Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami candidate and the party’s medical division amir, Dr SM Khaleduzzaman, criticised State Minister for Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Nurul Haque Nur in a Facebook post on Wednesday afternoon. The report says Khaleduzzaman issued the remarks while commenting on Nur’s role in the ministry.

In the post, Khaleduzzaman wrote that Nurul Haque Nur should return to the “bikashprotha” of the past. He described the Expatriates’ Welfare Ministry as important, saying the fate of millions of expatriates and the country’s economic wheel depend on it.

Khaleduzzaman further said that having an inexperienced state minister in charge of such a ministry was a cruel irony for expatriates’ fate. The source does not include any response from Nurul Haque Nur or information about any subsequent action related to the Facebook post.

Tension gripped Chhagalnaiya in Feni after rival BNP groups announced programmes and counter-programmes following clashes over sand extraction. On Wednesday, Rapid Action Battalion and police personnel were deployed at key points in the municipal town to prevent untoward incidents. Public concern grew from the afternoon as security patrols and searches were intensified.

Armed law enforcement personnel were positioned at Zero Point, College Road, the Chhagalnaiya-Feni road and the Chhagalnaiya-Shubhapur road, among other locations. Around 5pm, several supporters of the Alamgir Siddique group who tried to gather on College Road dispersed after being stopped by RAB and police. Police said an argument and scuffle occurred between Officer-in-Charge Md Abu Taher, Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal leader Nadim Uddin and an associate, but no one was detained or arrested.

Earlier, allegations said upazila BNP leader Riaz Uddin Mazumdar Tipu was seriously injured in a clash, while four others were hurt trying to rescue him. Tipu filed a written complaint naming 14 people and 20 to 30 unidentified suspects. Hanif, a member of the Siddique group, was also injured, and both sides denied allegations of attacks against each other.

Road Transport, Bridges, Railways and Shipping Minister Sheikh Robiul Alam said those who gave their lives in the July movement were the nation’s finest sons. He made the remarks on July 29 as chief guest at a discussion titled “Shashwata July,” organised by the Dhaka College unit of Chhatra Dal in Dhaka. The event commemorated martyrs and injured people from the July mass uprising and the past 17 years of anti-autocracy movements.

Alam said the movement succeeded because of unity between students and the public, alongside an active role by politicians. He said politicians stood with students and the public from beginning to end, risking their lives. He also claimed that current Prime Minister Tarique Rahman appointed him chief coordinator when the movement began, and that he worked diligently to accelerate it.

The minister alleged that some people not seen in the field during the July movement are now claiming its main leadership. He said voters had answered such claims through elections. Alam also said the public knows whose hands keep the state safe and who stands beside people during crises. Chhatra Dal leaders and activists, the Dhaka College principal, teachers, students and guests attended the event.

Police stopped a convoy of National Citizen Party (NCP) leaders travelling from Moulvibazar to Habiganj at the Cha-Kanya area of Sreemangal on Wednesday afternoon, amid political tensions and restrictions under Section 144. The convoy left Moulvibazar Circuit House shortly before 4pm and was halted around 4:30pm. A scuffle occurred between police and NCP leaders. Those in the convoy included NCP convener and lawmaker Nahid Islam, chief coordinator Nasiruddin Patwary, Sarjis Alam, Hasnat Abdullah and Mahmuda Mitu.

Witnesses said the convoy included about 10 microbuses, while more than 100 police officers were positioned on the main road. NCP leaders got out of their vehicles and spoke with senior police officials. Police told them not to enter Habiganj while Section 144 remained in force, while the NCP leaders called for the blockade to be lifted.

Tensions intensified after the NCP alleged that BNP, Chhatra Dal and Jubo Dal activists attacked its members in Habiganj on Tuesday. Police said several journalists' vehicles were vandalised and some party activists were injured. The administration imposed Section 144 in Habiganj municipality from Wednesday morning. NCP suspended two planned July marches in Moulvibazar and announced a protest march and rally in Habiganj.

Iran has rejected Oman’s proposal for managing the Strait of Hormuz and said the waterway will remain closed unless its counterproposal is accepted. The report, published on July 29, said an Omani delegation visiting Tehran last Friday and Saturday proposed a regional joint consortium to manage the strait and maritime vessel traffic.

Oman’s proposal called for a 50-50 division of management responsibility, with Iran controlling one half of the strait and Oman supervising the other. Tehran rejected the plan, arguing that any management framework should be limited to Iran and Oman because they are the only coastal states with special rights over the issue.

Iran demanded full control over 50 percent of the strait and partial control over the remainder. Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi described this as Iran’s counterproposal and said the strait would remain closed if Oman did not accept it. A senior Iranian official told Reuters that Tehran had directly rejected Oman’s proposal, calling its prospects of success unlikely and alleging that the United States and Saudi Arabia were pressuring Oman to advance an “unrealistic” plan.

