Disaster Management and Relief Minister Asadul Habib Dulu said the July student-public uprising was the final expression of 17 years of accumulated anger, deprivation and sustained struggle. Speaking to Amar Desh at the Secretariat on Tuesday, he said the mass uprising ended an authoritarian rule on August 5 and prompted hopes for a new Bangladesh.

Dulu said the movement began as a quota protest by general students but expanded into a wider mobilisation of the public, farmers, workers and other groups because of the government’s rigid and harsh response. He cited alleged repression, disappearances and killings of BNP activists, and said Khaleda Zia’s imprisonment and Tarique Rahman’s guidance contributed to sustaining the movement. He also described deaths linked to the movement in Lalmonirhat and among people from the district working in Dhaka.

The minister said state institutions had become fragile because of nepotism and corruption, making structural reform or “state repair” a central need. He referred to BNP’s 31-point reform proposal and said it would be implemented if the party received a public mandate. He also called for respect for those killed, treatment for people left disabled, political restraint, mutual respect and adherence to the public mandate.

Thirteen-year-old madrasa student Mohammad Arafat remains missing two weeks after he left his home in Chauddagram, Cumilla. Arafat, the son of Ali Haidar from Chandishkara village in Chauddagram municipality, is a fourth-grade student at Mahini Madrasa. His parents, Ali Haidar and Sultana Akter Simu, and other relatives are living in anxiety as they await his return.

According to the family, Arafat returned home from madrasa on the morning of July 23, changed his clothes and left saying he was going to play. Instead, he went to his maternal grandfather's home in Basantapur village. After learning there that his grandmother was in Chauddagram for treatment, he travelled to Feni and met a former teacher before setting out for home.

Family members said they did not previously know that he had gone to his maternal grandfather's home or to Feni. They began searching in different places after he failed to return by the night of July 23. A general diary has been filed with Chauddagram Model Police Station, and Officer-in-Charge Mohammad Arif Hossain said police are making their utmost effort to recover him.

Islami Chhatra Andolon Bangladesh condemned alleged attacks, clashes and violence involving activists of Chhatra Dal and Chhatra Shibir at educational institutions across Bangladesh. In a joint statement issued on the afternoon of August 4, central president Muntachir Ahmad and secretary general Sultan Mahmud called for an end to terrorist politics on campuses. They cited incidents at Dhaka College, Dhaka Alia, Begum Rokeya University and Jagannath University, among other institutions.

The organisation alleged that Chhatra Dal attacked Dhaka College branch vice-president Raisul Islam, other responsible activists and general students. It also alleged that Chhatra Shibir vandalised rooms of responsible activists at a Dhaka Alia hall. The leaders said educational institutions should be places for learning, morality and healthy political development, where attacks, domination and displays of weapons are unacceptable.

They said students had expected safe, peaceful campuses open to expression in the post-July period, but recent clashes, attacks and weapon displays had disappointed those expectations. The group demanded impartial investigations into all attacks, identification of those involved and exemplary punishment. It also urged all student organisations to act responsibly to ensure tolerance, mutual respect and a peaceful political environment on campuses.

National Citizen Party-NCP convener and opposition chief whip Md Nahid Islam alleged that educational institutions are again being turned into havens for violence, with attempts underway to seize halls, control campuses and establish dominance. He made the remarks on Tuesday at a discussion in Siraj Convention Center, Aftabnagar, marking the second anniversary of the July Revolution, organized by Jatiya Chhatra Shakti’s combined private university branch.

Islam said representatives of Jagannath University’s student union and Chhatra Shakti leaders had been attacked. He alleged that Chhatra Dal and what he called its violent groups were trying to take control of Dhaka College, Dhaka Alia Madrasa and other institutions. He also said that Alif, described as their brother, had his eye gouged out in Habiganj.

He urged the government to learn from the past, avoid conflict with students, allow them to study without disruption, preserve democratic practices in institutions and create employment. Islam praised private university students’ role in the July Revolution, calling for recognition and documentation of their sacrifices. He said the government had taken no initiative regarding private universities.

Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal president Rakibul Islam Rakib accused senior leaders of Islami Chhatra Shibir of advising attacks while being occupied with alleged “women scandals.” He made the remarks in a Facebook post on Tuesday night, following clashes involving student groups at Jagannath University.

In his post, Rakib alleged that Shibir activists carried out an armed campus attack at night with a Jamaat parliamentary candidate and others, and held open armed displays. He questioned whether such conduct represented what he described as their Islamic and honest governance. The source presents these statements as Rakib’s allegations.

On Tuesday, activists of Chhatra Dal, Islami Chhatra Shibir and Chhatra Shakti clashed at Jagannath University. Several people were injured, including activists from the three student organisations, university students and several journalists. The source did not provide further details on the cause of the clashes or responses from the groups named in Rakib’s post.

