DIG Mohammad Shafiqul Islam has been appointed as the Additional Police Commissioner of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Detective Branch (DB). A member of the 18th BCS Police cadre, Shafiqul Islam previously served as DIG of the Highway Police. The DB chief’s position had remained vacant since April 13, when his predecessor, Rezaul Karim Mallik, was removed from the post. After four months of vacancy, Shafiqul Islam has now officially taken charge of the influential law enforcement unit.

Attorney General Mohammad Asaduzzaman has made a striking statement, saying even Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina now supports the caretaker government system, despite its earlier abolition. Speaking in court, he recalled that the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court had struck down the 13th constitutional amendment, which had allowed caretaker administrations. He argued for its reinstatement, saying: “If caretaker government returns, no more mothers will lose their sons, no more brothers will lose brothers, no more blood will be spilled for voting rights.” In a sharp remark aimed at the ruling party, he added: “The Awami League once said power could never be handed to an unelected government. Yet they themselves ruled without election. Now, it is like a ghost chanting God’s name—Sheikh Hasina, too, wants a caretaker government.”

The parents of 16-year-old Adam Rayne have filed a lawsuit in a California court against OpenAI and its CEO, Sam Altman, accusing ChatGPT of contributing to their son’s suicide. According to the complaint, within six months of use, ChatGPT had become Adam’s “only friend.” In one disturbing exchange, the chatbot allegedly advised him to hide suicidal thoughts from his family. The lawsuit claims that ChatGPT: Reinforced Adam’s feelings and validated his darkest thoughts. Encouraged even his most harmful, self-destructive ideas. This is not the first such case. A similar lawsuit was filed in Florida last year. An OpenAI spokesperson expressed condolences, stating the company is reviewing the allegations, while also reiterating previous cautions: “Overdependence on ChatGPT can reduce the need for genuine human connections.”

Government advisors sat down with 11 representatives of the protesting engineering university students at Rail Bhaban on Wednesday evening, shortly after 7:15 PM. Meanwhile, demonstrators at Shahbagh have vowed not to leave the streets until their demands are fully met. Earlier in the day, the government formed an eight-member committee to review the validity of BSc engineering graduates’ demands and provide recommendations. However, students rejected the committee outright, instead putting forward five specific demands of their own.

Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr. Ahsan H. Mansur has revealed that the demand for cash in the country is rising by nearly 10% each year, costing the government around Tk 20,000 crore annually in printing and distribution. Highlighting the need for digital alternatives, he said: “A smartphone is now essential for financial transactions, bill payments, and online services.” The central bank is working to introduce affordable smartphones priced between Tk 6,000–7,000 to ensure universal access to digital financial services. Dr. Mansur also called for lowering internet costs and improving service quality to accelerate digital adoption. On housing, he emphasized: Millions of new homes are still needed across the country. Urban migration is irreversible, making affordable housing projects urgent. Banks could utilize their idle land by partnering with developers.

Violent clashes broke out between BUET students and police in Dhaka, leaving several students and officers injured. Commenting on the incident, Ramna Division DC Masud Alam said: “We never told them to leave Shahbagh, one of the most critical intersections. The ministry was positive, and a gazette notification had already been issued—exactly what they wanted.” According to him, student leaders had earlier agreed to stay at Shahbagh for no more than 30 minutes, threatening to march to the Secretariat if their demands were not met. But suddenly, protesters broke blockades and ran toward the Chief Adviser’s residence near InterContinental. Police initially tried to disperse them peacefully but eventually used water cannons after protesters hurled stones. Masud claimed: Some students carried “hexa-type knives”, injuring multiple officers. Protesters threw bricks extensively. Once they reached the Chief Adviser’s residence, police had no choice but to respond: “If we cannot ensure security there, then we don’t deserve these uniforms.”

The Ministry of Home Affairs has dismissed recent media reports regarding police officer Nihar Ranjan Halder as “false and misleading.” Several outlets reported on August 26, 2025, that Halder was demoted from Superintendent of Police (SP) to Additional SP over unpaid debts of around seven lakh taka. In a formal rejoinder, the ministry clarified that his demotion was not due to loan defaults. Instead, it stemmed from disciplinary actions taken over the course of his career. Halder faced three departmental cases in which allegations were proven. The ministry detailed: In the first case, he received a reprimand. In the second, he was demoted for three years. In the third, his pay scale was downgraded for one year, with a permanent bar on future salary adjustments. The statement emphasized that his demotion was a result of disciplinary penalties, not financial misconduct.

The prosecution has presented its opening statement in the Shaheed Abu Sayeed murder case. Witness hearings are scheduled to begin on Thursday at Tribunal-2. Chief Prosecutor delivered the statement on Wednesday, outlining the background of Begum Rokeya University (Begum Rokeya Bishwabidyalay, or Berobi) during the July uprising. Among the six arrested accused present in court were Berobi’s former proctor Shariful Islam, police constable Sujan Chandra Roy, and Chhatra League leader Imran Chowdhury. However, 24 others, including the former Vice-Chancellor of Berobi, remain absconding. The investigation agency submitted its report on June 24, followed by formal charges accepted by the tribunal on June 30. Subsequently, four state-appointed defense lawyers were assigned to represent the accused.