Fisheries and Livestock State Minister Sultan Salahuddin Tuku called for greater public awareness and a conservation mindset among younger generations to protect tigers. Speaking after a World Tiger Day rally at Bangladesh National Zoo on Wednesday, he described tigers as among the world’s most important wild animals and an essential part of biodiversity.

Tuku said the global tiger population was about 100,000 roughly a century ago but is now about 5,000, a decline he said shows the species faces an existential threat. He warned that tigers could face an even deeper crisis unless effective steps are taken immediately and people are made more aware of conservation.

The minister said the Sundarbans currently has 124 tigers, while Bangladesh National Zoo has about 15 and zoos across the country have about 50 in total. Responding to a question on tiger-counting funds and transparency, he said the matter falls under the Forest Department, not his ministry, and that the department runs the process through its own procedures. He later inaugurated the zoo’s souvenir shop.

Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission is conducting an inventory operation at another residence of dismissed Major General Ziaul Ahsan in Mirpur DOHS in the capital. The operation is being led by ACC Deputy Director Md Hafizul Islam, with an executive magistrate and other officials present, according to a July 29, 2026 report by BSS.

ACC Public Relations Deputy Director Md Aktarul Islam confirmed the development on Wednesday. He said the operation is underway at flat L-3, plot 541, road 31 in Mirpur DOHS. The ACC team and the executive magistrate are participating in the operation at the residence.

The commission said it is preparing a list of various items and documents found in the home as part of the ongoing inventory process. Detailed information will be provided later, according to the ACC official. Earlier, the commission carried out an inventory operation at Ziaul Ahsan’s eight-storey house in Jalsiri on July 30.

A 40-year-old farmer, Shafiqul Islam, died after being struck by lightning while planting rice in his field in Pakundia upazila of Kishoreganj. The incident occurred at about 3:30pm on Wednesday in Charpalash Purba Para village of Sukhia union. Shafiqul was the son of Abdul Razzak and worked as a farmer.

Local sources said Shafiqul was planting rice on his own land when lightning struck amid light rain. He died at the scene from the lightning strike.

Sukhia Union Parishad chairman Abdul Hamid Titu confirmed the death of the farmer. The report did not provide information about medical assistance, rescue efforts, or any administrative action following the incident.

Allegations of irregularities and misappropriation have emerged over cash assistance linked to corrugated tin sheets for impoverished families in Chauhali upazila of Sirajganj. The allegations name Project Implementation Officer Md Hekmat Ali and Md Yusuf Ali, a CA at the UNO office. In fiscal year 2025-2026, 42 bundles of tin sheets were distributed among 26 families in Khashkaulia union, in the presence of then UNO Khodadad Hossain.

Beneficiaries said each family was supposed to receive Tk3,000 through a bank cheque alongside the tin sheets. They allege that, despite the passage of time after the UNO’s transfer, none of the 26 families received the money. Several beneficiaries said they received only the tin sheets and were given neither cash nor a bank cheque.

Yusuf Ali said the PIO knew about the matter and that he knew nothing. Hekmat Ali said he was on leave when the tin sheets were distributed and that only tin, not cash, had been allocated then; the money was allocated later. He said payments would be made according to the list, while funds for untraceable beneficiaries would be returned to the government treasury. Current UNO Md Nurul Amin said he knew nothing about the issue.

Bangladesh’s Appellate Division has stayed a High Court order that barred the “shown arrest,” arrest, or harassment of individuals when no specific case existed against them. The order was issued on Wednesday morning by a bench led by Chief Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury.

The Appellate Division also directed that the High Court rule connected to the matter be disposed of within four weeks. Attorney General Barrister Md Ruhul Quddus Kajol represented the state during the hearing. Senior lawyer Barrister Sara Hossain and Advocate Syed Mamun Mahbub appeared for the applicants.

Earlier, the High Court had ruled in the cases of several individuals that the respondents could not subject them to shown arrest, arrest, or any other form of harassment if there was no case against them. The appellate court’s stay takes effect alongside its instruction for the High Court rule to be resolved within the stated four-week period.

Several officials named in cases over alleged attacks on students and members of the public during July remain in their positions at Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology, according to a report published on July 29, 2026. The report said questions have been raised about the university administration after no visible action was taken against them for a long period, while some were allowed to rejoin work and continue their duties. The case complainant, July fighters and some students alleged administrative inaction.

