Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan said the true tribute to martyrs of the July mass uprising would be the establishment of a humane, accountable and institutionally democratic state in Bangladesh. He made the remarks on Tuesday as chief guest at a discussion marking “July Mass Uprising 2024,” organised by the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology Teachers’ Association at BUET’s Council Building. He said the causes behind such struggles must be removed so future generations do not have to shed blood for democracy.

Swapan said repeated movements, struggles and bloodshed before and after independence show that a stable, just and humane state system has not been established. Remembering martyrs and taking pride in their sacrifices alone is insufficient, he said, calling for deep analysis of why the state repeatedly faces such circumstances and for permanent solutions.

He stressed effective balance, accountability and constitutional dignity among parliament, the judiciary, executive and legislative branches. The minister also urged teachers to present history, the Liberation War and the July uprising to younger generations through research, analysis and reasoned discussion.

Leaders of International Majlis Tahaffuz Khatme Nabuwwat Bangladesh called for making a National Ulema-Mashayekh Conference successful on August 15, demanding that the Qadiani community be declared non-Muslim by the state and that all its books be banned. The appeal was made at a discussion meeting held after Maghrib prayers on Tuesday at Darul Uloom Mirpur Zone in the capital, organized by the group’s Dhaka metropolitan Mirpur Zone.

The meeting was chaired by Mirpur Zone president Maulana Sanaullah and moderated by zone secretary Maulana Nazirul Islam. Secretary General Maulana Muhiyuddin Rabbani, the chief guest, said belief in the finality of prophethood is a fundamental basis of Islamic faith. He alleged that the Qadiani community denies the finality of Prophet Muhammad’s prophethood while using a Muslim identity.

Rabbani said the conference would begin at 2pm on August 15 at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh hallroom in Ramna, Dhaka, with leading ulema expected to attend. Sanaullah said the Mirpur Zone would make full preparations for the event. Joint Secretary General Maulana Shabbir Ahmad Qasemi and other organizational leaders also addressed the meeting.

Cumilla-6 MP Monirul Haque Chowdhury called for patience and trust in the prime minister at a discussion meeting of the July Mass Uprising Memorial Festival in Cumilla on August 4. Speaking as chief guest, he said his side believed in the July mass uprising as strongly as in the Kalima Tayyiba. He urged young people to remain patient, support the prime minister and said the country would not lose its way under Tarique Rahman.

Chowdhury said it was his greatest sorrow that people now had to learn the lessons of struggle from those they fought against in 1971. He described young people as talented and articulate, saying the country would have proper leadership if they remained in leadership roles. He also appealed to participants to help save Cumilla, saying the district had deteriorated and that he had begun a campaign to address it.

Special speaker Nazmul Hasan, president of Bangladesh Chhatra Odhikar Parishad, remembered those killed, injured or who lost their eyesight during the July movement. He cited the role of students from Cumilla University and Victoria College, saying Cumilla University students were attacked on July 11. Political and student leaders, as well as relatives of July martyrs, attended the event.

Retired army Senior Warrant Officer Hafizur Rahman, described as a key accused in the Tonu murder case, was released from Cumilla jail on High Court bail on August 4. Jail Superintendent Jahidul Alam said the prison received the bail order that afternoon and released him at 7pm after verification. The mother of Sohagi Jahan Tonu, a Victoria Government College student, expressed anger and said she now doubted whether the family would receive justice.

Tonu’s mother said she felt the government was against the family and asked how they could obtain justice if an accused was arrested and then released before trial. She questioned why he was freed before the case was decided. Cumilla court inspector Sadikur Rahman said he had heard that Rahman received High Court bail but knew no further details.

The PBI arrested Rahman on April 21 based on a DNA report, and he received bail two months and 13 days after his arrest. He had been held in cell number 10 of Cumilla jail. Tonu went missing on March 20, 2016, while going to tutor at a house in Cumilla cantonment; her body was later found in bushes near the powerhouse area. Her father, Iyar Hossain, filed a murder case against unidentified accused the following day.

Bangladesh’s Election Commission has warned that overseas Bangladeshis applying to become voters will have their applications cancelled if they do not follow the process or respond to commission messages. A directive cited on August 4, 2026 said the commission will wait one week, or seven days, for a relevant person’s text-message response or return call. The information came from a directive associated with Mohammad Al-Mamun, deputy director of the National Identity Registration Wing.

After biometric information is collected, the relevant upazila or police-station election officer may call an applicant’s mobile number multiple times if necessary. If contact cannot be made by phone, the officer will send an SMS. Applicants have seven days to respond after the SMS is sent.

If no response is received within that period, the election officer will independently send an application-cancellation message through the CMS account, automatically cancelling the application. Overseas voter registration and NID distribution are currently operating at 24 missions in 14 countries. NID activities are also awaiting launch in Sweden, Bahrain, Singapore, Norway and Finland.

