Bangladesh Open University has published the results of its 2026 Secondary School Certificate examinations, reporting an overall pass rate of 63.74 percent. The results were released on Thursday afternoon. A total of 30,816 students took part in the first- and second-year examinations, while 12,024 sat for the final examination.

Of the final-examination candidates, 7,664 passed, according to a notice signed by acting Controller of Examinations Md Habibullah Mahamud. The successful candidates included 4,725 male students and 2,939 female students. The result announcement programme was broadcast live on the university’s Facebook page.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Mohammad Siddiqur Rahman Khan said the university is working to ensure a fair, cheat-free and modern examination system while making examinations and result publication faster and technology-based. He said the results were published within 49 working days. The university said results are available through its website and mobile SMS, and it plans full automation of examinations, QR-coded identity cards, photo-bearing admit cards and e-attendance in the next examination.

Pakistan said on Thursday that it does not consider itself bound by unilateral US sanctions imposed on Iran. Speaking to journalists in Islamabad, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Taher Andrabi said Pakistan does not view Washington’s sanctions against Tehran as consistent with international law.

Andrabi said disputes of this kind should be resolved through dialogue and diplomatic engagement. Pakistan’s statement outlined its position on the US measures targeting Iran and emphasized a diplomatic approach rather than pressure through unilateral restrictions.

The comments followed Monday’s announcement by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent of new sanctions against Iran. The source said the administration of President Donald Trump is seeking to increase economic pressure on Tehran as part of efforts to compel Iran to make concessions on various issues.

Dhaka University Central Students’ Union general secretary SM Farhad said every word spoken by martyred Osman Hadi reflected a firm commitment to resisting domination, a call for struggle and a desire to build a prosperous Bangladesh. Farhad made the remarks in a message published in “Barudmakha Kothamala,” a compilation of speeches by Shaheed Sharif Osman Hadi edited by DUCSU literature and cultural secretary Musaddik Ali Ibn Mohammad.

Farhad said Hadi’s speeches repeatedly addressed resistance to injustice, aggression and domination, alongside a commitment to constructing the cultural narrative of July. He cited Hadi as saying that if people could continue their struggle, they would write the grave of “dominant Delhi.” Hadi also expressed a resolve to advance the struggle through the path of martyrs’ blood.

According to Farhad, Hadi had urged all student and political organisations to unite. He said the call envisioned a collective resistance against dominant forces. Farhad added that the speech collection documents Hadi’s thoughts, struggle and resolve, and that his words continue to encourage resistance to injustice and strengthen commitments to protect Bangladesh’s independence, sovereignty and dignity.

The government has reconstituted a 10-member Cabinet Committee on National Awards to examine proposals from ministries and make recommendations on national honours. Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Dr Abdul Moeen Khan has been named convener of the committee, according to a recent notification issued by the Cabinet Division.

Other members include Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed, Cultural Affairs Minister Nitai Roy Chowdhury, Industries, Textiles and Jute and Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir, Information and Broadcasting Minister Andaleeve Rahman, Water Resources Minister Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie, Disaster Management and Relief Minister Asadul Habib Dulu, and two state ministers. The minister of the relevant ministry will also serve as a member.

The committee will review national award proposals, recommend formal presentation of awards, prepare related plans and assess the need for new national awards. The notification cancels an earlier order issued on February 25, 2026, and takes immediate effect. A nine-member secretariat, chaired by the Cabinet Secretary, will provide necessary support to the committee.

Bangladesh Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman attended the 2026 annual commanders’ conferences of the Corps of Military Police and the Remount Veterinary and Farm Corps on Thursday. The two events were held separately at the Corps of Military Police Centre and School and the Remount Veterinary and Farm Depot in Savar, where he served as chief guest.

At the Military Police conference, the army chief discussed technical development, research, professional skill enhancement and future planning with commanders and other officers. He highlighted the corps’ tradition and contribution to maintaining discipline and security in the army, praised its role in the international arena, and congratulated its members.

At the fourth annual commanders’ conference of the Remount Veterinary and Farm Corps, he cited the corps’ tradition and service to the country. He emphasized its role in ensuring nutrition and food security for the army, discussed development, research and professional capability, and placed special importance on increasing farm production. Senior military officials, commanders and officers from the relevant corps attended the events.

The Bangladesh Agrochemical Manufacturers Association (BAMA) has welcomed the government’s move to simplify imports of raw materials for agricultural pesticide production and remove mandatory sourcing from specified countries or origins. In a statement, BAMA President and agriculturist KSM Mostafizur Rahman described the decision as timely and farmer-friendly, saying it would bring positive results for Bangladesh’s agricultural sector and farmers.

