him, now live lavishly abroad, detached from the people.

“An extreme form of divisive politics and radicalism is emerging in Bangladesh,” Fakhrul warned, adding that it must not be allowed to grow. He accused the former government of treating citizens as subordinates rather than partners, looting resources, and sending wealth overseas.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has canceled her planned tour to Bangladesh and four other Asian nations. The decision was officially communicated to the Bangladesh government on Thursday.

Meloni was scheduled to arrive in Dhaka on August 30 at the invitation of Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus, with a bilateral meeting planned for the following day.

According to diplomatic sources, Italy is playing a crucial role in NATO’s ongoing engagement over the Russia-Ukraine war. The mounting international responsibilities are believed to have led Meloni to postpone her Asia trip.

On his very first day in office, Sylhet’s newly appointed Deputy Commissioner (DC) Sarwar Alam inspected the Sadapathar tourist site and uncovered evidence of illegal stone extraction.

Visibly angered, the DC warned: “Anyone trying to remove stones from here will pay dearly. We will seize every truck carrying these stones, no matter where in Bangladesh it is found.”

Alam said stone smuggling under the cover of legal imports was a premeditated act and vowed zero tolerance. He further pledged to prioritize law and order, environmental protection, tourism, education, and healthcare while ensuring sustainable development in the district.

Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi has launched a blistering attack on the Indian government, saying if it is serious about deporting illegal Bangladeshis, it should “start with Sheikh Hasina.”

Owaisi urged New Delhi to recognize Bangladesh’s recent popular uprising and build ties with the new government.

He criticized the treatment of poor Bengali-speaking citizens in West Bengal, who are being picked up from Pune, flown to Kolkata, and dumped in no man’s land without verification of nationality.
“Anyone speaking Bengali is branded a Bangladeshi. This paranoia is unacceptable,” Owaisi said, condemning the exclusion of Muslims from voter rolls.

Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus has handed over the deed of a three-katha plot in Purbachal to Mahir Sarwar Megh, son of slain journalists Sagar Sarwar and Meherun Runi.

The plot was originally allotted to Sagar Sarwar in 2005 after an application in 2004. Despite full payment in 2009, the previous Awami League government failed to deliver possession.

At the handover ceremony, Yunus inquired about the stalled murder investigation of Sagar and Runi, instructing authorities to expedite the process.

The Bangladesh Bridge Authority has canceled the temporary allocation of 270 under-construction flats for its staff following recommendations from an investigation committee.

The probe uncovered irregularities in construction and allotment practices. The decision was made at a board meeting attended by Adviser Muhammad Faozul Kabir Khan and other members.

UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay has strongly condemned the murder of Bangladeshi journalist Asaduzzaman Tuhin, urging swift justice.

She emphasized the importance of protecting journalists who work on local issues from retaliatory attacks. “Perpetrators of crimes against journalists must not escape punishment,” Azoulay said.

Tuhin, 38, was hacked to death by assailants on August 7 in the Chandna Chowrasta area. UNESCO reaffirmed its commitment to press freedom and journalist safety.

BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman accused rival parties of deliberately complicating the upcoming February election by imposing “new and unnecessary conditions” to block the BNP’s path to victory.

Speaking virtually during a Janmashtami greetings exchange with Hindu community leaders, Tarique alleged multiple conspiracies surrounding the polls.
“Parties that want power should go to the people instead of resorting to tricks,” he said.

He cautioned that while political debate is healthy, conflicts must not reach a level where defeated forces exploit the situation.

Despite registration requirements, Jamaat-e-Islami has yet to provide the Election Commission (EC) with its bank account number and associated details.

While the party submitted its audited income and expenditure report for the 2024 fiscal year on July 31, the absence of an official account number has raised concerns.

According to the report, Jamaat recorded an income of Tk 28.97 crore against expenditures of Tk 23.73 crore—leading all political parties in both income and spending during the year of upheaval. Of this, Tk 16.5 crore came from member contributions, while Tk 6.5 crore was spent on salaries and allowances.

Jamaat’s Nayeb-e-Ameer, Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher, confirmed the audit report was filed but said the party’s finance department would look into the missing account details.

The Dhaka Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education has blacklisted 71 chief examiners and examiners for the current year’s SSC exam marking, citing irresponsibility and negligence. These individuals will be barred from performing related duties for the next five years.

A board notification stated that lapses in exam marking jeopardize students’ futures, and strict measures are necessary to ensure accountability. The board confirmed that this policy will continue.

Most of the blacklisted educators were involved with the English first and second papers. Among them are assistant teachers, headteachers, and principals, including Md. Ishak Ali of Muraid Garbazar Ideal High School, Md. Abdul Mannan of Arabaria High School, Shishir Kumar Bala of Haji Pande Ali High School, and Md. Mostak Ahmed of Manikganj Government High School.

Adviser Asif Mahmud announced Thursday that Bangladesh’s secondary school textbooks will undergo major revisions in the 2026 academic year.

The updated curriculum will highlight the July 2024 uprising and include Sheikh Hasina’s name as a “perpetrator of mass killings.”

Mahmud emphasized that the new textbooks aim to ensure future generations learn about the July-August 2024 people’s movement and the nation’s long struggle against authoritarianism. The curriculum will also feature information on Bangladesh’s four most recent national elections.

Nazrul Islam Khan, a member of BNP’s Standing Committee, has traveled to Bangkok for medical treatment. According to BNP media cell member Shairul Kabir Khan, Khan departed from Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 11 am on Thursday via a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight.

Earlier, on Tuesday morning, BNP leader Mirza Abbas also left Dhaka for treatment on a Thai Airways flight, accompanied by his wife and son.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has released a list of individuals involved in the large-scale illegal stone extraction scandal in Sylhet. The names span government officials, law enforcement, political figures, and businessmen.

Among those implicated are officials from the Bureau of Mineral Development, divisional commissioners, deputy commissioners, and UNOs—including Azizunnahar, Mohammad Abul Hasnat, Urmi Roy, and Abida Sultana. Also named are the superintendent of police, officers-in-charge, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) officials, and at least 42 businessmen and political leaders.

Most of the political figures linked to the scandal are affiliated with the BNP, including Rezaul Hasan Quayes Lodi (acting president, Sylhet Metropolitan BNP), Immad Hossain Chowdhury (general secretary), and Companyganj leaders Shahab Uddin and Haji Kamal.

The list also mentions Sylhet Jamaat leaders, including Amir Md. Fakrul Islam and Secretary Zainal Abedin, as well as NCP leaders Nazim Uddin and Abu Sadek Md. Khairul Islam Chowdhury.

Even ousted Awami League activists—such as Bilal Mia, Shahabuddin, and Gias Uddin, all involved in the stone trade—are on the list. The ACC said names of journalists and other professionals linked to the scandal are still being verified.