National University has postponed the 2025 first-year Honours examination scheduled for August 27 for course code 212109 under the new syllabus. The institution said the examination was deferred due to unavoidable reasons, according to a press release issued by its public relations department on Tuesday.

The university did not specify the nature of the unavoidable reasons behind the postponement. It said a revised schedule for the deferred examination would be announced later.

All other examinations will continue according to the previously announced schedule. The change applies only to the examination for course code 212109, while the schedules for other subjects remain unchanged.

At least 12 members of the district water transport workers’ union were injured in an alleged attack on protesting workers near the 1,320MW Payra Thermal Power Plant in Kalapara, Patuakhali. The incident occurred around 5pm Tuesday at Bottola Bazar, adjacent to the plant’s jetty. Five workers, including Rezaul Pyada, Hiron Pyada, Imam Pyada, Khokon and Hasan, were admitted to Kalapara উপজেলা Health Complex in serious condition.

The workers said they had held a protest and sit-in from 11am, demanding that members of the government-registered water transport workers’ union be included in ship cargo operations at the power plant. They said police mediated a temporary suspension of the programme around 3pm, while several workers remained in the Bottola Bazar area.

According to the injured workers, 7 to 8 people carrying sticks attacked them around 5pm under the leadership of Dhanikhali Union Jubo Dal president Md Kuddus Mridha Tapan. Tapan denied the allegation, saying he would be guilty if administration personnel present at the site said he was involved. Kalapara police chief Md Nazrul Islam said legal action would follow an investigation if a written complaint is filed.

Students protesting recruitment examinations and job-related demands clashed with police in Patna, Bihar, on Tuesday while marching from Gandhi Maidan toward the chief minister’s residence. Protesters, including Bihar Public Service Commission job aspirants, broke through police barricades at Dak Bungalow crossing, prompting police to use water cannons. Several people were detained, and pushing occurred between police and demonstrators.

Police said some students threw stones as tensions intensified, while many protesters carried national flags and continued chanting after being drenched by water cannons. Security was strengthened at key intersections in Patna, with additional forces, the Central Reserve Police Force and the Rapid Action Force deployed at Dak Bungalow crossing.

The students seek a single-stage teacher recruitment examination, transparency in recruitment, BSSC examinations and equal opportunities for Hindi-medium candidates. They also demand cancellation of the 70th BPSC examination over alleged irregularities. Police official Kamakhya Narayan Singh said discussions were underway and some demands had been accepted, but marchers would not be allowed to proceed. The Bihar government also announced monthly student assistance camps, an online portal and a 1100 helpline for complaints.

The government has reshuffled four senior administrative positions, appointing a new managing director of Dhaka WASA, a secretary for the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, a chief engineer for the Local Government Engineering Department, and a director general for the National Institute of Local Government. The Ministry of Public Administration issued separate notifications on Tuesday night.

Local Government Division Additional Secretary Dr Mohammad Moniruzzaman has been appointed Dhaka WASA managing director on deputation. Mohammad Aminul Islam, previously employed on contract as Dhaka WASA managing director, had the remaining period of that appointment cancelled and was named director general of the National Institute of Local Government on a one-year contract.

Ministry of Women and Children Affairs Secretary Yasmin Parvin has been withdrawn and placed with the Ministry of Public Administration for subsequent posting. National Institute of Local Government Director General Dr Rowshan Ara Begum has been appointed ministry secretary. In a separate notification, Mohammad Belal Hossain was appointed Local Government Engineering Department chief engineer for one year on contract, subject to suspension of post-retirement leave and related benefits.

An eight-member robbery gang reportedly entered the home of Kuwait expatriate Miksan Sheikh in the Brahmankathi area of Pirojpur early Tuesday. The group allegedly cut through kitchen and building-side grills, tied up Sheikh’s younger brother Emran at gunpoint and looted gold ornaments, cash and other valuables.

Miksan Sheikh’s wife Selina Begum and Emran said the robbers entered Emran’s room carrying pistols and locally made weapons. They said the gang broke open a locker and took two gold chains, a ring, an Android mobile phone and other valuable items. The robbers also tried but failed to break the door of Selina Begum’s room.

Neighbour Rehana Begum was seriously injured after the robbers allegedly beat her when she approached the house after hearing cries from inside. Pirojpur Sadar police station officer-in-charge Md Shariful Islam said police visited the scene after receiving information and collected preliminary details. He said the process for necessary legal action was under way based on a written complaint.

