The Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) recovered 100 bottles of Phensidyl from a schoolbag on a Sohag Express passenger bus travelling from Satkhira to Dhaka and arrested passenger Jahidul Islam. The operation took place at 7:20pm on Friday near the Mayor Hanif Flyover in the Jatrabari police station area of the capital. DNC personnel also seized Tk60,000 in cash and a mobile phone from him.

According to the DNC, a Kotwali Circle team led by Assistant Director Md Nazrul Islam of the Dhaka Metro South office searched the bus after receiving confidential information. Officers searched a schoolbag carried by Jahidul Islam, who was seated in seat D-9, and found the bottles. The haul included 74 bottles of ESKUF brand Phensidyl and 26 bottles of FAIRDYL brand Phensidyl, totalling 10 litres.

The DNC estimated the value of the recovered drugs and other evidence at about Tk300,000. It said the Phensidyl was believed to have been transported to Dhaka by bus. Investigators are examining where the shipment was collected and who was expected to receive it in Dhaka. Legal action under the Narcotics Control Act, 2018, is being processed, while efforts continue to identify others linked to the case.

Biman Bangladesh Airlines’ Toronto-Rome-Dhaka flight BG306 was grounded at Fiumicino Airport in Rome, Italy, after a fault was detected in its pressurization system. The 256 passengers were allowed to leave the aircraft after about seven hours. Airline sources said the problem was found during a technical inspection after the plane landed in Rome, and the flight cannot depart until repairs and required safety checks are completed.

Passengers were disembarked at about 2:30 p.m. local time, but visa complications prevented their immediate transfer to hotels. Food allocated for passengers on the aircraft was supplied on the ground. One stranded passenger said they had remained inside the aircraft for a long time before being taken off around 8:30 p.m. Bangladesh time, when hotel-transfer arrangements began. The passenger also complained of insufficient assistance from airport authorities.

Biman said it is arranging to send engineers and necessary parts from Dhaka to Rome for further inspection and repairs. It has arranged accommodation, food and other support for BG306 passengers in Rome, but said the departure time for Dhaka remains uncertain. BG305, the Dhaka-Rome-Toronto service operated by the same aircraft, will also be delayed, with a new departure time set for 1 p.m. on August 8.

A Jubo Dal leader, Abdul Mannan, 45, was allegedly detained naked at a woman’s home and beaten by an agitated crowd in Harinagar village of Munshiganj union, Shyamnagar, Satkhira. The incident occurred at about 10:30pm on Thursday, according to local sources. Multiple videos of the incident were circulated on social media and became viral.

Local residents, Munshiganj union BNP leaders and witnesses said people surrounded the woman’s home, broke open a locked room and detained Mannan. They said an angry crowd then beat him before party leaders and activists arrived and took him away. Local sources identified him as president of Jubo Dal’s Ward 6 unit in Shyamnagar municipality.

The woman alleged that Mannan had long harassed her and made immoral proposals after becoming acquainted through work at an NGO. The acting convener of Shyamnagar municipal Jubo Dal said the party would verify the allegations and take organisational action under its constitution. Police said no written complaint had been filed. Mannan’s phone was switched off, so his comments could not be obtained.

Iranian parliament member Ebrahim Rezaei has sharply criticized a new joint defense agreement signed by Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey amid the US-Iran war. Rezaei, a member of parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, said the “paper agreement” with Turkey and Pakistan would not provide Saudi Arabia with real security. He made the remarks in a post on X.

The three countries signed the agreement, called the Mecca Joint Defense Pact, on Thursday in Mecca. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif attended the signing. Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said an armed attack on any one of the three countries would be considered an attack on all of them.

According to Pakistan’s statement, the pact aims to strengthen collective deterrence against aggression and broaden defense cooperation in all fields. It was signed amid Gulf security concerns and disruptions to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea. Rezaei said Saudi Arabia had not gained security through years of unilateral reliance on the United States, and said changing its policies would remove the need to seek security from other countries.

Dhaka University’s Bijoy Ekattor Hall administration has expelled Abdullah Al Mahfuz, a 2020-21 Bangla department student, from the hall for six months over allegations that he assaulted another resident student. His allocated residential seat has also been cancelled, according to a notice issued by the hall provost’s office.

The notice said an incident involving Mahfuz and resident student Ahmed Shahriar Nir occurred around 11:50pm on July 19 over use of a washroom beside the guest room in the Jamuna Block. Nir is a 2023-24 student in the Television, Film and Photography department and a Chhatra Dal leader. The report said an argument began during the Argentina-Spain World Cup final, followed by allegations that Mahfuz beat Nir and tried to take him to his room.

Bijoy Ekattor Hall Chhatra Dal submitted a written complaint, after which a three-member investigation committee was formed. The hall notice said the investigation found Mahfuz’s involvement and described his actions as against university and hall discipline. Although Mahfuz had been described as a worker for an Islami Chhatra Shibir-backed panel during the DUCSU election, the university branch of Chhatra Shibir denied any organisational affiliation with him.

