National Citizen Party convener and opposition chief whip Nahid Islam alleged that the July Memorial Museum removed memories of border killings and the anti-Modi movement. He made the remarks to journalists after visiting the museum on Saturday after 11 a.m. Islam said the museum had contained a segment commemorating killings at the border, along with memories of the anti-Modi movement.

He also said the Bangladesh Nationalist Party's movement and struggles had received comparatively greater prominence in the museum. Islam said India had been involved with what he described as fascism in Bangladesh over the past 16 years, and suggested the government might believe such changes could improve relations with India. He said relations with India should be dignified rather than framed as simply good or bad.

Islam said the interim government had planned to turn Ganabhaban into a museum and that changes had been made after the election. He called for a fuller, chronological presentation of the July uprising, including contributions from districts, public and private universities, and other institutions. He also urged autonomous museum management, adequate staffing, and a focus on national history rather than party history.

International Crimes Tribunal Chief Prosecutor Md Aminul Islam said substantial evidence at the Joint Interrogation Centre, or JIC cell, was destroyed after 5 August. He made the allegation on Saturday at about 11:15am while visiting the centre at the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence headquarters.

International Crimes Tribunal-1 visited the defence JIC centre as part of an investigation into a crimes-against-humanity case over alleged enforced disappearances and torture during the Awami League government. Aminul Islam also said that during the One-Eleven period, current Prime Minister Tarique Rahman was detained and tortured in a DGFI “Aynaghar”.

The chief prosecutor alleged that the previous government led by Sheikh Hasina had established an inhumane state. He said the torture cell known as “Aynaghar” had been set up with dishonest intent and that many dissenting individuals were held in such cells for months and years.

Police Bureau of Investigation rearrested retired army member Hafizur Rahman in the Sohagi Jahan Tanu murder case on August 8. PBI detained him from his home in Keraniganj, Dhaka, after he did not surrender within the court-set deadline following the suspension of his High Court bail. Sources said arrangements were under way to send him to a court in Cumilla.

According to PBI, Rahman was first arrested in the case on April 22 and was sent to jail through a court order. He was released from prison on August 4 after receiving bail from the High Court. On August 6, however, the Appellate Division’s chamber judge court suspended that bail following an application by the state side.

The court ordered Rahman to surrender within 24 hours and directed police to arrest him if he failed to do so. PBI said it began efforts to locate him after the order, received information that he was at his Keraniganj residence, and carried out the arrest there. PBI cited non-compliance with the court order and concern that the accused might flee. Tanu’s body was recovered in the Cumilla cantonment area in March 2016.

A proposed cross-border gas pipeline between Bangladesh and Myanmar requires explicit approval from the Arakan Army, political analysts say, because the group controls much of Rakhine state and the entire border area between the two countries. The proposal gained renewed momentum after an August 2 meeting in Dhaka between Bangladesh’s power, energy and mineral resources minister Iqbal Hasan Mahmud and Myanmar’s ambassador U Kyaw Soe Moe. Bangladesh formally expressed interest in importing natural gas from Myanmar’s offshore Shwe gas project by pipeline to Chattogram to address its growing energy shortage.

Regional experts said Myanmar’s junta government does not control the territory needed to implement such commitments. Analyst U Myo Kyaw said the Arakan Army controls about 90 percent of Arakan state, including the Bangladesh border area, making its approval essential for gas transport across the territory.

Since early 2024, the Arakan Army has established full control over key border towns including Buthidaung and Maungdaw, as well as Paletwa township in neighboring Chin state, placing cross-border transit corridors under its administration. Fighting remains intense around strategically important Sittwe and Kyaukphyu. DMG editor-in-chief U Aung Min Oo said the group could support the project if it brings direct local economic benefits and prospects for international recognition, while formal contact with Bangladesh remains limited.

Secret documents recovered from Ganabhaban identify Ariful Islam Adib as a key coordinator of information about the July-August 2024 student-led uprising for international media, according to a report by Amar Desh published on August 8, 2026. Adib said that after the government shut down the internet on July 18, he used mobile communication to share information with journalists from BBC, Reuters, AFP, Al Jazeera and Netra News. At the time, he worked for a national daily and had recently become central general secretary of Chhatra Odhikar Parishad.

A copy of a document obtained through a source linked to the museum said information on the student movement was circulated through Md Ariful Islam to BBC, AFP, Al Jazeera and Netra News. The report said field-level reports were sent directly to Sheikh Hasina and that the documents were recovered after crowds entered Ganabhaban on August 5, 2024.