A 21-year-old man, Firoz Hossain, died while receiving treatment after a dispute linked to a mediation meeting in Patgram, Lalmonirhat, prompting conflicting allegations from his family. Relatives initially said he was assaulted after refusing to pay a fine imposed at a meeting on August 1, then attacked again at his home about two hours later. They said he suffered a serious head injury, was treated at Patgram উপজেলা Health Complex and Rangpur Medical College Hospital, and died on Monday.

After his death, relatives and local residents blocked the Dhaka-Burimari highway at an inter-district intersection for about two hours and held a human chain. They demanded justice, arrests of those accused and acceptance of a murder case. The blockade caused long traffic congestion on both sides of the highway before police and local representatives assured protesters and it was withdrawn.

Later, Firoz’s brother Ferdous Hossain submitted a written complaint saying Firoz drank pesticide after being humiliated by the assault. Police registered a case of abetment to suicide. Officer-in-charge Nazmul Haque said investigators will review the investigation, autopsy report and other evidence to determine whether the death was murder or suicide before taking legal action.

Bangladesh’s National Board of Revenue (NBR) missed its revised revenue collection target in the outgoing 2025-26 fiscal year, according to updated data released on Tuesday. Against a target of Tk 503,000 crore, the agency collected Tk 415,473 crore, leaving a shortfall of Tk 87,527 crore. The collection was 17 percent below the target.

Revenue collection nevertheless rose from Tk 370,875 crore in the previous 2024-25 fiscal year. The increase of Tk 44,598 crore represented growth of more than 12 percent, and NBR crossed the Tk 400,000 crore revenue collection mark for the first time despite missing its target.

The target was initially set at Tk 499,000 crore at the start of the fiscal year, raised to Tk 554,000 crore after five months, and later revised by the government to Tk 503,000 crore. NBR officials had expected collection of Tk 430,000 crore, but actual receipts were Tk 15,000 crore lower. In June, NBR collected Tk 54,523 crore against Tk 60,915 crore, while June revenue was 26.54 percent higher than the same month a year earlier.

A 54-kilogram giant trevally, locally known as tabala fish, was caught in deep waters of the Bay of Bengal off Kuakata in Patuakhali. The fish was brought to Mahipur fish landing centre on Tuesday morning and purchased at auction by local fish trader Rubel Gharami for Tk36,000, or about Tk667 per kilogram.

Fishermen said the fish was caught in the net of the fishing trawler FB Salma Karim. It was sold through the Ankhi Fish and Tahura Fish wholesale outlets, drawing local traders, fishermen and curious visitors. Experts identified it as giant trevally, Caranx ignobilis, a powerful marine predator from the Carangidae family that can exceed one metre in length and weigh up to about 80 kilograms.

Bakhtiar Rahman, a research assistant with the Shustho Sagor project, said the species is occasionally caught along Bangladesh's coast and helps regulate populations of smaller fish, crabs and squid. Fisheries academic Rajib Sarkar called for documenting identification, size, weight and catch location, while fisheries officer Apu Saha noted its economic value for fishermen.

Work has begun on an integrated development project costing nearly Tk 6 crore to improve the beauty and infrastructure of the historic Sholakia Eidgah ground in Kishoreganj. The Local Government Engineering Department is overseeing implementation. The government approved the project following development commitments made during Eid-ul-Fitr by State Minister for Textiles and Jute Md Shariful Alam and local leaders.

The planned works include filling soil to raise the ground level, building an improved drainage system to address waterlogging, and constructing slopes around the site. A decorative boundary wall and a new entrance gate are also planned. Ghats will be built on three sides of the adjacent pond to help worshippers arriving from distant areas perform ablution.

The project also includes upgrading the adjoining mosque into a three-storey building and constructing modern ablution facilities and washrooms. Upazila Nirbahi Officer and Eidgah management committee member secretary Kamrul Hasan Maruf said filling work, the boundary wall and pond ghats are targeted for completion before the next Eid-ul-Fitr. Other infrastructure works will be implemented in phases.

State Minister for Health Dr. M A Muhit said the ready Health Management Institute in Savar will be launched quickly to improve management skills among health administrators at upazila and district levels. He also instructed the National Institute of Preventive and Social Medicine, or NIPSOM, to provide management training to field-level health officials during the interim period before the institute receives its institutional form. He spoke on Tuesday at NIPSOM’s auditorium in Mohakhali at an event releasing results from research activities conducted under the 2025-26 revenue budget.

Muhit said the government has placed its greatest emphasis on primary healthcare and reaching marginalised people through the public health system. Calling upazila health complexes the foundation for solving problems across the health system, he said all 30-bed and 50-bed upazila health complexes in Bangladesh would be converted into 101-bed facilities.

He described health services at upazila and union levels as being in poor condition because of inadequate investment, failures to develop and deploy appropriate personnel, and neglect of supply and logistics. Praising NIPSOM research for its objectivity, he urged use of field-level data for local health planning at upazila level and suggested mentoring selected medical students for three to six months to encourage research.