Clashes and tensions involving Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal and Islami Chhatra Shibir were reported on August 4 at Jagannath University, Dhaka Alia Madrasa, Dhaka College and Begum Rokeya University. The report said more than 150 activists from both sides were injured. At Jagannath University, violence spread around an event attended by the University Grants Commission chairman, while two cocktail explosions were heard during clashes at Dhaka College.

At Jagannath University, pushing followed an attempt to enter the event venue with placards, and confrontations later spread to several locations. Shibir and JAKSU representatives alleged Chhatra Dal attacked them, while Chhatra Dal alleged Shibir and JAKSU were trying to create instability. Shibir also alleged attacks on injured activists seeking treatment at National Medical College Hospital. The university administration condemned the incident, announced an inquiry committee and said police had been deployed.

About 50 people were reported injured at Dhaka Alia Madrasa, where police were deployed. At Dhaka College, at least 20 Shibir and 10 Chhatra Dal activists were reported injured after a dispute over event banners. At Begum Rokeya University, authorities barred outsiders and vehicles from campus and deployed additional police after earlier clashes and a Chhatra Dal sit-in.

The Bangladesh Jute Department will declare all of its offices 100% tobacco-free and install visible no-smoking signs, Director General and Additional Secretary Syed Md. Nurul Basir said on Tuesday. He made the announcement while chairing a discussion at the department’s meeting room on measures to ensure tobacco-free office environments under the Tobacco Control Act (Amendment) 2026. The event was organized by the National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh.

The foundation said 35.3% of Bangladesh’s adult population uses tobacco and tobacco-related diseases cause about 200,000 deaths annually, citing Tobacco Atlas. It said around 40 million non-smokers face health risks from secondhand smoke. In 2024, health and environmental losses from tobacco use and production were about Tk87,000 crore, while government revenue was Tk41,000 crore.

Professor Dr. Sohel Reza Choudhury said smoke-free offices and public gathering places could protect non-smokers and encourage smokers to quit. Basir said tobacco has no positive aspect and harms users, families, colleagues and future generations. He called for active cooperation from officials and employees to implement tobacco-control law and ensure tobacco-free workplaces.

India has denied organising or endorsing former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s planned virtual address, scheduled for Wednesday in New Delhi. Foreign Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said Tuesday that the government had “no involvement whatsoever” and that the event was being arranged by a private media entity. Hasina is due to appear by videolink at an event hosted by the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of South Asia, alongside her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy and other speakers.

Bangladesh had asked New Delhi to clarify its position, warning that political activity by Hasina and other Awami League leaders could harm bilateral relations. M Humayun Kabir, adviser to Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, met India’s high commissioner in Dhaka on Monday to protest the event and urged cooperation in preventing political activity from Indian territory.

Bangladesh on Tuesday barred local media from airing Hasina’s speech, citing laws restricting publication and broadcast of her statements and messages. The Awami League condemned the ban as an effort to intimidate journalists, while Hasina aide Abu Obaidha Arin said the event would proceed. Dhaka continues to seek Hasina’s extradition from India.

Bangladesh’s University Grants Commission (UGC) said it will give Chinese top priority in third-language education at universities. UGC চেয়ারম্যান Professor Dr Mamun Ahmed announced the initiative at a meeting at the UGC office on 4 August with a six-member delegation from the Chinese embassy in Dhaka and Jiangxi Science and Technology Normal University. He said a programme to establish language centres at 30 universities will begin within three months.

The initiative aims to include a foreign or international language in curricula alongside Bangla and English. Ten universities currently have language centres, and 20 more will be added in phases, creating third-language learning opportunities at 30 institutions. Ahmed said language skills are essential as Bangladesh-China cooperation in education, trade, technology and development is expanding rapidly.

The meeting also discussed higher-education quality, graduate skills, employment-oriented education and a five-year higher-education transformation programme. Participants discussed expanding internships and scholarships in China for Bangladeshi students and increasing joint cooperation in technical and vocational education. The Chinese delegation said it would train Bangladeshi teachers to improve language proficiency under its Global Teachers Training Programme and plans teacher-training programmes for Bangladesh and other South Asian countries.

Jagannath University authorities announced tight security on campus for August 5 and 6 after clashes involving Chhatra Dal and Chhatra Shibir. Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Md. Roich Uddin confirmed the three decisions while briefing reporters after an emergency meeting on the night of August 4. Although the university will remain closed on August 5, overall security will be ensured through the police administration, with the same measures continuing the following day.

The administration said treatment for injured students would be provided without discrimination. A university delegation has already visited injured people at Dhaka National Medical Institute Hospital, and the vice-chancellor said speedy treatment would be prioritized regardless of students’ organizational affiliation. A four-member investigation committee has been formed to determine the cause of the incident and has been instructed to submit its report quickly.