Biman Bangladesh Airlines’ BG306 flight from Toronto to Dhaka was held for more than seven hours at Rome Fiumicino Airport in Italy after an unexpected technical fault. The problem emerged at about 7:20 a.m. local time on Friday during a routine refuelling stop. Passengers said 260 people were still aboard the aircraft while it remained at the airport.

The flight departed Toronto at about 5 p.m. local time on Thursday for Dhaka, with a scheduled refuelling stop in Italy. After landing in Rome, passengers were told that the aircraft had developed a technical problem requiring repairs. As of 1:30 p.m. local time, the flight was still at the airport, and authorities could not confirm when it would resume its journey.

Biman said technical inspections and corrective work were under way to protect passenger safety and security. BG306 will leave Rome for Dhaka after the fault is fully resolved and required safety checks are completed. The airline said BG305, operating the Dhaka-Rome-Toronto route with the same aircraft, would also be delayed. Accommodation, meals and other necessary support were arranged for BG306 passengers in Rome.

Nirapad Sarak Chai (Nischa) founder Ilias Kanchan said Bangladesh can significantly reduce road accidents through coordinated action, political will, effective law enforcement, science-based planning, modern technology and public participation. He made the remarks on Friday at Nischa’s 11th Grand Rally 2026 at the National Theatre Hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy in the capital.

The organisation welcomed the government’s ongoing initiatives and submitted a practical national action plan along with a 12-point recommendation paper. Kanchan said establishing safe roads is not the responsibility of any single person or institution, but a national duty and a basic human right. He called for joint work by the government, elected representatives, administration, law enforcement agencies, transport owners and workers, engineers, researchers, teachers, students, media and the public.

Chief guest Cultural Affairs Minister Nitai Roy Chowdhury stressed the roles of values, education and a culture of obeying laws in road safety. He urged the use of drama, film, music, folk culture, media and social media to spread safety messages. Nischa said governance, accountability, technology, research and citizen participation could help build a safe, sustainable and humane transport system.

Saiful Haque, general secretary of Bangladesh’s Revolutionary Workers Party, said the Indian government is using a “Hasina card” to keep Bangladesh under pressure. He made the remarks on Friday at a July martyrs’ remembrance rally organised by his party at the Central Shaheed Minar in Chashara, Narayanganj. He said India’s Bangladesh policy was defeated through the 2024 mass uprising, but Indian policymakers had not learned from it.

Haque said India had adopted a dual strategy after Bangladesh’s elected government took office in February. According to him, the Modi government was sending messages of brotherhood while also beginning to use the Hasina card against Bangladesh to exert pressure. He said the martyrs of the July-August uprising sacrificed their lives for a non-discriminatory, democratic and humane society, not to advance the narrow agenda of any particular force or group.

He also alleged that economic and social inequality, job dismissals and unemployment had increased over the past two years, while livelihoods remained insecure. Haque said a new pay structure had been introduced for government officials and employees, but no national minimum wage board had yet been formed for workers. He urged the government to strengthen domestic institutions, including Bapex, to reduce foreign dependence in energy policy.

Mohammad Junaid Malik, known for supplying food to student protesters at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar for 35 days, has begun supporting job-seeking students protesting in Ranchi, Jharkhand. The 30-year-old LLB student from Ghaziabad is arranging food and other necessities for demonstrators who have been protesting for two weeks over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations. Malik said breakfast and regular meals were being organized for the protesters.

Malik said the effort was collective rather than his alone, with his full volunteer team arriving in Ranchi from Delhi and more people expected to join. He also said vegetarian biryani was planned for distribution in the evening. Citing persistent rain, he warned that waterlogging at the protest site could increase mosquito breeding and the risk of disease. He urged Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren to consider the students’ demands seriously and resolve the matter quickly.

The protest reached its 14th day on Friday, with six demonstrators on an indefinite hunger strike and one hospitalized after his condition worsened. Five more people, including two women, joined the fast on Tuesday night alongside JLK M leader Devendra Nath Mahato, who had been fasting for six days. Protesters formed an 11-member delegation, but said they had received no formal invitation despite the chief minister saying talks remained open.

A prayer and discussion meeting was held in Mirpur, Dhaka, to remember Syed Upal Bakht Hashemi, a former central leader of Bangladesh Students Union and an organizer of the anti-autocracy movement of the 1990s. The event took place after Asr prayers on Friday, August 7, at Masjidul Faruk in the Journalists’ Residential Area and at the late leader’s residence. A special prayer was offered for his soul.

Speakers highlighted Hashemi’s eventful life, struggles and significant contribution to the student movement. Those present included his father, former state minister Syed Didar Bakht Hashemi; Election Commission Secretary Akhtar Hossain; Jatiya Party senior leader Ruhul Amin Hawlader; and former National Board of Revenue chairman Dr Mohammad Abdul Majid. Politicians, social workers, businesspeople and senior journalists also paid tribute.

Hashemi, 59, fell ill at Agargaon Metro Station on Monday afternoon and was taken to Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital, where a doctor declared him dead. Bangladesh Students Union, the Communist Party of Bangladesh and several student organizations expressed deep condolences. A chemistry postgraduate from Dhaka University, he was a front-line organizer during the 1990 anti-Ershad movement.

