A Youth League leader, Salauuddin, was killed after being crushed between a truck and a pickup on July 23, 2026, in Mirsarai, Chattogram. The incident occurred around 12:30pm on the National Economic Zone road near Mghadia Masterpara while he was riding a motorcycle toward the economic zone. Local reports identified him as a 40-year-old resident of Banglapara village in Saherkhali union.

Salauuddin was the joint secretary of Saherkhali union's Youth League. Locals said he was caught between the vehicles near Abutorab Bazar Muslim Chottor and died at the scene. SM Sumon, chief coordinator of Mirsarai Thana Youth League, said the death has cast a shadow of grief over the local youth wing. The police recovered the body and sent it for autopsy to Chattogram Medical College Hospital.

Mirsarai police said legal procedures are ongoing after the postmortem and recovery of the body from the scene.

Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury said the recently drafted budget, prepared after one to one-and-a-half months of effort, has been appreciated across all levels of the country and its true success depends on effective implementation. He made the remarks while addressing the first meeting with finance department officials at the ministry on Thursday, where the meeting was chaired by Finance Secretary Dr. Md. Khairuzzaman Majumdar.
The minister urged changing negative public perceptions about bureaucracy, stressing that working together can overcome any obstacle and that officials should move beyond traditional practices to adopt innovative, out-of-the-box thinking. He called for meetings to allow free and spontaneous expression of views, mutual cooperation, family-like work environments, direct presentation of problems and ideas, and objective feedback from subdivisions to enable proper decision-making.
He said the government has initiated a coordinated masterplan to develop Cox’s Bazar as an international and regional tourist hub and is reconsidering long-standing 50m and 500m coastal restrictions where development will occur, ensuring environmental protection. Work on an international airport, rail service, and improved road links from Chattogram are underway and will be coordinated to transform Cox’s Bazar into a modern digital tourism city contributing to the goal of a one-trillion-dollar economy by 2034.

Deputy Speaker and Netrokona-1 MP Barrister Kaysar Kamal said many schools lack adequate student attendance despite government initiatives to improve primary education. He made the remark on Thursday at a reception in Kolmakanda upazila parishad hall for 94 students who received primary scholarship exam awards for 2025.
Kamal noted the government has provided free books, bags and shoes, increased teachers' pay and pensions, and taken other steps to modernise primary education, yet some schools with multi-storey buildings have only four or five students in classrooms. He emphasised the role of teachers in changing attitudes, urging them to care for all pupils as they would their own children and warning that a teacher shapes a child's lifelong mindset and responsibility.
At the event Kamal recalled the martyrs of the July mass uprising and said their sacrifice will be fulfilled when the nation raises children as humane citizens. He administered an oath to the scholarship recipients, who pledged to continue to grade eight and contribute as good citizens; 94 students were honoured, including 53 talent pool and 41 general grade scholars, with local officials, teachers, guardians and media present.

Deputy Minister of Water Resources and MP Farhad Hossain Azad recommended appointment of two members of July martyrs' families as office assistants in constituency inspection rooms in Boda and Debiganj, Panchagarh, the appointments announced on July 23, 2026.
According to the report, the appointments were made after the deputy minister directed that members of July martyr families be given priority when office assistant positions opened in the MP inspection rooms. One appointee joined as office assistant in the Boda Upazila MP inspection room from Sakoa union, the sister of July martyr Sumon, and the other joined in the Debiganj Upazila MP inspection room from Mareya union, the son of July martyr Abu Saeed.
The deputy minister also said he gives a monthly stipend of five thousand taka from his official remuneration to four of six July warrior families in the district, and that the appointments and financial support aim to honor sacrificial families and create employment opportunities for them. Local residents welcomed the initiative as a humanitarian example by the deputy minister.

A man wrongly imprisoned for nearly four months after being accused in a cheque dishonour case received Tk30 lakh in compensation and an unconditional apology on July 23 in Dhaka. The settlement was submitted and accepted before the Fourth Joint Metropolitan Sessions Judge Tania Sultana Lipi. The victim, Mamun Mia, subsequently withdrew his complaint after receiving the payment and apology.

The case began with a cheque given on June 18, 2019, allegedly by the owner of 'Poronto Bela Poultry Feed' for Tk32 lakh that was dishonoured for insufficient funds. Recovery manager Mohammad Washikul Azad filed suit on August 25, 2019 under section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881; the court framed charges on December 14, 2021, and on June 29, 2025 the court sentenced the accused to one year’s imprisonment and a Tk32 lakh fine. Mamun was arrested on February 5, 2026 under a warrant but claimed he was not the true accused and that his name had been confused with the real defendant.