The confrontation began during a July Mass Uprising Day-2026 discussion at the central auditorium, when representatives of several groups attempted to enter with placards. An argument escalated into chases and clashes across campus. Further clashes occurred after injured people were taken to National Medical College Hospital. Authorities said those identified as responsible through the investigation would face the highest disciplinary action.

A homemaker and a child died in separate snakebite incidents in Saltha upazila of Faridpur on Tuesday. The victims were Saraswati Mondal, 42, wife of Premananda Mondal from Pisnail village, and Sakiba Akhtar, 3, daughter of Saidul Mollah from Sonatandi village.

According to local sources, Saraswati stepped into a rat hole beside her home early in the morning and was bitten by a snake inside it. Family members took her quickly for treatment, and she was admitted to Faridpur Medical College Hospital. She died while undergoing treatment around noon.

Sakiba was playing in her home courtyard when she put her hand into a rat hole and was bitten by a snake. After poisoning symptoms appeared, her family took her to a local healer, who said there were no signs of snakebite. Her condition then deteriorated rapidly, and she was taken to Muksudpur Upazila Health Complex, where the duty doctor declared her dead. Ballabhdi Union Parishad Chairman Khandaker Saifur Rahman Shahin said snake activity had increased somewhat as monsoon water levels rose.

Barishal-6 MP and freedom fighter Abul Hossain Khan called for mosque imams and muezzins to be appointed on merit rather than party considerations at a meeting in Bakerganj, Barishal. The discussion with imams, muezzins and khadems from different mosques in the upazila was held Tuesday afternoon at the Bakerganj municipal auditorium, chaired by Upazila Nirbahi Officer Milton Chandra Pal.

Speaking as chief guest, Khan said religious education should be expanded alongside modern education. He said religious education has no alternative in establishing morality, human values and social discipline. He urged appointments to be based on qualifications, honesty and religious knowledge, and said religious institutions should remain free from political influence.

Khan said an imam’s role extends beyond leading prayers to promoting morality, humanity and correct Islamic teachings in society. He added that religious leaders can help foster peace, harmony and social awareness. Expanding religious education is essential to protect younger generations from moral decline, he said. The meeting was moderated by Upazila BNP leader Mizanur Rahman Chunnu and attended by several local BNP and Olama Dal figures.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman formally inaugurated the July Mass Uprising Memorial Museum on Wednesday at around 9 a.m., according to a report published on August 5, 2026. After the opening, he toured the museum’s galleries and examined preserved artifacts, photographs, documents and memorabilia.

July fighters and family members of martyrs recalled stories of bravery and sacrifice from the July mass uprising during the event. The programme also featured a documentary on the sequence of events and history of victory in the uprising, along with a cultural performance.

Cultural Affairs Minister Nitai Roy Chowdhury said the museum would be reserved for special guests and martyrs’ families on the inauguration day. It will open to the general public from Thursday, August 6. Tickets will be available online, priced at 50 taka for adults and 25 taka for children. The report said the initiative to establish the museum at Ganabhaban, using various memorabilia from July, was taken under the interim government led by Professor Dr Muhammad Yunus.

A commentary published by Amar Desh on August 5, 2026 recounts the August 5, 2024 uprising, Sheikh Hasina’s resignation and her departure from Bangladesh. It says student and public marches spread through Dhaka and other parts of the country that day. According to the report, celebrations began in Dhaka and nationwide after news of Hasina’s departure emerged around 2:30 p.m.

The report presents the quota-reform movement as the catalyst for a broader public uprising. It describes participation by university, college and school students, as well as workers, teachers, lawyers, artists and other professionals. It cites a United Nations figure of 1,400 deaths, more than 550 people losing eyesight, and about 30,000 people suffering physical injuries.

Citing statements made during tribunal hearings, the article says government and military-level meetings on August 4 and 5 discussed controlling the situation. Army chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman said at 4 p.m. that the prime minister had resigned and that an interim government would be formed. The report further says Hasina left for India with her sister Sheikh Rehana aboard an air force C-130 aircraft.

Chittagong Medical University held prayers, a milad gathering, special supplications and a discussion meeting to remember those who sacrificed their lives in the July uprising, marking July Uprising Day 2026. The event took place on Tuesday in the university seminar room, where participants prayed for the martyrs’ forgiveness, the swift recovery of those injured, and the country’s peace, development and prosperity.

The special prayers were led by Md Saiful Islam, an office assistant-cum-computer operator at the university. Assistant Registrar Md Alauddin presented a documentary on the July uprising. Teachers, officers and employees remembered the martyrs with deep respect and paid tribute to their sacrifices.

Speakers at the discussion said the martyrs’ sacrifices would remain a unique example in the struggle to establish democratic aspirations, justice and human values. They expressed hope that the sacrifices would inspire younger generations toward patriotism, responsibility and the ideal of justice. Earlier, on July 20, the university held another discussion and awarded “Revolutionary Honor” to Md Shafiul Alam, father of martyred Wasim, and injured July fighter Alif Uddin Rubel.