Rangpur Police Commissioner Abdul Mabud has been transferred, and Special Branch DIG Mahbubur Rashid has been appointed as the new commissioner of Rangpur Metropolitan Police. The transfer was ordered through a Ministry of Home Affairs notification issued on Tuesday.

Mabud assumed responsibility as Rangpur Metropolitan Police commissioner on 12 August. His transfer came only 13 days after taking up the post. The source does not state the reason for the ministry’s transfer order.

The change in the commissioner’s post followed the recovery of four bodies from the Daspara-Machhuapara area of Rangpur city on Saturday night. The victims were retired Rangpur Zilla School teacher Ganapati Chakraborty and three family members. Police later detained two suspects and said they had killed Chakraborty, his wife, daughter and son one by one.

Police arrested Vidisha Ershad, the second wife of late president Hussain Muhammad Ershad, in Dhaka’s Gulshan area on Tuesday, August 25. She was detained at about 8:30pm from Erabika Restaurant in Gulshan-2 after an arrest warrant had been issued against her, according to Gulshan police station Officer-in-Charge Md Daud Hossain.

Police said a financial fraud case was filed against Vidisha Ershad at Gulshan police station. A court sentenced her to two years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Tk10,000 in that case.

An arrest warrant was subsequently issued against her, police said. After the warrant was issued, she went into hiding before police later located and arrested her.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said he does not support an August 29 event at Madison Square Garden featuring Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat. Bhagwat is scheduled to address Indian-origin American citizens at the private gathering, which is expected to draw about 5,000 people. Mamdani said he was unsure whether the city administration has authority to cancel the event because it is privately organized.

Speaking at a Tuesday news conference, Mamdani described himself as New York City’s first Indian-American mayor and said members of his mother’s family still live in India. He said he grew up with an idea of India as a pluralistic society and secular republic, where equal rights and participation for all people were important. He called the rise of a movement based on an exclusionary outlook deeply troubling and said he strongly opposed that view.

Hindus for Human Rights, the Indian American Muslim Council and the Interfaith Center of New York are among groups opposing Bhagwat’s appearance and calling for cancellation. AHEAD Forum is organizing the event, titled “Universal Oneness Celebration,” saying its message is that the whole world is one family and urging unity beyond artificial divisions. Bhagwat arrived in the United States on Tuesday as part of a global campaign marking the RSS centenary and is also due to visit Canada and the United Kingdom.

International Crimes Tribunal Chief Prosecutor Aminul Islam said every enforced disappearance case will be treated seriously and justice will be ensured without political consideration. He made the remarks at a Tuesday press briefing at his office after meeting relatives of disappearance victims led by Sanzida Islam Tuli, coordinator of the family platform Mayer Dak.

Tuli alleged that efforts by former chief prosecutor Tajul Islam to investigate and prosecute disappearances had been influenced by political considerations. Aminul said victims would not be viewed according to party affiliation, whether linked to Jamaat-e-Islami, BNP or another group. He cited councillor Ekram, described as an Awami League member who was killed in what he said was a crossfire operation planned under the Awami League government, as an example of a case now being prosecuted.

Aminul said about 250 families of disappearance victims have been identified. Investigators have preliminarily verified the allegations and confirmed that the individuals were abducted by law-enforcement agencies, he said. Statements from every affected family are being recorded. Five designated officers with specialist disappearance-investigation experience have been assigned, and he requested reasonable additional time to conclude investigations and submit one or two reports for trial.

Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) has ordered the withdrawal of 10 products, including Bombay Sweets spices and Baghbari ghee, after laboratory tests found they failed to meet Bangladesh standards. The announcement was made in a notice signed by BSTI Secretary Moinuddin Mia on Wednesday. BSTI also issued show-cause notices asking why the licences granted for the products should not be cancelled and advised consumers not to buy them.

The failed products include five Bombay Sweets & Co. Limited spice items: curry powder for duck meat, tehari spice, kala bhuna spice, beef spice and fish spice. BSTI said the products contained excessive total ash and salt under Bangladesh standards. It said Baghbari branded ghee contained no milk fat and was being marketed as ghee despite being made with palm olein and vanaspati.

Other products found substandard were Arunn Baghbari, New Radhuni and City branded ghee, and Elders butter oil. BSTI said test results for ghee and butter oil showed refractive index, iodine value, saponification value and Polenske value outside prescribed limits. Director General Kazi Imdadul Haque said licensed firms have legal and ethical duties to maintain quality, while BSTI will continue surveillance against counterfeit and adulterated products.