At a press conference, Zubair Ahmed, a representative of the Engineering Rights Movement, announced five key demands in response to recent clashes. He insisted that the Home Affairs Adviser must appear before protesting students to issue a formal apology and take responsibility for the attacks. Rejecting the government-formed inquiry committee, Zubair said: “The committee has no representation from us. We reject it outright.” He demanded an immediate restructuring of the committee to include university faculty representatives and key stakeholders of the student movement. Among other demands: The government must cover all medical expenses for injured students. Authorities must ensure the safety of protesters throughout the movement. No further police attacks will be tolerated. All attackers must be arrested immediately, prosecuted, and dismissed from their positions. He also stressed that the three-point demand already submitted must be accepted without delay and formalized through an executive order—guaranteed today by three advisers.

Three government advisors have directed local administration, law enforcement, and intelligence agencies to remain vigilant against any provocative activities surrounding Chandranath Temple in Sitakunda. The directive came during a meeting with leaders of the Chandranath Shrine Committee. The advisors present were Dr. A. F. M. Khalid Hossain, Faozul Kabir Khan, and Bidhan Ranjan Ray Poddar. Shrine leaders reported that the temple has faced various forms of provocation over the past five years, threatening communal harmony. In response, the advisors instructed officials to take immediate action against any such attempts. The Religious Affairs Advisor stated: “Those who attack places of worship cannot be considered religious. Such acts are crimes, and we will respond firmly to any attempt to disturb communal harmony.” He also urged Hindu devotees to submit legitimate demands through the Hindu Religious Welfare Trust. The Primary and Mass Education Advisor reaffirmed the government’s commitment to building a discrimination-free society irrespective of religion, caste, or class. During the meeting, Shrine Committee President Apurba Kumar Bhattacharya raised concerns over the poor condition of the temple’s staircase, warning of possible accidents. Following this, Advisor Faozul Kabir Khan immediately contacted the Chattogram LGED secretary to initiate repairs.

The Election Commission (EC) has approved the draft roadmap for the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Elections on Wednesday. The final roadmap is expected to be published on Thursday. Meanwhile, the EC is set to launch National ID (NID) services in three major U.S. states—New York, Miami, and Los Angeles—along with the capital, Washington D.C. As part of the election preparations, hearings on claims and objections regarding the redrawn boundaries of parliamentary constituencies have concluded. Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), election commissioners, the EC secretary, and petitioners participated in the hearings. A total of 262 claims and objections across 18 constituencies in five regions were reviewed. On the final day, hearings covered constituencies in Rangpur, Rajshahi, Mymensingh, Sylhet, and Faridpur.

In Monday’s deadly Israeli airstrikes on a Gaza hospital, at least 20 people, including five journalists and several medical staff, were killed. Among them was Palestinian journalist Mariam Abu Daqqa, who left behind a touching letter for her son, Gaith. In the letter, she wrote: “My dear Gaith, I want you to pray for me. Do not cry at my death—let me be happy. I did everything so you could live happily, safely, and healthily. I want you to grow into a successful businessman. When you marry and have a daughter, name her ‘Mariam’ after me. You are my love, my heart, my soul. Pray for me. Your mother, Mariam.”

Students of RUET blocked the Dhaka-Rajshahi highway Wednesday afternoon in protest against police attacks on fellow engineering university students. The blockade caused severe traffic disruption, stranding many passenger vehicles. Earlier in Dhaka, students clashed with police near Hotel Intercontinental as they attempted to march toward Jamuna. Police fired tear gas and sound grenades to disperse them, leaving several injured. Both students and police officers were taken to hospitals. Adviser Muhammad Faozul Kabir Khan called on students to return to classes, adding that a review committee has already been formed.

The government has reconstituted a seven-member public administration committee, appointing Economic Adviser Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed as chair and Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan as member-secretary. Advisers Dr. Muhammad Faozul Kabir Khan and Mahfuz Alam will also serve as members, along with the Cabinet Secretary, Principal Secretary to the Chief Adviser, and the Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration. The ministry has been tasked with providing secretarial support to the committee, which oversees administrative appointments, transfers, and related activities.

The Cabinet Division has formed an eight-member committee to review the demands of BSc and diploma engineers and make recommendations. Adviser Muhammad Faozul Kabir Khan will chair the committee, which includes advisers Adilur Rahman Khan, Prof. Dr. Chowdhury Rafiqul Abrar, and Syeda Rizwana Hasan, along with leaders from IEB and IDEB. The committee has been given one month to submit its report and may include new members if needed.