A police investigation by SI Mohammad Masudur Rahman found Mamun was not the actual accused and that he had been arrested due to a name similarity; the court discharged him from the case on May 19 and he was released from Keraniganj central prison on May 20. Following Mamun’s complaint for wrongful imprisonment, the complainant side and the company Belash Poultry and Fish Feeds Limited (Belish Poultry and Fish Feeds Limited in reporting) reached a compromise in which the company’s managing director offered unconditional apology, the firm paid Tk30 lakh, and some officials were suspended pending action, after which the court recorded the settlement.

US President Donald Trump said that if Yemen’s Houthi group carries out any attacks in the region in the future, the United States will hold Iran responsible. In a post on social platform Truth Social, Trump described the Houthis as “representatives or proxies” of Iran and stated Washington would directly blame Tehran for any Houthi attack. He claimed the US had launched a “very strong” strike against the Houthis about a year ago, after which the group had been quiet, but said they have resumed attacks.

Trump alleged that the Houthis targeted two Saudi ships the previous night, and warned that if such attacks continue the US would hold Iran responsible and take harsh military measures against both Iran and the Houthis. The report notes there was no independent confirmation immediately available of the alleged attack on the two Saudi vessels.

A newly built girder bridge in Khanzapur union of Gournadi, Barishal, collapsed on Wednesday afternoon after its roof was poured that morning. The bridge was constructed under the Rural Infrastructure Development and Implementation Project at a cost of 3.9 million taka tendered in 2023–24; the work was later taken over by contractor Abul Khayer who finished construction in June 2026 but failed to complete handover on schedule. Local project implementation officer Khokon Chandra Das said he was not informed and did not attend the pouring, and that the contractor proceeded without notifying him.

Officials and the contractor give differing accounts: the project officer says he had instructed the contractor to notify him before pouring and alleged the contractor acted without permission; the contractor says the officer and an engineer inspected the bridge the previous morning, were told about the pouring, but did not attend and generally do not oversee pourings in the field. The contractor blamed heavy rain and failure of centering bamboo, claiming about 1.2 million taka in damage. The upazila executive officer said a show-cause notice was issued to the contractor and that if found guilty he could be blacklisted and ministry action taken; any PIO negligence would also be investigated.

Opposition leader and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman urged the government to accept the referendum verdict delivered by nearly 70 percent of voters. He spoke on Thursday afternoon, July 23, at a rally organized by Jamaat’s Mirpur region under its Dhaka North city unit at Mirpur 10 in the capital. The gathering demanded implementation of the referendum result and the spirit of the July mass uprising, along with trials over the July killings and crimes against humanity. Rahman warned that disregarding the public verdict would carry consequences and said Jamaat’s struggle inside and outside parliament would continue until its goals were achieved.

Rahman alleged that justice over the July killings was no longer visible and urged the government to focus on the trials. He also called for state honors and titles for those killed, recognition of their contributions in textbooks and history, and official lists, treatment, and dignified support for injured and disabled people. Rally chair Mohammad Selim Uddin demanded implementation of the referendum verdict and prompt city corporation elections. Dhaka-14 lawmaker Barrister Ahmed Bin Quasem Arman urged the government to convene the constitutional reform council and implement the July Charter fully.

At a seminar titled “Bangladesh’s Economy in July’s Aspirations,” held on July 23 at Dhaka University, Dr. Mahmudur Rahman, editor of Amar Desh, emphasized that creating new employment opportunities must be the top priority to revive Bangladesh’s economy. He argued that sustainable development and equitable wealth distribution are impossible without expanding productive industries and agriculture. Rahman criticized the focus on mega projects over manufacturing, citing corruption risks and questioning the credibility of official economic statistics.

The event, organized by the Center for Advanced Studies and Thoughts (CAST), also featured the launch of two books analyzing Bangladesh’s recent economic trends. Speakers, including Dr. A.K.M. Waresul Karim of North South University, highlighted rising inflation, high non-performing loans, and inadequate income growth among low-wage groups. They called for transparency in industrial revival plans and greater research funding for young scholars.

Participants further stressed the need for reliable infrastructure, energy supply, and skilled human resources to attract investment and ensure inclusive economic growth.

A Dhaka court has ordered a one-day remand for three of four individuals arrested after allegedly securing jobs at the Ministry of Public Administration through proxy test-takers. The suspects were detained when they arrived at the ministry to submit their joining letters and were caught during facial verification. The order was issued by Metropolitan Magistrate Aminul Islam Junaid following a hearing on Thursday. The court also allowed jail gate interrogation of another accused, Md Alim.