Rahman said previous complex policies and requirements to import from particular countries or sources had imposed additional costs on manufacturing companies. Under the new policy, importers will be able to procure quality agricultural chemicals and raw materials from international markets at competitive prices while maintaining quality standards.

BAMA said the change could help ensure an uninterrupted supply of agricultural chemical inputs in the domestic market and keep production costs under control for farmers. The association noted that dependence on a limited number of countries had previously created artificial shortages of pesticides and other agricultural chemicals when global supply chains were disrupted, causing unusually high prices. It said removing source-country restrictions would promote open-market competition and allow lower-cost imports.

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed withdrew remarks on Thursday afternoon after opposition lawmakers objected during the parliamentary question-and-answer session. The dispute began when opposition MP Shafiqul Islam Masud questioned him about the law-and-order situation, and the minister said speaking at Shahbagh Square was not the same as speaking in parliament.

Opposition members protested the comment, saying the minister had responded in that manner to questions from several members, including Hasnat Abdullah. Salahuddin Ahmed said he had not directed his remarks at anyone. The objections continued as lawmakers challenged his description of opposition members’ questions as speeches associated with Shahbagh Square and Paltan Maidan.

Amid the protest, the home minister sought “shelter” from Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed. When the speaker was also unable to stop the protesting members, Salahuddin Ahmed said, “I withdraw, I withdraw, are you happy now?” The minister’s statement marked a retraction of the contested remarks during the session.

Bangladesh’s ongoing parliamentary session will run for nine working days, beginning Thursday and scheduled to conclude on September 10. The decision was made at a meeting of the Jatiya Sangsad Business Advisory Committee before the session began, chaired by Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed in the Cabinet Room of the Parliament Building. The speaker may change the session’s duration and working days if necessary.

Parliament leader and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman attended the meeting, along with opposition leader Dr. Mohammad Shafiqul Rahman and other committee members, ministers and parliamentary whips. Deputy Speaker Barrister Kaiser Kamal also attended at the speaker’s special invitation.

The committee decided that there would be no parliamentary sittings on government holidays or on August 31 and September 1. Sittings will begin at 3pm each day. The session has received 2,818 questions, including 142 for the prime minister and 2,676 for other ministers. It has also received 81 notices under Rule 71 and 249 notices for resolutions under Rule 131.

Gyirong port on the China-Nepal border has become a focal point for rescue operations after severe flooding and landslides in China. CCTV footage showed the large building marking the border being swept away by powerful flows of mud and water, while hundreds of people ran toward safer ground. The building stood in the deepest of five Himalayan valleys.

The port became an important trade and transport hub after the 2015 earthquake damaged other routes. It served as a main entry point for tourists travelling between Nepal and Tibet. More than 100,000 people used the port during the first six months of the current year, and it handled more than 30 percent of total China-Nepal trade.

Following the disaster, some users on Chinese social media questioned why such an important land port had been built in a geographically unstable deep valley. Heavy rainfall last year also triggered destructive landslides and flash floods that killed 17 people. The source notes that valleys are the natural routes for crossing the Himalayas, and this passage has been used for more than 1,300 years by nomads, herders, Nepali traders and local villagers.

State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj said Bangladesh will soon launch a pilot to deliver cooked meals to primary schoolchildren with mothers involved in preparation and distribution. Speaking on Wednesday at an orientation and discussion meeting in Chapainawabganj, he said the initiative will examine models based on experiences in Sri Lanka and India’s Tamil Nadu. Ingredients including vegetables, eggs and fish could be sourced from local markets, with mothers taking responsibility for cooking and delivery.

Hajjaj said the government’s central objective is to ensure every child receives safe, quality and nutritious food on time. He said effective oversight by Mothers Committees has significantly reduced irregularities and complaints in the mid-day meal project. Mothers’ direct involvement has improved transparency and accountability in food quality, supply and distribution, he added.

He instructed Mothers Committees at every school to take a more active role and immediately reject food with problems in quality, smell, taste or supply, while informing the relevant authorities. The minister also outlined planned reforms involving teacher training, promotions, transfers, staffing, infrastructure, monitoring, curriculum and technology in primary education.

The National Citizen Party (NCP) has protested the reported beating of three journalists while they were carrying out professional duties in Shariatpur. It also condemned an alleged telephone threat to another journalist by Shariatpur district BNP joint general secretary Arifuzzaman Molla, who was quoted as saying, “You write, we will beat.” NCP demanded immediate party disciplinary and legal action against those involved.