Adib said law enforcement agencies targeted him, sought information about him at his workplace and tried to forcibly disappear him on July 22, 24 and 26. He said he stopped staying at home after July 22 and returned after the government took oath. Ganabhaban has since been converted into the July Uprising Memorial Museum.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called on neighboring countries to unite around self-reliance and what he described as “genuine brotherhood.” In a post on X on August 8, 2026, he said Iran’s armed forces had demonstrated their preparedness, capability and strength when facing what he called the world’s most expensive military force.

Araghchi said Muslims can collectively confront every challenge from hostile external powers when they remain united. He said it was time to rely only on themselves and embrace genuine brotherhood, emphasizing cooperation and self-sufficiency among countries in the region.

His remarks came after months of regional conflict that began with US and Israeli military operations against Iran, according to the report. It said Iran’s military responded to attacks on Iranian territory by striking US military bases in several Middle Eastern countries.

Prime Minister Tarque Rahman said healthcare standards cannot improve without a mindset of service, addressing doctors at the 37th anniversary programme of DAB on Saturday afternoon. He urged medical professionals to ensure that political involvement does not disrupt their professionalism. He also said a group was active in trying to destabilise the energy sector and that the government was making various plans to address energy problems.

Rahman said a key goal of the government’s health policy was to give greater importance to prevention alongside treatment after illness occurs. He said early awareness of disease causes, prevention and healthy lifestyles could reduce the prevalence of many illnesses. Referring to a statement attributed to Thomas Edison, he highlighted patient care, diet and awareness of causes and prevention as important parts of medical practice.

The government has initiated plans to recruit another 100,000 health workers focused on disease prevention, Rahman said. They will raise public awareness about primary healthcare, prevention and health consciousness, while doctors should lead their proper training. He inaugurated the doctors’ gathering, planted a neem sapling, and Dr Zubaida Rahman also planted a sapling.

Bangladesh recorded 16,065 motorcycle crashes between 2020 and July 2026, killing 15,712 people and injuring 14,143, according to a Road Safety Foundation report released Saturday. The report said 2025 had the highest annual totals, with 3,029 crashes and 2,671 deaths. Through July this year, 1,311 crashes had killed 1,177 people.

Heavy vehicles striking motorcycles accounted for 6,314 crashes, or 39.30 percent, while loss of motorcycle control caused 5,497 incidents. Freight vehicles were identified as responsible for 6,481 crashes, and motorcycle riders alone for 5,831. Regional roads recorded the most crashes, 6,689, and 58 percent of those affected were aged 13 to 35.

The foundation cited reckless riding, traffic-law violations, weak enforcement, poor road infrastructure, limited technology and monitoring, inadequate public transport and severe congestion as contributing factors. It recommended safety and monitoring technology, mandatory quality helmets, stricter enforcement, awareness campaigns, safer road infrastructure and affordable, passenger-friendly public transport.

Prime Minister’s political adviser and BNP senior joint secretary general Advocate Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is taking strict action when there is negligence in government work. He made the remarks on Saturday at the Dhaka Reporters Unity’s CRAB hall in the capital, during the launch of a book on the prime minister’s five-month development journey and a discussion titled “Future Bangladesh.”

Rizvi said those who neglect their duties face firm measures regardless of whether they are members of the bureaucracy, civil servants or political figures. He said the prime minister is travelling across Bangladesh to oversee whether election promises are being implemented, while encouraging those working for public welfare.

According to Rizvi, the book compiles statistics and events related to the government’s five months in office. He cited family cards, farmer cards, canal excavation and a promise to introduce health cards. The book also offers a brief account of steps taken to address the gas shortage, he said. Rizvi added that it describes initiatives aimed at expanding public welfare, public interest measures and the social safety net.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, or IRGC, said the United States had completely failed to achieve its objectives in the war against Iran. In a statement issued on Saturday for National Journalists’ Day, the IRGC also claimed that US President Donald Trump had become trapped by a “trap” of his own making in the conflict.

The IRGC said the United States and Israel had failed to attain their desired goals during the second and third phases of the war against Iran despite military and media-based efforts. It further claimed that global media were now clearly highlighting Washington’s failure, Trump’s “defeat,” and his alleged entrapment in a self-created situation.

According to the statement, the war exposed a new dimension of US “strategic deadlock,” divisions among Western allies, and the visible decline of American dominance. The IRGC said the ceasefire agreement was, in effect, a document of US surrender to the realities on the ground and Iran’s negotiating capacity. The report cited Mehr News as its source.

International Crimes Tribunal-1 judges and prosecution team members inspected the Joint Interrogation Centre at the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence headquarters on Saturday, 8 August 2026. The visit is part of an investigation into a crimes-against-humanity case filed over alleged disappearances and torture during the Awami League government’s tenure. The delegation arrived at about 11:15am.