According to the case filed by ministry official H M Arifur Rahman, the ministry had advertised 20 vacancies for office assistant posts on May 5, held written and oral exams in June, and issued appointment letters on July 6. The accused appeared at the Secretariat on July 18 to join but were detained after discrepancies were found between their faces and exam photos. They later admitted to using proxy candidates and paying large sums of money.

The case is being investigated by Shahbagh Police Sub-Inspector Md Abdul Gaffar, who had sought seven days’ remand for each suspect before the court granted one day.

Abhijit Deep, head of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), criticized the Indian government, saying Prime Minister Narendra Modi took 34 days to acknowledge the exam paper leak scandal. He called Modi’s silence shameful and accused the government of protecting Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan despite widespread protests and calls for his resignation. Modi had earlier announced the formation of a fast-track court to punish those involved, but the CJP rejected the proposal.

On social media, Modi stated that nothing is more important than protecting the future of young people and that those responsible would not be spared. CJP spokesperson Saurav Das dismissed the government’s move as a temporary fix, citing a history of impunity in past leak cases. Protesters vowed to continue demonstrations until the education minister resigns and systemic reforms are made.

Opposition parties expressed solidarity with the protesters, disrupting parliamentary sessions. Police used tear gas and batons against nearly 50,000 demonstrators in Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, while protests spread to Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, and other cities.

Jahangirnagar University authorities have temporarily suspended Deputy Registrar Md. Nur-e-Kamal of the store section following allegations of irregularities and discrepancies in the drug inventory at the university’s medical center. The decision was announced on Thursday, July 23, 2026, through two separate office orders signed by Acting Registrar Dr. A. B. M. Azizur Rahman.

According to the first order, the suspension was made based on the recommendation of the medical center’s advisory committee under the university’s employee efficiency and discipline ordinance. During the suspension period, the official will receive subsistence allowance and other benefits as per regulations. The second order stated that a four-member investigation committee has been formed to identify the causes of the irregularities and those responsible.

The committee is chaired by the university treasurer, with Deputy Registrar Md. Alauddin Molla serving as secretary. Other members include Professor Dr. Md. Salekul Islam from the Microbiology Department and Associate Professor Dr. Abdus Sattar from the Philosophy Department. The committee has been asked to submit its report within fifteen working days.

Six young men from Monoharganj upazila in Cumilla, who left home hoping to reach Italy for a better future, have been taken hostage in Libya by a human trafficking gang. The traffickers are demanding Tk 15 million in ransom for their release and have been sending videos of brutal torture to the victims’ families. The hostages include Shahadat Hossain, Manikul Islam, Md. Sohel, Taj Mohammad, Foysal, and Mehedi Hasan.

According to the families, local brokers arranged their travel to Italy for Tk 1.8 to 2 million per person, but after reaching Libya, the men were handed over to traffickers. They were held for about eight months before being transferred to another group that is now demanding Tk 2.5 million per person. Families say the traffickers are pressuring them through video calls and messages showing the victims’ suffering.

The families have submitted a written appeal to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs seeking government intervention. The local police said no formal complaint has yet been filed, but they will take legal action once a report is received. Residents have urged swift action to rescue the hostages and bring the traffickers to justice.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) prevented an illegal push-in attempt by India’s Border Security Force (BSF) at the Chuadanga border early Thursday. The incident occurred around 4 a.m. near border pillar 76/4-S under Darshana Border Outpost of BGB Battalion-6. Members of BSF’s 32 Battalion from Gede Camp reportedly tried to push five unidentified individuals—one man, three women, and one child—into Bangladesh territory.

BGB patrol teams quickly detected the attempt and blocked the group from entering Bangladesh, forcing them to remain near the barbed-wire fence. Confronted by BGB’s firm stance, BSF eventually took the individuals back into Indian territory, successfully preventing the illegal entry.

According to the report, BGB remains alert and prepared to prevent any illegal infiltration or border law violations. The force continues to perform its duties with professionalism and vigilance to ensure border security and maintain peace and order in frontier areas.

Nepal’s Prime Minister Balendra ‘Balen’ Shah is set to meet the ambassadors of India and China separately in Kathmandu this week, marking a shift in his diplomatic approach. Since taking office, Shah had avoided holding one-on-one meetings with foreign envoys, but he now plans to sit down individually with Indian Ambassador Naveen Srivastava and Chinese Ambassador Zhang Maoming. The meetings are expected to take place on the same day to signal equal importance to both neighboring countries.

According to The Kathmandu, Shah’s decision follows consultations with business and professional groups, after which he opted to increase direct engagement with foreign diplomats. The Prime Minister’s Office stated that the process is being initiated with India and China due to their significance in Nepal’s foreign policy.

The move reflects Shah’s effort to balance relations between India and China while adjusting his earlier stance of avoiding exclusive diplomatic meetings.