Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi alleged in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday that Indian Home Minister Amit Shah authorized the use of force against students protesting in Delhi. Gandhi said police action on 20 July against students demanding Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation was carried out on Home Ministry instructions. His remarks triggered an uproar in the House.

Gandhi said the home minister had ordered firing at students and that pellets had entered their bodies. He argued that only the home minister or prime minister could authorize such force. He also praised the protesting students and alleged that the RSS had taken control of India’s education system and expanded its influence in universities, limiting students’ ability to question freely.

Union parliamentary minister Kiren Rijiju strongly objected to the allegation and demanded evidence, saying such a serious charge against the home minister could not be made without proof. After the session was adjourned, Congress leader K C Venugopal said Delhi Police works under the Home Ministry and that the home minister must explain the police action against students. Gandhi said Pradhan’s resignation would be symbolic because, in his view, the Education Ministry is effectively run by the RSS.

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General and the prime minister’s political adviser Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said a continuous 17-year struggle under Khaleda Zia and later party chairman Tarique Rahman created the background for the July 2024 mass uprising. He made the remarks while speaking to journalists at BNP’s central office in Nayapaltan, Dhaka, on Wednesday.

Rizvi said the movement’s foundation led to a mass awakening among students, workers and ordinary people, culminating in the fall of what he described as fascism. He said an unprecedented eruption of students and the public took place in July 2024 as part of the 17-year, blood-stained struggle. He also said the movement sought freedom of speech, personal liberty, press freedom and citizens’ rights.

He said the uprising reached its final outcome on August 5, with the end of autocracy and fascism, and claimed Sheikh Hasina fell within 36 days. BNP will hold a special discussion at the Krishibid Institution Bangladesh on August 4, with Tarique Rahman as chief guest and Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir presiding. Rizvi also urged political parties to use civil language and avoid provocation, abusive speech and false propaganda.

US-Bangla Airlines announced plans to invest about $1.5 billion to add 21 Boeing aircraft to its fleet, aiming to become an integrated global aviation group. The announcement was made on July 29 at the “Beyond Youth Boeing” event at Sheraton Dhaka in the capital. The airline said it would lease 15 Boeing 737-8 aircraft and six Boeing 737-800 aircraft, with the additions to be phased in by 2027.

State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism M Rashiduzzaman Millat said the government is pursuing an aviation master plan and pilot training academy to develop Bangladesh as a regional aviation hub. He said the third terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport would be able to serve 24 million passengers annually. US Ambassador Brent T Christensen described the investment as important for Bangladesh’s future aviation sector.

US-Bangla plans to send about 200 Bangladeshi pilots to the United States for advanced training. It also intends to increase flights on existing routes and launch services to several destinations in Asia and the Middle East. The company said it plans to station new Boeing aircraft in Chattogram and Sylhet to develop them as international regional hubs, while pursuing aviation training and flight catering facilities in Purbachal.

Shibchar upazila in Madaripur has recorded a bumper jute harvest this season, while satisfactory market prices have brought relief to farmers. Jute is selling for Tk4,000 to Tk5,000 per maund at different local markets, depending on quality. The report was published on July 29, 2026.

Sheikhpur farmer Masum Tayani said yields were much better this year than in recent years and that market demand remains available. He expects a good profit after covering production costs. Local jute traders said wholesalers from different parts of the country are purchasing jute at Shibchar municipal bus stand, Madbar Char, Uttarail, Kutubpur and Chander Char markets.

Upazila Agriculture Officer Md Alimuzzaman said jute was cultivated on 7,800 hectares in Shibchar this season. He attributed satisfactory production to cultivation following agriculture department advice and said technical support for farmers is continuing. Farmers hope to gain further if current prices remain stable, while stakeholders stressed higher production, better storage and fair prices.

Detective police arrested alleged Chittagong criminal Mobarak Hossain, also known as David Emon, in the Jhumjhumpur area under Jessore Kotwali police station. Police said the operation took place at about 3 a.m. on Tuesday night after a checkpoint was set up in the area. Three associates—Alis Tamal, Shafayat and Shamim—were detained with him and later shown arrested.

Law enforcement agencies had been working for several days to identify Emon’s location, according to the report. Based on secret information, surveillance, searches and checkpoints were increased in different parts of Jessore. Members of Jessore district police and Chittagong district police jointly took part in the operation. Jessore Superintendent of Police Syed Rafiqul Islam said officers verified the identities of four suspects stopped at the checkpoint before arresting Emon.