Japanese authorities ordered about 260,000 residents in the Kagoshima and Okinawa prefectures to move to safe locations as powerful Typhoon No. 13 threatened the country’s southwest. More than 500 flights were cancelled on Friday because of adverse weather conditions. The report was published on August 7, 2026.

The Japan Meteorological Agency said the Category 1 typhoon had maximum sustained winds of 144 kilometres per hour and gusts reaching 198 kilometres per hour. It was moving toward island chains between the Kyushu region and Okinawa Prefecture, bringing risks of strong winds, heavy rain and rough seas.

Toyota temporarily suspended production at nine factories on Friday for safety reasons. The weather agency warned that the storm could retain its strength as it moved toward Okinawa, potentially damaging or collapsing buildings and other structures. It also warned that linear rain bands could produce extremely heavy rainfall, thunderstorms and a heightened risk of flash flooding. Temperatures in some areas could reach 36 degrees Celsius, prompting a heatstroke warning.

National children and youth organization Ankur held an art competition and prize-giving ceremony in memory of child and teenage martyrs of July. The event took place on Friday morning at an auditorium in Paltan, Dhaka, marking the second anniversary of the July mass uprising. Chaired by Ankur director Shah Shihab Uddin, the programme awarded participants across two groups.

Chief guest Arifur, a calligraphy artist and Ankur adviser, said children and teenagers made sacrifices in July 2024 with a dream of building a beautiful Bangladesh. He said everyone should build a clean Bangladesh for them. Special guests included writer and poet Ruhul Amin Sadi, businessman Mohiuddin Jamil, Principal Maulana Azizul Haque, Nur Mohammad and H M Ershad, among others.

Guests presented certificates and prizes to 10 winners in the two groups. Syed Mohammad Annur Haiday, a student of Motijheel Ideal School, won first place in Group A, while Rufaida Tarannum took first place in Group B. All participants received special prizes. Co-director ABM Shahidul Islam and organizational secretary Ahmad Aiman Andalib jointly conducted the event.

A newly published analysis has accused Elon Musk, the owner of social media platform X and one of the world’s wealthiest entrepreneurs, of strengthening racial division, Islamophobia and far-right politics. The report, published on August 7, 2026, cited an interview with Economist editor-in-chief Zanny Minton Beddoes in which Musk, when asked about Islam and Muslims, raised issues including rape, murder, opposition to Western values and imposing laws.

Critics said those comments resemble anti-Muslim narratives long promoted by far-right groups and portray Muslims as a single, inherently violent group threatening Western societies. The analysis said Musk denies being racist, but argued that his political positions and activity on social media convey a different message. It also alleged that he has repeatedly posted about the “Great Replacement Theory” and “white genocide.”

According to the report, Musk posted about such themes almost daily in January this year, and one X post saying white people were rapidly becoming a minority reached millions. The article also cited his financial support for US President Donald Trump’s campaign, public support for France’s National Rally and Germany’s Alternative for Germany, and the reinstatement of several prominent far-right activists’ accounts on X.

The Gulf Cooperation Council and the Arab League condemned Houthi attacks in Saudi Arabia’s southern Najran area, where several civilians were injured, according to a report published on August 7, 2026. GCC Secretary-General Jassim Mohammed Albudaiwi described the attack as a terrorist act violating international and humanitarian law.

Albudaiwi said Saudi Arabia’s security is inseparably linked to that of other GCC member states and pledged full support for Riyadh’s efforts to protect its borders and independence. Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Fahmi also condemned Houthi attacks on Najran and on positions held by government forces in Yemen’s Marib and Hadramawt.

Fahmi said attacks on Saudi territory, endangering civilian lives and carrying out attacks inside Yemen represent a highly dangerous course. He said such actions threaten regional security and stability while harming prospects for de-escalation and a political settlement. The Arab League expressed full solidarity with Saudi Arabia against aggression targeting its security, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and called for an end to Houthi attacks and ongoing tensions in Yemen.

BNP joint secretary general and Narsingdi-1 lawmaker Khairul Kabir Khokon alleged that Jamaat-NCP wants to create an unstable situation in the country. He made the remarks on 7 August at Narsingdi Children’s Academy, where the district BNP held a discussion and distributed grants to families of July uprising martyrs and injured people.

Khokon said the July-August uprising was not the achievement of a single individual, group or party, but the result of a movement involving people from all walks of life. He alleged that Jamaat-NCP was turning non-issues into issues in the name of the July Charter and using obscene language against the prime minister, BNP and the party’s senior leaders to gain sympathy.

Referring to the Awami League, Khokon said the party had fallen after repeatedly speaking about the spirit of the Liberation War and would have no opportunity to return to Bangladesh. The event was chaired by Narsingdi district BNP general secretary and Narsingdi-3 lawmaker Monjur Elahi. After the discussion, prayers were offered for the martyrs, and guests handed cash grants to bereaved families and injured people.