Chattogram City Corporation Mayor Dr Shahadat Hossain said canal restoration and regular maintenance are being given the highest priority to reduce waterlogging, preserve environmental balance and ensure sustainable urban management. He made the remarks while inspecting Chaktai Canal in the city on Tuesday, August 4. The mayor said keeping the canals’ water flow active is among the corporation’s key commitments.

Shahadat said ensuring the natural flow of canals is essential to transform Chattogram into a clean, safe and waterlogging-free city. He described canals as more than drainage routes, saying they are also an important part of the city’s environmental balance. He called for uninterrupted canal restoration, routine cleaning and development work.

The mayor said progress in ongoing excavation and cleaning at Rasulbagh, or Chaktai, Canal was satisfactory. He added that every project funded by public money must ensure transparency, accountability and quality. Chattogram-9 lawmaker Abu Sufian and City Corporation Chief Cleanliness Officer Captain Ikhtiar Uddin Ahmed Chowdhury were present during the inspection.

Police in Chandpur have submitted a charge sheet against 378 people in a case filed over alleged attacks, vandalism and explosives offences linked to the student-public movement of July and August 2024. The charge sheet was recently filed in court in connection with a case registered at Chandpur Sadar Model Police Station. Officer-in-charge Fayez Ahmed confirmed the filing on Tuesday afternoon.

Police said this was the first charge sheet submitted in cases filed in Chandpur over the movement. The original complaint named 350 people and listed another 250 as unidentified accused. Investigating officer Sub-Inspector Md Nurul Alam said 378 people were included after verification and investigation.

Investigators excluded 52 named people for lack of involvement, 13 whose full addresses were unavailable, and 10 suspected accused. Twenty names were removed because they appeared more than once in the complaint, while three named accused had died. Those charged include former social welfare minister Dr Dipu Moni, Dr J R Wadud Tipu, former minister Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya, Dr Selim Mahmud and Advocate Nurul Amin Ruhul. The regular court date is August 23.

Bangladesh Fisheries, Livestock and Agriculture Minister Mohammad Aminur Rashid met Malaysian High Commissioner to Bangladesh H. E. Mohammad Shuhada Osman at the Secretariat on Tuesday. They discussed strengthening bilateral ties and expanding cooperation in fisheries, livestock and agriculture, including trade, investment, technology transfer and joint initiatives.

The talks emphasized halal meat export prospects, ensuring international standards for animal products, technology and knowledge exchange, research cooperation, skills development and increased investment. Export potential for Bangladesh’s Black Bengal goats to Malaysia received particular attention, alongside possible exports of fish, meat, milk and other animal products.

The two sides exchanged views on animal health certificates, halal certification, quarantine arrangements, sanitary and phytosanitary standards, and stronger cooperation between relevant agencies to expand markets. The minister sought Malaysian experience and technical assistance to improve Bangladesh’s capacity in the international halal meat market. The high commissioner praised Bangladesh’s progress in agriculture and livestock and expressed Malaysia’s interest in expanding trade in promising agricultural and animal products.

The Burichong উপজেলা administration has formed a nine-member conservation committee to protect a migratory bird habitat in Kishore Nagar village, Cumilla. The initiative was announced after উপজেলা নির্বাহী কর্মকর্তা Md Tanvir Hossain visited the site on Monday afternoon and met local residents, landowners, representatives and community figures. The administration said it aims to ensure safe movement for the birds and protect the natural environment.

The habitat spans about three acres of bamboo groves, ponds and trees of various species owned by four families. It hosts five to six species of migratory birds each year, with the birds staying for around three to four months from Jyaishtha to Shraban. The meeting noted that hunting is not common locally, though some people occasionally try to catch birds.

Engineer Tofazzal was named convener and the উপজেলা forest officer member secretary of the committee. Plans include installing warning signs, using fencing or barbed wire in vulnerable areas where necessary, and planting more trees. The administration also plans awareness activities involving local people. Residents welcomed the effort, while Hossain said the administration would take necessary measures with public cooperation.

Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives State Minister Mir Shahe Alam called on residents to act responsibly in building a clean, environmentally friendly and livable Dhaka. He spoke on August 3 at a RAJUK-organized consultation at Gulshan Society Park in the capital, involving society members from Gulshan, Banani, Baridhara and Niketan on sewage management.

Shah Alam said activities were under way to improve greening, cleanliness and modern urban management in Dhaka under the direction of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. He said active public participation was vital alongside government agencies for those initiatives to succeed. The minister said the government would seriously consider problems and suggestions raised by society representatives and take steps toward practical and sustainable solutions, while seeking patience and cooperation.

Housing and Public Works Minister Zakaria Taher assured participants that sewerage networks in the four areas would be connected in phases by pipeline to the Dasherkandi Sewage Treatment Plant. Representatives raised issues concerning sewage management, environmental protection and other civic services during an open discussion. Five private companies also gave brief presentations on sewage treatment plant technology and modern sewage management.