In a joint statement sent Thursday by office cell member Sadia Farzana Dinar, NCP convener Nahid Islam and member secretary Akhtar Hossain said violence against journalists and threats to suppress the media showed that part of those in power did not believe in even minimum media freedom. They said a return of cadre rule, abuse of power and fascism would not be accepted in a new Bangladesh after the July uprising.

The party called for the arrest and legal prosecution of the attackers and all involved, including Molla. It also urged effective legal and administrative measures to ensure a safe environment and legal protection for journalists across the country to publish truthful news freely. NCP said it would stand with journalists and the public in defending free media and freedom of expression.

Independent lawmaker Rumin Farhana told parliament on Thursday that 62,000 people had lost their jobs within six months of the BNP government taking office. Speaking under Rule 71, she questioned the government’s election pledge to create 10 million new jobs, saying more than 900 factories had closed amid energy shortages and rising fuel costs.

Farhana said people faced unreliable gas and electricity supplies, describing public complaints that services come and go without people knowing how long they will last. She said the government had listed improving law and order, controlling commodity prices and ensuring the energy sector among three priorities for its first 180 days.

She also criticised the law-and-order situation and said the home minister either mocked concerns or used rhetoric to obscure the issue. On prices, she said no vegetables were available below 80 taka, egg prices had risen several times, and rice prices, particularly miniket rice, had doubled. She referred to people standing in lines for TCB goods and questioned how long existing workers could retain their jobs.

NCP Chief Organiser Sarjis Alam accused the BNP of deceiving people over a referendum and its own 31-point programme while speaking to journalists on Thursday afternoon in Feni. He made the remarks after a district coordination meeting and political workshop at Hotel Golden Palace in Feni town. Sarjis also said the BNP government had become unpopular within six months of taking power, citing rising commodity prices, electricity and fuel shortages, nepotism and partisan practices.

Sarjis said the NCP is and will remain in the 11-party alliance, but will contest the upcoming local government elections independently. He described the polls as an important opportunity to build the party’s organisational base and improve the skills of its organisers. The party plans to nominate candidates at district, upazila, city, municipality and union levels.

He said the NCP may not win everywhere but would fight to win, adding that independent participation would not create problems within the alliance. Sarjis said the alliance maintained cordial relations and planned long marches across the country on various issues in September to seek government accountability. Joint member secretary Saleh Uddin Sifat also criticised the BNP over shortages of gas, petrol and fertiliser.

Sonamukh Smart Academy held a day-long counselling and guidance seminar for students who failed the SSC examination in Dumuria, Khulna, on Wednesday. The programme, held at the academy hallroom in Andulia, Shahpur, promoted the message that failure is not final and students can recover through planning, practice and confidence. It was organised alongside observances of Eid-e-Miladunnabi and an Islamic cultural competition.

Professor Hafizur Rahman chaired the event, while academy founder A. M. Kamrul Islam, principal Husain Ahmed, teachers and other speakers addressed participants. Speakers said a single examination result does not determine a student’s entire life. They urged students to identify the causes of failure and move forward with regular study, practice and appropriate guidance.

Speakers noted that many students failed English first and second papers this year and stressed regular study, practice and advice from skilled teachers to address weaknesses. The academy announced that from September 1 it would provide special support in different subjects by appointing skilled teachers for students in the area. Participants received prizes, and each unsuccessful SSC student was given the book “Tumio Jitbe.”

Bangladesh’s parliament saw intense unrest after Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed responded to a question from Patuakhali-2 lawmaker Dr Shafiqul Islam Masud about law and order and arrests of opposition activists. Ahmed said, “Giving speeches at Shahbagh Square and speaking in parliament are not the same.” The comment prompted anger and strong protests among opposition members. The third session of the 13th National Parliament began at 3pm on Thursday under the chairmanship of Major (retd) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed.

Masud said daylight robberies involving weapons and attacks on parliament members elected by the people were concerning. He alleged that, despite opposition lawmakers filing cases after attacks, actual suspects were not being arrested. Instead, he claimed, opposition leaders and activists were being arrested in false and fabricated cases. He asked the home minister about specific measures.

As the disorder escalated, the Speaker repeatedly urged members to remain calm and hear the minister’s response. The Speaker asked opposition members to show patience, said they had ample opportunities to speak in parliament, and stated that they could criticize the government freely. Members were asked to return to their seats, listen to the full answer, and speak later if necessary.