Two students from Gobra Madrasa in Gopalganj Sadar have been reported missing since Monday, according to their families and madrasa authorities. The missing students are Imam Samaddar, 13, son of Nur Mohammad Samaddar of Matla village, and Tamim, 18, of Sonakur village. Both were wearing panjabis and pyjamas when they went missing.

Madrasa teacher Md Saidur Rahman said the two students left the institution around Monday afternoon without informing anyone. They did not return afterward, prompting the madrasa authorities to notify their families about the matter.

Gopalganj Sadar police station Officer-in-Charge Aminul Islam said neither the families nor the madrasa authorities had informed police about the students' disappearance. He said necessary legal action would be taken if a complaint is filed.

The South Korean Embassy in Bangladesh will open a dedicated visa application center in Dhaka on September 2 to simplify and improve visa services for Bangladeshi applicants. The Korea Visa Application Center will operate from 2F B&T Nehalia Tower, Plot 80, Block B, Kamal Ataturk Avenue, Dhaka 1213, in Banani. The embassy also said visa application rules are being changed alongside the center’s launch.

After the center opens, all applications for regular visas and passport collection will be handled exclusively through the new facility. Applications and issuance procedures for diplomatic and official passport holders will remain at the embassy through diplomatic notes. Notarization and police clearance certificate services will also continue to be handled by the embassy.

The visa center will operate an online appointment system. Details on the appointment process and available appointment dates are scheduled to be announced separately on August 27. Further information on operating hours, visa procedures, required documents, fees and other operational matters will be announced later. Applicants preparing to apply have been advised to follow the center-related announcements carefully.

Chattogram District Commissioner and District Magistrate Mohammad Zahidul Islam Miah said academic certificates and GPA-5 results alone do not constitute true education, stressing honesty, morality and human values. He made the remarks on Tuesday, 25 August, at a meeting on implementing the National Integrity Strategy and achieving Sustainable Development Goals at Sitakunda উপজেলা পরিষদ auditorium, followed by an anti-drug gathering at Bhaterkhil High School in Muradpur Union.

Addressing students, he said education should also be measured by whether learners become honest, humane and responsible. He called on families, educational institutions, the administration and society to work together to protect young people from drugs and harmful culture. He also emphasized involving students in sports and positive social activities.

At the meeting, the commissioner urged officials to ensure transparent, accountable public services without harassment. Discussions covered Sitakunda’s development, service quality, administrative coordination, integrity strategy implementation and SDG targets, including law and order in Jangal Salimpur. He later distributed wheelchairs, welfare grant cheques, educational and sports materials, and health supplies to beneficiaries.

The Allahabad High Court dismissed a petition by Sukaina Rizvi, a minor Class 11 student at Tagore Public School in Atarsuiya, Prayagraj, seeking permission to wear a hijab with her school uniform. A division bench of Justice J. J. Munir and Justice Indrajeet Shukla ruled that the petitioner had not provided sufficient facts or legal grounds to establish hijab as a mandatory or essential Islamic religious practice.

Rizvi told the court that she had worn a hijab since childhood and had previously been allowed to wear it with her uniform while studying in Classes 6 to 10 at the same school. She argued that denial of permission violated Articles 14 and 19(1)(a) of the Constitution. The court said protection under Article 25 could not be claimed merely through oral assertions without adequate factual and legal support.

The bench emphasized that a neutral, universal and non-discriminatory school dress code could be enforced to maintain discipline and institutional identity. It said uniforms support equality among students and a religiously neutral environment. The school argued that an exemption could disrupt administrative discipline, adding that other Muslim female students followed the prescribed dress code.

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes and Manchester City forward Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw have won the Professional Footballers’ Association Players’ Player of the Year awards for their performances in the 2025-26 season. Fernandes was recognised after leading United’s campaign, while Shaw received the women’s award after helping City win the league title.

Fernandes scored nine goals and registered 22 assists in 37 matches across all competitions. In the Premier League, he set a new single-season record of 21 assists, surpassing Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne, as United finished third and qualified for the Champions League. He is United’s first PFA Player of the Year winner since Wayne Rooney in 2010 and the second Portuguese recipient after Cristiano Ronaldo.

Shaw won the award for a second time in the past three seasons after scoring a Women’s Super League-high 21 goals and securing a third consecutive Golden Boot. City defender Nico O’Reilly won the men’s young player award, while Arsenal forward Olivia Smith retained the women’s honour. Arsenal had five players in the PFA Team of the Year, followed by four from City.