Police said Emon was handed over to Chittagong police after his arrest, while legal action was being taken regarding the other detainees. The report says he was recently accused of calling a Chittagong city businessman to demand extortion money. Officers also cited allegations of criminal activity and extortion against him. Police sources said he may be questioned in Chittagong in connection with the relevant case, and the roles of his three associates are being examined.

China is leading a new 29-country artificial intelligence group called the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization, or WICO. The alliance was formed during an AI summit in Shanghai in the third week of July, where President Xi Jinping formally announced it. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres attended the event. Xi said WICO aims to promote cooperation in AI and that no single country should dominate the technology.

The source says WICO includes Russia, Indonesia, Brazil, Malaysia, South Africa, Senegal and Pakistan. Chinese Premier Li Qiang first unveiled plans for the group last July. China has already deployed AI technology in several countries in Africa, South America and Asia and said that cooperation would continue. Beijing accuses Washington of restricting access to AI technology for many countries by citing national security concerns.

According to the report, China wants to use the bloc to counter possible US influence over planned UN international AI rules. The United States announced the Pax Silica partnership last December, and India joined the related agreement in February. Its members also include Australia, Greece, Israel, Japan, Qatar, South Korea, Singapore, Britain and the United Arab Emirates.

More than 9,000 people were staying in emergency shelters by early Wednesday after a powerful earthquake struck southwestern Japan, the government said. At least 13 people were killed in the quake, according to the report published on July 29.

Government spokesperson Minoru Kihara said authorities had received reports of seven people seriously injured and 29 others with minor injuries. He provided the figures while outlining the situation after the earthquake.

As of 7 a.m. Wednesday, 9,186 people had taken shelter at 506 facilities across five prefectures, including Kumamoto and Fukuoka, Kihara said. The reported shelter figures reflect the scale of displacement following the quake.

Water Resources Minister Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie said the government is working to introduce environmentally friendly, low-cost technology for industrial waste management. He made the remarks on Wednesday at a Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry seminar on canal excavation, revitalising circular waterways and expanding inland water trade in Bangladesh.

The minister said chemical waste harms canals and rivers when industrial establishments do not install effluent treatment plants, or ETPs. He said conventional ETPs are too expensive for many small and medium-sized industries, making lower-cost but effective treatment technology necessary. As an example, he said an industry valued at Tk20 crore could struggle to survive if installation of an ETP alone costs Tk10 crore.

During a recent visit to China, the minister discussed the issue with relevant people and received technical ideas for low-cost waste treatment. Such technology could potentially be implemented privately for Tk10 lakh to Tk20 lakh, though the government will decide only after assessing its effectiveness. He also said canal recovery programmes have begun in several districts and stressed continued dialogue with businesspeople, experts and other stakeholders.

A student and Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal worker, Zillur Rahman, has been accused of assaulting Ansar member Abul Hasan at the main gate of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University. The incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon after Hasan asked Rahman, who was entering the campus by rickshaw, to show identification. CCTV footage of the incident circulated on social media on Wednesday, prompting discussion.

University sources said Hasan asked Rahman to identify himself, and requested his ID card after he said he was a student. An argument followed, and Rahman allegedly slapped the Ansar member. CCTV footage reportedly shows Hasan did not resist during the incident. Hasan said Rahman grabbed his uniform collar and slapped him five to six times after being asked whether he was lying about his identity.

Rahman described the incident as a misunderstanding, saying he later spoke with Hasan and that the matter was mutually settled. Proctor Dr Md Arfan Ali said the administration would bring both sides together to verify the facts and take necessary action. Student leader Ahmedul Kabir Tapas said the accused student holds no organisational post.

Iranian officials said there has been no formal ceasefire following the recent conflict with the United States and that Tehran is not in a hurry to resume direct talks. The comments came after several days without reported sounds of explosions or airstrikes in Iranian skies, according to a report published on July 29, 2026. Iran says it currently holds a strategically strong position.

Iranian military leaders have highlighted what they describe as battlefield successes, while diplomats rejected the US assertion that Tehran is desperate to return to negotiations. Former military spokesman Ramadan Sharif claimed the United States had suffered strategic defeats at every stage. Iran's Foreign Ministry said the present situation cannot be described as a ceasefire.

Analysts cited in the report said Iran sees the uncertain condition, neither full peace nor full-scale war, as advantageous. They said Tehran seeks recognition of its control over the Strait of Hormuz, a position the United States has not accepted. Experts warned that renewed full-scale conflict involving the United States and Israel could become unmanageable, while war, economic instability and a US naval blockade could further weaken Iran's economy.

Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces, or PMF, said at least 20 of its fighters were killed in joint Saudi-US attacks across seven provinces. The group said another 32 people were wounded. The report was published and updated on July 29, 2026.

In a statement, the PMF said its bases in Baghdad, Wasit, Nineveh, Basra, Kirkuk, Karbala and Diyala provinces were targeted. It also said buildings, vehicles and military equipment sustained damage of varying degrees during the attacks.

The PMF described the casualty toll as preliminary and said it could rise. An earlier figure had put the number of people killed at eight. The source did not provide the timing of the attacks, details of weapons used, or responses from the United States or Saudi Arabia.

Flood conditions have worsened in Assam, India, with the death toll rising to 75, according to a report published on July 29. Thousands of people have taken shelter in relief camps after their homes were inundated. The flooding has caused extensive damage to homes, roads, bridges and agricultural land.

Assam’s disaster management department said more than 332,000 people in 622 villages are enduring severe hardship. About 45,341 hectares of farmland remain under water. Sivasagar district has recorded the greatest damage this year and also the highest number of deaths, the report said.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced financial assistance in response to the situation. One-time support for families of people killed in the floods has been raised to 900,000 rupees. More than 100,000 of the worst-affected families will also receive immediate cash assistance of 15,000 rupees each to buy food, clothing and daily necessities.

Indian High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi said India is eagerly awaiting a visit by Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, while stressing that the decision rests entirely with the Bangladeshi leader. He spoke to reporters on Wednesday afternoon after meeting Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman and State Minister Shama Obaed Islam at the Foreign Ministry in Dhaka. The meeting was Trivedi’s first with the two ministers since taking up his post in Dhaka.

Trivedi described the talks as very warm and said they covered various aspects of bilateral relations, including sports and cricket. He also referred to the resumption of Indian visas for Bangladeshis, calling it convenient for people in both countries. The high commissioner said India and Bangladesh share a historic relationship, as well as a border, common culture and common dreams.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has invited Tarique Rahman, as the current BIMSTEC chair, to attend the outreach segment of the 18th BRICS summit in New Delhi on September 12 and 13. Bangladesh has not yet made a final decision on whether it will accept the invitation and attend the summit. Trivedi said he looks forward to building a relationship beneficial to people in both countries.

Customers of five merged banks can now withdraw up to Tk10 lakh for medical treatment and other urgent needs, following a Bangladesh Bank board decision on Wednesday, July 29, 2026. Governor Mostakur Rahman chaired the meeting. The decision covers First Security Islami Bank, Social Islami Bank, Union Bank, Global Islami Bank and EXIM Bank.

Previously, the repayment scheme allowed withdrawals only for a depositor’s own medical treatment. The revised scheme also prioritises treatment needs for parents, children, siblings and spouses, while permitting withdrawals for other emergencies. A Bangladesh Bank official said customers may need money for matters such as a daughter’s wedding or treatment of a family member, which had not been covered under the earlier arrangement.

The interim government merged the five Shariah-based banks last year to form Sammilito Islami Bank. Under payments from the deposit insurance fund, Tk3,887 crore has so far been paid to 822,000 depositors, including Tk1,600 crore to 350,000 First Security Islami Bank customers. At the end of last December, the five banks had Tk170,500 crore in defaulted loans, equal to 87.43 percent of their total loans.

Bangladesh Bank has launched a new bank-intermediated digital payment framework to make foreign digital transactions more modern, secure and accessible. According to a circular issued by the central bank on Wednesday, authorised dealer banks will be able to provide outbound remittance services through partnerships with foreign digital payment service providers. The report was published on July 29, 2026.

The circular collectively describes foreign payment platforms and service providers as Cross-Border Digital Payment Service Providers, or CDPSPs. The framework will introduce Digital Value Accounts, or DVAs, which will function as digital wallets or stored-value accounts. These accounts will operate under a master DVA managed by the relevant bank.

Users will be able to use DVAs for foreign-currency spending related to personal travel, medical treatment, official visits and other travel purposes. Payments will also be allowed for membership fees, information technology services, visa fees, hotel bookings and other approved services, as well as online e-commerce transactions within prescribed limits. Bangladesh Bank said the facility can also be accessed against retention quotas and Resident Foreign Currency Deposit account balances, while banks must obtain prior approval before launching such services.