According to prosecution sources, the step was taken as part of judicial proceedings concerning various inhumane incidents that occurred during the previous government’s term. Tribunal-1 Chairman Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder joined the inspection, along with member Justice Md Shafiul Alam Mahmud and judge Md Mohitul Haque Enam Chowdhury.

Chief Prosecutor Md Aminul Islam was also in the delegation, alongside prosecutors Gazi MH Tamim, Faruk Ahmad, Shaikh Mahdi and Tasmirul Islam, as well as other prosecution team members. Lawyers representing the accused were permitted to be present during the inspection.

Dhaka ranked 171st among 173 cities in the Economist Intelligence Unit’s 2026 Liveability Index, placing Bangladesh’s capital as the world’s third least liveable city. Copenhagen, Denmark, retained first place for a second consecutive year, according to the list published on August 8. Copenhagen scored 98 overall, while Dhaka scored 42, leaving a 56-point gap between the two cities.

Other cities in the top 10 were Vienna, Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Zurich, Geneva, Osaka, Vancouver and Tokyo. The index evaluates cities across five areas: stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure. Dhaka’s weakest result was infrastructure, with a score of 27. It received 45 for stability, 42 for healthcare, 41 for culture and environment, and 67 for education.

The report said Asia’s average liveability score rose to 74, but Dhaka remained 32 points below that level. Dhaka University professor Mohammad Shafi Ullah called for controlling air pollution, reducing waste and polythene use, changing public habits, and enforcing laws. He identified vehicles and waste as major sources of air pollution and said effective frameworks and enforcement could help improve civic behaviour and liveability.

A government special audit has raised 20 objections involving Tk13,361.52 crore in alleged financial irregularities in the Padma Bridge rail link project, according to a report published on August 8. The project cost rose from about Tk35,000 crore to Tk39,000 crore, while the audit cited spending outside the original contract, payments exceeding work completed and releases of money for substandard work. The audit report covered the period from January 1 to March 20 of last year.

The largest objection concerned construction of the Dhaka-Jashore railway line. The audit alleged that contractors received full payment despite reduced work after a design change, identifying Tk2,130.42 crore in excess payment. It also cited alleged losses linked to extra rail imports, reduced granular sand use, increased bills of quantities and contracts priced above estimates. The project authority offered explanations, but the audit said most were not helpful in resolving the objections.

The audit recommended recovering excess payments from contractors, depositing the money in the state treasury and taking departmental action against those responsible. Railway Director General Md Afzal Hossain said most objections had been resolved or withdrawn. Current project director Naznin Ara Keya said responses to the objections were being processed. State Minister for Railways Habibur Rashid said the government would act if evidence is found.

Meta has launched Muse Code, an artificial intelligence-based coding tool for developers, the company said on August 5. Powered by Meta’s latest AI model, Muse Spark 1.2, the tool is designed to help with software creation, code writing, and identifying and fixing errors. Muse Code is currently available in beta.

Meta said Muse Code was specially trained to manage long and complex coding projects. It can use multiple AI assistants, or sub-agents, at the same time to complete difficult and time-consuming tasks more quickly. Muse Spark 1.2 and Muse Code were trained together, allowing the two technologies to work jointly on coding-related tasks.

The beta version will save users’ work records, enabling them to resume from a previous point if the software closes. Developers can access it through a pay-as-you-go model. Under its standard plan, Meta charges $1.25 per one million input tokens and $4.25 per one million output tokens. Meta is positioning Muse Code to compete with technologies including Anthropic’s Claude and OpenAI’s Codex.

The parents of July martyr Abdullah Al Roman say they have left their home area and are living in fear because of alleged public death threats and harassment by Awami League leaders. Roman’s mother, Rozina Begum, said police had not filed a chargesheet two years after a murder case was lodged at Rupganj police station on 21 August 2024. She asked the government to ensure justice for her son and allow her to handle the case.

According to the family, Roman, a 17-year-old tenth-grade student, joined a student-public victory procession in Chanpara, Rupganj, Narayanganj, on 5 August 2024 after the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government. Gunfire at the procession injured at least 15 people and killed six, including Roman. He was struck by 18 pellet shots and was declared dead by doctors after being taken to hospital.

Roman’s aunt Rina Begum filed the case naming 105 people, including Sheikh Hasina, Obaidul Quader and Ghulam Dastagir Gazi, along with 60 unidentified accused. Rozina alleged that Rina received death threats and could not attend court dates. Roman’s father, Anwar Hossain, also demanded justice for the killing.