Four officials named in a case filed by July fighter Amanullah Aman are still working at RUET, the report said: Raisul Islam Roj, Rafiqul Islam Bipu, Mufti Mahmud Roni and Mahabub Salam Setu. Mahmudur Rahman Dipon, named in a separate attack case, is also working at a university hall. Mamun-or-Rashid, named in a case alleging attacks during the anti-discrimination student movement, remains responsible for RUET's security branch despite his arrest on May 4, 2025.

Registrar Arif Ahmed Chowdhury said he had received no formal information on the accused and that action would be taken under rules if specific evidence emerged. Vice-Chancellor S. M. Abdur Razzak said several officials had already been temporarily suspended, while information about others had been sought from police. Aman called for the named officials to remain suspended until investigations are completed.

Police in Debidwar, Cumilla, are investigating an allegation that upazila Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal member secretary Nazmul Hossain Sarkar beat deed writer Saif Uddin after he refused to pay Tk20,000 allegedly demanded for drug use. The alleged incident occurred at about 6:30pm on July 26 outside Advocate Jamal’s chamber at Debidwar Mosque Market in Debidwar municipality.

Saif Uddin, who works as a deed writer at the Debidwar sub-registrar office, said Nazmul came to the chamber while he was sitting there and demanded the money. He alleged that he was beaten after saying he could not pay. Saif also alleged that Nazmul had long been involved with drugs and said this harmed the image of Chhatra Dal.

Nazmul could not be reached for comment despite repeated calls because his phone was switched off. Cumilla North district Chhatra Dal convener Asif Kabir said he had not yet been informed and would investigate, adding that organisational action would follow if Nazmul was involved. Debidwar police station officer-in-charge Md Moniruzzaman said a sub-inspector had been assigned to investigate and further action would be taken if extortion allegations were proven.

Students at Jagannath University have raised renewed concerns over campus security following repeated theft allegations, particularly involving bicycles. The report, published on July 29, 2026, said a bicycle belonging to Mohammad Ashik, a student of the law department’s 18th batch, was stolen from the campus at about 10:30 a.m. last Thursday. CCTV footage reportedly allowed an initial identification of the suspect’s appearance, but the bicycle has not been recovered and no one has been detained.

Students alleged that a shortage of security staff and inadequate surveillance have enabled thefts on campus. They said two other students from the same batch had bicycles stolen days earlier, while complaints have also involved mobile phones, bags and other personal belongings. They criticized the administration for failing to deliver lasting solutions and called for more guards, improved CCTV coverage, tighter monitoring at entry points and prompt action in theft cases.

Proctor Professor Dr. Nasir Uddin Nasir said authorities had collected video footage and changed the security officer. A guard will now remain stationed at the bicycle stand at all times, he said. He added that footage indicated thefts were carried out by outsiders, and said discussions with the vice-chancellor would be held on mandatory ID checks or a digital access-control system.

Discussion over moving Northern Electricity Supply Company, or NESCO, Limited’s headquarters from Rajshahi to Bogura has resurfaced after a recent Power Division letter. Issued on July 16 by the Company Affairs-1 branch, the letter asked the company’s managing director to assess and submit views on the possible financial, administrative and operational effects of a relocation. The disclosure has prompted concern among political, social, business and professional groups in Rajshahi.

A feasibility committee had previously been formed in March after a DO letter from the state minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives. The report says that effort largely stalled amid strong public reaction in Rajshahi. Managing Director Md Mashiuor Rahman said he had received the ministry’s letter and that the company would discuss the matter with its board before sending its views to the government.

Protesters at a human chain outside NESCO’s headquarters said a move could harm Rajshahi’s administrative standing, employment, commerce, housing, transport and local economy. Sources supporting a review cited delays in some administrative work for the Rangpur region, while NESCO operates across 16 districts in Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions. Opponents urged consideration of digital management and stronger regional offices as alternatives.

Border Guard Bangladesh’s Nildumur Battalion, known as 17 BGB, destroyed seized narcotics worth Tk319.4 million from border areas of Satkhira. The destruction took place formally at the Nildumur Battalion headquarters at 11 a.m. on Tuesday. Brigadier General Mahmudul Hasan, regional commander of BGB’s South West Region, attended as chief guest.

According to BGB sources, 41 people were detained in operations conducted at different times in the border areas of Shyamnagar, Debhata and Kaliganj between September 7, 2023, and July 11, 2026. Authorities seized smuggled goods worth Tk518.6 million during those operations, including narcotics valued at Tk319.4 million.

The destroyed items included alcohol, Phensedyl and similar drugs, yaba, cannabis, heroin, LSD and crystal meth, also known as ice. Indian leaf cigarettes, illegal medicines, Sukhi pills and narcotic tablets were also destroyed. Mahmudul Hasan said BGB was working firmly toward a drug-free country and called for public participation alongside law enforcement agencies to build awareness and social resistance against drug trafficking.